DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM

AND

SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM

FY 2008 PHASE II AWARDS BY TOPIC

                                                                                     

                                                                                    

         TOPIC:  USE OF CELLULOSIC BIOMASS TO PRODUCE BIOFUELS                      

                                                                                     

         Edenspace Systems Corporation                          Improved, High-Moisture Ensiled Crop

         3810 Concorde Parkway                                    Feedstocks for Cellulosic Ethanol  

         Suite 100                                                                  

         Chantilly, VA  20151                                                       

                                                                                    

This project seeks to reduce the cost of cellulosic ethanol and other renewable fuels by ensiling crops that produce enzymes to reduce downstream processing costs. The project will create new value-added revenue opportunities for agricultural producers and ethanol cooperatives and reduce fuel costs for consumers.

                                                                                    

         ZuChem, Inc.                                                      Bioprocess for Xylitol from        

         2225 W Harrison St                                            Hemicellulose                      

         Suite F                                                                    

         Chicago, IL  60612-4671                                                    

                                                                                     

During biofuel ethanol production, by-products rich in sugars are produced and if these

byproducts can be made into a valuable product; the cost-effectiveness of ethanol production will be enhanced. This project will develop a bioprocess which will transform these sugars into xylitol, a sugar polyol that is in high demand by the food ingredient and confectionary industry, therefore improving the economics of ethanol production.

 

                                                                                

         TOPIC:  SOLAR ENERGY                                                       

                                                                                    

         Luminit, LLC                                                       Flexible Spectrum Splitting        

         20600 Gramercy Place                                        Holographic Concentrator           

         Suite 203                                                                  

         Torrance, CA  90501                                                        

                                                                                    

This project will develop a laminated holographic film that focuses lightwaves on solar cells to significantly improve the efficiency of existing photovoltaic tech.

                                                                                    

         Luna Innovations Incorporated                             High-Throughput In-Line PV         

         1 Riverside Circle                                                Manufacturing Diagnostic System    

         Suite 400                                                                  

         Roanoke, VA  24016                                                       

  

Photovoltaic technology is predicted to substantially impact the nation’s wealth and economy in 21st century. This project will develop an in-line high-throughput manufacturing diagnostic system capable of fast and accurate identification of the distribution of stress and coating uniformity, allowing improved process control, increased yield, and reduced cost.

                                                                                    

         SVV Technology Innovations, Inc.           High Performance PV Concentrator   

         5022 Bailey Loop, S-te 120                                                 

         McClellan, CA  95652                                                     

                                                                                    

This project will develop and demonstrate a new approach for making inexpensive solar panels for generating electricity. It will make viable the large-scale, distributed energy production from renewables and help meet the national goals of energy independence, reduction of carbon emissions and fostering the job growth and economic progress.

   

         Ultrasonic Technologies, Inc.                               In-line Crack Detection in Silicon 

         27247 Breakers Drive                                         Solar Cell Production Using         

         Wesley Chapel, FL  33544                                  Resonance Ultrasonic Vibrations    

                        

Millimeter-size cracks in silicon wafers lead to breakage of solar cells and elevate cost of their manufacturing. The patented Resonance Ultrasonic Vibration method and system provide fast in-line diagnostics of cracks by screening cracked wafers and cells during the production cycle. 

                                                                                

 

         TOPIC:  HYDROGEN DELIVERY AND PRODUCTION                                   

                                                                                  

         FuelCell Energy, Inc.                                           Development of Highly Efficient    

         3 Great Pasture Rd.                                             Solid State Electrochemical Hydrogen

         Danbury, CT  06813                                           Compressor                         

                                                                                    

This project focuses on the development of a dual-use highly-efficient, solid-state electrochemical hydrogen compressor to produce high pressure, high purity hydrogen for near-term industrial applications and to meet future hydrogen refueling infrastructure needs.

                                                                                    

         Mohawk Innovative Technology, Inc.                   Advanced Sealing Technology for    

         1037 Watervliet-Shaker Rd                                 Hydrogen Compressors                

         Albany, NY  12205-2033                                                     

                                                                                    

For the hydrogen economy and energy independence to become a reality, efficient and reliable large-scale compressors are needed to move hydrogen gas from production sites to end user locations. Oil-free, non-contacting seal and bearing technologies are critical to the successful development of these new compressors. These technologies will also have a positive impact on the operating efficiency and life of existing and new pipeline compressor and aircraft gas turbine engine systems.

                                                                                    

         Physical Optics Corporation                                Photoelectrochemical System for    

         20600 Gramercy Place, Bldg. 100                       Hydrogen Generation                

         Torrance, CA  90501                                                       

  

This project is for an innovative system that will produce hydrogen for fuel cells and other energy applications by splitting water using photoelectric conversion of solar energy.

 

Synkera Technologies Inc.                                   Nanotube Array Photoelectrochemical

         2021 Miller Drive, Suite B                                   Hydrogen Production                

         Longmont, CO  80501                                                        

    

This project is focused on developing, validating, and commercializing next-generation

nanomaterials that will enable the essentially limitless production of the world’s mostperfect energy source—hydrogen—by splitting water via sunlight. Success in this project will represent a key enabling step on the nation’s critical path toward achieving a “hydrogen economy.”

 

 

         TOPIC:  WIND ENERGY RELIABILITY AND COST REDUCTION                         

                                                                                    

         Native American Technologies Company             Development of Nacelle Assembly    

           (N. A. Tech. Inc.)                                              Lifting System (LIFTCAP)           

         P.O. Box 39                                                                

         Golden, CO  80402-0039                                                      

                                                                                    

This project is to design the apparatus to place the nacelle, generator, gear box, rotor, and blades on top of an in-situ fabricated, self-erecting tower, without using an external crane. The nacelle placement apparatus and tower sections will have a complete set of sensors and a structural health monitoring system will be used to collect data on the structural behavior. That data will be used to correlate the Finite Element Analysis.

                                                                                 

         Sentient Corporation                                            Wind Energy Reliability and Cost   

         850 Energy Drive, Suite 307                                Reduction - Wind Turbine Condition 

         Idaho Falls, ID  83401                                        Monitoring                         

 

This project will develop a robust condition monitoring system for commercial wind turbines that will help operators reduce the cost of wind energy.

                                                                                  

         WebCore Technologies, Inc.                               Reducing Cost and Weight of Wind   

         8821 Washington Church Road                           Turbine Blades Using Engineered Core

         Miamisburg, OH  45342                                                    

     

Wind energy has potential to produce 20%+ of U.S. near-term electricity needs; however, to take advantage of lower wind speed sites, the weight of turbine blades must decrease. This project will focus on reducing weight and cost of large blades through alternate core materials, reinforcing fibers, and better design methodology.

 

                                                                              

                                                                                     

         TOPIC:  TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON PLUG-IN HYBRIDS                                        

                       

STTR Project

Electron Energy Corporation                                High Performance Permanent Magnets              

         924 Links Avenue                                               for Advanced Motors                                                        

         Landisville, PA  17538                                                      

                                                                                    

This project addresses the high interest in increasing the performance of advanced motors for

more efficient hybrid electric vehicles. This project will develop a new class of permanent magnets used in permanent magnet motors with (1) better magnetic performance at temperatures up to 240oC, (2) higher electrical resistivity to significantly reduce eddy current losses and (3) lower cost.

 

SBE Inc                                                              Low Cost, High Temperature, High   

         131 S Main St                                                     Ripple Current DC Bus Capacitors For

         Barre, VT  05641                                                Hybrid Vehicles                    

                                                                                     

There is a need for a reliable, low cost, high temperature capacitor which is a required element of Hybrid Electric Vehicles. This project will expand a unique capacitor design which may enable a successful solution.

 

                                                                               

         TOPIC:  ALTERNATIVE FEEDSTOCKS TO CHEMICALS                                

                                                                                     

         Eltron Research & Development Inc.                   Aromatics from Alternative Sources 

         4600 Nautilus Court South                                  by Catalysis with Sulfated Zirconia

         Boulder, CO  80301-3241                                  and Related Systems                

 

Coal is America's largest carbonaceous resource, expected to last for hundreds of years; with Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, coal-derived synthesis gas converts to hydrocarbon fuels whose naphtha portion can be converted to high-volume aromatics needed for our heavy industries. This project will develop naphtha-based advanced catalytic technologies for producing high-volume aromatics.

                                                                                     

         TDA Research, Inc.                                             RFCC Catalysts for Chemical        

         12345 W. 52nd Ave.                                          Feedstocks                         

         Wheat Ridge, CO  80033-1916                                                

                                                                                     

More efficient use of heavy petroleum resources located in the Western Hemisphere is desirable both economically and for increased national security. This project will develop a new catalyst that will enable U.S. refiners to increase the amounts of gasoline and other distillate fuels as well as petrochemical feedstocks from these heavy crudes, thereby decreasing oil imports.

                                                                                     

         Technova Corporation                                         Improved Conversion of Cellulose   

         3927 Dobie Road                                                Waste to Ethanol Using a Dual      

         Okemos, MI  48864-3480                                   Bioreactor System                  

                                                                                    

Inedible biomass represents an abundant and low-cost renewable resource that can be transformed into biofuel - a major transportation fuel for America’s future. This project will use natural microorganism consortia and nanotechnology to improve the efficiency and economy of biomass conversion to bioethanol with equipment that is simple to use.

 

Tethys Research, LLC                                      Industrial Production and          

            53 Downing Rd                                                Applications of Hemicellulose:

Bangor, ME  04401                                         Lignin Etherase: Prototype Development    

 

This project will develop processes to use the enzyme in pulp mills and forest biorefineries to produce raw materials for chemicals and biofuels. It also clones the enzyme for cost-effective large-scale production.

 

                                                                                     

         TOPIC:  CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND SEPARATION PROCESSES FOR BIO-REFINERY APPLICATIONS                                                       

 

Aerophase, Inc.                                                Alternative Reaction/Extraction    

            401 Mountain View Ave.                                  Media to Reduce Energy and Cost of 

            Longmont, CO  80501                                     Biodiesel Production  

            

Biodiesel is a key component in US plans to reduce dependence on foreign oil and

decrease the environmental impacts of using fossil fuels—but current feedstocks and

production technologies prevent it from being cost-competitive. This project will provide enabling technologies for a costeffective, energy-efficient method of producing biodiesel fuels from a variety of lowercost feedstocks.

                                                                                    

         EverNu Technology LLC                                     Nano-scale High-Surface-Area Thermal

         1616 Holly Hill Lane                                            Conductive Ceramic Composites as   

         Suite 108                                                             Effectice Support for Metal Oxide  

         Maple Glen, PA  19002                                      Catalysts in Alkane Selective      

                                                                                    Oxidation  

 

Catalytic oxidation of low cost and abundant alkanes for the production of many valuable chemicals can bring to the US enormous economic, energy and environmental benefits, but the commercialization of the catalytic alkane processes has been hindered by the overheating of and burning on the metal oxide catalysts. A thermally stable and heat-conductive nano-material will be  designed and prepared as a catalyst support, and has shown to be effective in overcoming the over-heating problem of metal oxide catalysts and in speeding up the commercialization of alkane oxidation processes to valuable chemicals.

 

                                                                                  

         Exelus, Inc.                                                          Step-Out Process to Upgrade Glycerol

         99 Dorsa Ave                                                      to Biodiesel                       

         Livingston, NJ  07039                                                    

 

This project will develop a new technology to produce a diesel-fuel blending component from excess glycerol – a waste product from bio-diesel plants – using existing, idled MTBE units. The process has the ability to produce an extra 170 million gallons of diesel per year in the US alone while reducing waste and increasing producer’s profitability.

                                                                                    

         Membrane Technology and Research,                  Biobutanol Production with Hybrid  

           Inc.                                                                   Membrane-Distillation              

         1360 Willow Road, #103                                                     

         Menlo Park, CA  94025                                                    

                                                                                     

 Due to economic considerations, biobutanol is not currently produced as a biofuel even though it has clear-cut performance advantages over bioethanol. This project will develop the biobutanol production process that is both cost and energy efficient and could compete with petroleum-derived butanol production.             

 

                                                                   

         United Environment & Energy, LLC                     Intensified Process for Biodiesel  

         111 Ridge Road                                                  Production                         

         Horseheads, NY  14845                                                      

                                                                                     

This project will develop a high efficiency, high productivity, and low cost biodiesel production technology to replace the current low efficiency biodiesel production process in the industry. The technical feasibility has been proven and the technology is being scaled up.

                       

                                                            

         TOPIC:  CATALYSIS                                                          

 

         STTR Project

Compact Membrane Systems, Inc.                      High Temperature Membrane Reactors

         335 Water Street                                                           

         Newport, DE  19804                                                        

                                                                                     

This program is a platform technology to enhance chemical synthesis and also dry organics including fuel grade ethanol from biomass.  

 

                                                                             

         Inorganic Specialists, Inc.                                     Nanofiber Paper for Fuel Cells and 

         965 Capstone Dr,  Suite 327                               Catalyst Supports                  

         Miamisburg, OH  45343                                                    

                                                                                     

The high cost of fuel cell catalysts like platinum is a major problem for the fuel cell industry. This project will demonstrate how existing commercial fuel cell products can use far less catalyst if they are first modified with a thin layer of inexpensive carbon nanofibers, using a simple process.

                                                                                    

         Precision Combustion, Inc.                                  Novel System for Solid Catalyzed   

         410 Sackett Point Road                                       Isobutane/Olefin Alkylation        

         North Haven, CT  06473                                                   

                                                                                     

This project offers a breakthrough in the manufacture of alkylate, a major component of reformulated gasoline for cleaner combustion. Success will lead to using solid catalysts as an environmentally friendly alternative to current energy-intensive processes based on liquid acids, providing savings in capital, operating costs, energy, and health safety.

 

                                                                                    

         TOPIC:  SEPARATION PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES FOR MANUFACTURING                  

                                                                                  

         Compact Membrane Systems, Inc.                      Dewatering Membrane for Hazy       

         335 Water Street                                            Hydrodesulfurization of Unit       

         Newport, DE  19804                                          Effluents                          

                                                                                    

       

Refinery processes to reduce sulfur in fuels (“hydrodesulfurization”) lead to generation of haze in the fuels. This program will develop technology that will simply and at low cost remove the water haze from fuels.

 

                                                                             

         TDA Research, Inc.                                             Sorbents for Desulfurization of    

         12345 W. 52nd Ave.                                          Refinery Off-Gases                 

         Wheat Ridge, CO  80033-1916                                                 

                                                                                    

Recovery of the energy value of refinery off-gases could save the nation nearly between or nearly $50 to 150 million per year worth of oil at $100/bbl. This project will develop a sorbent-based desulfurization technology that enables the refiners to use off-gases in hydrogen production while recovering their energy value.

 

                                                                                     

         TOPIC:  NANOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY                                                             

                                                                                    

     

STTR Project

Illuminex Corporation                                          Silicon Nanowire Solar Cell                                      

         1064 New Holland Ave.                                                      

         Lancaster, PA  17601     

 

This project will develop a novel solar cell device for efficient conversion of sunlight into usable electrical energy through the application of nanotechnology. This effort will contribute to the development of alternative energy sources and help relieve the burden imposed by the continuing use of foreign oil and other detrimental energy sources.    

 

                                                                  

         Luna Innovations Incorporated                             Carbon Nanosheets as Nanostructured

         1 Riverside Circle                                                Electrodes in Organic Photovoltaic 

         Suite 400                                                         Devices                            

         Roanoke, VA  24016                                                       

                                                  

This project will develop a better flexible solar cell. Using nanotechnology, a new type of efficient solar cell will be developed that will be flexible enough to wrap around consumer and field-portable electronics, while also being less toxic and more robust than traditional approaches to flexible solar cells.

 

                                                         

         TOPIC:  ADVANCED COOLING TECHNOLOGY

                                       

STTR Project

Advanced Thermal and Environmental                   A Nanofluid with Superior             

           Concepts, Inc.                                                   Thermal Properties                                                                                

         7100 Baltimore Avenue                                                       

         Suite 300                                                                  

         College Park, MD  20740                                                    

     

This project will develop a nanofluid that will enhance heat transfer in industrial equipment, such that the size of the equipment and the energy required to operate the equipment can be reduced.

 

 

          STTR Project

         Aegis Technology Inc.                                         High-Efficiency, Cost-Effective                                

         3300 A Westminster Ave.                                   Thermoelectric Materials/devices                                                    

         Santa Ana, CA  92703                                        Industrial Process Refrigeration and

Waste Heat Recovery

 

The proposed project will develop an innovative low-cost scalable approach that can be used to produce a novel class of high-ZT thermoelectric nanocomposites; and build/characterize high-efficiency, cost-effective TE devices that can be applied for industrial process refrigeration and waste heat recovery. 

 

                                                                                                                               

         Altex Technologies Corporation                           Low Cost Microchannel Heat         

         244 Sobrante Way                                              Exchangers                         

         Sunnyvale, CA  94086 

                                                     

This project will develop compact, lightweight and low cost microchannel heat exchangers that will facilitate and reduce costs for many industrial processes, which currently rely on large and heavy heat exchangers.

                                                                                    

                                                                                     

         MER Corporation (Materials and                   Microchannel Magnetic Coolers with 

           Electrochemical Research)                                 Negative Magnetocaloric Effect     

         7960 South Kolb Road                                                        

         Tucson, AZ  85706-9237                                                     

                                                                                    

A combination of novel magnetocaloric materials, novel design and novel technology

will lead to the development of highly efficient and environmentally friendly cooling devices.

                                                                                    

         Thermal Centric Corporation                               Utility and Industrial Heat        

         108 W. 13th Street                                              Exchangers                         

         Wilmington, DE  19801                                                    

 

The recovery of wasted heat in exhausts will reduce fuel consumption in most every commercial and industrial sector. This project will explore new conductive graphite materials that have created a significant opportunity to make innovative heat exchangers that recover energy from the exhausts of thermal-electric power generators, thereby saving billions of dollars in energy costs annually.

                                                                                    

                                                                                    

         TOPIC:  SOLID STATE LIGHTING                                               

 

         STTR Project

         Add-Vision, Inc.                                                  Materials Degradation Analysis and

         1600 Green Hills Road                                        Development to Enable Ultra Low                         

         Suite 100                                                             Cost, Web-Processed White P-OLED

         Scotts Valley, CA  95066                                     for SSL                                                                                                                

                                                                                    

This project will develop a technology enabling ultra low cost printing of specialty organic solid state lighting products with thin, flexible and robust form factor. By addressing the degradation mechanisms of the light-emitting organic devices of this approach, this project will enable new lighting products utilizing United States-based manufacturing.

                                                                           

                                                                                    

         Universal Display Corporation                             Efficient Large Area WOLED Lighting

         375 Phillips Boulevard                                                      

         Ewing, NJ  08618-1428                                                      

                                                                                    

This project will increase the conversion efficiency of electrical energy into light of white-organic-lightemitting devices and thereby enable replacement of inefficient conventional incandescent bulbs, which consume over 8% of the electricity produced in the United States. This project will design and fabricate a prototype warm white OLED that achieves 75 lm/W with LT70 > 35,000 hours at an initial luminance of 1,000 cd/m2. The focus of this proposal is to make large area panels that have the same high efficiency as small area test pixels

                                                                                     

         Universal Display Corporation                             High Efficacy Phosphorescent SOLED 

         375 Phillips Boulevard                                         Lighting                           

         Ewing, NJ  08618-1428                                                      

                                                                                    

This project will increase the conversion efficiency of electrical energy into light of white-organic-light emitting devices and thereby enable replacement of inefficient conventional incandescent bulbs, which consume over 8% of the electricity produced in the United States. This project will design and fabricate prototype warm white stacked OLEDs that have similar light output to conventional fluorescent lighting fixtures. These prototypes will have an efficacy of >75 lm/W, a warm white color temperature, and LT70 > 35,000 hours at 2,000 cd/m2.

 

                                                                                 

         TOPIC:  NEUTRON AND ELECTRON BEAM INSTRUMENTATION                          

                                                                                    

         Adelphi Technology, Inc.                                     Neutron Compound Refractive Prisms 

         2003 East Bayshore Road                                                    

         Redwood City, CA  94063 

 

The proposed compound neutron prism is more powerful than existing neutron optics while providing cost-effective methods that will aid in a range of applications including materials analysis, nondestructive testing, crystallography for proteomics and genomics and the analysis of magnetic films used in information storage.

 

                                              

         STTR Project

         Cermet, Inc                                                         High Efficiency Electron Detector

         1019 Collier Road                                                                                                       

         Suite C1                                                                    

         Atlanta, GA  30318   

                                                     

  The project will develop fast, highly efficient electron detectors for microscopy.                                                                       

 

                                                                                    

         Hysitron, Inc.                                                       Quantitative In-Situ TEM Tensile   

         10025 Valley View Road                                    Testing Apparatus                  

         Minneapolis, MN  55344 

                                                   

Nanostructured materials have shown very promising prospective as emerging energy materials. However, due to their tiny size, reliable methods for exploring their mechanical properties remain elusive despite a number of encouraging efforts. This project will use the quantitative in-situ TEM tensile technique to solve these paramount puzzles effectively.

                                                                                  

                                                                                    

         Hysitron, Inc.                                                       Quantitative In-Situ TEM           

         10025 Valley View Road                                    Nanotribology Tester               

         Minneapolis, MN  55344  

                                                  

This project intends to realize a novel research tool for improved understanding of the mechanisms of friction, solid lubrication, and wear. Increased fundamental knowledge in these areas may lead to breakthrough discoveries and products that help reduce the tremendous national cost associated with the energy-robbing processes of friction and wear.

       

                                                                             

         STTR Project      

         NOVA Scientific, Inc.                                         Efficient Thermal Neutron Position

         Sturbridge Technology Park                                 Sensitive Detector                                                            

         10 Picker Road                                                             

         Sturbridge, MA  01566-1251                                                 

       

This project will develop a powerful neutron-sensitive solid-state imaging detector having high spatial resolution along with fast timing, leading to expanded capabilities in fuel cell studies, material research, as well as geophysical and biological specimen research.

 

         ORDELA, Inc.                                                    Application of Pixel-Cell Detector 

         1009 Alvin Weinberg Drive                                 Technology for Advanced Neutron Beam

         Oak Ridge, TN  37830                                       Monitors                            

                                                                                    

Available neutron detectors limit the characterization of intense neutron beams at national user facilities used for the advanced study of materials. This project will remove these limitations. Advancing detector capabilities increases operational efficiency at these facilities, resulting in important savings in operation cost and increased experimental output.          

 

                                                                             

         TOPIC:  TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC USER FACILITIES          

 

         Dynaflow, Inc.                                                     Development of a Bubble Generator  

         10621-J Iron Bridge Rd                                      Suitable for Spallation Neutron    

         Jessup, MD  20794                                             Source (SNS) Shock Mitigation      

                                                                                    Applications                       

                                                                                     

Safe and maintainable operation of the Spallation Neutron Source requires massive injection of micron sized bubbles in the mercury. An innovative micron-sized bubble generator suitable for this purpose will be developed based on company’s bubble generation and acoustic instrumentation and diagnostics technologies.