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
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
Suite F
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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
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
Wind energy has potential
to produce 20%+ of
TOPIC:
TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS
ON PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
STTR Project
Electron Energy Corporation High
Performance Permanent Magnets
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
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
Coal is
TDA Research, Inc. RFCC Catalysts for Chemical
12345
More efficient use of
heavy petroleum resources located in the
Technova
Corporation Improved Conversion of
Cellulose
3927 Dobie Road Waste to Ethanol Using a
Dual
Inedible biomass represents
an abundant and low-cost renewable resource that can be transformed into biofuel - a major transportation fuel for
Tethys Research, LLC Industrial Production and
53
Downing Rd Applications of Hemicellulose:
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
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
Maple
Oxidation
Catalytic oxidation of low cost and abundant alkanes for the production of many valuable chemicals can
bring to the
Exelus,
Inc. Step-Out
Process to Upgrade Glycerol
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
Membrane Technology and Research, Biobutanol Production with Hybrid
Inc. Membrane-Distillation
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Concepts, Inc. Thermal
Properties
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
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
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
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
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
Scotts
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
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
Universal Display Corporation High
Efficacy Phosphorescent SOLED
375 Phillips Boulevard Lighting
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
TOPIC:
NEUTRON AND ELECTRON BEAM INSTRUMENTATION
Adelphi Technology, Inc. Neutron Compound Refractive Prisms
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
The project will
develop fast, highly efficient electron detectors for microscopy.
Hysitron,
Inc. Quantitative
In-Situ TEM Tensile
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
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
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
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
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.