Chemical Industry Solicitation Awards Announced
November 2, 2006
In response to a Chemicals Industry of the Future solicitation issued by ITP and Chemical Industry Vision 2020 Technology Partnership, and an Innovative Energy Systems Challenge solicitation, four projects have been selected that will research and develop energy efficient technologies and processes for U.S. Chemical industries. These projects are expected to improve energy intensity of at least 30% over existing systems and yield energy savings of more than 5 trillion Btu per year by 2030. Anticipated federal funding for the projects equals approximately $541,000 in Fiscal Year 2006, and up to $2.4 million per year for the next 3 to 4 years.
The first three projects focus on reactions and separations technologies, and specific processes such as ethylene and ammonia:
New Design Methods and Algorithms for Highly-Efficient and Low-Cost Multi-component Distillation Processes
Project Team: Purdue University, Batch Process Technologies, Eastman Chemical Company
This project will develop methods and algorithms to readily generate low-energy solutions for a large class of multi-component distillation problems in typical Chemical and Petrochemical plants. This project has widespread application in the Chemical industry with the potential to reduce heat duty of the distillation trains up to 40%.
Ammonia Process by Pressure Swing Adsorption
Project Team: SmartKoncept Technology, Inc., Adsorption, Inc., American Electric Power
This project proposes to design, develop, and demonstrate a breakthrough process for efficient production of ammonia based on the highly integrated reaction and adsorption separation technology. This method has the potential to substantially reduce the energy consumption, raw material usage, capital costs, and environmental impacts of U.S. industrial ammonia production, while enhancing safety. The proposed process can be applied to both standalone green plants and existing ammonia plants, and is expected to cut energy consumption by more than 139.5 trillion Btu annually.
Novel Catalytic Membrane Reactors
Project Team: Compact Membrane Systems, Inc., KSE, Inc., E.I. Dupont, ChemDesign Corporation
This team will develop platform technology to enhance homogenous catalytic or biocatalytic processes, and plans to develop and test nonporous membranes that are believed to have a high temperature rating and excellent chemical resistance. These membranes would have universal applicability in almost any organic-water environment for potential separation of the reaction water. Expected energy savings are 12 trillion Btu per year.
The fourth project was awarded in response to the Innovative Energy Systems Challenge solicitation, which focused on technologies and systems that produce and/or transport energy to chemical plants, or recycle waste energy streams resulting from the chemical process:
Advanced Combustion Diagnostics and Control for Furnaces, Fired Heaters, and Boilers
Project Team: Dow Chemical Company, Analytical Services, Inc.
This project will develop and implement technologies that address fundamental weaknesses associated with the combustion process of a furnace. The project will focus on three areas of development: 1) Advanced Combustion Diagnostics that will allow measurement of combustion species and byproducts in the combustion zone; 2) Rapid Btu Measurement of Fuel that will enable more efficient use of fuel; and 3) Integration into Process Control which will implement these technologies into a process control strategy as part of overall furnace optimization. Projected energy savings are 86 trillion Btu per year.
Solicitations are just one of the ways that ITP partners with industry to increase energy efficiency and productivity, and reduce waste. Visit the ITP Solicitations Web site to view current funding opportunities.