United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and
Development
Washington DC 20460
EPA/600/9-91/049
February 1992
Abstracts of
Phase I and Phase II
Awards
Small Business
Innovation Research
Program
1991

-------
                                                   EPA/600/9-91/049
                                                     February 1992
ABSTRACTS OF PHASE I AND PHASE II AWARDS
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program
                       1991
             Office of Research and Development
               Office of Exploratory Research
             U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                              Printed on Recycled Paper

-------
                            Disclaimer
This brochure has been reviewed and approved for publication in accordance with the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy. Any mention of trade names or
commercial products in the brochure does not in any manner constitute endorsement
or recommendation for  their use.

-------
                                    Contents



INTRODUCTION	1

1991 PHASE I ABSTRACTS	2

TOPIC A: DRINKING WATER TREATMENT	2
      1. A NEW CONTROL/OPTIMIZATION INSTRUMENT
         FOR COAGULATION MANAGEMENT	2
         Clear Corporation Enterprises, Inc.
         Boulder, CO 80301


      2. NEW SORBENTS FOR TRACE HEAVY METAL REMOVAL FROM DRINKING WATER	2
         ICET, Inc.
         Norwood, MA 02062


TOPIC B: MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE WATER TREATMENT AND
         POLLUTION CONTROL	3
      3. AUTOMATED ORP PROCESS CONTROL FOR AN OXIDATION DITCH INTERNAL
         ANOXIC MIXING SYSTEM	3
         Gray & Osborne Consulting Engineers, Inc.
         Yakima, WA 98907


      4. OFFGAS RECYCLE FOR ENHANCED VOC BIODEGRADATION—
         AN INNOVATIVE VOC CONTROL STRATEGY	3
         Eckenfelder, Inc.
         Nashville, TN 37228

TOPIC C: BIOLOGICAL SLUDGE TREATMENT FOR IMPROVED HANDLING
         AND DISPOSAL	3
      5. IMPROVED ANAEROBIC DIGESTION THROUGH BIOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT	3
         Western Environmental Engineers
         Olympia, WA 98506

TOPIC D: SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL	3
      6. SAFE, ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE RESOURCES RECOVERY
         FROM OIL REFINERY SLUDGE	3
         Calderon Energy Company of Bowling Green, Inc.
         Bowling Green, OH 43402

      7. COLOR SORTING OF POST-CONSUMER GLASS AND PLASTIC CONTAINERS
         TO IMPROVE THEIR RECYCLABILITY	4
         National Recovery Technologies, Inc.
         Nashville, TN 37209-1223

-------
      8. RECYCLING OF POLYPROPYLENE CARPET WASTE INTO POLYESTER CARPET
         BACKCOATING	4
         Hoyle Associates
         Lowell, MA 01851

TOPIC E: IN SITU TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR HAZARDOUS
         AND TOXIC WASTE AT SUPERFUND SITES	4
      9. DEGRADATION OF ORGANOPOLLUTANTS BY PHANEROCHAETE CHRYSOSPORIUM	4
         Tienzyme, Inc.
         State College, PA 16801

      10. EFFECTS OF COSOLVENT ADDITIONS ON THE BIODEGRADABILITY OF
         HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT PAH COMPOUNDS IN SOIL	5
         BioTrol, Inc.
         Chaska, MN 55318

TOPIC F: INNOVATIVE RESTORATION TECHNOLOGIES REMOVING
         HEAVY METALS AT SUPERFUND SITES	5
      11. HEAVY METAL REMOVAL AND RECOVERY WITH A NATURAL ZEOLITE
         CONTINUOUS ION EXCHANGE THERMAL MULTICOMPONENT FRACTIONATOR	5
         Boulder Innovative Technologies
         Boulder, CO  80301

      12. DETOXIFICATION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE USING HIGH PERFORMANCE
         CHELATION TECHNOLOGY	5
         ChromatoChem, Inc.
         Missoula, MT  59801

      13. EMULSION LIQUID MEMBRANE EXTRACTION OF CHROMIUM(VI) FROM
         SUPERFUND SITES	5
         TDA Research, Inc.
         Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

TOPIC G: CONTROL OF ACID RAIN PRECURSORS	6
      14. REDUCTION OF SULFUR DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM SMELTER OVENS	6
         Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
         MenloPark, CA 94025

      15. DEVELOPMENT OF REGENERABLE HOT-GAS DESULFURIZATION SORBENTS
         WITH IMPROVED POLLUTANT CAPTURE PROPERTIES 	6
         REMSA, Inc.
         Hampton, VA  23669

      16. CATALYTIC REDUCTION OF NITRIC OXIDE IN NET OXIDIZING ENVIRONMENTS	6
         TDA Research, Inc.
         Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

      17. DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL DUCT INJECTION PROCESS FOR SIMULTANEOUS
         REMOVAL OF SO2 AND NOX FROM POWER PLANT FLUE GASES 	7
         Fossil Energy Research Corp.
         Laguna Hills, CA 92653

      18. AN IMPROVED THERMAL SELECTIVE NONCATALYTIC NO  REDUCTION
         TECHNIQUE FOR STATIONARY SOURCES	*7
         Reaction Engineering International
         Salt Lake City, UT 84101

      19. CATALYTIC LEAN BURN GASOLINE ENGINE	        7
         Precision Combustion, Inc.
         New Haven, CT 06511
                                        IV

-------
TOPIC I:  AIR POLLUTION CONTROL	*
     20. ADVANCED SCRUBBING SYSTEMS FOR REMOVING VOCS FROM AIR	8
         Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
         MenloPark,CA 94025

     21. CATALYTIC ADSORBENTS FOR THE ABATEMENT OF CHLORINATED
          HYDROCARBONS	8
         Aircor, Inc.
         Wayne, PA 19087

     22. MULTI-VORTEX SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING VOLATILE ORGANIC
         CONTAMINANTS FROM INDUSTRIAL GAS	8
         Energy Innovations, Inc.
         Houston, TX 77054

     23. ADVANCED PARTICIPATE CONTROL DEVICE FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE
         FLUE GASES	8
         LSR Environmental Systems Co.
         Concord, MA 01742

     24. A DRY SCRUBBER FOR PRE-NSPS BOILERS	9
         LSR Environmental Systems Co.
         Concord, MA 01742

TOPIC J: WASTE REDUCTION AND POLLUTION PREVENTION	9
     25. NOVEL CHEMICAL PROCESS FOR BLEACHING DEINKED PULP	9
         Guild Associates, Inc.
         Hilliard, OH 43026

     26. ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFER ZINC-CADMIUM ALLOY DRY PLATING
         AS  A SUBSTITUTE FOR CADMIUM ELECTROPLATING	9
         lonEdge Corp.
         Fort Collins, CO 80526

     27. ELECTROLYTIC REGENERATION OF ACID COPPER CHLORIDE ETCHANT	9
         Oxley Research, Inc.
         New Haven, CT 06511

     28. ELIMINATION OF FERTILIZER DISCHARGE FROM GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY
          CONTAINER-GROWN PLANTS	10
         Briggs Nursery, Inc.
         Olympia, WA 98501

     29. IN-PLANT REDUCTION OF HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATION IN THE
         FLUOROCARBON INDUSTRY	10
         Chemical and Metal Industries, Inc.
         Denver, CO 80216

TOPIC K: OIL SPILL PREVENTION, CLEANUP, AND RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY	10
     30. DEVELOP BIODEGRADABLE, NON-TOXIC, OLEOPHILIC,  HYDROPHOBIC SORBENT
         FOR OIL SPILL CLEANUP	10
         Sea Sweep, Inc.
         Denver, CO 80222

     31. A NATURAL OAT-DERIVED OIL SPILL DISPERSANT	11
         Basic Bio Systems, Inc.
         Missoula, MT 59801

-------
1991 PHASE H ABSTRACTS	13

TOPIC B:  MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND
          POLLUTION CONTROL	13
      32.  EMULSION LIQUID MEMBRANE EXTRACTION OF PHENOL FROM INDUSTRIAL
          WASTEWATERS	13
          TDA Research, Inc.
          Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

TOPIC D:  SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL	13
      33.  INNOVATIVE HAZARDOUS FLY ASH AND INDUSTRIAL PROCESS DUST
          VITRIFICATION TECHNOLOGY	13
          Vortec Corporation
          Collegeville, PA  19426

      34.  RECYCLING OF SOLID, INORGANIC, ZINC BEARING
          INDUSTRIAL PROCESS WASTES	14
          Chemical Reclamation Technologies
          Strongsville, OH  44136

      35.  RECOVERY OF LIQUID HAZARDOUS WASTES FROM CARBON ADSORPTION
          STEAM REGENERATION STREAMS	14
          Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
          MenloPark, CA  94025

      36.  APPLICATION OF PULSE COMBUSTION IN SOLID AND HAZARDOUS WASTE
          INCINERATION	14
          Sonotech, Inc.
          Atlanta, GA 30318

TOPIC F:  CONTROL OF  ACID RAIN PRECURSORS	15
      37.  DRY SCRUBBING OF SOX AND NOX OVER LATHANIDE-OXYGEN-SULFUR
          COMPOUNDS	15
          ElectroChem, Inc.
          Woburn, MA 01801

TOPIC H:  AIR POLLUTION CONTROL	15
      38.  REDUCTION OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION BY MEMBRANE STRIPPING
          OF WATER-BORNE RADON GAS	15
          ARETE Technologies
          Harvard, MA 01451

      39.  A PROCESS FOR ELIMINATION OF PAINTS EMITTING VOLATILE
          ORGANIC COMPOUNDS	15
          JP Laboratories, Inc.
          Piscataway, NJ  08854

      40.  TREATMENT OF CFC AND HCFC EMISSIONS	16
          Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
          MenloPark, CA  94025

      41.  CATALYTICALLY STABILIZED THERMAL INCINERATION OF
          VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS	16
          Precision Combustion, Inc.
          New Haven, CT  06511

      42.  ON-BOARD GENERATION OF IGNITION IMPROVERS FOR METHANOL DIESELS     16
          TDA Research, Inc.
          Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
                                         VI

-------
TOPIC I:  WASTE REDUCTION AND POLLUTION PREVENTION	16
     43. VALUABLE PRODUCTS FROM COAL BURNING WASTES	16
         Science Ventures, Inc.
         San Diego, CA 92123

     44. SUPPRESSION OF CYANIDE FORMATION IN HALL PROCESS POTLINING	17
         EMEC Consultants
         Export, PA 15632

TOPIC J:  OIL SPILL PREVENTION, CLEANUP AND RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY	17
     45. ROBOTIC INSPECTION OF CRUDE OIL CARRIER TANKS	
         American Research Corporation of Virginia
         Radford, VA 24143-3406	17

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF AWARDEES	19
                                        vu

-------
                                            Introduction

                               U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency
                          Small Business Innovation Research Program
  This brochure contains abstracts of the Phase I awards
made in 1991 by the Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA's) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Pro-
gram. The SBIR Program funds high-risk research in EPA
program areas that could lead to significant opportunities
and public benefits if the research is successful.

  The EPA  SBIR  Program encourages proposals in ad-
vanced application areas  in the  field  of environmental
engineering and environmental monitoring instrumentation
directly connected  to pollution control  processes. Objec-
tives of the three-phase program, in addition to supporting
high-quality  research, include stimulating  technological
innovation, increasing the commercial applications of EPA
supported research, and improving the return on investment
from federally funded research for its economic and  social
benefits to the nation.

  The SBIR Program is highly competitive.  In 1991, the
SBIR Program received 367 Phase I proposals which re-
sulted in 31 awards. Phase I provides up to $50,000 for six
months to determine, as much as possible within  these
limitations, whether their research idea appears technically
feasible, and whether the small firm can do high-quality
research. If the project achieves these goals sufficiently, and
excels competitively, this then justifies greater government
support in Phase n. The Phase I final report serves as a base
for follow-on funding commitment discussions assisting in
ascertaining success.

  Phase II is the principal research effort for those projects
that appear most promising after the first Phase and aver-
ages $150,000 for a period of one to two years.

  In 1991, the 14  Phase II awards  were selected from 30
Phase II proposals resulting from the 32 Phase I awards
made in 1990.

  Phase III is the product (or process) development phase
and involves follow-on  nonfederal  funding, such as from
venture capital or large industrial firms, to pursue potential
commercial applications of the government-funded research.
No SBIR funds are provided in Phase III.
                                        Donald F. Carey, SBIR Program Manager
                                        U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                                        Office of Exploratory Research (RD-675)
                                        401 M Street, SW
                                        Washington, DC 20460
                                        (202) 260-7473

-------
                                 1991 PHASE I ABSTRACTS
Topic A:
    Drinking Water Treatment
1.  A New Control/Optimization
    Instrument for Coagulation
    Management
Clear Corporation Enterprises, Inc.
1750 30th Street, #605
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 530-5686
Roger M. Jorden, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $50,000

  Safe Drinking Water Act requirements will soon mandate
improved performance in drinking water purification plants
nationally for both turbidity (potential disease transmitting
particles) and for disinfection byproducts control (potential
carcinogens). Improved chemical coagulation  dose and
optimization are the first line of defense for achieving both
of these objectives simultaneously  in existing  filtration
plants. Present day instrumentation  and procedures are
woefully inadequate. Streaming current detectors cannot be
calibrated to a known reference and require highly skilled
technicians to set and maintain control on course. Optimi-
zation with the jar test, a trusted standard, is skill and labor
intensive, and is too insensitive for many modem water
treatment plants.

  A fiber optical particle analyzer (FOPA) is a new sensor
that is used to measure two  independent coagulation re-
sponses; colloid charge and floe rate. A dual-sensor instru-
ment, interfaced to a computer, is potentially capable of
performing both the needed functions of control and opti-
mization in an automated fashion. The device is potentially
rapid, and "smart" because it is based upon unique proper-
ties of the coagulation  process. Clear Corporation Enter-
prises, Inc.'s, objective is to evaluate the  feasibility of this
new control/optimization concept using dual probes. Major
questions addressed are: (1) how is the probe best config-
ured to achieve automated, dedicated, closed-loop, on-line
control, (2)  how is a second version of the probe best
configured to achieve automated optimization analysis, (3)
can these dual probes truly be used to "help" each other, and
(4) can  this device address the  pressing new regulatory
drinking water requirements to both reduce particles (tur-
bidity) and  a  portion  of organic  precursors leading to
disinfection byproducts.

  The proposed new intelligent, control/optimization in-
strument is attractive because it  could potentially reduce
operator training demands and work load for this uniquely
most critical water treatment plant operating variable—
coagulation chemistry.  Unlike streaming current, this de-
vice is based on chemical equivalents and as such should
provide a common reference and thread to greatly simplify
coagulation so  that it can be more effectively manipulated
at existing and new facilities.
2.  New Sorbents for Trace Heavy Metal
    Removal from Drinking Water
ICET, Inc.
916 Pleasant Street, #12
Norwood, MA 02062
(617) 769-6064
Shantha Sarangapani, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount:  $50,000

  New ideas are presented on the covalent attachment of
chelating functionalities to a common, inexpensive sorbent
material, which can  then complex heavy metal ions  irre-
versibly. The efficient removal of lead, cadmium, chro-
mium,  mercury,  zinc, nickel, cobalt, iron, and copper is
anticipated. The covalently attached ligands are expected to
be stable towards hydrolysis and pH variations. The capac-
ity of the chemically modified sorbent materials will be
evaluated for the above-mentioned heavy metal ions in the
presence of calcium and magnesium ions and for simulated
water samples. The sorbent material before and after sorp-
tion will be examined by neutron activation analysis, and
the eluted water will be analyzed by Inductively Coupled
Plasma Mass Spectrometry.

-------
Topic B:

    Municipal and Industrial Waste Water
    Treatment and Pollution Control
3.  Automated ORP Process Control for
    an Oxidation Ditch Internal Anoxic
    Mixing System
Gray & Osborne Consulting Engineers, Inc.
P.O. Box 2069
Yakima, WA 98907
(509) 453-4833
Thomas E. Coleman, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 10                 Amount: $50,000

  In September of 1990, a submersible mixer was installed
in the oxidation  ditch at the Grand Coulee, Washington,
wastewater treatment facilities. This mixer makes it pos-
sible to maintain mixing with the brush rotor aerators off,
thereby creating anoxic conditions in the ditch. The poten-
tial advantages of this process modification include en-
hanced nutrient removal, filamentous sludge bulking control,
and energy savings. The process is based on a strategy that
maximizes the use of influent soluble BOD (SBOD) under
anoxic conditions. Under anoxic conditions, only  non-
filamentous bacteria use nitrate in place of oxygen, and thus
the process "selects" against filamentous organisms, while
at the  same time  reducing total nitrogen and reducing
aeration energy requirements. Preliminary empirical obser-
vations at Grand Coulee have been encouraging; however,
the key to realizing the full potential of this process and
making widespread application practical and cost-effective
is the development of an automatic control system.

  The focus of this proposal will be to conduct the basic
research necessary to investigate  the feasibility of using
oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) as an on-line process
variable in  the automated control of the anoxic mixing
system. The automated control system would make the
application of this relatively simple technology feasible for
a large number  of existing oxidation  ditch plants. This
would be of particular benefit to small municipalities that
may lack highly skilled operating personnel and the techni-
cal support from vendors  and service technicians that are
available in larger communities.
4.  Offgas Recycle for Enhanced VOC
    Biodegradation—An Innovative VOC
    Control Strategy
Eckenfelder, Inc.
227 French Landing Drive
Nashville, TN 37228
(615) 255-2288
W. W. Eckenfelder, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 4                  Amount: $49,800

  The Phase I research will complete development of a
mathematical model and conduct continuous flow bench-
scale studies to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of
a proposed alternative offgas VOC  control strategy. The
proposed system utilized offgas capture from wastewater
treatment and storage units for recycle to an aerobic bio-
logical treatment process.  The recycled gas phase will
increase the biomass-VOC contact time and the mass of
VOC removed by the biodegradation mechanism. This will
reduce the net VOC mass that is volatilized and ultimately
discharged in the waste gas. The proposed treatment scheme
will thereby reduce the offgas volume and VOC load that
requires treatment and will result in potentially significant
savings in capital and operating costs. The offgas recycle
system may be  applied as either a stand-alone or supple-
mental VOC control strategy. It requires a wastestream that
contains VOCs and sufficient organic substrate to support a
biological treatment process. These conditions typically
exist for the above regulated industries which have also
installed conventional biological  treatment facilities  for
wastewater management.
Topic C:
    Biological Sludge Treatment for
    Improved Handling and Disposal
5.  Improved Anaerobic Digestion
    Through Biological Enhancement
Western Environmental Engineers
1235 East Fourth Avenue
Olympia, WA 98506
(206) 357-9000
Dennis Burke, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 10
Amount: $48,837
  The proposed anaerobic digestion process improvement
will provide a means to separate anaerobic bacteria from the
digester supernatant and recycle those bacteria to the anaero-
bic reactor. The process improvement will thus  allow for
the maintenance of high concentrations of anaerobic bacte-
ria within the reactor. Solids retention times are expected to
be increased substantially. As a result, the hydraulic reten-
tion time is expected to  be considerably reduced.  This
research will investigate alternative methods of separating
anaerobic bacteria from digester supernatant.
Topic D:
    Solid and Hazardous Waste Disposal
6.  Safe, Environmentally Acceptable
    Resources Recovery from Oil
    Refinery Sludge
Calderon Energy Company of Bowling Green, Inc.
P.O. Box 126
Bowling Green, OH 43402
(419) 354-4632
Albert Calderon, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 5                  Amount: $49,724

  Petroleum refineries are unavoidably generating waste
streams of oil sludge in the amount  of approximately
30,000 tons per year per refinery. The waste stream com-

-------
prises sediment from storage tanks, bottoms from distilla-
tion units, spent catalyst, and waste water. Disposal of this
refinery sludge is a challenge to the petroleum industry.

  Calderon Energy Company of Bowling Green, Inc., be-
lieves it will be  possible to  confirm  the  feasibility of
recovering clean energy from refinery sludge in an environ-
mentally acceptable manner by mixing it with the bitumi-
nous  coal  being  processed through  the Calderon Coal
Conversion System Process Development Unit (PDU) now
in operation in Alliance, Ohio. By measuring and analyzing
the coal and sludge entering, and products, byproducts, and
emissions leaving the PDU, it will be possible to confirm
the following objectives: (1) conversion of refinery  sludge
to a valuable byproduct, (2) meeting EPA regulations for
solid, liquid, and gaseous emissions, and (3) optimization of
the process for Phase II and collection of accurate  capital
and operating cost data.
 7.   Color Sorting of Post-Consumer
     Glass and Plastic Containers to
     Improve Their Recyclability
 National Recovery Technologies, Inc.
 566 Mainstream Drive
 Nashville, TN 37209-1223
 (615) 329-9088
 Edward J. Sommer, Jr., Principal Investigator
 EPA Region 4                  Amount: $50,000

  Many U.S. municipalities and communities are integrat-
 ing recycling programs in the management of their solid
 waste in order to minimize landfill requirements. The suc-
 cess of these recycling programs is strongly dependent upon
 the marketability of the materials set aside from the waste
 stream for recycling. The requirements for  marketing re-
 cycled glass are well established and are highly dependent
 upon color sorting of  the glass. Post-consumer plastics
 recycling is in its infancy and is experiencing rapid growth.
 Plastics container manufacturers and other users of recycled
 resins have stated that color sorting of post-consumer plas-
 tic containers can significantly expand the marketability of
 resins derived from these containers. Color sorting of glass
 and plastics containers  for recycling is currently done by
 manual handsorting. The objective of the proposed Phase I
 research is to determine the  feasibility for developing an
 automated color sorting process for post-consumer glass
 and plastic containers.
 8.  Recycling of Polypropylene Carpet
     Waste into Polyester Carpet
     Backcoating
 Hoyle Associates
 631  Stevens Street
 Lowell, MA 01851
 (508) 459-3200
 Albert G. Hoyle, Principal Investigator
 EPA Region 1                  Amount: $49,600
  In the manufacture of cross-lapped, needlepunched,
polypropylene, pile-surfaced carpeting, there is  unavoid-
able edge trim waste due to the inherent nature of the cross-
lapping  and needlepunching processes. This waste  in its
present form is useless to anyone and is presently  being
disposed of by dumping into a landfill site by a disposal
company. Typical small businesses have to pay to have this
waste removed and lose monthly at least $12,500 in fiber
and backcoating as a  result of this waste disposal. The
disposal material decreases available landfill capacity by
about 10,000 pounds  per month (the amount of waste
generated). In this project, Hoyle Associates propose to find
the means to convert this waste  into granular or fibrillar
material which could be used as a heat-reactive backcoating
binder for polyester needlepunched carpeting also manufac-
tured by a typical small business  in this market

  The waste carpeting, when converted  into granular or
fibrillar form, could be utilized in backcoating as follows:
(1) applying it to the back of polyester carpeting, heating to
melt the polypropylene, then smoothing and resolidifying
the molten  material as it leaves  the heat source, and (2)
melting it and applying to the back of polyester carpeting
while in a molten state.
Topic E:
    In Situ Treatment Technologies for
    Hazardous and Toxic Waste at
    Superfund Sites
9.  Degradation of Organopollutants by
    Phanerochaete chrysosporium
Tienzyme, Inc.
123 Coal Alley
State College, PA 16801
(814) 238-6028
Susan Myer, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 3                   Amount: $49,762

  There is presently widespread interest in using the lignin-
degrading fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium and its
enzymes (ligninases) for degradation of environmental pol-
lutants. This fungus possesses a very nonspecific oxidation
system capable of degrading a large number of compounds
to the level of carbon dioxide. The synthesis of this degra-
dation system is triggered by starvation of the fungus for
nutrient nitrogen and carbon. Herein lies the major limita-
tion in  practical  utilization of  this fungus.  The rate of
biodegradation is very low and the production of degradative
enzymes such as the ligninases is very low. Tienzyme, Inc.,
has developed a selection procedure for isolation of mutants
which overproduce the ligninases in addition to being able
to degrade  Organopollutants under conditions of nutrient
supplementation.  The present proposal is aimed at charac-
terizing these mutants for their biodegrading activity and to
further isolate other mutants with  superior phenotypes.

-------
10. Effects of Cosolvent Additions on the
    Biodegradability of High Molecular
    Weight PAH Compounds in Soil
BioTrol, Inc.
11 Peavey Road
Chaska, MN 55318
(612) 448-2515
Dwell C. Dobbins, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 5                  Amount: $49,550

  Addition of cosolvents to water increases the solubility of
hydrophobic contaminants by shifting the adsorption equi-
librium to favor higher aqueous phase concentrations. In-
creasing their water solubility makes contaminants more
accessible for biodegradation. While it is often speculated
that low rates or lack of biodegradation is caused by low
aqueous solubility, no studies have been performed to date
to determine whether cosolvents can elicit a biodegradation
response in samples that were presumably sorption limited.
The proposed study will determine the effects of cosolvents
on biodegradation of high molecular weight polynuclear
aromatic hydrocarbons in samples where no biodegradation
was previously  observable, presumably  due  to  organic-
phase partitioning. The results of the study will  theoreti-
cally provide a new cosolvent-enhanced bioremediation
procedure that is economically advantageous over alterna-
tive technologies where bioremediation alone is inadequate
to achieve assigned cleanup criteria.
Topic F:
    Innovative Restoration Technologies
    Removing Heavy Metals at Superfund
    Sites
 11. Heavy Metal Removal and Recovery
    with a Natural Zeolite Continuous Ion
    Exchange Thermal Multicomponent
    Fractionator
Boulder Innovative Technologies
1930 Central Avenue, Suite B-l
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 440-8722
Richard D. Andrews, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $32,628

  Ion exchange is an attractive technology for removal of
heavy metals from water and wastewaters, but it is com-
monly found to be uneconomical due to the high cost of
chemicals  and disposal of the brines or secondary wastes
generated.  Several improvements to this  technology are
proposed to allow ion exchange to be more widely applied
to the removal of toxic heavy metals at Superfund sites and
in other situations involving heavy metal contamination of
water and ground water such as mine drainages and indus-
trial wastewaters.

  The proposed technology will use an inexpensive natu-
rally occurring ion exchange mineral which costs 10 to 30
times less  than conventional ion exchange resins. In addi-
tion, a continuous treatment system will be investigated
which uses no chemicals for eluting the metals from the
exchanger as do virtually all current ion exchange systems.
It will use low level thermal driving force. Other innova-
tions will be involved which will allow the separate recov-
ery of concentrated single metal products.
12. Detoxification of Acid Mine Drainage
    Using High Performance Chelation
    Technology
ChromatoChem, Inc.
2837 Fort Missoula Road
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 721-5897
Richard F. Hammen, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $50,000

  The abandoned Berkeley Pit Copper mine site in Butte,
Montana, is  a major component of the Butte Silverbow
Creek Superfund site. It consists of several billion gallons
of acid (pH 2-3) mine drainage that is contaminated with
toxic levels  of a variety of heavy metals,  arsenic, and
sulfuric acid. The flow of contaminated water into the pit is
about 7 million gallons per day. ChromatoChem, Inc., and
its collaborators at the University of Montana, have devel-
oped a High Performance Chelation Chromatography
(HPCC) system that effectively removes the heavy metals
and arsenic while increasing the pH of the drainage by 2-3
logs. The system produces water  that has less than 1 part/
million of toxic  metals and  affords  at least a 20-fold
concentration of the metals, making recovery and sale of
metals possible. In addition, the differing binding constants
of the various metal species for the affinity support allow
for differential elution of the metals from  the affinity
support, increasing their value. This proposal will demon-
strate that the process can be "scaled up " by using a HPCC
column that can process 4 gallons of acid mine water/
minute. Studies will be performed to determine the capacity
and durability of the column and to maximize the differen-
tial elution of various metal species from the column. The
HPCC  system offers a method to economically "detoxify"
vast quantities of acid mine  drainage while recovering
valuable metals to help defray the expense of operation.
 13. Emulsion Liquid Membrane Extraction
    of Chromium(VI) from Superfund
    Sites
TDA Research, Inc.
12421 West T Avenue, #6
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 422-7953
John Wright, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8
Amount: $50,000
  Chromium contamination is present at over one-half of
the Superfund Sites. Chromium(VI) is a strong oxidizer,
toxic, carcinogenic, and is particularly difficult to manage
because chromium is usually present as an anion.  It has

-------
little interaction with the soil, resulting in widespread ground-
water contamination, and it cannot be treated by conven-
tional processes which are designed to remove cations.
Conventional processes for chromium removal (reduction
followed by precipitation) are very expensive for the dilute
streams typical of ground-water contamination. Therefore,
TDA Research proposes the use of Emulsion Liquid Mem-
branes (ELM)  to preconcentrate  chromium contaminated
water, which could result from pump-and-treat, in situ soil
washing, for on-site extraction.  By combining  both a
complexing and stripping agent in a single unit operation,
ELM is capable of concentrating  chromium by a factor of
greater than 1000. In Phase I, TDA Research would develop
a suitable emulsion (solvent, complexing agent, surfactant,
and stripping agent), conduct experiments to demonstrate
process feasibility, and carry out economic analyses to
compare TDA Research's ELM process with other compet-
ing chromium concentration  and/or removal processes.
Topic G:
    Control of Acid Rain Precursors
 14. Reduction of Sulfur Dioxide
    Emissions from Smelter Ovens
Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
 1360 Willow Road, Suite 103
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415) 328-2228
J. G. Wijmans, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 9                  Amount: $50,000

   Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are the chief precur-
sors of acid rain, and their continued  emission into the
atmosphere has become  a global concern.  It is estimated
that 23.4 million tons are emitted from industrial processes
yearly, mainly from nonferrous metal smelting operations.
Nonferrous metals, including copper, nickel, zinc, lead, and
molybdenum, are mined as metal sulfides, and the metal is
liberated by roasting the sulfides in a smelter oven.  The
smelter oven is  fed with air or  oxygen-enriched  air and
produces  an offgas containing large amounts of sulfur
dioxide.

   Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., has devel-
oped a class of membranes that is extremely  selective for
sulfur dioxide over other gases. In the Phase I program, a
laboratory  system that includes a spiral-wound  module
containing the new membrane will be tested for its sulfur
dioxide removal capability. An application study  will be
performed to identify the  most efficient methods to improve
sulfur dioxide capture.
15. Development of Regenerate Hot-Gas
    Desulfurization Sorbents with
    Improved Pollutant Capture
    Properties
REMSA, Inc.
P.O. Box 189
Hampton, VA 23669
(804) 723-0008
Babafemi A. Adesanya, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 3                   Amount: $49,919

  Currently, coal and residual oil-fired, steam-electric sta-
tions are the largest source of atmospheric sulfur dioxide
pollutants. The fractional contribution of sulfur oxide emis-
sions from coal is greater than its fraction from oil used in
power generation since the sulfur content of most  of the
coal is higher. Among the various alternatives that may be
used to reduce the sulfur oxide pollution caused by coal-
fired power generation plants, the advanced power genera-
tion systems  based on the  integrated combined cycle
generators and the  molten carbonate fuel cells appear to
have great potential. Currently the most advanced hot gas
desulfurization process is based on the zinc ferrite sorbent.
Recent studies with  the zinc titanate sorbent have indicated
that it has a higher operating temperature and limits the
sulfate formation.

  It is believed that the performance of zinc titanate  sor-
bents can be improved by the addition of some promoters
to (1) decrease the effluent sulfur levels below  1 ppm, (2)
increase elemental sulfur formation during regeneration, (3)
facilitate the removal of other contaminants such as organic
sulfur compounds and ammonia, and (4) increase the sulfur
capture capacity.

  The main objective of the proposed research is to study
in detail  the effect  of promoters such as  cobalt on zinc-
titanium oxide sorbents, namely on their reactivity,  stabil-
ity, and  regenerability over the temperature range of
538-870°C. Another factor that will be investigated is the
ability of promoters to enhance elemental sulfur formation
during regeneration. The results of the proposed investiga-
tion will contribute to the commercialization of advanced
power generation systems based on the integrated com-
bined cycle generators and the molten carbonate fuel cells
which are  shown to  have thermal efficiencies 15-30%
higher than those of current coal-fired power generators.
 16. Catalytic Reduction of Nitric Oxide in
    Net Oxidizing Environments
TDA Research, Inc.
12421 West 49th Avenue, #6
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 422-7918
John D. Wright, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $50,000

  Nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2 or NOx)  are among the
most pervasive and difficult emissions to control. Although
the decomposition of the  major species (NO) is thermody-

-------
namically favored, there are no catalytic processes capable
of decomposing NOx without the addition of a reducing gas.
This is because the oxygen produced during the decompo-
sition remains strongly chemisorbed on the catalyst, block-
ing access of the NO to the catalytic sites and reversibly
poisoning the catalyst. Because the reducing gas contributes
roughly one-half of the total cleanup cost, a direct catalytic
decomposition process which did not require the use of a
reducing gas would be a major advance.

  IDA Research, Inc., (TDA) proposes to develop substi-
tute zeolites capable of carrying out this reaction. These
materials desorb the oxygen at a lower temperature than do
other materials, allowing the reaction to proceed. TDA will
synthesize substitute zeolites and evaluate the performance
of these materials under conditions  representative of the
exhaust of a gas turbine. Then TDA will develop improved
catalysts through manipulation of both the structure and
composition of the zeolite, as well as the catalytically active
cations.
 17. Development of a Novel Duct Injection
    Process for Simultaneous Removal of
    SO2 and NOX from Power Plant Flue
    Gases
Fossil Energy Research Corp.
23342 C South Pointe
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(714) 859-4466
Shaik Qader, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 9
Amount: $49,996
  Fossil Energy Research Corporation proposes the devel-
opment of a novel duct injection process for simultaneous
removal of SO2 and NOx from coal-fired power plant flue
gases. In this process, a mixture of lime and a proprietary
sorbent is injected either dry or in the form of a slurry into
the flue gas duct between the air preheater and paniculate
collection device. Lime removes SO2 and the proprietary
sorbent removes NOx from the flue gas. The NOx separated
from the flue gas is fed back to the boiler where it is reduced
to N2 and  FL.O. The  unused lime  and most of  the NO^
sorbent are recovered and recycled. The  waste product of
the process is a solid residue which contains fly ash and
sulfates of calcium. A rough cost estimate showed that the
proposed duct injection process has a potential cost advan-
tage of 60% - 70% when compared  to other combined SO2
and NO  removal processes.
 18. An Improved Thermal Selective
    Noncatalytic NOX Reduction
    Technique for Stationary Sources
Reaction Engineering International
44 West 300 South, #21075
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(801) 328-2002
Michael Heap, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $49,612
                        Selective NO reduction techniques involving the injec-
                      tion of nitrogen-containing compounds, such as ammonia,
                      to combustion products over a relatively narrow tempera-
                      ture range have been used  for some time. Systems have
                      been installed  on gas-, oil-, and coal-fired boilers, on
                      process heaters, and on municipal waste incinerators. How-
                      ever, these systems are limited in their control effective-
                      ness. Thermal selective reduction techniques are effective
                      only in a narrow temperature window. In large systems, this
                      window may shift as the combustor operation changes,
                      reducing effectiveness and assuring ammonia slip. Reaction
                      Engineering International's  previous research studies sug-
                      gest that there  are ways to increase the  effectiveness of
                      selective thermal reduction  techniques.

                        The objective of the Phase I research program is to extend
                      the understanding of the influence of CO/H,/O2 concentra-
                      tions on the reduction of NOx by selective reducing reagents
                      in order to define the process requirements for the improved
                      control technique.

                        The specific goals of Phase I are to: (1) conduct a series
                      of parametric experiments under well defined conditions to
                      establish the parameters controlling NOx reduction when
                      using various nitrogen-reducing reagents in the presence of
                      carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and oxygen; (2) determine the
                      concentrations  of CO, N2O,  NO, and reduced nitrogen
                      species in  the  effluent  gases; (3) determine why solid
                      reagents are more effective  than gaseous reagents; and (4)
                      modify an existing model  to describe the results of the
                      experiments.
                       19. Catalytic Lean Burn Gasoline Engine
                      Precision Combustion, Inc.
                      25 Science Park
                      New Haven, CT 06511
                      (203) 786-5215
                      William C. Pfefferle, Principal Investigator
                      EPA Region 1                  Amount: $49,922

                        Precision Combustion, Inc., proposes to explore catalytic
                      coatings on the combustion chamber walls of small utility
                      engines in a continuing modification of  small gasoline
                      engines so that ultimately they will be able to operate at
                      truly lean fuel/air ratios favoring low HC, CO, and NOx
                      emissions. The current simplicity of these engines offers
                      some good opportunities for this approach to succeed. A
                      spinoff benefit would likely be technology to similarly
                      modify the more-complex automotive Otto-cycle engine by
                      compiling research data on the effect of catalytic surfaces
                      on engine performance and emissions.

                        In Phase I, small engine testing in a well-instrumented
                      engine test cell will explore this catalytic lean burn concept
                      on a four-stroke engine. In Phase II, the concept would be
                      carried forward to engine optimization.

-------
Topic I:
    Air Pollution Control
20. Advanced Scrubbing Systems for
    Removing VOCs from Air
Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
1360 Willow Road, Suite 103
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415)  328-2228
Amulya Athayde, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 9                  Amount: $50,000

  A new scrubbing process to remove low concentrations
of VOC's from air streams has been conceived. The process
uses liquid scrubbing media in which VOCs have high
solubilities. The VOC-laden scrubbing liquid is regenerated
by  a membrane pervaporation system  producing a clean
stream of scrubbing liquid suitable for immediate recycling.
The new scrubbing medium would enable a compact, small-
volume flow  scrubber to be used for  many applications
where this was not possible previously. The combined
scrubbing/pervaporation process would produce a concen-
trated VOC-containing product stream  and a solvent-free
air stream; no  secondary waste streams are produced. Based
on preliminary cost calculations, the process appears likely
to be  competitive with alternative technologies.
21. Catalytic Adsorbents for the
    Abatement of Chlorinated
    Hydrocarbons
Aircor, Inc.
120 B Bloomingdale Avenue
P.O. Box 159
Wayne, PA 19087
(215) 975-9792
E. Robert Becker, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 3                  Amount: $50,000

  A novel emission control process for chlorinated hydro-
carbons produces no toxic or corrosive secondary gases.
Catalytic adsorbent materials will be developed to destroy
low concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbon in gaseous
effluents without the release of hydrochloric acid and chlo-
rine gas. Instead the adsorbent will fix the chlorine atoms as
harmless nonvolatile  chloride salt at temperatures  well
below conventional catalytic incineration. Low temperature
operation and nontoxic secondary waste will make this an
attractive economical abatement process for chlorinated
hydrocarbons.

  Chlorinated organics are among the most difficult wastes
to destroy, and they constitute a large portion of the VOCs
associated with ozone nonabatement.  When  they are oxi-
dized, hydrochloric acid (HC1) is formed, which retards the
catalytic activity of metal catalysts, and it undergoes further
oxidation to form chlorine gas (C12). The HC1 also attacks
incineration equipment. Chlorine and acid resistant cata-
lysts currently used operate at high temperatures and re-
quire  large amounts of fuel.
  The catalytic adsorbent will be produced by forming an
active metal oxide in intimate contact with an active lime-
stone surface. The limestone will act as a dispersing me-
dium for the catalyst. Any HC1 formed on the catalyst will
immediately react with the calcium carbonate (limestone)
to regenerate the metal oxides. This stops the HC1 from
oxidizing to chlorine and results in no free HC1. This is the
important novel feature of the process which distinguishes
it from conventional catalytic oxidation. The effluent  gas
from the process contains only water and carbon dioxide.
22. Multi-Vortex System for Recovering
    Volatile Organic Contaminants from
    Industrial Gas
Energy Innovations, Inc.
8709 Knight Road
Houston, TX 77054
(713) 790-9892
Meredith C. Gourdine, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 6                  Amount: $49,500

  More cost effective systems are needed for recovering
volatile organic contaminants  (VOCs) from industrial ex-
haust gas. The proposed approach is to cool the gas well
below the dew point of the VOCs. Normally, ice and dirt
form on the condensing surface, reducing the heat transfer
rate, requiring shut-down and preventive maintenance. En-
ergy  Innovation,  Inc.'s, innovation  will eliminate these
requirements.  Mathematical models will be generated and
experiments conducted for verification of the  proposed
theory.

  The object of this research is to demonstrate the feasibil-
ity of building a reliable, compact VOC recovery  system
with a  substantial reduction of energy requirements.
23. Advanced Paniculate Control Device
    for High Temperature Flue Gases
LSR Environmental Systems Co.
2352 Main Street (2-A3)
Concord, MA 01742
(508) 897-4345
Leo A. Smolensky, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount: $50,000

  The removal of fine particulates from flue gas at elevated
temperature is a difficult challenge. Solid waste incinera-
tors, for example, can emit more than 0.2 Ib/M-BTU of fuel
fired. Many of these incinerators have little or no heat
recovery and discharge high temperature flue gas to the
atmosphere.  Collection of the so-called  respirable  dusts,
consisting  of particles below about 10 microns is quite
difficult in these applications.

  The core separator is an innovative, high-efficiency dust
collector, which can separate very fine particles.  It has the
ability  to overcome some  major limitations inherent in
conventional mechanical collectors, namely turbulence and
particle reentrainment. It provides high collection effi-

-------
ciency with simple and reliable operation. Proof-of-prin-
ciple of the core separator has been demonstrated with flow
models at ambient temperature. However, a broader Phase
I feasibility analysis is needed to demonstrate that the same
performance is attainable at high temperature. The feasibil-
ity analysis is divided into two areas: (1) construction of a
hot model, and (2) experimental testing and data analysis.
A prototypical unit is envisioned for Phase II.
24. A Dry Scrubber for Pre-NSPS Boilers
LSR Environmental Systems Co.
2352 Main Street (2-A3)
Concord, MA 01742
(508) 897-4345
Leo A. Smolensky, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount: $50,000

  A new method for removing acid rain precursors from
coal-fired boilers has been conceived. The concept involves
a tail-end scrubber retrofit for installation in plants which
pre-date  the 1970 Clean Air Act The concept is highly
innovative and has many advantages over other sorbent
injection processes.

  Heterogeneous reactions between SO and calcium-based
sorbents are affected by the mass transfer between the two
phases and the contacting patterns of the reactants. Fluid-
ized bed systems have been found to be well suited to these
reactions because  of their turbulent mixing and ability to
control gas and particle residence times.  A unique type of
circulating bed reactor, called a twin scrubber, is proposed
for this retrofit application. Some of its advantages include
very low space requirements, enhanced mass transfer, ab-
sence of a distributor plate, few sorbent injection points,
and high turndown. The proposed Phase I program includes
a feasibility analysis of this concept.
 Topic J:
    Waste Reduction and
    Pollution Prevention
 25. Novel Chemical Process for
    Bleaching De-inked Pulp
 Guild Associates, Inc.
 4089 North Leap Road
 Hilliard, OH 43026
 (614) 876-5252
 Wayne E. Ballantyne, Principal Investigator
 EPA Region 5                  Amount: $49,712

  The proposal responds to the increasing pressure to re-
 cycle paper. Since nonbleached paper uses almost 100%
 recycle pulp, additional recycling must come from bleach-
 ing recycled pulp to be suitable for newsprint and white
 paper. The objective of the experiments is to demonstrate
 the feasibility of bleaching recycled pulp with a  unique
 chemical mixture.  The experiments will use  samples of
 commercial  de-inked pulp and a bench  scale reactor to
 collect data  on the increase in brightness with time  and
chemical concentration. Process calculations predict eco-
nomic advantages of this process compared to conventional
technology. The process should be applicable to existing
de-inking plants as an added process step and applicable to
new plant construction integrated with the plant design.

  Current bleaching chemical cost for recycled pulp is
around $20 per ton. The forecast  chemical cost for this
technology is $2 per ton. This represents annual savings of
over $60 million on today's bleached recycled pulp. Since
paper recycling is forecast to grow significantly, the savings
will be much greater.
26. Environmentally Safer Zinc-Cadmium
    Alloy Dry Plating as a Substitute for
    Cadmium  Electroplating
lonEdge Corp.
1713 Hull Street
Fort Collins, CO 80526
(303) 223-0665
Mandar Sunthankar, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $46,918

  Cadmium electroplating in cyanide baths is of significant
environmental concern. As a consequence, a unique dry
plating concept has been developed. Unlike conventional
electroplating, this method would use no liquid chemicals.
The dry plating concept utilizes a novel vapor deposition
technique for cadmium or zinc. To minimize occupational
hazards of toxic cadmium, and to accomplish in situ cad-
mium management, a reclaim method was also developed.
The use of cadmium in dry plating could be further reduced
by  substituting a zinc-cadmium  alloy for cadmium.  The
aims of the  proposed research in the Phase I are  (1) to
demonstrate  the feasibility of depositing  zinc-cadmium
alloy of the  desired composition using the dry plating
technique and (2)  to measure the level of cadmium dust
release in the environment, if any. If this research indicates
acceptable results according to the current standards, fur-
ther development of the technique would lead to a method
which could potentially minimize environmental and occu-
pational hazards of cadmium electroplating.
27. Electrolytic Regeneration of Acid
    Copper Chloride Etchant
Oxley Research, Inc.
25 Science Park
New Haven, CT 06511
(203) 786-5390
J. E. Oxley, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1
Amount: $49,985
  The proposal concerns  development of an electrolytic
process for the on-line regeneration of acid cupric chloride
etching baths.  Chemical regeneration on a batch basis is
generally practiced today, utilizing chlorine and/or hydro-
gen peroxide to re-oxidize the Cu+, formed by the etching
process, back to Cu2t. These processes suffer the disadvan-
tage of  resulting in a net increase in solution inventory

-------
which must be disposed.  Strong environmental and cost
incentives exist for development of an efficient electrolytic
regeneration process. Phase I will comprise the construction
and operation of a flow loop to demonstrate continuous
etchant regeneration, maintaining steady state concentra-
tions of  CuClj, CuCl and HC1,  with  avoidance of the
parasitic electrochemical reactions of chlorine and hydro-
gen evolution. At the same time, cathodically  generated
copper metal will be extracted from the system, balancing
that consumed in the etching process.
28. Elimination of Fertilizer Discharge
    from Greenhouse and Nursery
    Container-Grown Plants
Briggs Nursery, Inc.
4407 Henderson Boulevard
Olympia, WA 98501
(206) 352-5405
James A. Robbins, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 10                 Amount: $50,000

  In the U.S. there are over 24,753 acres of container-
grown nursery plants. Reported annual rates of application
of nitrogen (N) fertilizer range from 1036 to 4730 pounds
of N per acre. Determinations of the environmental fate of
the applied nitrogen shows that only 5-8% of the applied
nitrogen is incorporated into the  plant. The U.S.  annual
production of 24,753 acres of container-grown woody nurs-
ery plants with nitrogen applied at the rate of 1500 pounds
per acre yields 37 million pounds of N per year. If 6% of the
applied nitrogen is retained by the plant, then over 34
million pounds of N remain as a potential pollutant. Over
48% is leached from the plant container and discharged in
the effluent from the container production area. High growth
rates  of nursery plants are associated with root  matrix
solutions containing 80-500 mg N/liter; nitrogen concentra-
tion of  effluent from the root matrix with "best manage-
ment" practices exceeds 282 mg N as  nitrate/liter. The
Public Health Service considers 10 mg NO3-N per liter to be
potentially hazardous.

  The fertilizer "conserver" is designed  to protect dry
fertilizer under an inverted, impermeable cup from the mass
flow of surface-applied irrigation water or precipitation.
The objective of this project is to evaluate the technical
feasibility of the fertilizer "conserver" to eliminate fertilizer
discharge from  a  container production  system. Proposed
experiments are designed to evaluate materials and size of
the fertilizer  "conserver" that would eliminate  fertilizer
discharge and yet produce quality plants. The simplicity of
the "fertilizer conserver" and anticipated elimination of
fertilizer discharge from  a container operation  suggests
rapid acceptance by the greenhouse and nursery industry
worldwide.
29.ln-Plant Reduction of Hazardous
    Waste Generation in the Fluorocarbon
    Industry
Chemical and Metal Industries, Inc.
4701 Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80216
(303) 320-6151
John F. Elliott, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $49,876

  The fluorocarbon industry in the United States currently
generates over 1,200,000 pounds of spent antimony fluoro-
carbon catalyst annually in producing 1,190 million pounds
of fluorocarbons (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs). This spent cata-
lyst is a mixture of halogenated organic compounds (HOCs),
antimony, and  arsenic  halides. It is extremely hazardous,
toxic, and corrosive. It contains at least eight listed "char-
acteristic" wastes (e.g., CHCL,, CC14, C2C16, C.Cy. Ironi-
cally,   as  ozone-damaging,   fully  halogenated
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are replaced by their less dam-
aging or benign cousins, HCFCs and HFCs, spent catalyst
generation will increase, since more catalyst is consumed in
the production of these replacement species. This material
is  currently processed  in the United  States for antimony
pentachloride recovery and recycle at an  off-site facility.

  The proposed Phase  I work is aimed at demonstrating a
procedure for the on-site handling of the catalyst that will
permit the recycling of a major portion of the HOCs as well
as the antimony catalyst itself back to  the fluorocarbon
process. It also incorporates the in-process use of the other
contained HOCs and the isolation for sale of perchloroeth-
ylene, a byproduct of the process. In this fashion the HOCs
that ultimately would constitute an incinerable waste are
reduced to only 20% of that separated and incinerated using
current technology. The process has the potential for reduc-
ing waste generation at the source of one-third that  cur-
rently achievable using the best current  off-site recovery
and recycling technology.
Topic K:
    Oil Spill Prevention, Cleanup, and
    Restoration Technology
30. Develop Biodegradable, Non-Toxic,
    Oleophilic Hydrophobic Sorbent for
    Oil Spill Cleanup
Sea Sweep, Inc.
3331 South Monaco Parkway, Suite B
Denver, CO 80222
(303)759-8118
Thomas B. Reed, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $50,000

  Contamination of waters by spilled petroleum products,
liquid hydrocarbons, continues to be a frustration to those
responsible for oil transport and the environment Presently,
all remediation methods, including natural, chemical, and
mechanical, have limitations. In particular, adsorbents that
                                                   10

-------
adsorb oil onto surfaces are difficult to recover and have
major disposal problems.

  Sea Sweep, Inc., has developed and conducted prelimi-
nary tests on an absorbent material, called "Sea Sweep7".
Sea Sweep7 is oleophilic and, therefore, absorbs  oil. It is
also  hydrophobic and  floats on water.  It is  made  from
sawdust  in a thermolytic process and is biodegradable.
Particles of Sea Sweep7 can be easily removed from water,
or they will be degraded with minimum harm  to the envi-
ronment because the oil is  held inside each particle. Pre-
liminary laboratory tests show that no visible oil remains
after application of Sea Sweep7.

  The proposal is designed to find (1) the optimum method
of preparation of the absorbent for representative oil vis-
cosities,  (2) the optimum particle size for absorption of
various hydrocarbons, (3) potential toxicity of the absorbent
material, and (4) the degree of water contamination remain-
ing after removal of particles saturated with hydrocarbons.
31. A Natural Oat-Derived Oil Spill
    Dispersant
Basic Bio Systems, Inc.
2837 Fort Missoula Road
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 728-0260
Richard C. Potter, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                   Amount: $47,000

  Basic Bio Systems, Inc., proposes to investigate a novel
approach to oil spill cleanup utilizing a natural, oat-derived
dispersant. Proteinaceous oat fractions developed by Basic
Bio Systems, Inc. have the ability to absorb several times
their weight  of  a wide range of compounds, including
hydrophobic materials such as oils. In addition, these frac-
tions can function as effective emulsifiers, forming emul-
sions under ambient conditions with  low-energy mixing.
The combination of these two characteristics allows these
materials to function as oil spill dispersants. Placing the oat
fractions on  an  oil  slick  causes absorption of the  oil,
producing an in situ emulsifiable concentrate. Subsequent
wave and current action creates an emulsion, dispersing the
oil into the water column.

  Optimization of the dispersant type and physical form
will be undertaken  and comparisons in efficiency made
with conventional surfactant dispersants using the Labofina
test. Potential advantages of the oat-derived  dispersant
include low toxicity, ability to disperse "mousse," enhance-
ment of the growth of hydrocarbon-metabolized organisms
by providing a nutrient source,  and  providing an  easily
handled solid form.
                                                     11

-------
                                1991 PHASE II ABSTRACTS
Topic B:
    Municipal and Industrial Wastewater
    Treatment and Pollution Control
32. Emulsion Liquid Membrane Extraction
    of Phenol from Industrial Wastewaters
TDA Research, Inc.
12421 West 49th Avenue, #6
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 422-7819
John D. Wright, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $150,000

  Phenolic compounds are the primary wastewater treat-
ment challenge found in the aqueous effluents from petro-
leum refineries, coal conversion processes, petrochemical
production, and the  manufacture of phenols and related
chemicals. Emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) separations
are a developing technology with high potential for cost-
effective removal and  recovery of phenolic compounds.
Unlike the current treatment technologies, ELM processes
can almost completely remove phenolics from both  high
and low concentration feed streams, while producing a
concentrated solute level in the stripping phase, simplifying
final recovery. Further, ELM offers independent control
over the solvent's solubility in water and its affinity for
phenol, eliminating the need for a stripping column to clean
the wastewater leaving the extractor. As a result, ELM is a
much less expensive process for wastewater treatment than
solvent extraction, the current technology of choice.

  In Phase I, TDA Research, Inc., demonstrated the feasi-
bility of the ELM extraction process. During Phase II, TDA
will demonstrate the feasibility of the complete treatment
process, including not only extraction, but emulsion coales-
cence and phase separation. The objectives are to optimize
the extraction in a low-cost contacting device, optimize the
electrostatic  coalescence process, demonstrate the entire
system, and use the results of the complete process demon-
stration  as the basis for the detailed design and economic
analysis of a full scale treatment plant.
Topic D:
    Solid and Hazardous Waste Disposal
33. Innovative Hazardous Fly Ash and
    Industrial Process Dust Vitrification
    Technology
Vortec Corporation
3770 Ridge Pike
Collegeville, PA 19426
(215) 489-2255
James G. Hnat, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 3
Amount: $149,754
  The disposal of all types of wastes—municipal, medical,
and industrial—is  a  significant and increasing problem
facing the world environment today. Most of the waste
being generated is  currently being landfilled; however, as
many as one-third of the currently  active  landfills could
reach capacity in the next four years. As the capacity of the
landfills decreases and the landiilling costs increase, incin-
eration becomes an attractive means of volume reduction.
However, one byproduct of the incineration process, fly
ash, contains a high concentration of heavy metals which
may have to be disposed of in hazardous waste landfills at
a significant increase in cost to the incinerator operators
and, ultimately, the public. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)
incinerators alone produce approximately 450,000 to 800,000
tons of fly ash annually. Disposal of this fly ash in hazard-
ous waste landfills could cost from  $100 million to $800
million annually, depending on the location  of the landfills.

  The development of an advanced fly ash/dust vitrification
system is proposed as a means of eliminating the fly ash
disposal problem associated with incineration. The technol-
ogy being proposed is based on advanced in-flight suspen-
sion glass melting  technology being developed by Vortec
Corporation for the U.S. Department of Energy.

  Phase I of the program verified the technical and eco-
nomic  feasibility of the  Vortec process  in  producing  a
vitrified product satisfying the leachability limits of CFR 40
Part 261.24 from an MSW incinerator fly ash/waste glass
mixture consisting of 50% waste glass. The primary techni-
cal objective of Phase II is to determine the extent to which
glass-forming additives can be reduced while still satisfying
the leachability  requirements specified in CFR 40 Part
261.24. The Phase  II effort will include fly ash/waste glass
feed  stock preparation and analysis, vitrification testing
using Vortec's experimental vitrification system, flue gas
                                                  13

-------
emissions analysis, and commercial plant conceptual de-
sign.
34. Recycling of Solid, Inorganic, Zinc-
    Bearing Industrial Process Wastes
Chemical Reclamation Technologies
20749 Parkwood Lane
Strongsville, OH 44136
(216) 572-9225
Michael D. Waite, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 5                  Amount: $150,000

  Each year many millions of pounds of solid, inorganic
waste is  generated by zinc processing industries in the
USA. In  addition to zinc, these wastes typically contain
other toxic heavy metals like barium, copper, cobalt, man-
ganese, magnesium, lead, and nickel. Few of these wastes
are recycled. Generally  they  are dumped into either a
hazardous waste  facility or sanitary land fill.

  A recycle technology has been developed by Chemical
Reclamation Technologies that is capable of nearly 100%
recovery  of such wastes. Samples  of solid zinc-bearing
wastes from zinc phosphate pretreatment, zinc plating, and
steelmaking operations have been successfully reclaimed.
The process generates two endproducts which are poten-
tially marketable. Both endproducts have wide industrial
application.  The  recovery technology features an electro-
chemical method of removing iron from the various waste
sources. Iron is  a  major  contaminant in nearly  all zinc
wastes.

  The purpose of  the Phase  II effort is  to continue to
develop the  technology to the point of commercialization.
Four principal objectives must be met to accomplish the
mission: (1) design and construct a prototype process, (2)
pilot operation to determine optimum methods and cost, (3)
adaptation of the process to other potential waste sources,
and (4) front end engineering.
 35. Recovery of Liquid Hazardous Wastes
    from Carbon Adsorption Steam
    Regeneration Streams
 Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
 1360 Willow Road, Suite 103
 Menlo Park, CA 94025
 (415) 328-2228
 J. G. Wijmans, Principal Investigator
 EPA Region 9                   Amount: $150,000

  Common and particularly troublesome industrial waste
 streams are those consisting of volatile organic compounds
 (VOCs), particularly chlorinated solvents and water-mis-
 cible, less volatile (hydrophilic) solvents. The presence of
 the chlorinated solvents makes solvent reclamation very
 difficult, and the entire stream must often be treated as a
 hazardous waste and sent to incinerators fitted with appro-
priate scrubbers for disposal. These streams are commonly
produced in regeneration of carbon adsorption beds used to
remover VOCs from air, in solvent recycling operations, in
surface treatment and coating operations, and in ground-
water remediation.

  Phase II will involve the application of the membrane
process of pervaporation to the removal and concentration
of chlorinated solvents and other VOCs from mixed waste
streams. The process produces a small chlorinated solvent
stream and an aqueous residue stream containing the rela-
tively nonvolatile hydrophobic components which is sent to
a conventional treatment system or discharged. In the Phase
I program, the  process was demonstrated with  laboratory-
sized membrane modules using water/acetone/methylene
chloride mixtures and samples of more complex hazardous
waste streams. In the Phase II program, a compact, portable
system using industrial-sized modules will be built and
operated with solvent mixtures of increasing complexity at
Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.'s, (MTR) facili-
ties. Based on the contacts generated  during the Phase I
program, MTR is confident that a compact, transportable
pervaporation unit will receive great interest from potential
industrial users, resulting in numerous  field tests.
36. Application of Pulse Combustion in
    Solid and Hazardous Waste
    Incineration
Sonotech, Inc.
575 Travis Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 525-8530
Douglas H. Neale, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 4                   Amount: $149,942

  Sonotech, Inc., in Phase II proposes to build on the
success of its Phase I efforts  which demonstrated that an
incinerator's performance can  be improved significantly by
retrofitting it with a tunable pulse combustor which excites
pulsations inside the incinerator. These pulsations increase
the rates of heat, mass, and mixing processes which, in turn,
improve the incineration process performance. The Phase I
tests, conducted with surrogate wastes, have demonstrated
that pulsations  decrease exhaust soot emissions, improve
high destruction and removal efficiencies (DREs) of princi-
pal organic hazardous constituents (POHCs), and improve
efficiency of oxygen use. The goal of Phase II will be to
obtain additional design data and develop a liquid fuel-fired
pulse combustor which are needed for commercialization of
the technology  with von Roll, a major incinerator systems
manufacturer. To meet these goals, Task 1 will determine
the benefits of  pulse combustion technology in batch type
incineration of various surrogate wastes. Task 2 will de-
velop a liquid fuel-fired tunable pulse combustion needed
for the commercialization of  the technology, and Task 3
will  determine  the benefits  provided by the developed
liquid fuel pulse combustor during steady incineration of
contaminated liquid fuels which will be also used to fire the
pulse combustor. In summary, Phase II will develop an
                                                   14

-------
extensive design and incineration data base, and a liquid
fuel-fired pulse tunable combustor needed for commercial-
ization of the developed pulse combustor technology with
von Roll under Phase HI of this program.
Topic F:
    Control of Acid Rain  Precursors
37. Dry Scrubbing of SOX and NOX Over
    Lathanide-Oxygen-Sulfur Compounds
ElectroChem, Inc.
400 W. Cummings Park
Woburn, MA 01801
(617) 932-3383
Vinod Jalan, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount: $150,000

  Over the past decade, there has been a continuing effort
by EPA, DOE, GRI, EPRI, and utility companies toward
the development of an inexpensive and reliable method for
the removal of SOx  and NOx from combustion gases.
Existing processes for the combined removal of SOx and
NOx have not proven to be particularly effective in meeting
cost objectives and current emission  standards. Selective
catalytic reductions for NOx removal are reaching current
emission standards, but they are prohibitively expensive
because of the high initial cost of the catalyst and  its
replacement.

  In Phase I, cerium  oxide doped with strontium oxide,
calcium oxide, or lanthanum  oxide  were identified for
potential use for the removal of SOx and NOx from offgases
generated  by the combustion of  fuels in boilers, internal
combustion engines, and from  IGCC power plants. These
compounds have demonstrated many advantages over the
state-of-the-art sorbents, and the potential exists for further
improvements. Phase I results  also demonstrated that ce-
rium sulfate is effective for the reduction of NOx using NH,
as a reductanL

  The successful utilization of doped cerium oxide sorbent
and cerium sulfate catalyst for combined removal of SOx
and NOx generated by  the combustion of fuels requires
additional  research and development  aimed toward  opti-
mizing the process and demonstrating the durability of such
sorbents.
Topic H:
    Air Pollution Control
38. Reduction of Indoor Air Pollution by
    Membrane Stripping of Water-Borne
    Radon Gas
ARETE Technologies
15 Withington Lane
Harvard, MA 01451
(508) 456-3852
Stephen L. Matson, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount: $149,951
  Radon-222 in indoor air has been identified as a perva-
sive pollutant and a significant health threat, and release of
this volatile gas from water supplies containing elevated
radon levels represents a significant source of exposure.
The EPA will propose a stringent Maximum Contaminant
Level for water-borne radon of 300pCi/L in  mid-1991,
consistent with the statement  of agency  personnel that
water-borne radon may be responsible for more  cancer
deaths than all other  drinking water contaminants com-
bined.

  In  Phase  I, Arete Technologies, Inc., established  the
technical and  economic feasibility of using a gas/liquid
contactor based on hollow-fiber membranes to strip radon
from water with ambient air. The technology has significant
benefits  relative to the conventional approaches for water-
borne radon mitigation, namely carbon adsorption and dif-
fused-bubble or shallow-tray aeration.

  In  the Phase II program, Arete Technologies, Inc., seeks
to further improve membrane, module, and system perfor-
mance. Extended field tests will be conducted at multiple
sites  to assess  potential operational issues, and a prototype
membrane stripping system will be designed, constructed,
and operated to remove water-borne radon from a house-
hold  water supply.
39. A Process for Elimination of Paints
    Emitting Volatile Organic Compounds
JP Laboratories, Inc.
26 Howard Street
Piscataway, NJ 08854
(201) 968-6650
G. N. Patel, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 2
Amount: $149,751
  Millions of gallons of solvent-borne paints are used to
coat plastic parts  used in the automotive  industry. The
solvent-borne paints emit volatile  organic  compounds
(VOCs). In order to comply with the Clean  Air Act, there
is a need to make plastics paintable with water-borne paints.

  Under the Phase I study, JP Laboratories, Inc., demon-
strated that when treated with certain formulations, automo-
tive plastics such as polyurea and SMC (a  sheet molding
compound), become wettable with water and can be metal-
lized. The wettable and plated plastics can be painted with
water-borne paints. The formulations are inexpensive, non-
toxic, and nonpolluting. The  finish  and adhesion of the
paints were satisfactory. The  formulations/  processes can
eliminate VOC emitted by the solvent-borne paints. Under
Phase II, the formulations/processes will  be optimized,
scaled up and field tested.
                                                  15

-------
40. Treatment of CFC and HCFC
    Emissions
Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
1360 Willow Road, Suite 103
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415)  328-2228
J. G. Wijmans, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 9                  Amount: $150,000

  CFCs emitted  as purge  streams from large industrial
refrigerators are a considerable environmental problem and
an economic loss. Membrane vapor recovery systems are
able to treat these streams. In the Phase I program, existing
membranes were fabricated into high-pressure modules and
evaluated with a  prototype  treatment system. The system
was able to recover 99% of the CFC vapors contained in the
airstream for reuse in the refrigerator. The system performs
better and has a lower cost  than alternative processes.

  In  the Phase II program, Membrane  Technology  Re-
search, Inc., proposes to completely demonstrate the tech-
nology by performing a range of parametric studies on pilot
recovery systems and performing reliability studies over six
months of continuous operation.
41. Catalytically Stabilized Thermal
    Incineration of Volatile Organic
    Compounds
Precision Combustion, Inc.
25 Science Park
New Haven, CT 06511
(203) 786-5215
William Pfefferle, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 1                  Amount: $150,000

  Catalytically stabilized thermal incineration of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) uses catalytic surface reaction
to stabilize lean plug flow radical-enhanced thermal incin-
eration, resulting in ultra-high destruction at low residence
time of hazardous organics in any fume or air stream
including  those laden  with particulates (whether organic
such as cotton or grain dusts or inorganic submicron par-
ticles). Phase I work achieved ultra-high destruction levels
of five sample VOCs: methylene chloride, toluene, methyl
ethyl ketone, trichloroethylene, and ethyl benzene. Destruc-
tion in all  tests was beyond detection limits. In the lowest
detection limit test, 50 ppmv inlet concentration of methyl-
ene chloride was burned in a residence time of 17 millisec-
onds to below the detection limit of 2 parts per trillion (ptt).
The 99.999995+% destruction and removal efficiency (DRE)
for a chlorinated inlet starting at a low concentration is
unique. Submicron and micron level paniculate matter was
not a problem in the tests. Separate early-stage modeling
underway  in an NSF project indicates that this result is a
reasonable one to expect from the system and that destruc-
tion to sub-ppt level should be feasible even  from highly
concentrated fumes.

  Design work also proceeded integrating this Catalytically
stabilized  thermal incinerator into a gas turbine, with the
result that the fuel is converted into high-value electricity.
For units of moderate size in most situations, the value of
the electricity exceeds all capital and operating costs. For
smaller units, the electricity subsidizes the cost, reducing
net costs to below the costs of alternate, lower DRE tech-
nologies.

  In Phase II, Precision Combustion, Inc.,  will further
develop the burner, testing a wider range of conditions and
contaminants, demonstrating longer term durability, and
finalizing a field unit design to fit into a program such as the
Emerging Technologies Program or other field prototype
testing.
42.On-Board Generation of Ignition
    Improvers for Methanol Diesels
TDA Research, Inc.
12421 West 49th Avenue, #6
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 422-7819
Michael E. Karpuk, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 8                  Amount: $150,000

  Methanol-fueled diesel engines are an attractive means of
meeting the stringent 1994 diesel paniculate standards and
are a  topic of intense industrial interest. Unfortunately,
because methanol's autoignition temperature is high and its
ignition delay is long, some means of improving its ignition
is required. The best current method, use of high exhaust-
gas recirculation with a glow plug assist,  reduces  fuel
economy, increases the complexity and cost of the engine,
and increases maintenance costs. A promising solution is
on-board generation of the gaseous ignition enhancer dim-
ethyl ether (DME). This system will require minimal modi-
fications to the  engine design and will not degrade the
thermal efficiency of the engine. In Phase I, TDA Research,
Inc., measured the amount of DME required for efficient
operation, the effect of DME on  the combustion process,
and the engine efficiency and emissions of CO, NOx, and
unburned hydrocarbons (HCs) as a function of speed and
load. In Phase II, TDA will design  and build an on-board
reactor for converting methanol to DME and test the com-
plete reactor  and reactor control system mounted to  a
Cummins L-10 heavy-duty diesel engine.
Topic I:
    Waste Reduction and Pollution
    Prevention
43. Valuable Products from Coal Burning
    Wastes
Science Ventures, Inc.
8909 Complex Drive, Suite E
San Diego, CA 92123
(619) 292-7354
Douglas H. Laird, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 9                  Amount: $ 149,110
                                                  16

-------
  Coal combustion flue gas that is desulfurized with lime or
limestone results in 30-35 million tons per year of gypsum-
like waste. This presents a disposal problem which could be
eliminated by conversion into marketable commodities.

  Science Ventures, Inc., has been experimenting with a
new high-speed chemical process to solve a related environ-
mental problem. Their  FLASC process recovers  sulfur
values from phosphogypsum for recycle to the wet phos-
phoric acid process.  Synthetic aggregate for concrete is
produced as well.

  The proposed process would use similar entrained, slag-
ging, mildly reducing conditions and equipment to produce
cement and sulfuric acid for sale. Some of the coal  ash
would also be consumed this way.

  Very fast conversion  rates of these processes promise
reduced capital costs per unit of products. In addition, fresh
flue gas  desulfurization waste  requires  substantially  less
fuel to process than natural or other byproduct gypsums.

  Phase I crucible tests proved the cement quality to be
acceptable  and showed the practicality of entrained slag-
ging equipment Based on  the positive Phase  I results,
Phase II should progress rapidly using existing bench scale
apparatus.
 44. Suppression of Cyanide Formation in
    Hall Process Potlining
 EMEC Consultants
 R.D. 3, Roundtop Road
 Export, PA 15632
 (412) 325-3260
 Rudolf Keller, Principal Investigator
 EPA Region 3
Amount: $150,000
   Spent potlining from industrial primary aluminum pro-
 duction cells is a designated hazardous material because of
 its cyanide content Over 100,000 tons of this material are
 annually landfilled or  temporarily stored in the United
 States.

   It would be desirable to avoid the cyanide formation
 during operation of the cells. EMEC Consultants proposes
 to continue investigations of the conditions at which cya-
 nides form and migrate within the cell, to identify possible
 approaches to suppress cyanide formation, and to conduct
 experiments on industrial production units to test elements
 of a proprietary method.
                        If successful, the project would lead to a cost-effective
                      method to suppress the formation of cyanide in the lining of
                      industrial aluminum production cells.
Topic J:
    Oil Spill Prevention, Cleanup, and
    Restoration Technology

45. Robotic Inspection of Crude Oil
    Carrier Tanks
American Research Corporation of Virginia
542 First Street
P.O. Box 3406
Radford, VA 24143-3406
(703) 731-0655
R. J. Churchill, Principal Investigator
EPA Region 3                  Amount: $150,000

  The inspection of very large crude carriers (VLCC) for
structural reliability is a critical environmental concern.
These large vessels transport crude  oil in such quantities
that the consequence of an oil spill due to a broken weld
would  be  disastrous. Existing techniques for  inspecting
VLCC tanks require that the ship be taken out of service and
brought to a repair facility where the tanks must be drained
and  their  inner surfaces cleaned before inspection can
begin. To reduce the time and cost involved in inspections
and to identify damaged regions for effective maintenance,
a robotic inspection system will be developed incorporating
magnetic eddy current technology and video camera in-
spection. The program is innovative in providing a  time
sequence of nondestructive characterization  images which
can be used to identify growing cracks in VLCC structures.
Phase I results show that frequency mixing can enhance the
signal-to-noise ratio of fatigue cracks in welded steel, while
cross-correlation  techniques can  be used to align  scan
images provide a history of damage development

  The Phase n technical objectives include development of
eddy current probes, design of remotely operated vehicle
correlation techniques for detection  of crack growth, and
optimization of a proof-of-concept  system for Phase III
commercialization. Detection of localized damage will be
accomplished by segmenting the images into smaller cross-
correlation regions for  improved  resolution. The proposed
system will permit more frequent inspections and increase
the safety  and reliability of carriers operating under ex-
tended service.
                                                   17

-------
                             Alphabetical List of Awardees
Aircor, Inc.
120 B Bloomingdale Avenue
P.O. Box 159
Wayne, PA 19087
(215) 975-9792	
American Research Corporation
 of Virginia
542 First Street
P.O. Box 3406
Radford, VA 24143-3406
(703) 731-0655	
.17
ARETE Technologies
15 Withington Lane
Harvard, MA 01451
(508) 456-3852	
.15
Basic Bio Systems, Inc.
2837 Fort Missoula Road
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 728-0260	
.11
BioTrol, Inc.
11 Peavey Road
Chaska, MN55318
(612) 448-2515	
Boulder Innovative Technologies
1930 Central Avenue, Suite B-l
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 440-8722	
Briggs Nursery, Inc.
4407 Henderson Boulevard
Olympia, WA 98501
(206)  352-5405	
.10
Calderon Energy Company of Bowling Green, Inc.
P.O. Box 126
Bowling Green, OH 43402
(419)354-4632	
Chemical and Metal Industries, Inc.
4701 Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80216
(303) 320-6151	
.10
      Chemical Reclamation Technologies
      20749 Parkwood Lane
      Strongsville, OH 44136
      (216) 572-9225	
                                             .14
      ChromatoChem, Inc.
      2837 Fort Missoula Road
      Missoula, MT 59801
      (406) 721-5897	
Clear Corporation Enterprises, Inc.
1750 30th Street, #605
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 530-5686	
Eckenfelder, Inc.
227 French Landing Drive
Nashville, TN 37228
(615) 255-2288	
ElectroChem, Inc.
400 W. Cummings Park
Woburn, MA 01801
(617) 932-3383	
                                                   .15
      EMEC Consultants
      R.D. 3, Roundtop Road
      Export, PA 15632
      (412) 325-3260	
                                             .17
      Energy Innovations, Inc.
      8709 Knight Road
      Houston, TX 77054
      (713) 790-9892	
Fossil Energy Research Corp.
23342 C South Pointe
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
(714)859-4466	
      Gray & Osborne Consulting Engineers, Inc.
      P.O. Box 2069
      Yakima, WA 98907
      (509) 453-4833	
Guild Associates, Inc.
4089 North Leap Road
Hilliard, OH 43026
(614) 876-5252	
                                                 19

-------
Hoyle Associates
631 Stevens Street
Lowell, MA 01851
(508) 459-3200	
ICET, Inc.
916 Pleasant Street, #12
Norwood, MA 02062
(617) 769-6064	
lonEdge Corp.
1713 Hull Street
Fort Collins, CO 80526
(303) 223-0665	
JP Laboratories, Inc.
26 Howard Street
Piscataway, NJ 08854
(201) 968-6650	
        .15
LSR Environmental Systems Co.
2352 Main Street (2-A3)
Concord, MA 01742
(508)897-4345	
      .8,9
Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
1360 Willow Road, Suite 103
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(415) 328-2228	
.6, 8, 14, 16
National Recovery Technologies, Inc.
566 Mainstream Drive
Nashville, TN 37209-1223
(615) 329-9088	
 Oxley Research, Inc.
 25 Science Park
 New Haven, CT 06511
 (203) 786-5390	
 Precision Combustion, Inc.
 25 Science Park
 New Haven, CT 06511
 (203)786-5215	
     .7, 16
             Reaction Engineering International
             44 West 300 South, #21075
             Salt Lake City, UT 84101
             (801) 328-2002	
             REMSA, Inc.
             P.O. Box 189
             Hampton, VA 23669
             (804) 723-0008	
              Science Ventures, Inc.
              8909 Complex Drive, Suite E
              San Diego, CA 92123
              (619) 292-7354	
                                              .16
Sea Sweep, Inc.
3331 South Monaco Parkway, Suite B
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 759-8118	
        .10
Sonotech, Inc.
575 Travis Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 525-8530	
        .14
TDA Research, Inc.
12421 West 49th Avenue, #6
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 422-7819	
.5,6, 13, 16
             Tienzyme, Inc.
             123 Coal Alley
             State College, PA 16801
             (814) 238-6028	
              Vortec Corporation
              3770 Ridge Pike
              Collegeville, PA 19426
              (215) 489-2255	
                                              .13
Western Environmental Engineers
1235 East Fourth Avenue
Olympia, WA 98506
(206) 357-9000	
                                                 *U.S.  GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:1992-648-003/40717

                                                 20

-------