Bianca Bailey
Agriwater Corporation
Bianca Bailey is using her company Agriwater to innovate a mobile wastewater treatment system to purify livestock manure into clean water. The water purification technology generates clean water and…
Bianca Bailey
Agriwater
Bianca Bailey is using her company Agriwater to innovate a mobile wastewater treatment system to purify livestock manure into clean water. The water purification technology generates clean water and fertilizer from animal waste while reducing GHG emissions and creating farmer revenue. This technology serves as an environmental compliance solution to keep farmers from paying expensive fines for manure pits or lagoon spills into rivers. Bianca holds a PhD in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, an MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Howard University. She is an alumna of the GEM Fellowship program.
Project Abstract
Agriwater is innovating the next sustainable generation of mobile water treatment systems that transform livestock manure water into commercially valuable by-products; clean water, organic fertilizer, and carbon credits. After countless hours of research and customer surveys, Agriwater realized the biggest pain point for livestock farmers is the environmental compliance consequences of leaching toxic animal manure from lagoons and manure storage pits. More specifically, there are expensive environmental violation fines, plant shutdown, and jailing associated with national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) incompliance.
We Are Looking For
- Interested cattle and swine farmers to serve as early-adopters
- Manure management subject matter experts
- Experts in discharge permits for Livestock farms
- Strategic partnerships as Ag Tech mentors
- Carbon credit Ag market experts
- Government and private funding
Critical Need for This Technology
Livestock and animal farming in the U.S. produces 500 million tons of manure waste each year, which is over 1,000 Empire State Building in weight. This toxic waste ends up in rivers causing pollution, sickness, and death of aquatic life. Millions of tons of CO2 and methane are emitted into the atmosphere due to animal manure. Important environmental concerns aground manure management are the GHG emissions of carbon dioxide and methane gas that if inhaled can create insufflation. The broader impacts of this technology contribute to eliminating the potential for toxic manure spills into rivers and streams, ultimately preserving, and protecting America’s freshwater bodies and protecting farmers from expensive water pollution violations that can range from thousands of dollars to millions owed to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Competition
Agriwater’s technology differs from our competitors as we provide a mobile wastewater treatment unit that is specifically designed by the input of farmers to turn animal manure into generating revenue including clean water, organic fertilizer, and carbon credits.
Key Innovation
Agriwater’s technology is designing a mobile water treatment system built inside a shipping container. The main treatment device uses electrolysis to help precipitate contaminants from manure liquid. The resulting treated water is reduced in foul odor, toxins, and GHGs. This technology seeks to decarbonize animal wastewater and produce clean water, and organic fertilizer. Additionally, this technology will help determine the potential carbon credits attributed to decarbonizing livestock wastewater.
R&D Status of Product
Agriwater is in the R&D and product development stage. Proof of concept using electrolysis has been demonstrated against cattle manure water, rendering cleaner water. Innovation Crossroads resources and industry partnerships will help leverage our minimum viable product. The deliverables for this R&D will produce a demo pilot scale of the mobile water treatment system for early adopter farmer trials.
Team Overview
- Bianca Bailey, Ph.D. – Founder and Chief Executive Officer
ORNL PI
- Costas Tsouris – Distinguished R&D Staff, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Bianca Bailey is using her company Agriwater to innovate a mobile wastewater treatment system to purify livestock manure into clean water. The water purification technology generates clean water and fertilizer from animal waste while reducing GHG emissions and creating farmer revenue. This technology serves as an environmental compliance solution to keep farmers from paying expensive fines for manure pits or lagoon spills into rivers. Bianca holds a PhD in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, an MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Howard University. She is an alumna of the GEM Fellowship program.
Project Abstract
Agriwater is innovating the next sustainable generation of mobile water treatment systems that transform livestock manure water into commercially valuable by-products; clean water, organic fertilizer, and carbon credits. After countless hours of research and customer surveys, Agriwater realized the biggest pain point for livestock farmers is the environmental compliance consequences of leaching toxic animal manure from lagoons and manure storage pits. More specifically, there are expensive environmental violation fines, plant shutdown, and jailing associated with national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) incompliance.
We Are Looking For
- Interested cattle and swine farmers to serve as early-adopters
- Manure management subject matter experts
- Experts in discharge permits for Livestock farms
- Strategic partnerships as Ag Tech mentors
- Carbon credit Ag market experts
- Government and private funding
Critical Need for This Technology
Livestock and animal farming in the U.S. produces 500 million tons of manure waste each year, which is over 1,000 Empire State Building in weight. This toxic waste ends up in rivers causing pollution, sickness, and death of aquatic life. Millions of tons of CO2 and methane are emitted into the atmosphere due to animal manure. Important environmental concerns aground manure management are the GHG emissions of carbon dioxide and methane gas that if inhaled can create insufflation. The broader impacts of this technology contribute to eliminating the potential for toxic manure spills into rivers and streams, ultimately preserving, and protecting America’s freshwater bodies and protecting farmers from expensive water pollution violations that can range from thousands of dollars to millions owed to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Competition
Agriwater’s technology differs from our competitors as we provide a mobile wastewater treatment unit that is specifically designed by the input of farmers to turn animal manure into generating revenue including clean water, organic fertilizer, and carbon credits.
Key Innovation
Agriwater’s technology is designing a mobile water treatment system built inside a shipping container. The main treatment device uses electrolysis to help precipitate contaminants from manure liquid. The resulting treated water is reduced in foul odor, toxins, and GHGs. This technology seeks to decarbonize animal wastewater and produce clean water, and organic fertilizer. Additionally, this technology will help determine the potential carbon credits attributed to decarbonizing livestock wastewater.
R&D Status of Product
Agriwater is in the R&D and product development stage. Proof of concept using electrolysis has been demonstrated against cattle manure water, rendering cleaner water. Innovation Crossroads resources and industry partnerships will help leverage our minimum viable product. The deliverables for this R&D will produce a demo pilot scale of the mobile water treatment system for early adopter farmer trials.
Team Overview
- Bianca Bailey, Ph.D. – Founder and Chief Executive Officer
ORNL PI
- Costas Tsouris – Distinguished R&D Staff, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Rajan Kumar
Ateios Systems
Rajan Kumar, PhD, is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Forbes Next 1000 Fellow armed with over 11 years of experience in nanoscale research and commercialization of deep…
Rajan Kumar
Ateios Systems
Rajan Kumar, PhD, is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Forbes Next 1000 Fellow armed with over 11 years of experience in nanoscale research and commercialization of deep technology. Rajan is one of the few doctoral engineers with a complete discipline in nanoengineering from the leading nanoengineering universities in the world; the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany (now known as SUNYPolytechnic) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He completed his doctoral studies and masters in Nanoscale Engineering at UCSD where he focused on printed electronics and novel composites for electrochemical devices. In his thesis work, he developed and patented the world’s first printable stretchable battery, which was heralded as one of 13 battery innovations to change the world. Using his background in advanced materials and manufacturing, combined with analytical software, Rajan and his team at Ateios Systems are transforming the ways batteries are designed, engineered, and manufactured.
Project Abstract
Ateios Systems is developing innovative coating and processing technologies necessary to scale solid-state batteries (SSB) through rapid heterogeneous deposition processes. Ateios’ key contribution is the use of radiation-curable composite electrodes to increase battery energy density by over 350 Wh/kg and reduce the cost to less than $100/kWh. Radiation curable composites will increase manufacturing speed by 10x (940 m2/min), reduce processing costs by over 20%, and will have a positive environmental impact by the removal of toxic organic solvents. These composites are re-deposited via roll-to-roll coating systems such as comma bar or slot-die. Ateios proposes the use of our composite electrodes along with solid-state electrolytes to combine and develop a heterogeneous deposition processing system that will control microstructure, interfaces, and form factors.
The success of this project will be the next step in the creation of ubiquitous, safe, and high-energy dense SSB. More importantly, it will repatriate American battery manufacturing, where only 1% of lithium-ion batteries are manufactured in the U.S, which presents security, environmental, and economic risk. SSB using radiation-curable composite electrodes and water in salt electrolytes will present an opportunity to overcome these critical challenges, this powerful combination of U.S. innovation will not only be created in the U.S. it will also be manufactured solely in the U.S. Furthermore, by establishing these capabilities we will be able to produce enough clean storage of 20 TWh by 2030 in 2 years, compared to 30 years using traditional thermal curing and liquid electrolytes.
Critical Need for This Technology
Faster, cheaper, and cleaner electrode manufacturing is key to reducing battery costs below $100/kWh and repatriating battery manufacturing in the U.S.
Competition
- Tesla
- Durr Megtec,
- AM Batteries
- Saueressig
Key Innovation
The key innovation is the eBeam curable polymers for faster, cheaper, and cleaner battery component manufacturing.
R&D Status of Product
Ateios Systems is currently scaling up production for primary batteries and product development of rechargeable batteries.
Team Overview
- Rajan Kumar, Ph.D – Chief Executive Officer
- Carlos Munoz – Chief Operating Officer
- Kevin Barry, Ph.D. – Senior Battery Engineer
- James Pope – Vice President of Commercial Sales
ORNL PI
- Jianlin Li – Group Leader, Energy Storage and Conversion Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Rajan Kumar, PhD, is a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and a Forbes Next 1000 Fellow armed with over 11 years of experience in nanoscale research and commercialization of deep technology. Rajan is one of the few doctoral engineers with a complete discipline in nanoengineering from the leading nanoengineering universities in the world; the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany (now known as SUNYPolytechnic) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He completed his doctoral studies and masters in Nanoscale Engineering at UCSD where he focused on printed electronics and novel composites for electrochemical devices. In his thesis work, he developed and patented the world’s first printable stretchable battery, which was heralded as one of 13 battery innovations to change the world. Using his background in advanced materials and manufacturing, combined with analytical software, Rajan and his team at Ateios Systems are transforming the ways batteries are designed, engineered, and manufactured.
Project Abstract
Ateios Systems is developing innovative coating and processing technologies necessary to scale solid-state batteries (SSB) through rapid heterogeneous deposition processes. Ateios’ key contribution is the use of radiation-curable composite electrodes to increase battery energy density by over 350 Wh/kg and reduce the cost to less than $100/kWh. Radiation curable composites will increase manufacturing speed by 10x (940 m2/min), reduce processing costs by over 20%, and will have a positive environmental impact by the removal of toxic organic solvents. These composites are re-deposited via roll-to-roll coating systems such as comma bar or slot-die. Ateios proposes the use of our composite electrodes along with solid-state electrolytes to combine and develop a heterogeneous deposition processing system that will control microstructure, interfaces, and form factors.
The success of this project will be the next step in the creation of ubiquitous, safe, and high-energy dense SSB. More importantly, it will repatriate American battery manufacturing, where only 1% of lithium-ion batteries are manufactured in the U.S, which presents security, environmental, and economic risk. SSB using radiation-curable composite electrodes and water in salt electrolytes will present an opportunity to overcome these critical challenges, this powerful combination of U.S. innovation will not only be created in the U.S. it will also be manufactured solely in the U.S. Furthermore, by establishing these capabilities we will be able to produce enough clean storage of 20 TWh by 2030 in 2 years, compared to 30 years using traditional thermal curing and liquid electrolytes.
Critical Need for This Technology
Faster, cheaper, and cleaner electrode manufacturing is key to reducing battery costs below $100/kWh and repatriating battery manufacturing in the U.S.
Competition
- Tesla
- Durr Megtec,
- AM Batteries
- Saueressig
Key Innovation
The key innovation is the eBeam curable polymers for faster, cheaper, and cleaner battery component manufacturing.
R&D Status of Product
Ateios Systems is currently scaling up production for primary batteries and product development of rechargeable batteries.
Team Overview
- Rajan Kumar, Ph.D – Chief Executive Officer
- Carlos Munoz – Chief Operating Officer
- Kevin Barry, Ph.D. – Senior Battery Engineer
- James Pope – Vice President of Commercial Sales
ORNL PI
- Jianlin Li – Group Leader, Energy Storage and Conversion Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Alex Stiles
Vitriform3D Incorporated
Alex Stiles has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a PhD in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As an…
Alex Stiles
Vitriform3D
Alex Stiles has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a PhD in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As an undergraduate student, Alex started a bamboo fiber composites company called Samambu LLC, which won awards at three business plan competitions. He then worked as a product engineer in the railroad industry for nearly four years before pursuing graduate studies in advanced composites and additive manufacturing (AM). Under Dr. Uday Vaidya, Alex's dissertation work focused on photopolymer formulation and cure kinetics for large-scale AM. Alex has over a decade of experience working with polymeric composites and tooling.
Project Abstract
Vitriform3D utilizes recycled glass as a feedstock in powder bed 3D printing. While glass is infinitely recyclable, over 8 million tons of glass in the U.S. go to landfills each year due to low raw material value. Vitriform3D has developed a patent-pending binder jet technology (BJT) that enables the use of recycled glass in large-scale 3D printing. This platform technology leverages glass's natural wear resistance and optical properties, printing durable glass composite products with high resolution and virtually unlimited part geometries. The most promising initial market is tooling for the marine industry, where large-scale BJT has the potential to reduce production time and manual labor input dramatically. By locating in the Oak Ridge/Knoxville area, we are well-positioned to access the marine tooling industry and get critical feedback as we further develop our technology.
We Are Looking For
- Companies interested in trying out our recycled glass composites
- Product designers with experience in architecture
- Marketing expertise
Critical Need for This Technology
The critical need for this technology is a full-scale demonstration.
Competition
- Current binder jet technology (BJT) methods
- Large-scale 3D printing technologies such as the BAAM and RAM systems
Key Innovation
Combining recycled glass and silica feedstocks with UV curing polymer binder technology. UV curing enables high-speed printing at large scale without a post-curing oven.
R&D Status of Product
We have access to pilot scale glass crushing and screening equipment and are refining our small-scale printer to optimize the glass particle size and polymer-glass interaction for peak mechanical properties
Team Overview
- Alex Stiles, Ph.D. – Founder, Photopolymer and Polymeric Composites Expert
- Dustin Gilmer, Ph.D. – Founder, Binder Jetting Polymers Expert
ORNL PI
- Christopher Hershey – Research and Development Associate Staff, Advanced Composites Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
- Vlastimil Kunc – Group Leader, Advanced Composites Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Alex Stiles has a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a PhD in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As an undergraduate student, Alex started a bamboo fiber composites company called Samambu LLC, which won awards at three business plan competitions. He then worked as a product engineer in the railroad industry for nearly four years before pursuing graduate studies in advanced composites and additive manufacturing (AM). Under Dr. Uday Vaidya, Alex's dissertation work focused on photopolymer formulation and cure kinetics for large-scale AM. Alex has over a decade of experience working with polymeric composites and tooling.
Project Abstract
Vitriform3D utilizes recycled glass as a feedstock in powder bed 3D printing. While glass is infinitely recyclable, over 8 million tons of glass in the U.S. go to landfills each year due to low raw material value. Vitriform3D has developed a patent-pending binder jet technology (BJT) that enables the use of recycled glass in large-scale 3D printing. This platform technology leverages glass's natural wear resistance and optical properties, printing durable glass composite products with high resolution and virtually unlimited part geometries. The most promising initial market is tooling for the marine industry, where large-scale BJT has the potential to reduce production time and manual labor input dramatically. By locating in the Oak Ridge/Knoxville area, we are well-positioned to access the marine tooling industry and get critical feedback as we further develop our technology.
We Are Looking For
- Companies interested in trying out our recycled glass composites
- Product designers with experience in architecture
- Marketing expertise
Critical Need for This Technology
The critical need for this technology is a full-scale demonstration.
Competition
- Current binder jet technology (BJT) methods
- Large-scale 3D printing technologies such as the BAAM and RAM systems
Key Innovation
Combining recycled glass and silica feedstocks with UV curing polymer binder technology. UV curing enables high-speed printing at large scale without a post-curing oven.
R&D Status of Product
We have access to pilot scale glass crushing and screening equipment and are refining our small-scale printer to optimize the glass particle size and polymer-glass interaction for peak mechanical properties
Team Overview
- Alex Stiles, Ph.D. – Founder, Photopolymer and Polymeric Composites Expert
- Dustin Gilmer, Ph.D. – Founder, Binder Jetting Polymers Expert
ORNL PI
- Christopher Hershey – Research and Development Associate Staff, Advanced Composites Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
- Vlastimil Kunc – Group Leader, Advanced Composites Manufacturing, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Anca Timofte
Holocene Climate Corporation
Anca Timofte obtained her BS in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, where she was also a research fellow in the Environmental NanoChemistry Laboratory. Then, pursuing her…
Anca Timofte
Holocene Climate Corporation
Anca Timofte obtained her BS in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, where she was also a research fellow in the Environmental NanoChemistry Laboratory. Then, pursuing her interests in environmental applications for chemical engineering, Anca graduated with an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from ETH Zurich. She spent the following seven years developing and implementing the chemical process of direct-air-capture plants at Climeworks. As a process engineering team lead, Anca hired and supported the team in designing the process engineering of more than 14 carbon removal plants. Currently, Anca is pursuing an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, focusing on the intersection of climate and finance opportunities. As the Founder and CEO of Holocene, Anca is working on new carbon removal solutions.
Project Abstract
Holocene designs and builds chemical plants that efficiently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by making use of a novel organic chemistry developed and tested at ORNL. Two organic compounds are used cyclically in the process - one compound enhances the capacity of water to take up CO2, and the other helps remove the CO2 from the water through the precipitation of a solid that contains the CO2. When the solid is heated, the CO2 is released in concentrated form and can be stored permanently underground.
The environmental benefit created by taking the CO2 out of the atmosphere is called negative emissions, a product like carbon credits. Companies and institutions with net-zero carbon commitments already buy negative emissions today to meet such targets. Moreover, both in the European Union and in the U.S., governments are supporting the development of negative emissions technologies by putting in place financial incentives - like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard or 45Q tax credit - to enable the technological removal of carbon dioxide. Holocene plans to sell negative emissions to corporations and governments, thus contributing towards achieving decarbonization targets.
ORNL PI
- Radu Custelcean – Research Staff, Structural Chemist, Physical Sciences Directorate
Anca Timofte obtained her BS in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, where she was also a research fellow in the Environmental NanoChemistry Laboratory. Then, pursuing her interests in environmental applications for chemical engineering, Anca graduated with an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from ETH Zurich. She spent the following seven years developing and implementing the chemical process of direct-air-capture plants at Climeworks. As a process engineering team lead, Anca hired and supported the team in designing the process engineering of more than 14 carbon removal plants. Currently, Anca is pursuing an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, focusing on the intersection of climate and finance opportunities. As the Founder and CEO of Holocene, Anca is working on new carbon removal solutions.
Project Abstract
Holocene designs and builds chemical plants that efficiently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by making use of a novel organic chemistry developed and tested at ORNL. Two organic compounds are used cyclically in the process - one compound enhances the capacity of water to take up CO2, and the other helps remove the CO2 from the water through the precipitation of a solid that contains the CO2. When the solid is heated, the CO2 is released in concentrated form and can be stored permanently underground.
The environmental benefit created by taking the CO2 out of the atmosphere is called negative emissions, a product like carbon credits. Companies and institutions with net-zero carbon commitments already buy negative emissions today to meet such targets. Moreover, both in the European Union and in the U.S., governments are supporting the development of negative emissions technologies by putting in place financial incentives - like the Low Carbon Fuel Standard or 45Q tax credit - to enable the technological removal of carbon dioxide. Holocene plans to sell negative emissions to corporations and governments, thus contributing towards achieving decarbonization targets.
ORNL PI
- Radu Custelcean – Research Staff, Structural Chemist, Physical Sciences Directorate
Kim Tutin
Captis Aire LLC
Founder and CEO, Kim Tutin, established Captis Aire to commercialize an advanced air pollution control technology, the Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC), for use in the wood products industry. Kim’s…
Kim Tutin
Captis Aire
Founder and CEO, Kim Tutin, established Captis Aire to commercialize an advanced air pollution control technology, the Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC), for use in the wood products industry. Kim’s strong passionate leadership has successfully guided her team to 1) complete two very successful FBC pilot unit runs at a commercial wood products manufacturing site, 2) acquire a $5 million letter of intent from an FBC customer, and 3) acquire a technology license. As inventor, Kim provided critical support to file and defend two FBC patent applications. She previously worked in roles including chemist, group leader, and technology scout at Georgia-Pacific Chemicals where she was instrumental in new technology development. Kim has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and an MBA in Technology and Engineering Management from City University of Seattle.
Project Abstract
As the world grapples with reducing air pollutants, the Captis Aire technology is focused on capturing air pollutants from wood products manufacturing sites. Manufacturing sites include those producing liquid biofuels, wood pellets, oriented strand board, plywood, lumber, etc. At target sites, turpentine is the primary air pollutant released from drying the wood. This turpentine is valuable and can be sold for a variety of uses including as biofuels. Our Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) technology with Bead Activated Carbon (BAC) captures and recovers this valuable turpentine. Preliminary work indicates the turpentine can be converted and used in Sustainable Aviation Fuel blends that have desirable fuel operability and performance characteristics.
When commercialized, the FBC technology would enable the ability to 1) clean the air, 2) reduce fossil fuel energy usage, 3) recover turpentine, 4) convert the turpentine to valuable products such as biofuels, 4) provide benefits to communities and workers in rural locations in underserved communities and opportunity zones, and 5) address the climate crisis. The Innovation Crossroads program resources will be extremely beneficial to the FBC and turpentine product development. With this support, we have the opportunity and ability to displace an entire industry filled with old “gas guzzler” air pollution control systems. Like replacing old combustion engine cars with new efficient hybrids, we will replace the old technology with new, energy efficient, advanced air pollution control FBC systems.
Critical Need for This Technology
Over 100 different industrial manufacturing processes produce waste air exhausts that must be cleaned to remove organic pollutants prior to release into the atmosphere in order to prevent air pollution. Industry currently controls air pollutants primarily using decades old thermal oxidation control technologies. These controls are ubiquitous in industry, controlling air pollutants on everything from wood, to paint, to chemicals, etc. They control air pollutants by oxidizing them to form carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas (GHG). Especially for low concentration exhaust air streams from wood, thermal oxidizers are literally “gas guzzlers.” Instead, our team is working to develop and sell the novel, energy efficient, FBC advanced air pollution control system.
Competition
- NESTEC
- Oxidizers Inc.
- Durr-MEGTEC
Key Innovation
The air pollution control technology will use specialized Bead Activated Carbon to adsorb and recover valuable “pollutants” (turpentine) from the wood dryer exhaust air rather than using fossil fuels to burn (oxidize) them.
R&D Status of Product
Successfully demonstrated technology twice at pilot scale.
Team Overview
- Kim Tutin, MBA – Founder, Chief Executive Officer
- Harold Cowles – President
- Jim Berger – Vice President, Business Development
- Jim Starek – Vice President, Engineering and Operations
ORNL PI
- Nidia Gallego – Group Member, Carbon Materials Technology, Physical Sciences Directorate
- Andrew Sutton – Group Leader, Chemical Process Scale Up, Energy Science and Technology Directorate
Founder and CEO, Kim Tutin, established Captis Aire to commercialize an advanced air pollution control technology, the Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC), for use in the wood products industry. Kim’s strong passionate leadership has successfully guided her team to 1) complete two very successful FBC pilot unit runs at a commercial wood products manufacturing site, 2) acquire a $5 million letter of intent from an FBC customer, and 3) acquire a technology license. As inventor, Kim provided critical support to file and defend two FBC patent applications. She previously worked in roles including chemist, group leader, and technology scout at Georgia-Pacific Chemicals where she was instrumental in new technology development. Kim has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and an MBA in Technology and Engineering Management from City University of Seattle.
Project Abstract
As the world grapples with reducing air pollutants, the Captis Aire technology is focused on capturing air pollutants from wood products manufacturing sites. Manufacturing sites include those producing liquid biofuels, wood pellets, oriented strand board, plywood, lumber, etc. At target sites, turpentine is the primary air pollutant released from drying the wood. This turpentine is valuable and can be sold for a variety of uses including as biofuels. Our Fluidized Bed Concentrator (FBC) technology with Bead Activated Carbon (BAC) captures and recovers this valuable turpentine. Preliminary work indicates the turpentine can be converted and used in Sustainable Aviation Fuel blends that have desirable fuel operability and performance characteristics.
When commercialized, the FBC technology would enable the ability to 1) clean the air, 2) reduce fossil fuel energy usage, 3) recover turpentine, 4) convert the turpentine to valuable products such as biofuels, 4) provide benefits to communities and workers in rural locations in underserved communities and opportunity zones, and 5) address the climate crisis. The Innovation Crossroads program resources will be extremely beneficial to the FBC and turpentine product development. With this support, we have the opportunity and ability to displace an entire industry filled with old “gas guzzler” air pollution control systems. Like replacing old combustion engine cars with new efficient hybrids, we will replace the old technology with new, energy efficient, advanced air pollution control FBC systems.
Critical Need for This Technology
Over 100 different industrial manufacturing processes produce waste air exhausts that must be cleaned to remove organic pollutants prior to release into the atmosphere in order to prevent air pollution. Industry currently controls air pollutants primarily using decades old thermal oxidation control technologies. These controls are ubiquitous in industry, controlling air pollutants on everything from wood, to paint, to chemicals, etc. They control air pollutants by oxidizing them to form carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas (GHG). Especially for low concentration exhaust air streams from wood, thermal oxidizers are literally “gas guzzlers.” Instead, our team is working to develop and sell the novel, energy efficient, FBC advanced air pollution control system.
Competition
- NESTEC
- Oxidizers Inc.
- Durr-MEGTEC
Key Innovation
The air pollution control technology will use specialized Bead Activated Carbon to adsorb and recover valuable “pollutants” (turpentine) from the wood dryer exhaust air rather than using fossil fuels to burn (oxidize) them.
R&D Status of Product
Successfully demonstrated technology twice at pilot scale.
Team Overview
- Kim Tutin, MBA – Founder, Chief Executive Officer
- Harold Cowles – President
- Jim Berger – Vice President, Business Development
- Jim Starek – Vice President, Engineering and Operations
ORNL PI
- Nidia Gallego – Group Member, Carbon Materials Technology, Physical Sciences Directorate
- Andrew Sutton – Group Leader, Chemical Process Scale Up, Energy Science and Technology Directorate