Status: ACTIVE
State: MD
Project Term: 10/28/2022 - 12/28/2024
Program: HESTIA
Award: $3,544,764

University of Maryland (UMD)

The University of Maryland will design modular interlocking multifunctional superinsulation panels that can be roll-to-roll manufactured and readily assembled by robotic automation. The rapid-prototyping hydrophobic panels, which consist of recyclable biogenic materials (cellulose, straw, etc.) and superinsulating silica aerogel, will provide high thermal insulation, structural durability, moisture and fire resistance, soundproofing, and easy installation at a low cost. The panels will meet embodied and operational carbon-negative emission requirements and provide recycling/repurposing…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MA
Project Term: 07/01/2010 - 06/30/2014
Program: Electrofuels
Award: $5,624,282

University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst)

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst) is feeding renewable electricity to bacteria to provide the microorganisms with the energy they need to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) directly into liquid fuels. UMass Amherst's energy-to-fuels conversion process is anticipated to be more efficient than current biofuels approaches in part because this process will leverage the high efficiency of photovoltaics to convert solar energy into electricity. UMass Amherst is using bacteria already known to produce biofuel from electric current and CO2 and working to increase the amount of…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MA
Project Term: 01/01/2012 - 12/31/2015
Program: PETRO
Award: $3,740,296

University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst)

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst) is developing an enhanced, biofuels-producing variant of Camelina, a drought-resistant, cold-tolerant oilseed crop that can be grown in many places other plants cannot. The team is working to incorporate several genetic traits into Camelina that increases its natural ability to produce oils and add the production of energy-dense terpene molecules that can be easily converted into liquid fuels. UMass Amherst is also experimenting with translating a component common in algae to Camelina that should allow the plants to absorb higher…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 05/27/2016 - 11/26/2018
Program: GRID DATA
Award: $1,418,845

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan, with partners from Los Alamos National Laboratory, the California Institute of Technology, and Columbia University, will develop a transmission system data set with greater reliability, size, and scope compared to current models. The project combines existing power systems data with advanced obfuscation techniques to anonymize the data while still creating realistic models. In addition, the project delivers year-long test cases that capture grid network behavior over time, enabling the analysis of optimization algorithms over different time scales. These realistic…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 01/01/2015 - 03/31/2016
Program: IDEAS
Award: $259,600

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is investigating a new, hybrid thin-film PV production technology that combines two different semiconductor production techniques: electrodeposition (the deposition of a substance on an electrode by the action of electricity) and epitaxial crystal growth (the growth of crystals of one substance on the crystal face of another substance). If successful, the University of Michigan’s new hybrid approach would produce highly efficient (above 20%) gallium arsenide thin film solar cells using only simple process equipment, non-flammable precursor ingredients, and…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 03/17/2017 - 09/30/2020
Program: NEXTCAR
Award: $1,600,000

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan will develop an integrated power and thermal management system for connected and automated vehicles (iPTM-CAV), with the goal of achieving a 20% improvement in energy consumption. This increase will arise from predicting the traffic environment with transportation analytics, optimizing vehicle speed and load profiles with vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, coordinating power and thermal control systems with intelligent algorithms, and optimizing powertrain operation in real time. The additional information made available by V2X and new sensors provides a…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 07/14/2016 - 12/31/2019
Program: OPEN 2015
Award: $1,920,289

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan team will develop a compact micro-hybrid configuration that pairs an Electrically Assisted Variable Speed (EAVS) supercharger with an exhaust expander Waste Energy Recovery (WER) system. Together, the EAVS and WER can nearly eliminate the slow air-path dynamics associated with turbocharge inertia and high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). The EAVS system compresses engine intake air to increase engine power and allows the engine to have valuable “breathing time.” This breathing time allows for a coordinated intake boosting and exhaust vacuum, so that the combustion…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 06/12/2019 - 03/10/2023
Program: OPEN 2018
Award: $2,900,000

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan will develop load-control strategies to improve grid reliability in the face of increased penetration of DERs and low-cost renewable generation. As the electricity generation mix changes to include more renewables and DERs, load shifting is essential. Today, there are few load-shifting strategies in use at grid scale that are capable of balancing current levels of intermittent energy production. The team will develop three testing environments to identify issues the grid faces with increased levels of energy from distributed and renewable generation. Their method…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 01/23/2014 - 03/06/2017
Program: REMOTE
Award: $2,999,999

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan team will develop a biological approach to activate methane, the first step in creating a liquid fuel from natural gas. Current approaches to methane activation require the addition of oxygen and energy in the form of heat, which is inefficient and costly. The University of Michigan’s multidisciplinary team will engineer a methane-generating microorganism that can activate methane without the need for these additional inputs. The University of Michigan will use computer models to understand the processes on a molecular level and predict the structure of new enzymes…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 09/26/2019 - 09/25/2022
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $1,377,649

University of Michigan

Develop a novel ductile EDC that is resistant to chemical attacks and possesses built-in crack width control not feasible with current concrete. This new concrete is targeted to meet everyday construction requirements and have tensile resistance that dramatically enables efficient additive manufacturing and the construction of resilient energy facilities.

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 02/17/2021 - 02/16/2023
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $431,915

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will develop a technology that captures CO2 from the atmosphere using an electrochemical approach, rather than the temperature swing cycle which is typically powered by fossil fuel combustion. The team’s concept is a pH swing cycle that changes conditions between basic and acidic to capture and release CO2, respectively. Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 by inexpensive renewable electricity could reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of DAC. The team aims to optimize the design of the cycle to…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 03/15/2021 - 03/14/2024
Program: GEMINA
Award: $5,194,982

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan will develop physics-based, model-centric, and scalable capabilities, data-enabled via AI-enhanced algorithms, to achieve unprecedented integrated state awareness for advanced reactor power plants. Individual modules include (1) a scalable digital twin that combines different scales and different fidelities as needed; (2) a maintenance proactive evaluator to monitor usage and assess the health conditions and maintenance needs of advanced reactors; (3) an operations intelligent controller to achieve autonomous control during normal and accident conditions; and (4) an…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 09/20/2021 - 09/19/2024
Program: SHARKS
Award: $3,900,000

University of Michigan

The project team, led by the University of Michigan, proposes the RAFT concept as a solution for hydrokinetic energy harvesting. The project aims to develop multi-physics models, design processes, and optimization tools; augment control and system health monitoring algorithms; demonstrate novel RAFT concepts; and deliver an integrated solution for riverine and tidal applications. The project team brings expertise in hydrodynamics, structures, electrical systems, iterative optimization, and control co-design. The proposed RAFT, made up of multiple micro-turbines, has a modularized architecture…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 03/04/2022 - 03/03/2025
Program: OPEN 2021
Award: $950,000

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan aims to develop a new type of battery separator that can completely stop dendrite formation. The key innovation is a special mechanism that suppresses dendrite growth with the University of Michigan’s wet-process-synthesized film as a separator or coating. When an electrode surface starts to lose stability upon lithium deposition, any protrusion will cause deformation of the film, generating a local shielding effect that deflects lithium ions away from the tip of the protrusion. This slows down the tip growth and makes the lithium metal surface flat. Lithium ions…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 11/01/2022 - 10/31/2025
Program: REMEDY
Award: $2,278,401

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan and Southwest Research Institute will use state-of-the-art methods to eliminate methane emissions from oil and gas (O&G) flares, vents, and other equipment. The approach will quantitatively characterize high- and low-volume methane sources at an actual O&G field site and demonstrate Systems of Advanced Burners for Reduction of Emissions (SABRE) technology for high-efficiency (> 99.5%) methane conversion of the high- and low-volume sources of methane. The SABRE approach leverages site resources and customizes flare technology to local equipment needs. The…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 05/05/2023 - 11/04/2025
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $1,108,412

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan proposes to systematically evaluate claims of excess heat generation during deuteration and correlate it to nuclear and chemical reaction products. The team plans to combine scintillation-based neutron and gamma ray detectors, mass spectrometers, a calorimeter capable of performing microwatt-resolution measurements of heat generation, and ab-initio computational approaches. The proposed research will experimentally and theoretically explore the origin and mechanisms of excess heat generation and LENR.

Status: ACTIVE
State: MI
Project Term: 05/16/2023 - 11/15/2025
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $902,213

University of Michigan

University of Michigan will provide capability to measure hypothetical neutron, gamma, and ion emissions from LENR experiments. Modern instrumentation will be coupled with best practices in data acquisition, analysis, and understanding of backgrounds to interpret collected data and evaluate the proposed signal.

Status: ALUMNI
State: MI
Project Term: 06/17/2020 - 12/31/2022
Program: DIFFERENTIATE
Award: $1,923,957

University of Michigan, Dearborn

The University of Michigan-Dearborn will develop a machine learning-enhanced design tool for the automated architectural configuration and performance evaluation of electrical power converters. This tool will help engineers consider a wider range of innovative concepts when developing new converters than would be possible via traditional approaches. This tool is expected to leverage a number of ML techniques—including decision trees, supervised learning and reinforcement learning—and is expected to reduce the cost and time required to develop new ultra-efficient power-converter designs.

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 12/19/2011 - 06/18/2015
Program: HEATS
Award: $3,598,892

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) is developing a solar thermochemical reactor that will efficiently produce fuel from sunlight, using solar energy to produce heat to break chemical bonds. UMN envisions producing the fuel by using partial redox cycles and ceria-based reactive materials. The team will achieve unprecedented solar-to-fuel conversion efficiencies of more than 10% (where current state-of-the-art efficiency is 1%) by combined efforts and innovations in material development, and reactor design with effective heat recovery mechanisms and demonstration. This new technology will allow…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 03/01/2017 - 06/29/2020
Program: NEXTCAR
Award: $1,399,999

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) will lead a team to develop technology to improve the fuel efficiency of delivery vehicles through real-time vehicle dynamic and powertrain control optimization using two-way vehicle-to-cloud (V2C) connectivity. The effort will lead to greater than 20% fuel economy improvement of a baseline 2016 E-GEN series hybrid delivery vehicle operating as part of the United Parcel Service (UPS) fleet. Large delivery vehicle fleet operators such as UPS currently use analytics to assign routes in such a way to minimize fuel consumption. Algorithms mine historical data…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 07/15/2016 - 09/30/2019
Program: NODES
Award: $3,150,000

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) will develop a comprehensive approach that addresses the challenges to system reliability and power quality presented by widespread renewable power generation. By developing techniques for both centralized cloud-based and distributed peer-to-peer networks, the proposed system will enable coordinated response of many local units to adjust consumption and generation of energy, satisfy physical constraints, and provide ancillary services requested by a grid operator. The project will apply concepts from nonlinear and robust control theory to design self-…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 01/01/2010 - 08/31/2012
Program: OPEN 2009
Award: $2,200,000

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) is developing clean-burning, liquid hydrocarbon fuels from bacteria. UMN is finding ways to continuously harvest hydrocarbons from a type of bacteria called Shewanella by using a photosynthetic organism to constantly feed Shewanella the sugar it needs for energy and hydrocarbon production. The two organisms live and work together as a system. Using Shewanella to produce hydrocarbon fuels offers several advantages over traditional biofuel production methods. First, it eliminates many of the time-consuming and costly steps involved in growing plants and…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 03/22/2013 - 09/21/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $1,765,334

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) is developing an ultra-thin separation membrane to decrease the cost of producing biofuels, plastics, and other industrial materials. Nearly 6% of total U.S. energy consumption comes from the energy used in separation and purification processes. Today’s separation methods used in biofuels production are not only energy intensive, but also very expensive. UMN is developing a revolutionary membrane technology based on a recently discovered class of ultra-thin, porous, materials that will enable energy efficient separations necessary to prepare biofuels that…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 07/01/2019 - 05/31/2023
Program: OPEN 2018
Award: $3,864,840

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) will develop a net-load management framework that rapidly identifies neighborhood-units to support grid infrastructure and enable ultrafast coordinated management. UMN’s project will rethink power recovery from near blackout conditions with a focus on rapid energization and maximizing power duration. This project’s approach could fundamentally change the way large contingencies are managed. It would transition power systems and critical infrastructure from fragile to robust using intelligent, self-organizing control for coordinating resources, enhancing…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 01/01/2012 - 09/30/2015
Program: REACT
Award: $4,250,931

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) is developing an early stage prototype of an iron-nitride permanent magnet material for EVs and renewable power generators. This new material, comprised entirely of low-cost and abundant resources, has the potential to demonstrate the highest energy potential of any magnet to date. This project will provide the basis for an entirely new class of rare-earth-free magnets capable of generating power without costly and scarce rare earth materials. The ultimate goal of this project is to demonstrate a prototype with magnetic properties exceeding state-of-the-art…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MN
Project Term: 07/10/2017 - 07/09/2021
Program: REFUEL
Award: $3,098,000

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota (UMN) will develop a small-scale ammonia synthesis system using water and air, powered by wind energy. Instead of developing a new catalyst, this team is looking to increase process efficiency by absorbing ammonia at modest pressures as soon as it is formed. The reactor partially converts a feed of nitrogen and hydrogen into ammonia, after which the gases leaving the reactor go into a separator, where the ammonia is removed and the unreacted hydrogen and nitrogen are recycled. The ammonia is removed completely by selective absorption, which allows the synthesis to…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MN
Project Term: 08/06/2021 - 02/05/2024
Program: ECOSynBio
Award: $1,110,525

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota will design a cell-free biocatalytic system that will reduce CO2 efficiently into formate, an important feedstock for chemicals and fuels, with energy supplied from electricity. Renewable electricity is now competitive with and in many instances less expensive than fossil fuel-derived electricity, but its storage remains challenging. Energy storage in chemical bonds through electricity-driven carbon reduction offers higher energy densities and greater safety and transportability than batteries. The efficient electrochemical reduction of kinetically and…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MN
Project Term: 05/24/2022 - 05/23/2025
Program: REMEDY
Award: $2,141,876

University of Minnesota (UMN)

The University of Minnesota will develop a non-thermal, low-temperature, plasma-assisted system for (1) in-situ flare gas reforming, (2) ignition, and (3) flame stabilization for small, unmanned pipe flares. Flares safely dispose of waste gases by burning them under controlled conditions. The new system will substantially enhance fuel reactivity by producing intermediate species such as ethylene, acetylene, and hydrogen. These hydrocarbons are highly reactive compared with methane and dramatically increase flare efficiency. This plasma system is ideal for infrequently maintained pipe flares…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MO
Project Term: 03/10/2020 - 09/09/2022
Program: DIFFERENTIATE
Award: $447,458

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri will develop deep learning methods to predict inter-protein amino acid interactions and build three-dimensional structures of protein complexes, which are useful for designing and engineering protein molecules important for renewable bioenergy production. Proteins in cells interact and form complexes to carry out various biological functions such as catalyzing biochemical reactions. The team will use the deep learning methods it develops to construct green algae protein complexes that play important roles in biomass and biodiesel production. The technology and…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MO
Project Term: 09/16/2019 - 03/15/2024
Program: HITEMMP
Award: $1,982,144

University of Missouri

Missouri S&T will combine a novel additive manufacturing technique, called ceramic on-demand extrusion, and ceramic fusion welding techniques to manufacture very high temperature heat exchangers for power cycles with intense heat sources. Enabling turbine operation at significantly higher inlet temperatures substantially increases power generation efficiency and reduces emissions and water consumption. The developed heat exchangers will use ultra-high temperature ceramic materials and state-of-the-art design tools and manufacturing techniques to operate under temperatures of 1100-1500°C (…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MO
Project Term: 09/20/2017 - 09/19/2022
Program: PNDIODES
Award: $2,431,099

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri will develop neutron transmutation doping of GaN to fabricate uniform heavily doped n-type GaN wafers. GaN has long been proposed as a superior material for power electronic devices due to the intrinsic material advantages such as greater breakdown voltages and greater stability. Unfortunately, the fabrication of GaN wafers with uniform and high levels of dopants is challenging due to a lack of sufficient control during the existing crystal growth methods. The neutron transmutation doping process, which consists of exposing GaN wafers to neutron radiation to create…

Status: ACTIVE
State: MO
Project Term: 09/07/2023 - 09/07/2026
Program: COOLERCHIPS
Award: $1,649,281

University of Missouri

The University of Missouri will develop a hybrid mechanical-capillary-drive two-phase loop that could serve as an ideal cooling solution for data centers. The proposed technology offers numerous advantages over existing phase-change processes such as flow boiling and condensation, including dual-mode operation, low thermal resistance, high heat flux, low pumping power consumption, high power density, reliable operation, and a fully scalable design.

Status: ALUMNI
State: NE
Project Term: 09/01/2016 - 08/31/2017
Program: IDEAS
Award: $493,349

University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL)

The University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) will develop an innovative concept for an electromagnetic induction-based static power converter for AC to AC electrical conversions. Their method will use a new device, the magnetic flux valve, to actively control the magnetic flux of the converter. The voltages induced across the device can be controlled by varying the magnetic fluxes. By synthesizing the induced voltages appropriately, the converter can take an AC input and generate an AC output with controllable amplitude, frequency, and waveform. During this project, the team plans to prove the…

Status: ACTIVE
State: NE
Project Term: 10/01/2020 - 03/31/2024
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $3,052,157

University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL)

The University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL) will leverage existing data sets and new data collection methodologies to quantify fertilizer- and biomass-induced emissions, biomass nitrogen content, carbon dioxide uptake, and soil organic carbon sequestered—while providing agronomic management insights to farmers, farming communities, and agricultural supply chains. This team will use eddy covariance flux towers and static chamber methods to quantify field-scale emissions, while using active chambers to quantify fertilizer and soil surface biomass emissions. UNL will combine the data with site-…

Status: ALUMNI
State: NE
Project Term: 04/15/2022 - 05/14/2023
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $375,000

University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL)

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UN-L) team will use their unique technology extrapolation domain (TED) framework to select agricultural sites to measure, aggregate, and validate local and regional environmental outcomes, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The team will provide a proof of concept leveraging data from SMARTFARM Phase 1 projects case studies, including soil organic carbon data, topographical data, soil pH, remote imagery, and other data collected by soil sensors, soil chambers, and eddy flux covariance towers. The UN-L team will support other TED applications as…

Status: ALUMNI
State: NV
Project Term: 02/14/2013 - 02/13/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $2,342,430

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is developing a solid-state, non-flammable electrolyte to make today’s Li-Ion vehicle batteries safer. Today’s Li-Ion batteries use a flammable liquid electrolyte—the material responsible for shuttling Li-Ions back and forth across the battery—that can catch fire when overheated or overcharged. UNLV will replace this flammable electrolyte with a fire-resistant material called lithium-rich anti-perovskite. This new electrolyte material would help make vehicle batteries safer in an accident while also increasing battery performance by extending vehicle…

Status: ACTIVE
State: NV
Project Term: 02/09/2023 - 02/08/2026
Program: MINER
Award: $1,000,424

University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno, aims to develop a new beneficiation process for energy efficient comminution and separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from domestic sources. The team will develop and test an accelerated reactive carbonation process integrated with ore sorting and high-pressure grinding rolls to enable improved mineral liberation, energy-efficient comminution (grinding), and enhanced separation of rare earth elements from low-grade bastnaesite-bearing ores. Ore sorting will pre-concentrate silicate rich REE bearing ores which will be pre-crushed by high pressure grinding…

Status: ALUMNI
State: ME
Project Term: 02/06/2018 - 12/04/2022
Program: MARINER
Award: $1,323,867

University of New England (UNE)

The University of New England (UNE) will lead a MARINER Category 3 project to develop a high-resolution, 3D computational modeling tool for simulating hydrodynamic forces on macroalgae cultivation and harvest systems. Advanced modeling tools can help inform decisions about farm structure and the significant capital investment required. UNE’s modeling tool will quantify fluid dynamics and mechanical stress at the sub-meter level. The tool will have the capability to evaluate a wide range of offshore macroalgae systems and allow specification of components to withstand storm events, prevent…

Status: ALUMNI
State: NM
Project Term: 03/22/2016 - 10/22/2019
Program: OPEN 2015
Award: $3,187,273

University of New Mexico (UNM)

The team led by the University of New Mexico will develop a modular electrochemical process for a power-to-fuel system that can synthesize ammonia directly from nitrogen and water. The proposed synthesis approach will combine chemical and electrochemical steps to facilitate the high-energy step of breaking the nitrogen-nitrogen bond, with projected conversion efficiencies above 70%. By operating at lower temperature and pressure and reducing the air-separation requirement, this technology reduces overall system complexity, thus potentially enabling smaller-scale production at equal or lower…

Status: ALUMNI
State: ND
Project Term: 04/01/2013 - 06/30/2014
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $471,353

University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (UND-EERC)

University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (UND-EERC) is developing an air-cooling alternative for power plants that helps maintain operating efficiency during electricity production with low environmental impact. The project addresses the shortcomings of conventional dry cooling, including high cost and degraded cooling performance during daytime temperature peaks. UND-EERC’s device would use an air-cooled adsorbent liquid that results in more efficient power production with no water consumption. The technology could be applied to a broad range of plants including…

Status: ALUMNI
State: ND
Project Term: 05/21/2021 - 11/20/2022
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $500,000

University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (UND-EERC)

Hydrolytic softening is a lower-cost process to remove CO2 from the oceans. It has similarities to processes at conventional water treatment facilities, which mix hydrated lime to “soften” water by precipitating dissolved inorganic carbon as calcium carbonate. In hydrolytic softening, however, instead of a consumptive use of lime, the calcium carbonate is decomposed. This releases CO2 gas for sequestration or industrial use and regenerates the lime for continued cycles of carbon removal. Hydrolytic softening can reduce energy input costs for CO2 removal by 77% compared to state-of-the-art…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TX
Project Term: 01/16/2023 - 03/06/2026
Program: CURIE
Award: $2,711,342

University of North Texas (UNT)

The University of North Texas (UNT), University of Michigan, Northeastern University, General Electric Research Center, and Idaho National Laboratory are researching a novel self-powered wireless differential pressure sensor for long-term, in situ, real-time monitoring of high-temperature (600 ºC) molten salt density and level for safeguarding and monitoring electrochemical processing of nuclear spent fuel. The team will use micro-electromechanical systems technology to fabricate the pressure sensor which enables measurements of great sensitivity, accuracy and high repeatability. To provide…

Status: ALUMNI
State: IN
Project Term: 10/01/2010 - 09/30/2013
Program: BEETIT
Award: $2,601,715

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame is developing an air-conditioning system with a new ionic liquid and CO2 as the working fluid. Synthetic refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems are potent GHGs and can trap 1,000 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO2 alone—making CO2 an attractive alternative for synthetic refrigerants in cooling systems. However, operating cooling systems with pure CO2 requires prohibitively high pressures and expensive hardware. Notre Dame is creating a new fluid made of CO2 and ionic liquid that enables the use of CO2 at low pressures and requires…

Status: ALUMNI
State: IN
Project Term: 07/01/2010 - 12/31/2013
Program: IMPACCT
Award: $2,559,562

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame is developing a new CO2 capture process that uses special ionic liquids (ILs) to remove CO2 from the gas exhaust of coal-fired power plants. ILs are salts that are normally liquid at room temperature, but Notre Dame has discovered a new class of ILs that are solid at room temperature and change to liquid when they bind to CO2. Upon heating, the CO2 is released for storage, and the ILs re-solidify and donate some of the heat generated in the process to facilitate further CO2 release. These new ILs can reduce the energy required to capture CO2 from the exhaust…

Status: ACTIVE
State: IN
Project Term: 09/25/2023 - 09/24/2025
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $184,320

University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame will develop a novel low-cost power transistor design that leverages the properties of the semiconductor gallium nitride for mid-range voltage applications and could disrupt the market for devices in electric vehicles, renewable energy grid integration, industrial power control, and grid resilience. The proposed design could lead to possible energy savings of one quadrillion British Thermal Units (BTU) per year, roughly equivalent to 1% of annual energy consumption in the U.S.

Status: ALUMNI
State: OK
Project Term: 04/15/2019 - 07/14/2022
Program: OPEN 2018
Award: $608,333

University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma will develop a novel, zero-liquid discharge freeze system to remove dissolved salt from contaminated water, such as is produced by industrial processes like oil and gas extraction. The project will take advantage of the density difference between water and ice to extract pure ice from a salty brine, using a cooling approach that maximizes efficiency and avoids the need for energy-intensive evaporation methods. The system will operate under atmospheric pressure and be capable of treating highly concentrated/contaminated water. If successful, the treated water would…

Status: ACTIVE
State: PA
Project Term: 12/14/2022 - 12/13/2024
Program: HESTIA
Award: $2,407,364

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania will develop a comprehensive building structure strategy with high-performance, prefabricated, funicular structures for minimized mass and maximized surface area for carbon absorption. The team will use innovative carbon-absorbing, 3D printable concrete as a primary structural material and bio-based carbon-storing materials for the building's envelope and finishes. Additive manufacturing technology will be used in fabrication to reduce waste. The building design’s thermal mass, adaptive envelope, and electrified building systems with heat pumps will reduce…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: ULTRAFAST
Award: TBD

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is developing an integrated module featuring wide-bandgap power devices to improve electric grid control, resilience, and reliability. The proposed co-packaged module integrates high-speed gate driving, optical power delivery, signal isolation, remote sensing, and protection. The module will non-invasively monitor the voltage and current of wide-bandgap devices and would have higher noise immunity than state-of-the-art.

Status: ALUMNI
State: PA
Project Term: 05/01/2013 - 04/30/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $2,400,000

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is developing a compound to increase the viscosity of—or thicken—liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). This higher-viscosity CO2 compound could be used to improve the performance of enhanced oil recovery techniques. Crude oil is found deep below the surface of the earth in layers of sandstone and limestone, and one of the ways to increase our ability to recover it is to inject a high-pressure CO2 solvent into these layers. Unfortunately, because the solvent is less viscous—or thinner—than oil, it is not robust enough to uniformly sweep the oil out of the rock and…

Status: ALUMNI
State: PA
Project Term: 01/01/2021 - 06/30/2022
Program: REPAIR
Award: $999,999

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburg team will pursue a new vision for in-situ repair and rehabilitation of pipelines with value added embedded sensing to complement existing non-destructive evaluation (NDE) and in-line inspection techniques. The team will demonstrate robotically deployable cold spray-based processes for producing a metallic pipe within the original structure and explore the feasibility of embedded fiber optic sensors within the newly constructed internal pipe. Acoustic NDE methods will be coupled with embedded fiber optic sensors as well as machine learning-based frameworks to…