Status:
ALUMNI
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
SHIELD
Award:
$911,790
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Crosslink AerogelsVirginia Commonwealth University (VCU) will develop innovative methods to produce aerogel-on-glass windowpanes for window retrofits. Silica aerogels are porous materials that can be used to control heat transfer across windows. However, widespread use of silica aerogels in windows has been limited by their mechanical fragility, difficulties with transparency, and high manufacturing costs. The team will use newly developed cross-linked aerogels that significantly improve the mechanical strength and durability of aerogels. Aerogels are typically produced through either air drying or…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BETHE
Award:
$2,399,999
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Capability in Theory, Modeling, and Validation for a Range of Innovative Fusion Concepts Using High-Fidelity Moment-Kinetic ModelsAs fusion machines move toward a burning-plasma regime, liquid first walls and blankets may be needed to handle first‑wall heat-flux, reduce erosion, and eventually to convert energy and generate tritium fuel. Repetitively pulsed fusion designs may require extreme electrode survivability, where the electrode may be solid, liquid, or a combination of both. It is critical to address how plasma dynamics in the fusion plasma will couple with both liquid-metal and electrode-material dynamics for fusion energy to become realizable. This Capability Team will use fluid and reduced kinetics, including…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
CIRCUITS
Award:
$2,328,404
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
MOSFET-based Power ConvertersVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and its project team will develop high power, high voltage AC-to-DC and DC-to-DC modular power converters with a circuit configuration optimized for silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors. In medium voltage and high voltage applications, multilevel modular converters are the favored architecture that overcomes the limitations of Si. Such architecture requires high frequency galvanic isolation to attain higher operating voltages. This project seeks to develop modular power converters optimized for SiC devices without any…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
CIRCUITS
Award:
$1,471,851
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Cascaded Multi-level InverterVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) will develop a wide-bandgap-based, high power (100 kW) DC-to-AC inverter that can receive power from sources like batteries or solar panels and transfer it directly to the medium voltage level of the utility grid. The team will also integrate the device with an existing medium voltage AC-to-DC converter to build a bidirectional solid-state transformer that converts low-voltage AC to high-voltage AC without using heavy, low-frequency materials such as copper and iron in its design. The hardware prototype will be packaged with…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$3,235,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
20-kV GaN Switch Technology Demonstrated in High-Efficiency Medium-Voltage Building BlockVirginia Tech will accelerate deployment of power electronics into grid-scale energy applications by developing 20 kV GaN devices integrated into a medium-voltage (MV) power module. For the GaN power devices, high-quality substrates and innovative growth techniques will be used to reduce the background impurity contamination in the thick layers needed to block 20 kV. The power module will be fabricated using three-dimensional packaging for improved thermal management and high-power density at 20 kV. The power module will enable the full potential of high-voltage, high-temperature, and fast-…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$500,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Physical, Chemical, and Mineralogical Characterizations of MSWI Ash Product and Recommendations for Downstream ProcessingVirginia Tech will perform systematic physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterizations on natural and synthetic municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) ash materials to obtain sufficient characterization results and propose potential downstream processing flowsheets. The team will focus on revealing the conversion mechanisms of valuable metals in MSW during incineration, as well as the occurrence modes, partitioning behavior, and recoverability of critical metals in MSWI ash. A comprehensive and innovative characterization protocol comprised of several methods, such as physical…
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,171,829
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
High Power Density Cost-Effective MV DC Aircraft CableTo make the power density of electric aircraft closer to conventional aircraft, an electric power system (EPS) with high power delivery and low system mass is necessary. As an essential component of aircraft EPS, cables are necessary to transmit power from one node to another. Virginia Tech will develop a high-power density, cost-effective ±5 kV cable for twin-aisle all-electric aircraft. Innovations include conductors with increased current-carrying capacity; a multilayer, multifunctional insulation system made of exceptionally high thermal conductivity materials; and a new insulation…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
VA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$2,938,389
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Substation in a Cable for Adaptable, Low-cost Electrical Distribution (SCALED)Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) will demonstrate a new concept to enable a compact, flexible, scalable, and adaptable medium-voltage (MV) distribution network for growing and changing electricity sources, demands, and usage patterns. The team will combine power electronics and MV cable benefits to create a cohesive structure that can replace bulky substation components while enhancing functionality. Located at the ends of an MV or high-voltage (HV) line, the proposed Substation in a Cable for Adaptable, Low-cost Electrical Distribution (SCALED) uses a…
Status:
SELECTED
State:
VA
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
MINER
Award:
$2,200,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Energy-relevant Elements Recovery from CO2-reactive Minerals during Carbon MineralizationVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) will develop an innovative carbon mineralization/metal extraction technology (CMME) that enables the recovery of energy-relevant elements during direct and indirect carbon mineralization processes. Virginia Tech will introduce an organic phase during the direct carbon mineralization process and in the mineral dissolution step of indirect carbon mineralization process. Energy-relevant elements are extracted into the organic phase immediately after being dissolved, while alkaline-earth and other major elements remain in the…
Status:
SELECTED
State:
VA
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
EVs4ALL
Award:
$2,945,000
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Fast-Charging, Wide-Temperature, Low-Cost, Durable Batteries Enabled by Cobalt- and Nickel-Free Cathodes and Cell EngineeringVirginia Tech will develop fundamentally disruptive electric vehicle batteries using cobalt- and nickel-free cathodes, fast-charging and all-weather electrolytes, and coal-derived fast-charging and high-capacity anodes. The team will use theoretical modeling and advanced materials and cell characterization methods to guide the system-level integration of battery components. The technology’s use of earth-abundant, low-cost raw materials significantly mitigates supply chain risks. By eliminating the use of cobalt and nickel in cathodes, the cathode cost will be substantially reduced. Using a…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MD
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$1,498,970
Vorbeck Materials
High-Performance, Low-Cost Lithium-Sulfur BatteriesVorbeck Materials is developing a low-cost, fast-charging storage battery for hybrid vehicles. The battery cells are based on lithium-sulfur (Li-S) chemistries, which have a greater energy density compared to today’s Li-Ion batteries. Vorbeck’s approach involves developing a Li-S battery with radically different design for both cathode and anode. The technology has the potential to capture more energy, increasing the efficiency of hybrid vehicles by up to 20% while reducing cost and greenhouse gas emissions.
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
INTEGRATE
Award:
$850,811
Washington State University (WSU)
De-Coupled Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Gas Turbine Hybrid (dFC-GT)Washington State University will develop a hybrid power system using a high-pressure, high-temperature fuel cell stack and gas turbine. The project will examine the benefits of a decoupled design, in which the fuel cell stack and gas turbine components are not directly connected within the hybrid system. The team’s other primary innovation is the integration of a membrane to concentrate oxygen from air supplied by the turbine before feeding it into the fuel cell, which avoids pressurizing the entire air feed stream, improving performance and boosting efficiency. The pressurized solid oxide…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$644,116
Washington State University (WSU)
Biopolymer Modified Cementitious Systems with Radically Superior Strength and DurabilityDevelop a scalable process to fortify cement paste at the atomic scale with biopolymer-based nanomaterials derived from chitin, a waste material produced by the seafood industry in millions of tons annually. The newly enabled concrete is envisioned to transform the U.S. construction market, saving of dollars in repair and reconstruction costs every year and dramatically improving lifecycle energy and emissions costs for infrastructure.
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
HESTIA
Award:
$2,627,405
Washington State University (WSU)
The Circular Home: Development and Demonstration of a Net-Negative-Carbon, Reusable ResidenceWashington State University will develop an innovative design process and modular single-family “Circular Home” that is carbon-negative cradle-to-grave. The team will design the Circular Home primarily of biogenic materials, which will create zero operational carbon, and design it for easy disassembly and reassembly for reuse and minimal waste generation. Major components remain in use for three times longer time than the expected 50-year lifespan of a conventionally constructed single-family dwelling, ensuring the initial design will compound carbon sequestration benefits. Compared with…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MO
Project Term:
-
Program:
IONICS
Award:
$4,005,772
Washington University
Reinforced AEM SeparatorsThe Washington University team will develop new membrane separators for redox flow batteries using a styrene-ethylene-butylene block copolymer. The team will investigate three types of membrane construction to achieve the high levels of ion selectivity and mechanical stability necessary for use in flow batteries. If needed, the team will also explore the addition of inorganic silica particles in the polymer membrane to enhance selectivity. While many flow batteries utilize proton exchange membrane (PEM) separators that conduct positively-charged ions, the proposed membrane in this project is…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WV
Project Term:
-
Program:
ULTIMATE
Award:
$993,588
West Virginia University
High-Throughput Computational Guided Development of Refractory Complex Concentrated Alloys-based CompositeWest Virginia University seeks to commercialize alloys and manufacturing processes to improve the overall safety, energy efficiency, and environmental performance of air travel and electricity generation. The team will develop a new class of ultra-high temperature refractory complex concentrated alloys-based composites (RCCC) for high temperature applications such as combustion turbines used in the aerospace and energy industries. The approach is based on a transformative “high-entropy” strategy. The RCCC will consist of Refractory Complex Concentrated Alloys (RCCA) mixed with nanosized…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WV
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENSETS
Award:
$1,449,996
West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC)
Advanced Stirling Power Generation System for CHPWest Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) and their partner, Infinia Technology Corporation, propose to demonstrate an advanced Stirling power generation system for residential CHP applications. A Stirling engine uses a working gas housed in a sealed environment, in this case the working gas is helium. When heated by the natural gas-fueled burner, the helium expands causing a piston to move and interact with a linear alternator to produce electricity. As the gas cools and contracts, the process resets before repeating again. Advanced Stirling engines endeavor to carefully manage…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WV
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENSETS
Award:
$2,380,000
West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC)
Oscillating Linear Engine and AlternatorWest Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC), along with its partners at ANSYS, Inc., Sustainable Engineering, Wilson Works, and Stryke Industries, will develop a CHP generator for residential use based on a two-stroke, spark-ignited free-piston internal combustion engine (ICE). Traditional internal combustion engines use the force generated by the combustion of a fuel (natural gas in this case) to move a piston, transferring chemical energy to mechanical energy, which when used in conjunction with a generator produces electricity. This free-piston design differs from traditional…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WV
Project Term:
-
Program:
REFUEL
Award:
$2,900,000
West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC)
Microwave-Plasma Ammonia SynthesisWest Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) will develop a process to convert renewable electricity, water, and air into ammonia using plasma excitation at low temperatures and pressures. This process is different from both electrochemical conversion processes and catalytic processes like the HB process. In this form of physical activation, the microwave-plasma process can activate nitrogen and hydrogen, generating ions and free radicals that react over the catalyst surface to form ammonia. Under the correct conditions, microwave heating can selectively heat the catalyst to the…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
TX
Project Term:
-
Program:
SHARKS
Award:
$1,600,000
Westergaard Solutions
HydroMINE: Simple, Modular, and ScalableHydroMINE is a disruptive and elegantly simple modular system with a relatively small internal propeller driven by pressure from a stationary hydrofoil structure to a separate, internal flow stream. The internal propeller drives an ordinary electric direct drive generator. The size of the stationary HydroMINE hydrofoil structure is comparable to an equivalent ordinary rotor of the same swept area producing a similar amount of energy. The external floating structure is passive, only yawing slowly with the ocean tide or river flow direction. The internal propeller is isolated from debris and…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WY
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$1,378,465
Western Research Institute
Polymer/Oil Co-processing to Yield Liquid Products (MEME-CCS)Western Research Institute will explore technologies based on pyrolysis (thermal conversion) and hydrocracking (a chemical process that upgrades low-quality, heavy gas oils) to convert waste, low-value plastic, and paper polymers into high-energy liquid products suitable as fuel, refinery feedstock, or feed for chemicals manufacturing. The pyrolysis technologies involve heating the polymers in oil media to a temperature high enough to break the chemical bonds to produce a liquid product. The pyrolysis may also be applied to low-level conversion of the polymers to yield a slurry feed for a…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
PA
Project Term:
-
Program:
MEITNER
Award:
$5,622,448
Westinghouse Electric Company
Self-regulating, Solid Core Block for an Inherently Safe Heat Pipe ReactorWestinghouse Electric Company will develop a self-regulating "solid core block" (SCB) that employs solid material (instead of bulk liquid flow or moving parts) to passively regulate the reaction rate in a micro-scale nuclear reactor. The project aims for the reactor to achieve safe shutdown without the need for additional controls, external power sources, or operator intervention, enabling highly autonomous operation. The SCB is key to the reactor design, which is comprised of a core (containing fuel, moderator, and axial reflectors) and primary and decay heat exchangers, all…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
REPAIR
Award:
$2,274,030
White River Technologies
New and Innovative 3D Mapping Technology to Enable Rehabilitation of Natural Gas Pipe InfrastructureThe team led by White River Technologies will deliver an improved capability to reliably detect, locate, and position natural gas distribution mains and associated utilities in pipe corridors. The proposed solution connects elements of positioning and information management and (1) advances core electromagnetic (EM) and data management technologies, (2) establishes a physics-based process for large standoff EM for pipe detection and robot location, and (3) employs mixed-reality visualization. Additionally, the project includes a comprehensive, inclusive, and robust REPAIR data management and…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
KS
Project Term:
-
Program:
REFUEL
Award:
$855,000
Wichita State University
Alkaline Membrane-Based Ammonia ElectrosynthesisWichita State University will develop a renewable energy-powered electrochemical device for ammonia production at ambient temperature. This allows the unit to consume less energy but maintain high productivity. The goal is an alternative path for ammonia electrochemical synthesis from water and air without the need for the high temperature and pressure required by the Haber-Bosch process. The key innovation is the use of a hydroxide-exchange membrane (HEM) polymer electrolyte. The more commonly used proton exchange membranes (PEM) present major challenges leading to low efficiency for PEM-…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WI
Project Term:
-
Program:
GENSETS
Award:
$2,780,786
Wisconsin Engine Research Consultants (WERC)
Spark-Assisted HCCI Residential GeneratorWisconsin Engine Research Consultants (WERC) and its partners Adiabatics, Briggs and Stratton, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will develop a generator using an internal combustion engine (ICE) that incorporates an advanced spark-assisted homogeneous charge compression ignition (SA-HCCI) system. Traditional internal combustion engines use the force generated by the combustion of a fuel (e.g. natural gas) to move a piston, transferring chemical energy to mechanical energy. This can then be used in conjunction with a generator to create electricity. SA-HCCI systems achieve combustion by…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
MARINER
Award:
$4,890,153
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Seaweed Hatchery and Selective Breeding TechnologiesThe Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution leads a MARINER Category 5 project, to develop a selective breeding program for sugar kelp, Saccharina latissima, one of the most commercially important kelp varieties. The goal of the project is to improve productivity and cost effectiveness of seaweed farming. The breeding program will build a germplasm library associated with plants that produce a 20% to 30% yield improvement over plants currently in the field. By using a combination of novel rapid phenotyping, genome-wide association studies, and genome prediction methods, the team…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
MARINER
Award:
$2,056,621
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Monitoring Macroalgae Using Acoustics and UUVThe Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will lead a MARINER Category 4 project to develop an autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) system for monitoring large-scale seaweed farms for extended periods. Compared to more costly human labor and boat operations, UUV systems present an attractive option for consistent, daily monitoring of large-scale, offshore seaweed farms. The system will routinely survey and quantify key parameters such as infrastructure health, macroalgae growth rate, and nutrient content of the water. An upward/downward split-beam acoustic echosounder will use sonar…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ASCEND
Award:
$1,961,474
Wright Electric
2nd Generation Motor for Large Electric Aircraft Propulsion SystemsWright Electric will design a high-efficiency and torque-dense electric powertrain that combines innovations in integrated cooling, power electronics, and rotor design. Co-developing these critical elements will enable Wright to achieve the target efficiency and weight metric and lead to a scalable solution. The design will create a high-performance motor without sacrificing safety or the use of existing manufacturing techniques. The team plans to use an aggressive in-slot cooling strategy coupled with a high-frequency inverter whose efficiency may exceed 99.5%. The unique innovations across…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
TX
Project Term:
-
Program:
ATLANTIS
Award:
$2,361,752
WS Atkins
Scale Model Experiments for Co-Designed FOWTs Supporting a High-Capacity (15-MW) TurbineWS Atkins will focus on generating experimental data that can be used to validate computer programs and new technologies developed for FOWT applications. The team will conduct experiments of 15-MW (megawatt) wind turbine scale models in world-class test facilities to assess the behavior of conventional and unconventional FOWT structures with advanced solutions. The WS Atkins team will make their data accessible to ATLANTIS project members and the public to facilitate benchmarking of new designs, accurate calibration of computer tools, and a FOWT database for future research.
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MD
Project Term:
-
Program:
GEMINA
Award:
$5,978,289
X-Energy
Advanced Operation & Maintenance Techniques Implemented in the Xe-100 Plant Digital Twin to Reduce Fixed O&M CostX-energy’s digital twin project aims to reduce the fixed O&M cost of its advanced nuclear reactor design to $2/MWh. The project will use human factors engineering, probabilistic risk assessment, hazard analysis, and security and maintenance evaluations to identify areas for optimization. X-energy will develop innovative ways to leverage advanced technologies—including automation, robotics, remote and centralized maintenance, and monitoring—to optimize staffing plans while ensuring optimal plant operation. The team will develop two virtual modeling frameworks to evaluate and validate these…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$500,000
XFlow Energy
Low-Cost Wind Energy Through Dense VAWT Arrays: Fatigue Loads and Power Performance Risk MitigationThe proposed technology will boost the power production and increase the density of utility wind farms, resulting in at least a 23% reduction in levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from the wind. The flow dynamics of vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) enable constructive interactions between rotors in a wind farm, increasing power up to 30% over non-interacting turbines, and increasing VAWT density per unit land-area an order of magnitude compared with state-of-the-art wind farms. XFlow Energy Company (XFlow) will perform simulations to examine the impacts of close turbine spacing on rotor…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BEEST
Award:
$2,971,774
Xilectric
Reinventing the Edison BatteryXilectric is developing a totally new class of low-cost rechargeable batteries with a chemistry analogous to the original nickel-iron Edison battery. At the turn of the 20th century, Thomas Edison experimented with low-cost, durable nickel-iron aqueous batteries for use in EVs. Given their inability to operate in cold weather and higher cost than lead-acid batteries, Edison’s batteries were eventually dismissed for automotive applications. Xilectric is reviving and re-engineering the basic chemistry of the Edison battery, using domestically abundant, environmentally friendly, and low-cost…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
CT
Project Term:
-
Program:
FOCUS
Award:
$2,540,000
Yale University
High-Temperature Dual-Junction Topping CellsYale University is developing a dual-junction solar cell that can operate efficiently at temperatures above 400 °C, unlike today’s solar cells, which lose efficiency rapidly above 100°C and are likely to fail at high temperatures over time. Yale’s specialized dual-junction design will allow the cell to extract significantly more energy from the sun at high temperature than today’s cells, enabling the next generation of hybrid solar converters to deliver much higher quantities of electricity and highly useful dispatchable heat. Heat rejected from the cells at high temperature can be stored and…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
CT
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2012
Award:
$2,002,618
Yale University
Closed-Loop System Using Waste Heat for ElectricityYale University is developing a system to generate electricity using low-temperature waste heat from power plants, industrial facilities, and geothermal wells. Low-temperature waste heat is a vast, mostly untapped potential energy source. Yale’s closed loop system begins with waste heat as an input. This waste heat will separate an input salt water stream into two output streams, one with high salt concentration and one with low salt concentration. In the next stage, the high and low concentration salt streams will be recombined. Mixing these streams releases energy which can then be captured…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
CT
Project Term:
-
Program:
PNDIODES
Award:
$3,349,898
Yale University
Selective Area Growth for Vertical Power ElectronicsYale University will conduct a comprehensive investigation to overcome the barriers in selective area doping of gallium nitride (GaN) through an epitaxial regrowth process for high-performance, reliable GaN vertical transistors. Transistors based on GaN have emerged as promising candidates for future high efficiency, high power applications, but they have been plagued by poor electrical performance attributed to the existing selective doping processes. The team will demonstrate vertical GaN diodes through a selective area regrowth processes with performance similar to those made using current…
Status:
CANCELLED
State:
TN
Project Term:
-
Program:
MEITNER
Award:
$2,599,154
Yellowstone Energy
Reactivity Control Device for Advanced ReactorsYellowstone Energy will develop a new passive control technology to enhance safety and reduce nuclear power plant costs. The team's Reactivity Control Device (RCD) will integrate with the Yellowstone Energy Molten Nitrate Salt Reactor and other advanced reactor designs. The RCD will use fluid embedded in the reactor’s control rods to control reaction rates at elevated temperatures, even in the absence of external controls. As the heating from fission increases or decreases, the fluid density will automatically and passively respond to control the system. The RCD’s passive control is…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
MI
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2015
Award:
$4,919,998
Zakuro
Transitioning Advanced Ceramic Electrolytes into Manufacturable Solid-State EV BatteriesThis endeavor continues an OPEN 2015 project, focusing on scaling the technology initially developed by the University of Michigan from lab to pilot scale. Zakuro LLC (Zakuro) will develop a solid state battery using lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO), which is a ceramic electrolyte that contains no flammable liquid. LLZO is manufactured with a lithium-free anode, which substantially simplifies assembly. Zakuro aims to scale up production of the ceramic electrolyte pellets from a lab-scale batch process to an industry-standard, roll-to-roll process to enable efficient application of the…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
BETHE
Award:
$1,000,000
Zap Energy
Sheared Flow Stabilized Z-Pinch Performance ImprovementA Z-pinch fusion device has an electrical current driven through the fusion fuel, creating self-generated magnetic fields that compress and heat the fuel toward fusion conditions. While a Z-pinch with no equilibrium flows has rapidly growing instabilities that disrupt the plasma within nanoseconds, the Z-pinch can be stabilized if an axial plasma flow varying strongly enough with radius is introduced. This sheared-flow stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch may be the simplest and most compact of all known controlled-fusion approaches, as it does not require magnetic coils nor any external heating systems…
Status:
ALUMNI
State:
WA
Project Term:
-
Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$6,767,334
Zap Energy
Electrode Technology Development for the Sheared-Flow Z-Pinch Fusion ReactorZap Energy will advance the fusion performance of the sheared-flow stabilized (SFS) Z-pinch fusion concept. While the simplicity of the Z-pinch is attractive, it has been plagued by plasma instabilities. Like traditional Z-pinch approaches, the SFS Z-pinch drives electrical current through a plasma to create magnetic fields that compress and heat the plasma toward fusion conditions. The innovation of the SFS Z-pinch is the velocity gradient across the radius of the Z-pinch—in other words, the outer edge of the plasma column is moving at a different velocity than the center—which stabilizes…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
MA
Project Term:
-
Program:
Exploratory Topics
Award:
$499,611
Zephyr Innovations
Air Conditioning via Liquid Desiccant DehumidificationZephyr Innovations is developing an alternative to the standard, vapor-compression (VC) driven air conditioner that uses no synthetic refrigerants. Zephyr’s solution employs evaporative cooling preceded by efficient liquid desiccant dehumidification. The key challenge in any desiccant-based dehumidification system is the removal of moisture from the desiccant so it can be reused. This is typically done by heating the desiccant to boil off water. Zephyr’s differentiator is its desiccant regeneration system which avoids direct desiccant heating and doubles dehumidification and cooling…
Status:
SELECTED
State:
TX
Project Term:
TBD
Program:
EVs4ALL
Award:
$4,000,000
Zeta Energy
Enabling Fast Charging Batteries with 3D Lithium Metal Architectures and Sulfurized Carbon CathodesZeta Energy’s battery design features a three-dimensional lithium (Li) metal anode architecture and class of sulfurized carbon (SC) cathodes to produce stable and safe devices. Zeta Energy will build on these innovations to create a new anode with a high Li content that is also highly accessible and rechargeable and avoids dangerous Li dendrite formation. The complementary physical and chemical features of the cathode and anode will enable transformational high charge rates and long-term stability while also minimizing performance losses at low temperatures. Battery cost is reduced by using…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ECOSynBio
Award:
$1,053,000
ZymoChem
Development of a Bio-electrochemical Hybrid Fermentation Technology for the Carbon Conserving Production of Industrial ChemicalsZymoChem has created fermentation processes that convert sugars into polymer precursors using microorganisms with novel enzyme-based pathways that avoid the loss of the sugar’s carbon as CO2. ZymoChem will develop two transformational innovations that combine (1) inexpensive metal catalysts from abundant metals for converting electricity and CO2 into formate and (2) electricity-compatible fermentation systems that enable microbes to co-utilize formate and sugars for the production of a high-volume platform fuel and chemical intermediate. The project team is engaged in a strong technology…
Status:
ACTIVE
State:
CA
Project Term:
-
Program:
ECOSynBio
Award:
$3,177,642
ZymoChem
Development of Carbon-Conserving Biosynthetic Systems Co-Utilizing C1 and Biomass Derived FeedstocksZymoChem will develop carbon- and energy-efficient biocatalysts capable of co-conversion of one-carbon molecules and biomass-derived substrates to a high-volume platform fuel and chemical intermediate. The team will demonstrate a carbon-conserving process decoupling growth and production. Most bioprocesses using microbes and renewable feedstocks to make fuels and chemicals are unprofitable, precluding their adoption on the industrial scale. When most microbes convert renewable feedstocks to fuels and industrial chemicals, they waste more than 33% of the input carbon in the form of CO2 during…