E3TECSERVICE, LLC
The purpose of this project is to make fundamental changes in design approach of heat transfer equipment and mitigating fouling, and thereby significantly improving the process intensification of multi-effect evaporation (MEE) and crystallization processes. MEE and crystallization are key thermal separation processes for concentrating and purifying inorganic as well as organic chemicals. They are energy-intensive thermal processes, second only to the industrial work-horse of distillation, and the industry has been operating equipment designed conservatively without incorporating the recent research and development of enhancing the thermal performance and mitigating fouling of MEE and crystallizer evaporators. E3Tec contents that significant energy-efficiency, more than 20%, and/or increased productivity can be achieved with implementation of enhanced surfaces and monitoring-based fouling mitigation in industrial MEE and crystallizers. The objective of this project will be achieved by; 1) process intensification of MEE and crystallizers with two types of enhanced tubes that can be implemented as retrofitting the existing capital-intensive process equipment; 2) characterization of fouling propensity of enhanced tubes and monitoring-based fouling mitigation; and 3) process analysis of mechanical-vapor recompression (MVR) heat pumps to demonstrate energy efficiency improvements by optimally enhanced tubes. The outcome of this SBIR Phase I project will be the determination of the technical and economic viability of thermal enhancements of MEE and crystallizers as well as MVR. E3Tec is collaborating with FMC Corp to apply process intensification improvements to their soda-ash (sodium carbonate) MEE and crystallizers. FMC has provided valuable plant data to develop a benchmark case study based on which E3Tec will establish process intensification improvements that can be implemented with favorable economics. The Phase I SBIR project will lead into Phase II and a pilot plant demonstration at one of the FMC's manufacturing sites, most likely at the Green River Plant in Wyoming. E3Tec will also pursue other process industries; such as caustic soda; distillers dry-grain (DDG) production in the ethanol process; black-liquor concentration in pulp & paper process, and other industrial processes.
| AWARD OVERVIEW |
| Award Number |
DE-SC0003466 |
Funding Agency |
Department of Energy |
| Total Award Amount |
$139,842 |
Project Location - City |
Clarksville |
| Award Date |
02/08/2010 |
Project Location - State |
MD |
| Project Status |
Completed |
Project Location - Zip |
21029-1203
|
| Jobs Reported |
0.73 |
Congressional District |
07 |
| Project Location - Country |
US |
|
|
Recipient Information
(Grants)
| Recipient Information (Grants) |
|
Recipient Name
|
E3TECSERVICE, LLC |
| Recipient DUNS Number |
808106251
|
| Recipient Address |
11865 TALL TIMBER DR |
| Recipient City |
CLARKSVILLE |
| Recipient State |
Maryland |
| Recipient Zip |
21029-1203 |
| Recipient Congressional District |
07 |
| Recipient Country |
USA |
Required to Report Top 5
Highly Compensated Officials |
No |
Projects and Jobs Information
| Projects and Jobs Information |
| Project Title |
Process Intensification by Enhanced Performance of Multi-Effect Evaporators and Crystallizers |
| Project Status |
Completed |
| Final Project Report Submitted |
Yes |
| Project Activities Description |
Engineering & Technology |
| Quarterly Activities/Project Description |
E3Tec completed the project in this quarter and achieved Phase I objectives by focusing on the process analysis to establish benchmark energy consumption, process intensification by thermal enhancement, and conceptualizing monitoring-based fouling mitigation. The major technical and programmatic activities were: a) developed design concepts for MEE and MVR evaporators using two types of enhanced tubes; b) performed process analysis of MEE and MVR to establish benchmark energy consumption and production rate for the soda-ash process; c) energy efficiency improvement by thermal enhancmenet and fouling mitigation; d) developed conceptual design of field fouling monitoring unit that is based on the fouling unit developed by the PI of this project for petroleum fouling; e) developed frame-work of Excel-based monitoring software that would correlate the fouling data from the monitoring unit to the evaporator; and f) developed a strong working relationship with FMC for pursuing process intensification technology in MEE and MVR crystallization process.
FMC provided valuable process data for a soda-ash process based on which we performed Aspen+ analysis. The analysis established benchmark and target process intensification by retrofitting evaporators with enhanced tube bundles in MEE and MVR crystallization process. E3Tec has identified enhanced tubes that would reduce fouling caused by non-process elements by increased wall shear and reduced wall temperature. E3Tec made significant progress in getting support from FMC that resulted into Phase II proposal with an active participation by FMC. Unfortunately, Phase II was not funded; however, E3Tec and FMC will be collaborating on a new DOE project of Recovery and Recycling of Latent Heat in Multi-Effect Evaporators and Crystallizers. The results from this project will provide basis for the process devleopment in the new project. |
| Jobs Created |
0.73 |
| Description of Jobs Created |
This project created or retained jobs equivalent to 0.73 FTE and expect to create high-value jobs at E3Tec, other engineering service providers, and at the equipment manufacturing sites in the USA, when this technology is brought to commercialization readiness level.
Job 1: Principal Investigator (Dr. CB Panchal)- senior chemical engineer was able to work nearly full time after this project was awarded as compared to partial employment as a consultant. He was able to spend about 0.25 FTE on this SBIR project, while continuing short-term consulting service helping the industry to pursue renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies. This can be considered as job retention.
Job 2: Senior Chemical Engineer (Dr. Emmanuel Dada), who used to work for FMC, was planning to coordinate this project at FMC. However, after this project was awarded he lost his job due to reduction in force (RIF) at FMC. E3Tec acquired his service as E3Tec Associate and he worked on this project as an E3Tec at about 0.2 FTE level. This can be considered as job creation. Dr. Dada continues to provide his serive to E3Tec on other projects.
Job 3: Junior chemical engineer with M.S. in chemical Engineering was hired and worked on this project at a 0.2 FTE level, in addition to working on other projects at E3Tec. This was a creation of new job at junior level and continues to work at E3Tec.
Job 4: Part time administrative assistance provided necessary administrative and financial support at 0.1 FTE level.
Future Job Creation: In addition to FMC, E3Tec has received favorable responses in the past from industries that use multi-effect evaporators and crystallizers; for example salt production, black-liquor concentration in pulp & paper industry, and ethanol production. E3Tec intends to pursue process intensification improvements in these industries that would provide opportunities to expand the E3Tec employment level. |
Purchaser Information
(Grants)
| Purchaser Information |
| Contracting Office ID |
Not Reported |
| Contracting Office Name |
Not Available |
| Contracting Office Region |
Not Available |
| TAS Major Program |
89-0227 |
| Award Information |
| Award Date |
02/08/2010 |
| Award Number |
DE-SC0003466 |
| Order Number |
|
| Award Type |
Grants |
| Funding Agency ID |
89 |
| Funding Agency Name |
Department of Energy |
| Funding Office Name |
Not Available |
| Awarding Agency ID |
89 |
| Awarding Agency Name |
Department of Energy |
| Amount of Award |
$139,842 |
| Funds Invoiced/Received |
$139,842 |
| Expenditure Amount |
$139,842 |
| Infrastructure Expenditure Amount |
$0 |
| Infrastructure Purpose and Rationale |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Name |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Email |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Phone |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Address |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact City |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact State |
Not Reported |
| Infrastructure Point of Contact Zip |
Not Reported |
Product or Service Information
(Grants)
| Product or Service Information |
| Primary Activity Code |
U40 - NTEE |
| Activity Description |
Engineering & Technology |
| Sub-Awards Information |
| Sub-awards to Organizations |
0 |
| Sub-award Amounts to Organizations |
$0 |
| Sub-Awards to Individuals |
0 |
| Sub-Award Amounts to Individuals |
$0 |
| Number of Sub-awards less than $25,000/award |
0 |
| Amount of Sub-awards less than $25,000/award |
$0 |
| Number of payments to vendors greater than $25,000 |
0 |
| Total Amount of payments to vendors greater than $25,000/award |
$0 |
| Number of payments to vendors less than $25,000/award |
0 |
| Total Amount of payments to vendors less than $25,000/award |
$0 |
| Location Information |
| Latitude, Longitude |
39º 12' 22",
-76º 55' 23" |
| Congressional District |
07 |
| Address 1 |
11865 Tall Timber Drive |
| Address 2 |
|
| City |
Clarksville |
| County |
Howard |
| State |
MD |
| Zip |
21029-1203 |
|
 |