Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Opportunity. Alaska's beaches are covered with hundreds of tons of Plastic Ocean Waste (POW) that has been deposited into the water from a myriad of counties including Russia, Japan, Korea, China, and the United States. There are some collection efforts that focus on removing debris from beaches, but there is no effort made toward recycling the POW, it is sent to a landfill. There are millions of pounds of POW that could be converted into useful, and profitable, products. There is also the opportunity to provide rural coastal Alaska communities with revenue generation for both collection and production.The Proposal. Participation in recycling efforts can be improved by offering compensation for the recycled plastics. POW can be collected by local fishers and boaters and brought to port for purchase. Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) can be collected through residential recycling programs that offer compensation for sorted and cleaned plastics. The challenge is the development of a feasible local recycling system that converts plastics to products. The solution is a Mobile Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler deployed in multiple coastal communities throughout the year.The Approach. In a prior Phase I EPA SBIR, we designed two modules for processing POW/OBP: a Polymer Preparation Module for sorting, cleaning, grinding, and drying plastic; and a Recycled Plastic Lumber Production (RPL) module that converts Polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyamide (Nylon) into RPL. However, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is not being used. We propose to utilize this PET as feedstock in the production of solid plastic bricks that can be used for light construction. Also, alternate utilities will be evaluated to extend the mobility of these Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler modules to a larger number of remote communities.The Objective. The primary objective during Phase I is to design a mobile PET Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler (POWER) module that is capable of locally producing a Recycled Plastic Brick (RPB) product from the PET retrieved from the POW and OBP.The Benefits. This approach will result in a POW solution that is local and feasible, contributing to reduced landfill usage, increased local jobs, increased Plastic Ocean Waste collection, increased local plastics recycling, and reduced impact of plastics on the environment.The Team. The Principal Investigator for the proposed effort has successfully commercialized several SBIR efforts. Assisting PKS will be Triverus, Alaska's premier machining, engineering, and manufacturing company.
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
80%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
The Opportunity. Alaska's beaches are covered with hundreds of tons of Plastic Ocean Waste (POW) that has been deposited into the water from a myriad of counties including Russia, Japan, Korea, China, and the United States. There are some collection efforts that focus on removing debris from beaches, but there is no effort made toward recycling the POW, it is sent to a landfill. There are millions of pounds of POW that could be converted into useful, and profitable, products. There is also the opportunity to provide rural coastal Alaska communities with revenue generation for both collection and production.The Proposal. Participation in recycling efforts can be improved by offering compensation for the recycled plastics. POW can be collected by local fishers and boaters and brought to port for purchase. Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP) can be collected through residential recycling programs that offer compensation for sorted and cleaned plastics. The challenge is the development of a feasible local recycling system that converts plastics to products. The solution is a Mobile Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler deployed in multiple coastal communities throughout the year.The Approach. In a prior Phase I EPA SBIR, we designed two modules for processing POW/OBP: a Polymer Preparation Module for sorting, cleaning, grinding, and drying plastic; and a Recycled Plastic Lumber Production (RPL) module that converts Polyethylene (HDPE/LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyamide (Nylon) into RPL. However, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is not being used. We propose to utilize this PET as feedstock in the production of solid plastic bricks that can be used for light construction. Also, alternate utilities will be evaluated to extend the mobility of these Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler modules to a larger number of remote communities.The Objective. The primary objective during Phase I is to design a mobile PET Plastic Ocean Waste Recycler (POWER) module that is capable of locally producing a Recycled Plastic Brick (RPB) product from the PET retrieved from the POW and OBP.The Benefits. This approach will result in a POW solution that is local and feasible, contributing to reduced landfill usage, increased local jobs, increased Plastic Ocean Waste collection, increased local plastics recycling, and reduced impact of plastics on the environment.The Team. The Principal Investigator for the proposed effort has successfully commercialized several SBIR efforts. Assisting PKS will be Triverus, Alaska's premier machining, engineering, and manufacturing company.
Project Methods
?7.2.1 Task 1: Requirements AnalysisDuring Phase I, each aspect of the required system performance will be determined. Aspects of this analysis will focus on throughput (how much raw material), raw material (quality of the PET), contaminants (effluent characterization), product (market specifications), processing (amount of contaminants remaining), and operations (foot print, storage, utilities). At the completion of this task, a Systems Requirements document will be produced that provides a summary of each of all the operational, functional, and physical requirements for the PET mobile POWER module.Task 2: Trade StudiesTo determine specific design parameters that will be needed to meet the system requirements, the following questions must be addressed: What are the correct parameters to produce PET bricks (Pressure, heat, duration need to be determined)? How much contamination can be tolerated? How are consistently sized bricks made? Does the same amount of PET make the same size brick? How would we make structures with these bricks (adhesives, fastners)? What structures are appropriate for these bricks? How does the recycled plastic brick compare with the ASTM standards for loadbearing concrete masonry units? Is it feasible to utilize a generator and tanked water in lieu of local utilities? What are the differences in cost and benefits for each of these two utility options? During Phase I, trade studies will be conducted in three areas that will address these questions: (1) processing parameters; (2) construction alternatives; and (3) alternate utilities.Processing Parameters Trade Study. Using PET previously collected from marine debris clean-ups (POW) and PET collected from local recycling programs (OBP) we will conduct a series of material tests in accordance with ASTM testing standards (ASTM C140 / C140M - 21) and we will compare the material performance against loadbearing concrete masonry units (ASTM C90-16a). These tests will be conducted using a manual laboratory press with heat controlled platens that hold the brick mold. The mold will be designed and built by Triverus. Testing will be done jointly with Triverus. The processing parameters derived from this trade study will be used for RPB production during the Phase II pilot demonstration.Construction Alternatives Trade Study. Various methods of combining bricks to create structures will be evaluated. Previous approaches have included interlocking bricks, fasteners, and adhesives. These approaches, and others that emerge during the analysis, will be evaluated in areas that include production complexity, market demand, and structural integrity. The approach that emerges from this trade study will determine the product form (size, shape) used during the Phase II pilot demonstration.Alternate Utilities Trade Study. The current deployment strategy utilizes local utilities (electric, water, sewer). Alternatives will be evaluated that remove the need for local utilities byf providing the electricy with a generator and using tanks to bring in water and bring out the effluent. Evaluation criteria will include operational costs, environmental impact, and deployment flexibility. The approach that emerges from this trade study will determine how utilties will be delivered during the Phase II pilot demonstration.Task 3: System SpecificationDuring Phase I, the requirements derived in Task 1 will be translated into a full system specification. The prior trade studies conducted will feed the product specifications. At the completion of this task, a System Specification will be produced that specifies each portion of the system. Specifications will be organized into two areas: (1) operational specifications, which will specify overall system performance, such as throughput, energy demands, and labor skill sets; and (2) product performance characteristics, including costs, necessary to meet customer needs such as: contamination (wgt/wgt); characterization (compressive strength, water absorption, crushing); product forms (pavers, retaining walls, light structures); performance (strength, deterioration, warping), and cost versus market price.Task 4: System DesignThe system specification, fortified by trade studies built and created from vetted system requirements, will guide the System Design. The System Design will produce a set of engineering drawings and supporting documentation that will be used to build the a prototype mobile PET POWER module during Phase II. Equipment will be selected, space and layouts will be determined, and engineering drawings will be produced. A bill of materials will be created that identifies the source, cost, and delivery of system components. Design drawings will be built in Solidworks, allowing three dimensional analysis of the system configuration as well as immediate export in common manufacturing formats for Phase II prototype production. Triverus has extensive experience with this design process and will lead this effort with PKS providing support. At the completion of this task, a System Design document will be produced with sufficient detail to produce a mobile PET POWER module during Phase II.Task 5: Outreach PlanDuring Phase I, we will continue the outreach activities orginated during the previous SBIR effort. The emphasis of this outreach effort will be to expand the number of communities and organizations that can host a pilot demonstration during Phase II. In the EPA Phase I, we focused on Cordova, Whittier and Seward as the target communities (PKS 2021). For this project, we will focus on Kenai, Palmer, and Homer as the primary demonstration communities. At the completion of Phase I, a plan will be created that describes how the waste streams from each of these communities will be collected through coordination with the local stakeholders.Task 6: Operational PlanDuring Phase I, an Operational Plan will be created that defines the material flow from the relocation of the mobile PET POWER module between each regional community, through the collection process, RPB production, and into commercial sales. At the completion of this task, an operation plan document will be produced that provides all of the information needed to transport, install, operate and maintain the mobile POWER modules.Task 7: Commercialization PlanDuring Phase I, we will build upon the Commercialization Opportunity described below (§9) to produce a complete Commercialization Plan that outlines the market strategy, system design cost, and projected income. The preliminary revenue projections included below will be refined into a more detailed and rigorous pro forma cash flow, including operational costs, collection costs, and equipment costs. Building on the market information provided below (§9.2), a Marketing Plan will be developed that defines target markets, market segments, the launch plan, and an expansion strategy. The customer characterization described below (§9.3) will be expanded through extensive customer interviews using The Mom Test (Fitzpatrick 2013). The potential follow-on funding sources outlined below (§5.2) will be fully evaluated, including an assessment of funding requirements and their likelihood of providing capital. At the completion of Phase I, a Commercialization Plan will be produced that is suitable for submission to the follow-on funding sources identified below (§9.5.2) and those additional opportunities discovered during Phase I.Task 8: Technology TransferDuring Phase I, the technology being developed will be communicated to the USDA through meetings, a briefing, and a final report. These tasks include a kick-off meeting, Mid-Term Project Review, and Final Report. Video conferencing will be used to reduce travel costs.