Grantee Research Project Results
Recovery of Catalyst Vapors From Foundry Cold Box Core Machines
EPA Contract Number: 68D00277Title: Recovery of Catalyst Vapors From Foundry Cold Box Core Machines
Investigators: Wijmans, J. (Hans) G.
Small Business: Membrane Technology and Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 2000 through September 1, 2002
Project Amount: $225,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (2000) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Air Pollution , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , Air Quality and Air Toxics
Description:
Metal casting operations produce air streams containing 0.5 to 5 volume percent of various catalyst vapors. The source of these streams is the exhaust from cold box core machines. These streams are a serious pollution problem and are produced at more than 3,000 U.S. foundries. They also are a significant resource recovery opportunity - a large foundry may release catalyst vapors with a potential annual value of $500,000. The overall objective of this project is to develop a membrane process to recover and recycle the catalyst vapors. In favorable cases, the process can achieve simple payback times of 1 to 2 years due to the value of the recovered catalyst. In the Phase I project, suitable membranes were selected for the process. A technical design study and economic analysis were performed based on the measured membrane properties. In the proposed Phase II project, an existing pilot-scale membrane system will be modified to allow a catalyst recovery unit to be evaluated at a cooperating foundry.
If successfully developed, the process will be widely applied because current technology involves destruction of the catalyst vapors at a significant cost to plant operators. Initial users are likely to be foundries operating on a continuous basis, where significant amounts of catalyst could be recovered from a single machine. There are about 300 such foundries in the United States, and more overseas. The potential U.S. market is $50 million in these larger plants, with an industry-wide market of $100-200 million.
Supplemental Keywords:
small business, SBIR, pollution prevention, air emissions, engineering, EPA., Sustainable Industry/Business, RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Chemistry, Sustainable Environment, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, New/Innovative technologies, Environmental Engineering, catalysts, cold box core machines, membrane technology, catalyst formulations, catalyst vapors, recovery, metal castingProgress and Final Reports:
SBIR Phase I:
Recovery of Catalyst Vapors From Foundry Cold Box Core Machines | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.