System Development/Field Test/ Commercialization

Sustainable, closed-loop metal recycling process. The AquaRefining™ process is a clean, water-based recycling process for ultra-high purity lead. The process opeartes at room-temperature in a closed-loop and is nonpolluting. The closed-loop system enables the recycling of chemicals and water. This process yields products with higher quality and lower costs and reduces greenhouse gas emisisons by eliminating the smelting process. Recycling metals will lower the reliance on unsafe and toxic mining operations.

Filtering mercury and dioxin emissions. This technology reduces mercury and dioxin emissions from coal-fired power plants. It reduces effluent mercury levels by over 95% while maintaining the ash fly air retention properties. This technology is non-hazardous and landfill-safe. It is also scalable, as it can be implemented as a stand-alone solution or a part of a multi-pollutant treatment approach. 
 

Performance additive that enables asphalt recycling. This additive enables the high-end reuse of recycled asphalt. It improves resource efficiency by reducing the need for new aggregates and bitumen. The additive is derived from crude tail oil (CTO), which is a biobased raw byproduct from the paper industry. This product is resistant to harsh weather conditions and has high performance throughout its durable life. The product also does not release harmful components during production and application.

Gas-liquid contactor-reactor. This reactor can be used for gas absorption, effluent treatment, and chemical reactions in processes involving catalysts (oxidation hydrogenation, carbonylation, and hydroformylation). Conventional gas-liquid contacting devices have lower efficiency due to low gas hold-ups, back-mixing, and less safety. This new design is simple, compact, and flexible, requiring less power and a smaller operating volume. It is also scalable without losing efficiency. Reaction rates are controllable, and the lack of moving parts ensures safer working conditions. 

Recovery of organic and inorganic chemicals from wastewater. Residual water is recycled through Anti-Solvent Crystallization (ASC), Chemical Dewatering (ChD), Reactive Extraction (Rx), or Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC). This extraction process eliminates secondary and tertiary pollution and the need for a landfill. Recycling water also reduces the amount of freshwater needed for the process. These processes are more efficient than traditional evaporators and address corrosion. 

Continuous flow reactors and continuous flow chemicals plays for fine chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This process reduces the amount of solvent required by improving heat transfer. It also enables controlling conditions to maximize conversion without risking competitive or consecutive reactions. Using less solvent and fewer impurities also reduces waste and disposal costs. Using smaller continuous reactors reduces the energy required for heating and cooling. Continuous processes also operate at a steady state, simplifying management. 

Lactones, salts, crystals, and other forms of high-purity glucaric acid through fermentation using microbes from biomass. kalion Inc. uses patented microbes from biomass through synthetic biological processes to produce lactones, salts, crystals, and other forms of high-purity glucaric acid through fermentation. Glucaric acid can replace phosphates and chelating agents in detergents and waste treatment. The traditional use of phosphates and chelating agents may include eutrophication, which may interfere with the removal and treatment of toxic metals.

Glass, metal, and ceramic continuous flow reactors and systems. Flow chemistry reactors are more efficient than traditional batch reactors. Flow chemistry reactors have more efficient heat transfer and temperature control due to rapid diffusion and high surface area-to-volume ratios. Increased efficiency allows for more production with less energy waste. Better control over temperature, reaction time, flow, pumped volumes, and pressure enables better control over hazardous materials, improving safety.

Biocatalysis, chemocatalysis, flow chemistry, crystallization, and photochemistry for the development of fine chemicals. Biocatalysis has high selectivity. Chemocatalysis enables efficient, customized synthesis of complex molecules while reducing waste. Flow chemistry allows for control of extreme reaction conditions and hazardous reactants. Due to its superior mass and heat transfer ability, flow chemistry has easy quality control and higher production. This company developed 3D metal-printed flow reactors and mixers using selective laser melting.

Enzymes and chemicals as chiral building blocks, intermediates, specialty chemicals, and recombinant enzymes. This company uses customized chemical synthesis and biocatalytic conversion to produce enzymes and chemicals as chiral building blocks, intermediates, specialty chemicals, and recombinant enzymes. These enzymes are suitable for research and development, diagnostics, and industrial production. Custom enzymes reduce complex synthesis processes into a single biocatalytic step, allowing for operation in milder conditions, product selectivity, and lower physiological toxicity.