[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19575-19576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-9691]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Financial Assistance Award: Incisive Engineering, Inc.

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy announces that pursuant to 10 
CFR 600.6(a)(2) it is making a financial assistance award under Grant 
Number DE-FG01-95EE15633 to Incisive Engineering, Inc. The proposed 
grant will provide funding in the estimated amount of $98,000 by the 
Department of Energy for the purpose of saving energy through 
development of the inventor's ``Complex-Mode Vibration-Fluidized Bed 
for Coal Pyrolysis.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy has determined in 
accordance with 10 CFR 600.14(e)(1) that the unsolicited application 
for financial assistance submitted by Incisive Engineering, Inc., is 
meritorious based on the general evaluation required by 10 CFR 
600.14(d) and the proposed project represents a unique idea that would 
not be eligible for financial assistance under a recent, current or 
planned solicitation. The technology, if proven economical, will 
substantially augment the nation's fuel supply and provide a 
critically-needed alternative fuel for future generations. This 
vibrating bed design for a coal flash pyrolysis unit prevents 
agglomeration of coal particles by using a complex combination of 
linear, whirl, and oscillatory motion. The energy required for this 
vibratory motion requires only 10 percent of the power to run a gas 
fluidized bed. The design also avoids significant heat loss inherent in 
fluidized-bed and other designs. By recirculating lime-ash from the 
furnace back to the pyrolysis unit to serve as the heat source, IEI's 
technology consumes only enough energy required to drive the pyrolysis 
reaction. Specifically, IEI estimates that less than two percent of 
heat generated in the process is lost, a tremendous savings over the 
present technology, which may lose up to half the energy generated 
during pyrolysis. The grantee will design, build, and test a complex-
mode vibration-fluidized bed for coal pyrolysis that will produce 
liquid and gaseous fuel from crushed coal. The inventor and principal 
[[Page 19576]] investigator, Arthur P. Fraas has 22 years experience in 
converting coal to gaseous and liquid fuels. For the past three years 
he has focused intensely on complex-mode vibration-fluidized beds. The 
proposed project is not eligible for financial assistance under a 
recent, current or planned solicitation because the funding program, 
the Energy Related Invention Program (ERIP), has been structured since 
its beginning in 1975 to operate without competitive solicitations 
because the authorizing legislation directs ERIP to provide support for 
worthy ideas submitted by the public. The program has never issued and 
has no plans to issue a competitive solicitation. This award will be 
made 14 calendar days after publication to allow for public comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please write the U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of Placement and Administration, ATTN: Rose Mason, HR-
531.21, 1000 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585.
    The anticipated term of the proposed grant is 24 months from the 
date of award.
Lynn Warner,
Contracting Officer, Office of Placement and Administration.
[FR Doc. 95-9691 Filed 4-18-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P