Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery (MISER)

The summary for the Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery (MISER) grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery (MISER): BAA03-02, Addendum 6, DUE: 01/16/2004, POC: DR. ROSEMARIE SZOSTAK, DARPA/DSO, FAX: 571-218-4553, E-mail: [email protected],URL: www.darpa.mil/baa/#dso, SPECIAL FOCUS AREA: MOBILE INTEGRATED SUSTAINABLE ENERGY RECOVERY (MISER). PROGRAM OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND FUNDING. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is soliciting innovative research proposals for the development and demonstration of novel, high-efficiency Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery (MISER) technologies. These technologies are defined as methods by which the energy content of packaging waste, specifically plastic packaging can be rapidly and efficiently converted to a viable fuel for in-the-field electric power generation. The U.S. military land-based operations of the future are intended to be self-sustaining and must minimize long logistics tails. Units engaged in stationary field operations generate substantial quantities of solid waste in the form of packaging materials. Personnel, fuel, and critical transport equipment are needed to support the removal and disposal of these large volumes of packaging waste. The quantities involved today (estimated to be over 7 lb/day/soldier) can potentially overwhelm the capacity of foreign nations waste disposal systems creating health concerns, security issues, and possible future liabilities. Reduction of packaging waste through reduction of packaging use is not likely to be attainable at any significant level due to health, security, and operation requirements. Alternative solutions are required. Plastic packaging waste has energy content that can approach that of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel has lower heating value of 43.9MJ/kg with a hydrogen content of 12.5 weight percent. Plastic heating values can range from 26-43MJ/kg with a hydrogen content of 5-14 percent. If the energy content of the waste is optimized for secondary use as a fuel source, at today?s level of discarded packaging, a military unit could achieve well over 100 percent self-sufficiency for their generator fuel needs. The challenge is to develop a technology that can efficiently harness the energy content of a plastic-based packaging waste stream in the field and do so in a timely manner. Successful development of a MISER unit would increase the availability of power-when-needed in the field while simultaneously zeroing the logistics waste footprint. Known technologies include gasification and pyrolysis. These tend to be energy intensive, very inefficient, and leave significant byproduct that requires disposal. In addition, the technologies capture only a small part of the energy content of waste. It is the intent of this BAA to solicit proposals that only consider revolutionary advancements in waste-to-fuel conversion technologies. The goal of this program is to explore the possibility of achieving nearly complete plastic packaging waste reduction while harnessing 90 percent of the packaging energy content for use in electricity generation. Since trends indicate that future military packaging will be plastic-based, proposals must make their primary focus the conversion of plastic waste. Two types of plastic waste will be considered: petroleum-based plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene mix) or the recently developed bioplastics (plastics made from non-petroleum sources). Performers must specify the type of waste they intend to convert. The proposed MISER program should describe a 36-month effort that is broken down into two 18-month phases. The Phase I milestones for this program are a proof-of-concept that includes: 1) The continuous conversion of a standardized (1/3 each of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene), pre-shredded plastic waste to fuel at a rate of 8.2 lbs/hr minimum with no more than 10 percent unconverted, solid residue. 2) Demonstration that the fuel created can produce 24 hours of continuous power generation using a specified commercial-off-the-shelf 5 kW generator. (Note: 8.2 lbs/hr assumes capturing 70 percent of the energy from the plastic and a fuel product that is at least 70 percent as efficient as JP-8 in a generator. If the generation of hydrogen is the target fuel, continuous power generation using an identified 5kW PEM fuel cell must be achieved). 3) Demonstration that the process can be scaled to meet the goals of Phase II. The Phase II requirements are a portable, integrated, packaged prototype that can generate 5 kW electric power for one week by converting 6.5 lbs/hr actual plastic waste (90 percent energy capture). The size of the MISER unit must be sufficient to be transported on a standard, three-fourths of a ton, two-axel trailer. There are several technical challenges that will need to be addressed in order to successfully develop and demonstrate a mobile, sustainable, waste-to-fuel technology. These include: a) utilizing only the energy content of the waste to fuel the process, b) minimizing the generation of solid residue to less than 10 percent of input and, c) producing a quality fuel that can continuously run a generator or a fuel cell, d) scaling the MISER unit for portability. The successful proposal must detail the plan for running the waste-to-fuel conversion process that minimizes the amount of additional energy needed to perform the conversion. It is expected that start-up of the process will require some external power; however, continuous operation should be self-sustaining. The proposal must discuss the mass and energy balance and the minimization of the solid plastic-based residue production from the process. (Note: plastic packaging today is known to contain inorganic fillers, and this issue need not be addressed.) Because the quality of the fuel is important in generating electrical power, a sufficient understanding of the anticipated fuel quality and how it can be tailored to meet the generator needs must be included. Since this program does not wish to concentrate on generator improvement, the metrics of this program have taken into account the possibility that the performance of the generator may decrease. The performer must demonstrate that the fuel the proposed MISER process generates is reasonably suitable for sustained generator use. The MISER unit is expected to be utilized in the field therefore both size and weight represents important parameters that must be addressed. In determining the success of Phase I, size and weight are not critical factors, however they will be important in the Phase II effort. When describing the process details, the following parameters must be clearly spelled out: 1) Mass of fuel out per mass of waste in [kg/kg]; 2) Fuel lower heating value [MJ/kg]; 3) Parasitic energy requirements (electrical and thermal) per mass of waste in [kJ/kg]; 4) Residence time for waste in the reaction zone. If requested by the Government, it is expected that proof-of-concept deliverables will be made available for testing by an independent laboratory that will be selected by the Government. Finally, as part of the Phase I deliverable, proposers are to provide detailed technology optimization and prototype design plans for proceeding to the Phase II deliverable of a prototype device that meets or exceeds the program goals for power generation. The results of the Phase I proof-of-concept will serve as a go/no-go decision point for continuing the effort. The final deliverable of any project funded under the MISER program is expected to be a mobile waste-to-fuel unit integrated with a 5 kW generator or fuel cell. The independent laboratory selected by the Government will verify this performance. TEAMING. Success in Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery is dependent on the formation of a well-managed, interdisciplinary team that should possess the necessary theoretical, engineering, polymer, fuel, power generation, thermal management, design, and the experimental expertise required to accomplish their proposed research. There are no definitive requirements for the types of institutions (industry, university, etc.) that make up any particular team. Members of the interdisciplinary teams will be required to work collaboratively, and collectively maintain sharp focus toward achieving the objectives. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS. White Papers are not sought for this addendum. Full proposals must be submitted no later than, 4:00PM (ET), January 16, 2004. Each proposal should 1) explicitly address tests, demonstrations, and other research activities planned in the area(s) of interest described above, 2) include at least two specific and quantitative 18-month scientific and/or technical objectives for each scientific/technical area of interest addressed in the proposal that clearly demonstrate the research is on track for meeting the ultimate program goals, 3) include clearly delineated intellectual property arrangements and transition paths, and 4) include identification and assessment of critical scientific and/or technical barriers to the program objective and plausible approaches to develop solutions or overcome their limiting effects. Proposed Phase 1 efforts should not exceed 18 months, but consideration should be given to possible continuation of the effort into Phase 2. If multiple awards are made, down-selection may occur annually based on technical progress and achievements. Proposals with cost share should clearly identify the specific tasks to be cost-shared in the technical proposal and separately break out the corresponding costs in the cost proposal. The number of awards will be dependent on the suitability of proposals received and availability of funds. Full proposals shall consist of two volumes: technical and cost. The technical and cost volumes shall conform to the guidelines in DARPA (DSO) BAA 03-02 of December 16, 2002. To receive consideration under this addendum, proposals are due no later than 4:00PM ET, January 16, 2004, to the address shown below. Proposals received after that date may not be considered. In addition to the required original and 5 copies of the proposal, proposers are required to submit an electronic copy of the proposal on a ZIP disk. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS. Evaluation of the proposals will be in accordance with BAA03-02. For general administrative questions, please refer to the original CBD announcement, BAA 03-02 of December 16, 2002. GENERAL INFORMATION: In all correspondence, reference BAA03-02, Addendum 6. TECHNICAL POINT OF CONTACT: DR. ROSEMARIE SZOSTAK, DARPA/DSO; Phone: (571) 218-4588; Fax: (571) 218-4553; E-mail: [email protected]. All proprietary information should be clearly marked on the full proposal. It is the policy of DARPA to treat all proposals as competitive information and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. Standard proprietary disclaimers notwithstanding, proposals may be reviewed by non-Government technical experts who have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with DARPA, unless the specific phrase "TO BE REVIEWED BY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY" appears on the cover sheet. In any case, personnel under exclusive contract with DARPA who have completed the appropriate nondisclosure agreements will handle the proposals for administrative purposes. Proposals will not be returned to proposer. For general administrative questions please refer to the original FEDBIZOPPS announcement for BAA03-02 of December 16, 2002.