SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project from Symbios Technologies LLC advances a novel plasma reactor method to oxidize organic matter in untreated water. This method has further potential to destroy harmful substances such as pesticides, pathogens, and some inorganics. A provisional patent covering this technology has been filed with the U.S. Patent office. In earlier research, a proof-of-concept batch apparatus demonstrated that this reactor could destroy selected organic compounds and pathogens. However, this early version could not be economically scaled up nor run in a continuous mode. This Phase I project will build a new apparatus design at a laboratory scale, capable of treating water continuously. Studies will then be conducted to verify the effectiveness of the new reactor design, and to investigate the mechanisms and kinetics of the degradation of a selected organic compound. The broader/commercial impacts of this research are: an economical and effective method to treat raw water, input water, industrial wastewater, and contaminated potable water; and potential portability to desired locations. There are several ongoing incidences of waterborne diseases in many parts of the world and economical options for on-site treatment are limited. Our analytical projections indicate that it would be feasible to treat large quantities of untreated water economically on a commercial scale using a portable system. Furthermore, this apparatus would be compatible with renewable energy sources and with extended applications to remote sites, such as military bases and disaster relief operations.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will support the final development and commercialization of Symbios Technologies plasma treatment system to allow produced water in the oil and gas industry to be effectively treated, thereby allowing its safe discharge to surface waters or recycling to stimulate production in new wells, rather than being disposed of in injection wells. Produced water is the water brought to the surface, with or without hydraulic fracturing, along with the intended fuel products during extraction of oil, gas, and coal bed methane from formations underground. In general, produced water is contaminated with hydrocarbons, salts, and harmful microorganisms, meaning that it must be treated before it can be discharged or reused for agriculture and other purposes. This is an important environmental, public safety, and economic problem in the US. Research conducted during this project will be used to evaluate reactor improvements including process sensors and control systems, electrode geometries and surface coatings, degradation of contaminants in produced water, field testing, and techno-economic modeling. The anticipated technical results are that the Symbios plasma system will degrade hydrocarbon contaminants and kill microorganisms in frac flowback or produced water, leaving the waters suitable for safe reuse or discharge. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is that it will facilitate cleanup and reuse of a critical resource, water, in the oil and gas production industry, with crucial societal benefits for protecting the environment, guarding human safety, and keeping domestic energy costs down. The proposed technology is based on an innovative, low-voltage plasma discharge that creates powerful oxidizing species for destroying biological and chemical contaminants in produced water. Symbios Technologies has developed relationships and executed agreements with key companies in the produced water treatment field, which have identified numerous near-term business opportunities and provided crucial insights into preparing the technology for commercial success during Phase II. The customer-centered emphasis on solving water contamination problems in the oil and gas industry, which was estimated to have a global market size of $45 billion in 2010, will result in a high likelihood for commercial success. The Phase II R&D plan will enhance scientific and technical understanding as well as commercial impact by addressing reactor improvements pertaining to corrosion resistance and automated operation for a market-ready system, treatment of microbial and organic contaminants in produced water, on- site testing, and demonstration of economic competitiveness of the developed system.