SBIR-STTR Award

Catalytic air cleaner
Award last edited on: 3/31/2003

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
NSF
Total Award Amount
$274,000
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
-----

Principal Investigator
William Retallick

Company Information

W B Retallick Associates

1432 Johnny's Way
West Chester, PA 19382
   (610) 399-1371
   william@retallick.com
   www.retallick.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 06
County: Chester

Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
1985
Phase I Amount
$40,000
Chemically contaminated air is to be purified and/or detoxified by catalytic oxidation in an integral heat exchanger and reactor. This device of a double spiral is made by winding together two strips of metal coatewd with a catalyst. One spiral passage leads into the core of the spiral and the other passage leads out. An electrical-resistance heater supplies energy at the core of the spiral. The outflowing air transfers this heat to the inflowing air through the walls of the spiral, thus minimizing the required heat input for a specified core-temperature. Owing to the heat exchange the core-temperature-elevation may be many times the temperature-elevation in the existing air. The objective of the research is to investigate the rates of heat transfer, catalytic reaction and heat loss, and to determine the necessary surface are, apacing, heat input, core temperature, etc., for representative contaminants.

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
1987
Phase II Amount
$234,000
The feasibility of the double spiral reactor/heat exchanger was shown in Phase I. Phase II research comprises three main tasks: 1. To design and build a spiral reactor that closely resembles the commercial model. 2. To determine its performance. 3. To develop an improved mathematical model of the reactor. The aim of Task 1 is to make the spiral reactor leak tight, heat tight, and of minimum weight. Task 2 will include measurements of temperature and heat transfer coefficients. The improved model from Task 3 will be used to calculate the dimensions of a commercial reactor for any given flowrate and heat input. The goals in Phase II are to produce: 1. A procedure for manufacturing the double spiral reactor and an estimate of the cost. 2. An improved mathematical model. 3. Experimental data to confirm the model. This Phase II SBIR research is to bring to technical commercialization a device for cleaning contaminated air in confined working and living spaces. The decontamination is to be accomplished by incineration, and the novel feature of the device is the attainment of the requisite temperature level without causing intolerable heating of the confined space whose air is to be cleaned. The Phase I work demonstrated that the temperature level could be attained. Phase II must deal with the heat loss issue as well as with the manufacturing of the device