ARPA-E Selects 6 Projects for $9.6M in Funding, Including Improving Efficiency and Power Density of Electric Machines

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Cryogenic carbon capture, a process by which flue gas from a power plant is cooled so that carbon dioxide changes directly from gas to a solid, will be demonstrated as a new option for capturing carbon dioxide. This process is a radically different method to capture carbon dioxide, and offers the potential for improved efficiency and lower capture costs. This project will receive $750,000 in funding.

Dais Analytic Corporation (Odessa, FL): Nanotechnology Membrane-Based Dehumidifier. In warm and humid climates the efficiency of air conditioning decreases significantly in removing the moisture out of the air. This project proposes to dehumidify moist air using a nano-structured solid polymer which is permeable to moisture but not permeable to air. This technology would enable higher efficiencies and significant cost savings in cooling technologies. This project will receive $680,000 in funding.<

Teledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC (Thousand Oaks, CA): Optofluidic Solar Concentrators. Currently tracking of solar radiation in concentrated photovoltaic systems is provided by mechanical means with multiple moving parts, which raises reliability concerns. These systems are also bulky. This project will develop an electrowetting-based dynamic liquid prism to track both the daily and seasonal changes of the Sun’s orbit for concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) and reduce capital costs through increased operational efficiency by eliminating bulky mechanical tracking. This project will receive $500,000 in funding.