SBIR Phase I: Machine to fabricate a bioinspired insulation material: The Concatenator

SBIR 第一阶段：制造仿生绝缘材料的机器：Concatenator

• 批准号: 2232908
• 负责人: Chris Kratzer
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: OWLFLY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-06-01 至 2024-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2232908&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Machine; fabricate; bioinspired

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in the development of a novel, and more benign than fiberglass, thermal insulation technology for use in homes across the United States. Improvements in insulation technology have the potential to reduce energy use nationwide, along with all carbon emissions associated with the production and transmission of that energy. According to the Energy Information Administration, 51% of all residential energy in the United States is used for heating and cooling living spaces, which amounts to about 11% of the total energy consumption of the country. This project aims to use the principles of biomimicry to develop a more effective batt insulation. Unlike other insulation materials, unprotected exposure by the insultation installers will not aggravate respiratory issues, which is increasingly important for homeowners and working people who suffer from the long-term effects of COVID-19. This project seeks to push the potential and affordability of this new technology while creating new American jobs. The project is inspired by the nests of yellowjacket wasps that live in pockets of permafrost high above the Arctic circle. The nests are protected from extreme temperatures by the hollow wall structure surrounding the nest’s interior. This structure can be adapted to create insulation panels that are highly efficient, lightweight, water-resistant, non-combustible, non-toxic, non-dusting, and irritant-free. The project focuses on the development of such a thermal insulation material in an efficient way to keep its price point competitive with the current products. This involves designing a manufacturing machine capable of producing the new insulation quickly and consistently. To further push the thermal performance of the material, the company will also develop a complementary machine that can scan insect specimens in museum collections to assess biological structures that are highly reflective in infrared wavelengths and use the data to address management of radiative heat transfer. The team will apply a six-sigma approach to quality control for improving the insulation manufacturing process.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛/商业影响是开发一种新颖的，比玻璃纤维更温和的隔热技术，用于美国各地的家庭。绝缘技术的改进有可能减少全国范围内的能源使用，沿着减少与能源生产和传输相关的所有碳排放。根据美国能源情报署的数据，美国所有住宅能源的51%用于加热和冷却生活空间，约占全国能源消耗总量的11%。该项目旨在利用仿生学原理开发更有效的棉絮绝缘材料。与其他绝缘材料不同，绝缘安装人员在未受保护的情况下暴露不会加剧呼吸问题，这对于遭受COVID-19长期影响的房主和工作人员来说越来越重要。该项目旨在推动这项新技术的潜力和可负担性，同时创造新的美国就业机会。该项目的灵感来自于生活在北极圈上方永久冻土带中的黄夹克黄蜂的巢穴。鸟巢内部的中空墙结构保护鸟巢免受极端温度的影响。这种结构可适于产生高效、轻质、防水、不可燃、无毒、无粉尘和无刺激物的隔热板。该项目的重点是以有效的方式开发这种隔热材料，以保持其价格与现有产品的竞争力。这涉及到设计一种能够快速、一致地生产新绝缘材料的制造机器。为了进一步提高材料的热性能，该公司还将开发一种补充机器，可以扫描博物馆收藏的昆虫标本，以评估在红外波长下具有高度反射性的生物结构，并使用这些数据来解决辐射传热的管理问题。该团队将采用六西格玛方法进行质量控制，以改进绝缘制造过程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。