Part One: Beginnings

In the mid-1990s, researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, initiated a group of internally-funded R&D projects to investigate the potential use of engineered microstructures, including fluidic microchannels, for energy conversion and chemical processing. The team, led by M Kevin Drost and Robert S Wegeng, considered four classes of process systems:

• Heat Pumps

• Heat Engines

• Chemical Reactors

• Chemical Separators

Inspired by advances in microfabrication, including consideration of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) components such as micro-motors, micro-valves and micro-fluidic structures, this multi-year effort included several proof-of-principle hardware demonstrations and identified a strong potential for process intensification of unit operations that are heat and/or mass transport limited.

Part Two: Early Projects

In the late 1990s, projects PNNL researchers conducted a few, focused investigations to further develop what they were calling “micro chemical and thermal systems” (“microcats”), with external funding for some. Two such projects were sponsored by NASA and DOE, with each successfully demonstrating process-intensive chemical reactors and heat exchangers through the use of thin microchannels.

Insitu Propellant Production for Mars

NASA’s interest in microchannel process technology includes the production of propellants (fuel + oxidizer) from indigenous martian resources (e.g., atmospheric CO2). Transporting and operating a compact, micro chemical system on the surface, to produce propellants for robotic or human returns, could save NASA billions of dollars.

The notional chemical plant for NASA would include a rapid-cycle, thermal swing adsorption unit for capturing CO2 from the martian atmosphere, endothermic and exothermic chemical reactors and a variety of microchannel heat exchangers. As pictured, energy for system operation would come from solar photovoltaics.

Hydrogen Production for Automotive Fuel Cells

In the 1990s, efforts to develop a hydrogen-fueled automobile included several DOE-funded projects to develop onboard systems that could convert liquid hydrocarbons (e.g., methanol, gasoline, etc) to hydrogen for use in a PEM fuel cell. PNNL researchers in this program investigated the development of compact reactors and heat exchangers based on microchannel process technology.

The effort included the first demonstration of a microchannel steam reforming reactor (pictured). In this unit, the highly endothermic reaction is sped up through the integration of catalytic reaction channels and heat exchange channels. Process intensification yielded high chemical conversions, with chemical production rates about the same as in a conventional reactor that is 100 times larger in volume.

Following the success of the first microchannel steam reforming reactor, PNNL researchers designed, assembled and tested a highly efficient network of over twenty reactors and heat exchangers, also with automotive hydrogen generation in mind, in 2000 and 2001 (pictured).

The system performed sufficient reforming to support a 20 kWe PEM fuel cell. In these cases, heat for the endothermic reformers being provided by catalytic and gas-phase combustion of the “tail gas” from the anode of the fuel cell.

Several additional followon activities since then have further refined PNNL’s concepts for microchannel H2 generators.

Part Three: Renewable Solar Thermal Energy for Endothermic Processes in Microchannel Process Systems

Solar Thermochemical Advanced Reactor System (STARS)

In 2006, a NASA engineer (N Suzuki) asked Robert Wegeng a simple question:

“If we can produce propellants and oxygen on Mars using solar energy and indigenous resources, why can’t we do this on Earth?”

Wegeng responded, “We can. And we will.”

And now we have.

The NASA question triggered concepts for the use of concentrated solar energy to drive endothermic chemical reactions and separations processes, with one result being the design and placement of a microchannel reaction system at the focal point of a parabolic dish concentrator (pictured).

Results included setting world record for solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency (now 70%), calculated as the increase in the Higher Heating Value of the reacting stream divided by the Direct Normal solar energy incident upon the dish. In comparison, terrestrial plants accomplish solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiencies of around 1% and the combination of solar photovoltaics with water electrolysis yields a solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency that is less than 20%.

Part Four: The Birth of STARS Technology Corporation

During 2015, in the interest of getting national laboratory technologies into commercial use more rapidly, the Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transfer began training programs for national laboratory researchers. “Lab Corps”, as it was first called, had an objective of teaching technology developers to think like entrepreneurs.

In addition, Lab Corps (or Energy I-Corps, as it is now called) provided an opportunity for technology teams to perform evaluations, with advice from mentors and industry, on what the best routes might be for the technologies being developed.

The inaugural version of Lab Corps included a STARS-focused team consisting of two PNNL employees (Chris Klasen and Robert Wegeng) plus Peter Brehm (from Infinia Technology Corporation) who supported the team as an industrial mentor.

After weeks of training, the STARS commercial opportunity received high scores from Lab Corps trainers and advisors. With encouragement from the Lab Corps experience, Klasen, Wegeng and Brehm agreed to form STARS Technology Corporation, with an initial incorporation in Washington State in late 2016.

More information about Energy I-Corps can be found at: Energy I-Corps Home Page

Contact us to see how STARS can help your Hydrogen Project.