Success Stories

Former Ukrainian weapons scientists, civilian scientists, and American entrepreneurs have pooled their expertise and know-how into a unique STCU biomass grinding project that has yielded remarkable technical results and promises greater commercial success. Yet even before the completion of the project, spin-off applications have been identified, successfully demonstrated, and discussions are underway for their commercialization.

The original project takes advantage of technical knowledge gained from the development of ballistic missile delivery systems—specifically, particulate reduction technologies employed in the manufacturing processes for propellants and insulating materials—to reduce and separate agricultural waste by-products (such as sunflower seed husks, rice hulls, and wheat straw) to micron levels. It is proposed to blend these materials with agricultural and industrial products to reduce waste disposal and improve existing products by employing the recovered materials in food for farm animals, fertilizer for plants, additives for many consumer goods, or fillers for engineered materials. In the specific case of ground straw, the product has been combined with polypropylene to manufacture strong, light-weight parts for civilian applications.

The technical puzzle that challenged the Ukrainian scientists at Texmet was how to grind soft, flexible biomass materials to required levels without adversely altering their mechanical characteristics through chemical or thermal means. From their side, U.S.-based Pinnacle Technology, Inc. has dedicated itself to provide marketing expertise to identify uses for potential biomass applications, while the Department of Energy’s Kansas City Plant provided expertise in fine particle analysis. Together, these three organizations have successfully demonstrated the industrial-level production capability of the Ukrainian technology, and have identified potential clients interested in purchasing such grinding technology. For its part, the STCU facilitated project implementation by providing valuable on-site monitoring (subject to frequent international technical and financial audits), logistics support, VAT exemptions for major purchases and for the salaries of Ukrainian scientists as well as transparency in front of the Ukrainian authorities—all of which remove a significant burden from the western funding partners.

It is currently foreseen that the grinding and separation systems will be manufactured in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, while Pinnacle Technology will market these systems around the world.

All over the world, the adverse ecological impact of the literally millions of tons of waste in the form of automobile tires is of considerable concern to policy makers and citizens alike. Recycling such materials is complicated by the engineering difficulties of reducing soft, pliable rubber to the micron level where it becomes commercially viable—without altering its chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics. Texmet’s western contacts, having recognized the commercial potential of such a process, requested the Ukrainians to demonstrate the feasibility of applying their grinding technology to the reduction of tire rubber to micron levels at anticipated industrial capacities. Despite clear difficulties, the Ukrainians successfully overcame even this challenge. As a result, the Ukrainian project manager has been invited to travel to the U.S. to explore the commercialization of rubber grinding technology as well. Moreover, while in the United States, yet another possible application will be explored: the extraction of silicon carbide from rice hulls. It is hoped that further discussions will identify even more potential applications of the grinding technology and its promise for expanded commercial applications.