The judges for the 2012 Brinks Innovation Competition have announced the five finalists for the Brinks Innovation Competition. The five finalists are: Arid Technologies, based in Wheaton, Ill.; GreenSand Corporation, based in Lake Linden, Mich.; Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies (HEVT), based in Chicago, Ill.; SiNode, a faculty-student team from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill; and SurClean, based in Detroit, Mich. The finalist companies will exhibit at the 2012 Midwest Clean Tech Conference on September 12, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Each of the finalists will present their emerging technologies as part of the Brinks Innovation Competition Awards Ceremony during the conference on September 12 at a time to be announced later. The top three winners will be announced after the finalists’ presentations.
The finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
Arid Technologies produces products based on innovative membrane separation technology to recover evaporative losses from gasoline storage tanks and reduce harmful hydrocarbon emissions, save fuel and create a healthier environment for consumers. Arid offers four primary products: PERMEATOR, for gasoline stations; Membrane CRU for retrofit of carbon adsorption systems at bulk loading terminals; ARIDAS 150, a stand-alone monitoring and data acquisition system that measures fueling station vent emissions and pressure profiles; and the Integrated On-Spot railcar loading and fuel-vapor recovery system.
GreenSand Corporation recycles “stamp sand,” a widely available type of mining waste resulting from crushing copper ore, into G-Sand, a proprietary material used as a filler and as surface granules for asphalt shingles. G-Sand is an ideal construction material because it contains copper, which prevents algae and mold growth. Stamp sand is widely available on Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, the former copper mining region in which GreenSand is located.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies (HEVT) provides the transportation industry with high-performance, efficient and cost-effective components and integrated systems that foster the adoption of electrified transport and yield significant savings in fuel economy.
SiNode is commercializing a new kind of battery made with silicone grapheme composite anodes, developed by Northwestern University research chemist Harold Kung, Ph.D. SiNode’s anodes can hold a charge up to 10 times greater than regular batteries and charge 10 times more quickly.
SurClean has developed handheld laser-based products for removing coatings, to replace chemicals, media blasting and abrasives. The system uses a laser beam to disintegrate paint and rust from substrate in a cost-effective, safe, energy-efficient and earth-friendly way. SurClean removes safety concerns, environmental issues and hazards associated with the control and use of chemicals as well as the disposal of contaminated waste product.