RES Polyflow Chief Executive Officer Jay Schabel says “We are now scheduling visits with interested customers who recognize the strong financial returns of our robust technology. RES Polyflow has taken a very disciplined approach to commercialization by first proving the chemistry through our pilot phase, underpinning the uniqueness of the technology with process and equipment patents, and now showing the vitality of the process at scale.”

Process Vessel #1

In conjunction with the RES Polyflow facility launch is the commissioning of a fuels analysis laboratory housed at the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at Youngstown State University.  YSU Department of Chemistry students and faculty will test and characterize liquid fuel produced by RES Polyflow facilities using the lab equipment.   Funding for the fuels analysis lab was achieved through a Wright Capital Grant from the Ohio Development Services Agency.

About RES Polyflow

RES Polyflow designs, markets and manufactures energy recovery systems that offer an end of life solution for mixed plastic and rubber waste including tires, carpeting and e-waste. Normally these materials are discarded in landfills, incinerated or dumped overseas.  RES Polyflow’s continuous feed process equipment converts these items into renewable transportation fuels, octane enhancers and aromatics using a patented waste to energy conversion process.  In 2011 the company received a State of Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program grant to demonstrate the RES Polyflow process at scale. RES Polyflow was the recipient in 2012 of an Innovation Award from the regional technology economic development organization NorTech.  For additional information, go to www.respolyflow.com.

RES Polyflow spotlights our collaborative partnership with the College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics at Youngstown State University.  Our media arm, RESP etc. recently spoke with Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry Dr. Josef Simeonsson and asked him to characterize the strategic partnership formed with RES Polyflow.

RESP etc.: Please characterize the partnership with RES Polyflow from the university’s perspective.

Dr. Simeonsson: The partnership of YSU with RES Polyflow represents an outstanding opportunity for the University to collaborate with an industrial partner on the development of a new and exciting energy-related technology.  Key impacts of this partnership include valuable research and training opportunities for students including access to state of the art instrumentation and methods of analysis.  The experience gained as a result of this project will help YSU to develop as a resource for fuels and energy research and also help current and future students to be better prepared and more competitive as they seek careers in these important technology areas.

etc.: Can you describe the fuel testing lab being implemented at Youngstown State?

Dr. S: The fuels analysis laboratory at YSU will include several analytical capabilities that allow characterization of the major and minor chemical components of product liquids generated by the RES Polyflow waste to fuels process.  The major instrumentation capabilities include a new gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) instrument for characterizing hydrocarbon components in the liquid samples, distillation methods for characterization of boiling point distributions, as well as nitrogen/sulfur/halides analysis methods and metals analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Typical GC-MS Equipment

etc.: What are the goals of the lab from an academic standpoint?  Regional economy standpoint?

Dr S: The primary goal of the fuels analysis laboratory is to develop new, high performance fuel analysis capabilities at YSU that provide key information needed to support the successful scale up of the RES Polyflow energy recovery from end of life plastics technology.  Further goals are to make these new capabilities available for research and training by YSU faculty and students, and to provide research and technical support to other companies and organizations looking to develop waste to energy and/or alternative energy technologies.

etc.: How was the lab funded?

Dr. S: Acquisition of the instrumentation for the fuels analysis laboratory has been made possible by a Wright Capital Grant from the Ohio Department of Development that has been provided to support the Ohio Third Frontier project focused on the scale up of RES Polyflow’s waste to fuels technology.

To ensure a successful path to commercialization, characterization and testing of the end fuels produced by RES Polyflow’s patented conversion process on a continuous basis is a critical quality assurance measure for customers interested in purchasing the liquid product in volume.  Aligning with a partner like Youngstown State University to establish and advance the company’s fuel testing protocol represents a significant step in commercializing the RES Polyflow technology. As Dr. Simeonsson already noted, the real world experience gained by students enrolled in the chemistry program at YSU positions them for a successful entry into a very competitive and growing professional field.

University Hospital entry 2012

Organized by the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History to bring awareness to the challenges posed to our waterways by plastic pollution, this year’s Boat Float was organized into two flotillas:  the Corporate Boat Float held during the Burning River Festival on Whiskey Island in August and the Lake Erie Boat Float at Edgewater Park in downtown Cleveland in September. Both events were undewritten by the Burning River Foundation, a local non-profit established to assist in restoration of our region’s lakefront and river ways.

Swan 1

In all, 18 teams constructed watercraft of all shapes, sizes and materials for launch and maneuver around a predefined course in Lake Erie.  Top honors in the August Corporate Boat Float went to the Great Lakes Brewing Company entry that was made of (what else) beer kegs.  The Great Lakes team navigated the course with ease and left their counterparts from the Cleveland Clinic, Cuyahoga County Port Authority and University Hospital System in their wake.  The September float saw 14 club and non-profit teams arrive with high hopes for success only to have their vessels dry-docked due to high winds and rain.  Entries from September will try it again next year.

In all, RES Polyflow collected and recycled nearly 1,500 pounds of polymer waste used to construct the boats.  The breadth of polymer materials collected from the coastline of Lake Erie, the curbside collection boxes from home and the dumpsters from local businesses was expansive.  Common items such as paint buckets, snow fencing and medical saline bottles were easily converted into one and two person crafts.  Cut-down bleach bottles attached to the end of crutches became seaworthy paddles.  Food grade 55 gallon drums served as pontoons on more than one entry.  Good times were had by all and a large colorful pile of plastic waste was diverted from the waste stream (and local rivers and streams) for good.

According to research conducted by the 5 Gyres Institute, a staggering amount of the plastic waste generated by the world economy annually simply becomes missing in action as litter, only to turn up months and years later in our waterways and oceans.  Awareness is the first step to addressing the problem of runaway plastic, followed by wise action that leads to responsible disposal.  RES Polyflow helps bridge the gap between disposal and reuse by offering a radically efficient method of recovering the BTUs embedded in polymer products.  You can learn more about our award winning patented process of recovering energy from plastic waste by visiting our Pinterest page (look for more Boat Float photos while there).

Boat Float material scheduled for conversion by RES

Jay Schabel, RES Polyflow’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “Our goal is to be the worldwide standard for profitable energy recovery from plastic waste.  With the addition of Ambassador Enterprises as our strategic partner, RES Polyflow will produce and demonstrate our continuous feed waste to energy recovery system.  This project was supported in part by the Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program with a commercialization grant secured in 2011.”

Ambassador Enterprises representative Tom Stone remarks that the time for scaling up the RES technology is at hand.  “After a thorough review of waste to energy technologies we are convinced that the Polyflow process offers the most economically feasible and technically robust solution being commercialized.  We are excited to be a part of this business opportunity that has the capability to impact the world in a positive way.”

The patented process and proprietary equipment developed by RES Polyflow converts mixed and unwashed plastic waste, tires and carpet into a spectrum of energy products ranging from transportation fuels, octane enhancers and chemical intermediates used in the production of new plastic and rubber.  RES Polyflow’s efforts are focused on establishing independently operated energy recovery facilities as well as selling licensed equipment to energy park developers, recyclers, landfill operators and organizations managing large polymer waste streams. In addition to implementing the technology in North America,  opportunities to export RES Polyflow’s locally produced process equipment to Europe, China, India and Australia are being explored with strategic partners.

Download this press release.

Polyflow Chief Executive Officer Jay Schabel comments that the depth of business and manufacturing experience represented by Mr. Ashkettle and Mr. Quinn strengthens the commercialization strategy in place with the organization. “As Polyflow launches its first full scale renewable energy facility this year, the support offered by both Phill and John to our implementation goals is significant.” Polyflow’s initial facility utilizing a patented waste-to-energy conversion process is scheduled to come online later this year in northeast Ohio.

Download the Press release: PDF

The award was accepted on behalf of the Polyflow team by board member Michael Dungan
who acknowledged the long journey to commercialization experienced by many early stage
companies like Polyflow. “Innovation occurs every day across NE Ohio but the
breakthrough ideas are worth nurturing and getting right. At Polyflow we believe our
energy recovery technology is a legitimate game-changer in this era of rising energy prices
and reduced landfill capacity. We are honored to accept this award from NorTech.”
Polyflow utilizes a patented waste to energy conversion process to extract value from the
modern day waste stream. The first plant is scheduled to come online later this year in
northeast Ohio and will add skilled job opportunities to the region’s growing clean
technology sector.