Guided Missile Submarine SSGN Seawater System Antifouling Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2016.1 Topic No.: N161-041 Topic Title: Guided Missile Submarine SSGN Seawater System Antifouling Proposal No.: N161-041-0110 Firm: Interphase Materials Inc 6024 Broad St Ste 2R Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15206 Contact: Noah Snyder Phone: (814) 282-8119 Web Site: http://www.interphasematerials.com Abstract: Interphase Materials Inc. (Interphase) proposes the application of its patent pending antibiofouling surface treatment (AST) for the safe prevention of biofouling in OHIO class submarine seawater piping and heat exchanger systems (SPSs). Interphase will explore the feasibility of applying its AST to these systems. Interphase AST prevents biofouling by stopping organism attachment as opposed to killing them with toxic compounds. This approach eliminates the need for expensive electrocatalytic chlorine generation systems to be stored on the submarine and be continually powered. Additionally, because it is a non-leaching technology the potential environmental impacts of biofouling prevention are dramatically decreased. Interphase will assess the effects of the AST on heat transfer and biofouling as well as outline a system for the application of the AST to new and in use SPSs. Based on this data, Interphase will provide an anticipated cost benefit provided by utilizing the AST as opposed to current electrocatalytic chlorine generation protocols or simply leaving the seawater system untreated. Interphase AST has the potential to solve the current biofouling on OHIO class submarines through a surface treatment that prevents fouling without the need for constant power or expensive maintenance. Benefits: Anticipated Benefits/Potential Commercial Applications of the Research or Development This technology has potential benefits not only for the OHIO class submarines, but by providing a technology that can effectively prevent biofouling without the need to release toxic substances there are multiple potential applications. Firstly, this technology could be applied to other submarines and vessels, both military and commercial that utilize costly electrochemical chlorine generators or leave their SPSs untreated resulting in expensive cleaning. Additionally, power, chemical, petroleum, and wastewater treatment plants rely on heat exchangers cooled with untreated water, which could benefit from the application of the AST technology. Lastly, current practices for preventing fouling on vessel hulls requires leaching of toxins from coatings that require frequent reapplication to maintain protection. The proposed technology could safely prevent biofouling on a vessel hull as well. This straight forward surface treatment technology has the potential to solve many of the current issues associated with the prevention of biofouling in that it relies on surface chemistry to prevent the attachment of the organisms as opposed to leaching harmful toxins to kill the creatures. This decreases application frequency, eliminates the need for costly chlorine generation systems, and has the potential to be applied to the systems in a minimally invasive way. Return