NAVSEA Experts to Receive National Technology Award

The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) is honoring two members of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) corporate team for their work on a environmentally-friendly waste destruction system for use aboard ship. Jon W. Cofield of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock (Md.) and Eugene E. Nolting from NAVSEA headquarters in Washington D.C. will receive a 2002 FLC Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for work on the new Plasma Arc Waste Destruction System (PAWDS). The Navy developed PAWDS for burning combustible solid wastes aboard ship. A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) was approved to develop and demonstrate a commercial version of PAWDS, which can successfully process mixed waste including paper, cardboard, plastic, cloth, wood and food.

This system is a compact, reliable, safe and efficient alternative to methods currently being used. The aircraft carrier-based PAWDS is half the size and weight of a comparable incinerator. Its small size and weight minimize make it easy to install without impacting the ship. It has an on/off automatic operation, which reduces the number of crewmembers associated with waste handling. Its modular design allows the system to be installed in available spaces--from a single-deck space to a multi-deck narrow configuration. An all-electric system means no liquid fuel is piped into the equipment space. PAWDS meets the carrier-based goal of 360 pounds per hour, while achieving process rates exceeding 400 pounds per hour. Cofield and Nolting will receive their awards at the FLC's annual meeting in Little Rock, Ark. on May 8.