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Environment & Energy

Home » Environment & Energy

ERDC’s numerous innovations are revolutionizing the environmental and energy sectors, from water analysis and purification to remediation of soil contaminants. Explore these technologies for more information on how they can benefit your business.

Hydrogel-Enzyme Systems and Methods

• Enable enzyme activity in extreme conditions with a protective hydrogel that resists heat, pH, and chemicals
• Reduce risk and delays by allowing earlier, safer deployment in hazardous environments
• Support diverse applications from industrial clean-up to manufacturing and chemical spill response

Read moreHydrogel-Enzyme Systems and Methods
Acoustic camera system provides advanced fluid flow analysis in large-scale, high turbidity environments

Acoustic Camera Systems and Methods

• Captures 2D velocity maps across large areas
• Uses compact, simpler equipment for easy field use
• Supports comprehensive flow analysis in rivers, coastal areas, and industrial water systems

Read moreAcoustic Camera Systems and Methods
Predictive environmental modeling

Predictive Environmental Modeling System (PEMS)

• Provides simple tools for conducting cost-effective computational testing of a range of chemicals and materials, avoiding unnecessary lab-based testing
• Normalizes emission concentration values, enabling appropriate comparisons
• Includes a cumulative repository of scientific data, making automatic real-time adjustments to impact models as the database is updated

Read morePredictive Environmental Modeling System (PEMS)
A civil engineering technician with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center shows the sand boil filter kit designed and developed at ERDC.

Sand Boil Filter

• Is inserted into a sand boil to relieve underground hydrostatic pressure and inhibit subterranean erosion that can cause levee failure
• Can be installed by one worker in 15 minutes, making it 47% faster than installing sandbags, significantly cheaper, and less labor-intensive
• Reduces the time workers and people downstream are exposed to a potential levee failure as well as speed up the pressure reduction in the levee

Read moreSand Boil Filter
Structure with water

Modular Bathymetry

• Distinct CNC programming digitally creates expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) blocks that can be easily employed to create more detailed and accurate bathymetric models than traditional concrete
• EPS foam blocks can be easily and rapidly placed and removed in situ, allowing prototype refinement, use in limited space areas, and storage
• Using EPS reduces construction costs by 30-60% and allows up to 60% faster construction time compared with concrete modeling

Read moreModular Bathymetry

Self-Regenerating Biofilter

• External maintenance via human intervention not required
• Shorter downtime leads to an estimated 10x decrease in operational costs
• Offers scalability via a compact footprint for continuous water treatment and higher daily flow-through volumes

Read moreSelf-Regenerating Biofilter
Waterway with bridge and buildings in background and floating buoy with pole and buoy node affixed to it in foreground

Real-Time Digital Buoy Tracking and Mapping System

• Low-cost, low-power, and low-maintenance
• Bypasses need for expensive infrastructure and offers extended range between nodes
• Supports emergency navigations

Read moreReal-Time Digital Buoy Tracking and Mapping System
Clarification of wastewater using a tree coagulant protein expressed in bacteria. Left untreated and right treated wastewater.

Bacterial Process for Production of Active Coagulant Protein

• Potential to significantly reduce operational costs
• Eliminates the need for inorganic coagulants
• Scalable
• Economical
• Advantageous use of B. subtilis

Read moreBacterial Process for Production of Active Coagulant Protein

Bedload Transport Measurement Method

• Quick, real-time measurement of bedload flow rates
• Precise transport rate of bedload using quantitative data
• Less intrusive and potentially damaging than samplers
• Prevents costly navigation delays

Read moreBedload Transport Measurement Method

Munitions Compound Detection and Removal System

• In situ detection/removal of MEC from water in concentrations as low as one part per million
• Reaches final color and intensity after just 24 hours of exposure
• Scalable to treat larger bodies of water such as rivers, as well as small ponds and runoffs
• Uses abundant and inexpensive AFC materials
• Reusable

Read moreMunitions Compound Detection and Removal System

High Volume Air Stream Water Recovery System

• Recovers water using less than 40 watt-hours of energy per gallon
• Adjustable airstream (speed and temperature) to optimize energy usage
• Scalable and adaptable for broad applications

Read moreHigh Volume Air Stream Water Recovery System

PFAS Effluent Treatment System (PETS)

• Reduces PFAS concentrations in water to non-detectable levels
• Allows for remote monitoring and operation
• Easily transported with medium-sized forklift

Read morePFAS Effluent Treatment System (PETS)

Photocatalytic Water Treatment

• Breaks target contaminants down into benign products
• Relies on non-toxic, earth-abundant photocatalysts with filterable particle diameters (> 0.1 μm)
• Uses energy-efficient solar radiation
• Degrades nitrobenzene & carbamazepine at rates equal to that of existing commercial systems

Read morePhotocatalytic Water Treatment

DNA-Based Testing for Environmental Contamination

• On-site detection of RDX & NTO in soil and water samples
• Fast-acting: binds to over 50% of available RDX & NTO in just one hour
• Achieves nearly 100% of the theoretical binding capacity

Read moreDNA-Based Testing for Environmental Contamination

Munitions Detector

• Streamlined process for detecting explosives in soil, water, or tissue samples
• Simultaneously detects traditional TNT and newer IMX
• Single column analysis yields faster results
• Reduces cost by using less solvent

Read moreMunitions Detector

Alkaline Hydrolysis of Contaminants in Soil and Groundwater

• In-situ treatment for contaminated subsurface soil and groundwater
• Removes > 95% of TNT and NB
• Reduces chlorinated propane concentrations to non-detectable levels
• Utilizes inexpensive ammonia gas
• Environmentally friendly

Read moreAlkaline Hydrolysis of Contaminants in Soil and Groundwater

High-Concentration Bleach Generator

• Purifies water when other treatment facilities are off-line or unavailable
• Selectably controls bleach concentration
• Easily transportable to remote locations
• Energy efficient

Read moreHigh-Concentration Bleach Generator

Water Diagnostics Operations Gear (WaterDOG)

• Instantly senses turbidity, temperature, conductivity, pH, oxidation reduction, dissolved oxygen, free chlorine, and more
• Wireless transmission
• Easy-to-use touch screen display
• Portable
• Remote monitoring

Read moreWater Diagnostics Operations Gear (WaterDOG)

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