Sbir phase i: sub-micron centrifuge for treatment systems

The National Science Foundation awarded Diversican Corporation $305,000 on August 15, 2026, through the NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships program (CFDA 47.084) to investigate the feasibility of a sub-micron centrifugal separation system for chemical-free treatment of high-volume flows.

The SBIR Phase I project will design and fabricate a laboratory-scale prototype with configurable rotating components to remove microscopic organisms without disposable filters or chemical treatment. Work includes bench-scale testing using representative surrogates to quantify organism removal efficiency, throughput, and power consumption, coupled with numerical modeling to simulate system behavior and optimize operating parameters. Testing will evaluate performance across challenging conditions including low salinity, cold temperatures, and high turbidity, with systematic evaluation of adjustable parameters to inform scalability. The research addresses the primary technical risk of maintaining high purification efficiency and operational stability while minimizing energy consumption, with the ultimate goal of demonstrating submicron and neutrally buoyant organism removal at industrially relevant scales.

Performance of work occurs at Suwanee, Georgia. The period of performance extends from the August 15, 2026 award date through July 31, 2027. Successful Phase I completion is intended to provide the technical foundation for prototype scaling and extended validation, offering industry a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution for microscopic organism separation.

Abstract

The broader/commercial impact of this small business innovation research (sbir) phase i project is in investigating the feasibility of removing microscopic organisms from high-volume flows without using chemicals or disposable filters. Phase i project objectives include testing a laboratory-scale prototype and utilizing numerical analysis to optimize separation efficiency under broad range of conditions. Successful implementation will offer industry a cost-effective reliable solution. This project investigates a novel centrifugal separation system for chemical-free treatment, designed to achieve high-throughput removal of microscopic organisms without disposable filters. The primary technical risk involves maintaining high purification efficiency and operational stability across a range of conditions while minimizing energy consumption. The research will establish feasibility for various settings, specifically targeting challenges like low salinity, cold temperatures, and high turbidity. A key focus is on the systematic evaluation of how adjustable parameters influence separation efficiency and scalability. This methodology integrates laboratory experimentation with numerical analysis, beginning with the design and fabrication of a lab-scale prototype featuring configurable rotating components. Bench-scale testing using representative surrogates will quantify organism removal, throughput, and power requirements, while numerical modeling will simulate system behavior to interpret results and refine operating parameters. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate the removal or destruction of submicron and neutrally buoyant organisms at industrially relevant scales. Successful phase i completion will provide the technical foundation for prototype scaling and extended validation, offering a robust, low-maintenance solution. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.