Resources

ITP Industries of the Future More... IOF Fact Sheet View the pictures from our Victaulic visit Visit the Victaulic web site Furness-Newburge, Inc. More information on NICE³ grants Two Page Summary of AO Project - July '04 Quarterly Reports: Fiscal Year - Quarter 2003 - 2004 - Q4 2003 - 2004 - Q3 2003 - 2004 - Q2 2003 - 2004 - Q1 2002 - 2003 - Q4 2002 - 2003 - Q3 2002 - 2003 - Q2 2002 - 2003 - Q1 2001 - 2002 - Q4 2001 - 2002 - Q3 2001 - 2002 - Q2

NICE3 Innovative Technology Reducing Foundry Emissions and Green Sand Waste via Integrated Advanced Oxidation - Underwater Plasma Processing; Project Completion Date Extension Request.

Victaulic Company, located in Alburtis PA, recently installed and is operating an innovative technology that is resulting in cleaner air inside the foundry while increasing their sand recycling system recovery rate and reducing waste disposal to the landfill.

Staff from DEP's Technology Development Division have met with the management staff of Victaulic, researchers from Penn State University and technology inventor james bserve and discuss the Advanced Oxidation-Underwater Plasma Processing System (AO system) in place at Victaulic. This technology, designed to reduce foundry emissions and recycle green sand waste is being partially funded by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment, and Economics (NICE³) grant. The grant is being managed by DEP.

lengthy construction phase and began using the AO system in mid-June 2002. Researchers from Penn State University are spending three years monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the energy, economics and environmental performance of the project while Victaulic and Furness continue to optimize the system. A goal of this project is to successfully demonstrate the technology’s capability so as to lead to deployment and commercialization of the Technology in the industry sector.

Early estimates of the success of the AO system indicate that approximately 1,000 - 2,000 tons of clay, coal, and green sand waste will be kept from disposal per year and the visible emissions in the foundry have been reduced dramatically.

Victaulic Company is the originator and developer of the grooved piping method for rapidly joining building service pipe. The Victaulic Alburtis Facility is a ductile iron plant that pours approximately 180 tons of iron a day to make Victaulic brand pipe couplings and fittings. The Alburtis plant includes a foundry, assembly and machining operations that employs 210 employees working three shifts.

PA IOF Metalcasting Tours Victaulic

The Pennsylvania Metalcasting IOF hosted a tour of Victaulic Company - Alburtis Plant on Monday, March 24th Twelve people from the metalcasting industry joined Penn State University, DEP and Victaulic's management staff on the tour which featured Victualic's innovative Advanced Oxidation ("AO") System. The AO system was installed using a NICE3 grant from a Department of Energy Grant. The Metalcasting IOF group held a banquet and reception after the tour at the Hotel Bethlehem. Deputy Secretary Eric Thumma joined the group for the banquet which included an update on the Pennsylvania Metalcasting Industries of the Future Program.

For more information on technology and NICE3 grants visit the Technology Clearinghouse.