Sept. 9, 2011
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NEW ORLEANS/TORONTO — The ERDC Earth-Covered Magazines project development team (PDT) was selected as one of four winners across the Corps for the first annual U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Innovation of the Year Award. PDT members include Orange Marshall, Vincent Hock, Michael McInerney and Sean Morefield from the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, and Dr. Phil Malone and Dr. Chuck Weiss from the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory.
Their winning entry was titled "System to Protect Pre-Positioned Munitions from Environmental Degradation." The team developed, demonstrated and validated a highly innovative corrosion prevention and control system based on a novel expansion of electro-osmotic pulse (EOP) and dehumidification technologies.
The innovation included three new areas of research and development: (1) a new mixed-metal oxide anode design, (2) a tailored EOP system design that lowers electromagnetic interference and radio-frequency interference emissions without interfering with the lightning protection system, and (3) the design of a dehumidification system to prevent buildup of explosive gasses while controlling the relative humidity inside the storage facility.
Marshall and Van Blaricum represented the team and received the award from Acting Chief of Engineers Maj. Gen. Meredith W.B. "Bo" Temple at the National Awards Ceremony and Dinner.
The same team, plus Paul Noyce of Electrotech CP, received the Electrochemical Society's (ECS) 2011 New Electrochemical Technology (NET) Award. They were recognized for developing EOP technology, which uses direct current (DC) pulses of electricity to reverse water intrusion in below-grade concrete structures. The pulsed DC electric field creates an electro-osmotic pressure gradient within the concrete matrix that counters the external hydraulic pressure. This prevents the external water from transporting or migrating through the concrete, which prevents moisture from reaching the interior surface of the concrete wall or floor.
The NET Award, presented by ECS's Industrial Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Engineering Division, is offered once every two years and to only one technology. The competition is worldwide and the award was presented during May in Toronto. NET is the highest level award received for EOP technology.