Ottawa's LMK Enterprises, Inc. has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to design an innovative process to rehabilitate the nation's drinking water infrastructure using new technology that incorporates nanomaterials.
Utilizing the matching grant, LMK Enterprises joins several other companies including Steven Winter Associates, Inc, of Connecticut, Louisiana Technical University, and Revolution Mechanical Works of Idaho in the development of this advanced pipe repair process.
This new technology will enable contractors and municipalities to fix drinking water pipes safely without digging up streets or residential properties. Trenchless pipe rehabilitation is the process of repairing pipes without the need to excavate the ground around them.
The advantages are minimal homeowner disruption, greatly reduced street disruption, and no digging up trees, yards, or streets. Also, according to LMK officials, trenchless pipe repair proves to be a faster, more environmentally friendly way of fixing failing pipes.
LMK president and CEO Larry Kiest said this revolutionary industry has grown strides in the past 20 years and will continue to do so with the discovery of nanomaterials as building materials in the trenchless industry.
NIST project manager for LMK Brad Kampbell said nanotechnology is the science of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices.
Kampbell said for years, engineers have known about the structural strength of cylinders as building material. Carbon nanotubes are molecular cylinders that will give work crews the ability to utilize these hollow tubes to conduct a bonding material throughout creating a stronger more structural repair than ever seen before in the industry.
In addition, Kampbell said he is confident carbon nanotubes will one day soon revolutionize pipe repair by enabling the placement of the material exactly at the point of repair without pre-measuring in the field, eradicating custom-made liners or sagging of uncured spray on materials and other drawbacks of the materials currently used in the industry.
Kampbell said his project will not only aid in the rehabilitation of drinking water pipes but also the LMK official also believes the application could be expanded to water, gas, steam, industrial, and other types of underground piping.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the annual market for rehabilitation work of wastewater infrastructure is approximately $7 billion and the market for potable water infrastructure repair is about $10 billion per year.
Kiest said if the proposed project proves to be successful through commercialization, it will then have significant potential to address the critical need of renewing our nation's underground pipelines, improving water quality and health, reducing our carbon footprint and contributing to the economy by creating new jobs.
In the past year, LMK has added a full-blown fabrication shop including lathes, a CNC machine, milling equipment, and MIG, TIG, stick welding. LMK licenses its patented technology to municipalities and contractors around the world including, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Argentina.
Kiest said his company, which he started in 1993 out of his garage, often brings their licensed installers to the Ottawa facility for education and in-depth training. "This allows LMK the opportunity to show people from all over the world a little bit about Ottawa, Illinois, and all of the great and historical things Ottawa has to offer," Kiest said.
Kiest was happy to point out how LMK's business is booming, even before the grant award and during this recession period. In 2009, LMK created 18 new jobs and in 2010 LMK has added another 14 new jobs, based out of its Ottawa location. The company currently employs 43 full-time employees.
Kiest and his successful company also now hold more than 60 U.S. patents.
According to the NIST grant stipulations, the mandated prototype must be developed by January, 2012.
