Reclamation selects five projects in prize competition that seeks to extend the life of water infrastructure

Written by: Peter Soeth

Steel on structures like the Minidoka Dam in Idaho could benefit from the results of this prize competition.Five projects were selected as winners for the Bureau of Reclamation's Rust Busters Stage II, Phase 1 Prize Competition. The contest sought ideas to extend the life of water infrastructure by reducing corrosion, in particular rust, of its steel structures. These five projects will now proceed to Phase 2 of the competition.

The selected projects are as follows:

Barret Schlegelmilch: CRUST - Ceramic Rust Universal Sealant Technology

John Newport: High Barrier Controlled Release Rustbuster Coating

Martin Voorma: E-paint, a New Method for Kathodic Protection

Mathew Clancy: Novel Sol Gel for Advanced Corrosion Protection

Micheal Ahimbisibwe and Jeremy Martinez: Coal Tar Enamel Spray

Phase 2 participants will each receive $35,000 and steel samples at the start of the Phase 2 development period. After successfully completing a mid-point check-in, Phase 2 participants will then each receive an additional $15,000 to help complete their development work and apply their prototype solution to the steel samples provided. After the 6-month development period, Phase 2 participants will return their steel samples and prototypes to Reclamation where they will undergo laboratory and field testing. The final prize purse of up to $100,000 in award money will be shared among the final winners.

Reclamation is conducting this challenge through an ongoing partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NASA Tournament Labs. The competition is being managed by HeroX. Learn more at https://www.usbr.gov/research/challenges/corrosion.html.

Since 2015, Reclamation has launched 21 prize competitions to spur innovation by engaging a non-traditional, international solver community while also complementing traditional research in their design to target the most persistent science and technology challenges. Reclamation has awarded more than $1 million in prizes.

To learn more about this prize competition and other Reclamation hosted competitions, please visit https://www.usbr.gov/research/challenges/index.html.

Published on March 03, 2020