Overview

Pittsburgh Chemical Solutions LLC is the patent holder for THERMOPHASE™, a non-biocide/non-hazardous product. THERMOPHASE™ is a nano-coating that prevents fouling and improves thermal efficiency to various heat exchangers such as condensers, chillers, plate and frames, etc. It has installations at hospitals, universities, industrial facilities, and full scale power plants. The amount of THERMOPHASE™ for an
application is dependent on the component treated and amount of fluid that it is applied to. The product can be shipped in buckets (small applications), barrels or totes. The THERMOPHASE™ product is an inexpensive and easy applied product that can heavily benefit any facility. Applying to the condenser alone will improve the plant heat rate and provide quick payback. With recent developments, THERMOPHASE™ can also be applied to membranes allowing reduced differential pressure (energy and operation/maintenance savings) and improved throughput. Note: A recent shipment to a utility in the midwest was provided for application in their unit’s condenser, three closed cooling water heat exchangers, three plate and frame heat exchangers on their vacuum pumps, and application in their 3.3 million water clarifier tank where they were exhibiting MIC.

History

BioInterphase, formerly known as Interphase Materials (IPM), has been developing THERMOPHASE™ since 2016. IPM was founded in 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA after launching from the University of Pittsburgh. The first technology IPM developed was originally created with the intent to reduce biofouling on brain implants to improve neural prosthetic technology. In 2016, the U.S. Navy awarded IPM a Phase 1 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract to develop a solution for reducing biological fouling in marine heat exchangers. During the Phase 1 SBIR, IPM created THERMOPHASE™, a biocide-free chemical material that covalently binds to the surface of heat exchanger components to reduce the accumulation of biological organisms. IPM discovered early during heat transfer testing thatTHERMOPHASE™ appeared to increase the heat transfer of heat exchangers, even those free from fouling.
  • 2015
    Interphase Materials Founded
    Company Founding in Pittsburgh, PA
  • 2016
    Awarded Phase 1 Navy SBIR
    The Navy awards IPM an SBIR Contract, THERMOPHASE™ created
  • 2017
    Awarded Phase II Navy SBIR
    The Navy awards IPM a second SBIR Contract to continue THERMOPHASE™ development
  • 2018
    First Commercial Application on land-based chiller
    THERMOPHASE™ applied to chiller plant at Carnegie Melon Museum of Natural History
  • 2019
    First application to a marine engine
    THERMOPHASE™ applied to seawater cooling system of a Caterpillar engine on the M-80 Stiletto
  • 2020
    First application to an operating powerplant main condenser
    THERMOPHASE™ applied to power plant condenser at Longview Power Plant in Maidsville, WV
Due in part to this discovery, the U.S. Navy awarded IPM a Phase 2 SBIR contract in 2017 to continue upon the development of THERMOPHASE™. Following the initial success of the U.S. Navy SBIR development, IPM began transitioning the technology to land-based commercial applications. In 2018, IPM applied THERMOPHASE™ to a land-based chiller plant at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. Since that application, IPM has continued applications to land-based chillers in several states including, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Texas, Nebraska, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. In 2019, as part of a Phase 3 SBIR awarded by the Rapid Reaction Technology Office, IPM applied THERMOPHASE™ to the seawater cooling system of a Caterpillar engine onboard the M-80 Stiletto. This marked the first time THERMOPHASE™ had been applied to an operating marine system. The following year, the Department of Energy funded IPM to apply THERMOPHASE™ to the first power plant condenser system at the Longview Power Plant in Maidsville, West Virginia. With the support of this project, IPM applied THERMOPHASE™ to the first marine chiller onboard the TS Kennedy using a practical commercial application system.
IPM worked together with the Maritime Administration (MARAD) and Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) to perform this demonstration of THERMOPHASE™ on-board the TS Kennedy at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. This demonstration included coupon testing at key locations in the seawater cooling system, an assessment of the TS Kennedy’s seawater cooled assets and a demonstration application of THERMOPHASE™ to a reefer heat exchanger. In late November 2022, Pittsburgh Chemical Solutions LLC is formed, and Interphase Materials licenses THERMOPHASE™ to Pittsburgh Chemical Solutions. THERMOPHASE is gaining major steam in the utility and industrial sectors. At POWERGEN 2025, Jay Crilley from PCS is scheduled to lead a session on THERMOPHASE™'s case studies and examples of its success at a 770 MW thermal power plant, as well as data from application at a 900 MW unit condenser and other closed cooling water heat exchangers.
  • 2021
    First Application to Marine Chiller
    THERMOPHASE™ applied to marine chiller onboard the TS Kennedy
  • 2022
    Pittsburgh Chemical Solutions LLC Formed
    Company Forming in Pittsburgh, PA
  • 2025
    Presentation at powergen 2025
    PCS presents THERMOPHASE at POWERGEN 2025