Entrepreneurs / Small Business  October 13, 2015

Rebound Technologies awarded NSF grant to continue work on refrigeration system

DENVER — Rebound Technologies Inc., a startup with its roots in Boulder and Fort Collins, has received a $748,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue developing its IcePoint technology, a commercial refrigeration system that the company said saves commercial users up to 60 percent on their freezer operating costs.

The company, in the process of moving to Denver next month, will team with Southern California Edison, Whole Foods and Denver-based CTA Architects Engineers to design, build, validate and demonstrate a commercial-scale IcePoint system.

“Our approach is revolutionary in that we’re trying to finally create an alternative to a conventional, energy-intensive cooling technology that’s been around for 160 years,” said Russell Muren, chief technology officer and co-founder of Rebound Technologies. “The steps required to ensure reliability require strong partnerships.”

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Rebound has been in discussions with SCE and Whole Foods for the past two years in anticipation of a potential collaboration.

“Whole Foods is always interested in exploring new technology, and IcePoint performance figures are attractive,” said Marc Saba, sustainable facilities coordinator at Whole Foods. “Rebound’s progress to date is impressive. We look forward to contributing to the development and validation process.”

Scott Mitchell, from SCE, said innovation in the refrigeration sector is desperately needed, but reliability is critical.

“Rebound is taking the right steps by bringing on CTA to provide industrial engineering support while relying on our Thermal Technology Test Center to provide third party validation services. The SCE team is excited to get our hands on some new technology with the potential to improve energy efficiency and shift peak loads.”

IcePoint creates ice at night — during what utilities typically call “off-peak” hours — when demand for electricity is low and prices are less expensive. As the ice melts, it mixes with a freeze suppressant to create a -22 degree Fahrenheit fluid that maintains freezer temperatures throughout the day.

The mixture is eventually separated into pure water and freeze suppressant, reusing both as the closed-loop cycle continues.

This is the second NSF grant Rebound Technologies has received. Founded in 2012 by Muren and Kevin Davis, it received a $141,507 Small Business Innovation Research grant to develop a prototype for an IcePoint unit. At that time, the company partnered with Colorado State University’s Energy Institute on modeling, construction and testing of the product, and built the first prototype in a garage in Boulder.

Davis said the company has its eye on space in Denver, and hopes to sign a lease and complete the move in November.

DENVER — Rebound Technologies Inc., a startup with its roots in Boulder and Fort Collins, has received a $748,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue developing its IcePoint technology, a commercial refrigeration system that the company said saves commercial users up to 60 percent on their freezer operating costs.

The company, in the process of moving to Denver next month, will team with Southern California Edison, Whole Foods and Denver-based CTA Architects Engineers to design, build, validate and demonstrate a commercial-scale IcePoint system.

“Our approach is revolutionary in that we’re trying to finally create an alternative to a conventional, energy-intensive…

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