Sealing Method for Odor Barrier Bags (OBBs)

"The U. S. Navy has a requirement to meet the provisions of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) before the current exemption for submarines expires. Currently, plastic waste is compacted inside an Odor Barrier Bag (OBB), then placed insideanother OBB, heat sealed, and stored or ejected. The OBBs, when sealed properly, have kept noxious odors from being released. The Doboy electric heat sealer currently used to make the seals is difficult to use, inconsistent, expensive, loud, unreliable, and requires too much skill. TRI/Austin proposes to develop a sealing approach especially for submarines and otherNaval vessels required to seal plastic waste in OBBs. Naval vessels have a wide array of power sources available. TRI will examine the feasibility of using a submarine specific sealer powered by electricity, compressed air, or other sources. A steampowered sealer will also be examined for applications where steam is available in the galley area such as surface ships. Alternative approaches, such as mechanical seals and enhanced adhesive technology, will be considered as well. The ideal approachwill allow Naval vessels to achieve their mission, meet the requirements of APPS, and provide enhanced quality of life for sailors. A shipboard compatible heat sealer will be developed to meet the unique demands of shipboard use. This device will be designed with few moving parts, contributing to greater reliability, and the device wi