Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc.
Creating
Innovative Solutions to our Nation’s Scrap Tire Problems.
Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc. is the exclusive owner of patents for a Rotating Scrap Tire Furnace. Our technology is used to reduce fuel costs, by using scrap tires to produce alternative energy.
Our company was founded by James C. Branscome and Jack B. Larson in 1991. Mr. Branscome has been in the tire business since 1967 and is intimately familiar with the ever-increasing scrap tire disposal problem. His partner, Jack, is a retired automotive mechanic, a licensed boiler technician, and former engineer for Systems Engineering, Inc. in Washington State.
Company History
The idea belongs to James C. Branscome. Jack Larson engineered and tested Jimmy's concept. Jimmy knew there has to be a better way to use scrap tires than placing them in a landfill or illegally dumping them all over the country. "If only they didn't make so much black smoke and stink when their burned." Jimmy said to Jack. Their "hunch" was, by controlling combustion, with adequate air/fuel mixture, then whole tires would burn clean. Once the prototype unit reached the optimal operating temperature, the air exiting the stack wasn't black at all. In fact, it was absolutely clear, with no odors! In 1991, Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc. was formed to develop this new technology. During the following years, time was dedicated to developing this idea into a commercially viable solution addressing the growing scrap tire problem while improving our environment.
The founders originally envisioned a mobile tire processor, one with a fold down stack that could be transported from tire pile to tire pile. They discussed the potential of the project with tire manufacturers and formed an alliance with an Environmental Engineer, J. Martin Hughes, Ph.D., P.E. from VA Tech. A prototype was fabricated in Danville, VA and transported to Jimmy’s farm in Carroll County, VA. Lee Nelson, a mechanical genius, joined the team in 1992. His expertise in welding, machine assembly and innovative ideas were instrumental in the success of the first prototype. After a few test burns and modifications, it was time to apply for an air permit.
Mr. Branscome, Larson, and Dr. Hughes met with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in Abingdon, VA and were informed that they could not receive an air permit to test the prototype clean energy tire furnace without investing significant dollars in air pollution control and monitoring equipment. The question was asked; “What do we do now?”
Jimmy was reading an article in the local newspaper regarding the closing of the Henry County Landfill in VA and how it would affect the Public Service Authority (PSA) and surrounding counties. Jimmy and Jack met with the PSA, a waste water treatment facility, and explained how the energy from whole scrap tires can be used to dry sludge which reduces weight and volume that would be disposed of in the landfill. The PSA officials had enough confidence in this new technology to allow testing of the clean energy tire furnace at the Lower Smith River Wastewater Treatment Plant.
The PSA received $116,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s state tire fund to pay for stack emissions testing. The test lasted continuously for 72 hours with great success! Additional measurements were taken and experiments performed by several engineering students attending VA Tech. A thesis was published in April of 1996 entitled “Exhaust Gas Emissions from a Prototype Scrap Tire Furnace/Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge Dryer” by M. Lyn Tober and submitted to the faculty of VA Tech in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Science and Engineering. Ms. Tober successfully defended her thesis and concluded, “The plant stack emissions appeared to be essentially smokeless verifying that the improvements to the combustion chamber were successful.” At the end of the 72 hour test, the stack emission test equipment was donated to VA Tech.
This was a great victory for everyone when the test burn was successfully completed. The best part about it was, the results of the testing confirmed that the clean energy tire furnace would satisfy air quality permit requirements.
In October 1999 and August 2001, Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc., was granted method and apparatus patents from the United States of America Patent and Trademark Office.