National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401

A -- LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR COOKING UTENSIL WITH IMPROVED HEAT RETENTION. Synopsis No. TT-117. Contact Ken Touryan 303/275-3009. On behalf of the U.S.Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) anticipates negotiating one or more license agreements with U.S. Companies interested in commercializing cooking utensils with improved heat retention capabilities. Researchers at NREL have developed a variable conductance insulator (VCI) that can provide manual or automatic control of the thermal transfer through the bottom and sidewall of a casting utensil improving the quality of the cooked substance (food, etc.) and avoids burning or scorching. The VCI is a form of evacuated thermal insulation which can be made conductive by introducing low-pressure hydrogen gas. The performance benefits of such a utensil are: even heating; temperature control; thermal storage, and possible intelligent operation. The VCI cookware can have residential, commercial and industrial applications. Contact Ken Touryan 303/275-3009. (209)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0014 19950731\A-0014.SOL)