Desmet Ballestra Receives Research Grant to Study Sustainable Oil Refining Using Cavitation Technologies' CTI Nano Neutralization™ Process

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cavitation Technologies, Inc. (CTi) (OTCBB: CVAT; Berlin & Stuttgart: WTC) announced today that The Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) awarded a euro 690,000 (US $940,000) research grant to Desmet Ballestra, CTi's strategic partner for the CTI Nano Neutralization™ process.  The grant is directed toward Desmet Ballestra's ECO-OIL research project focused on the mild refining technique and the assessment of new applications for the Nano Reactor™ in edible oil processing.

The Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences of the University of Ghent was selected as the academic partner for the research project.  Desmet Ballestra has collaborated with the university for more than 15 years.

CTi and Desmet Ballestra entered into a strategic partnership in 2010, initially to commercialize the CTI Nano Neutralization™ process in the edible oil refining market.  The partners have successfully implemented two large scale commercial installations and are actively marketing the process to vegetable oil refiners around the world.

Todd Zelek, chairman and CEO of CTi, said: "Working together with Desmet Ballestra, we have already demonstrated the efficacy of our CTI Nano Neutralization™ process in improving yields, reducing costs and minimizing environmental impacts of vegetable oil refining.  Desmet Ballestra's ongoing research will generate crucial data that may lead to further innovations and new applications utilizing CTi's patented Nano Reactor™ in other phases of the refining process."

Marc Kellens, global technology director for Desmet Ballestra, said: "The ECO-OIL project will in part focus on utilizing Nano Reactor™ technology to improve the traditional edible oil refining process.  We expect the technology can provide substantial benefits to vegetable oil refiners in addition to neutralization." 

About CTi

Founded in 2007, Cavitation Technologies, Inc. (CTi) designs and builds highly specialized nanotechnology-based devices and processes with broad potential applications in markets such as vegetable oil refining, renewable fuels, water purification, crude oil yield enhancement, alcoholic beverage enhancement and algal oil extraction.  As an add-on to existing oil refinery neutralization systems, the company's Nano Reactor™ helps refiners increase oil yields, reduce processing costs and environmental impacts. More information is available at www.ctinanotech.com.

About Desmet Ballestra

Desmet Ballestra is the world leader in the engineering and delivery of equipment for oil refining, biofuel, oleochemical, seed crushing, surfactant and detergent markets.  Desmet supplies these markets with the latest globally sourced technologies.  The company has sales and engineering offices in 15 countries.  More information is available at www.desmetballestra.com.

About IWT

The Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) helps companies and research centers in realizing their research and development projects. The agency offers funding, advice and access to a network of potential partners. More information is available at http://www.iwt.be/english/welcome.

SOURCE Cavitation Technologies, Inc.