ASH PONDS, LINERS, REMEDIATION, WATER, WWM, ELG, FGD, 316(b), COOLING TOWER, O&M
Confirmed & Invited Speakers | Track I
This Track provides presentations on current technologies and strategies, concerning water and wastewater management, including 316 (b), cooling towers, FGD, ZLD, coal ash, and remediation in the energy industry.
Advisory Board
I1
CCR | Wastewater | Impoundments | ESG
Feb 14, 2024
7:30 to 9:30 am
David Donkin
Managing Outage Wash Water Treatment with Existing Infrastructure (Confirmed)
H1.1 Lessons Learned from Using Bottom Ash Dewatering Systems to Treat Outage Wash Wastewater
David Donkin – UCC Environmental
The coal-fired electrical utility sector is faced with the regulatory requirement to retire their coal ash sluicing ponds under the finalized Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) regulation in the Spring of 2021. Wet-to-dry ash handling solutions are being implemented throughout the fleet to allow ponds to come out of service. However, the final disposition of outage wash wastewater, specifically the wastewater generated from washing boiler internals, air pre-heater, economizer and precipitator systems must also be considered. Historically these washwaters were simply directed to the CCR pond along with other ash materials and treated by dilution and settling prior to discharge. This option is longer available. The primary constituents of concern are total suspended solids, iron, copper and other heavy metals, and pH control. In addition, outage wash wastewater presents unique challenges with respect to wide flow variations and contaminant loading changes throughout a wash. A temporary or permanent retro-fit of existing wet-to-dry bottom ash handling systems can allow these systems to serve as a wastewater treatment system in order to meet water quality requirements with respect to outage wash wastewater streams. UCC Environmental’s lessons learned from over 2 years providing these retrofits and treating wastewater from outage washes will be reviewed.
Johnny Lowe
Best Construction Practices During Closure by Removal of Ponded CCR
I1.2 Best Construction Practices During Closure by Removal of Ponded CCR
Johnny Lowe – Waste Management
Best Construction Practices During Closure by Removal of Ponded CCR
Marcella Funderburg, P.E., Blake Whittington, Johnny Lowe, P.E.,
1Waste Management National Services, Inc., 13850 Ballantyne Corp Pl Ste 225, Charlotte, NC 28277
Abstract
As federal and state regulations are forcing electric utilities to remove Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) from historic disposal units, closure by removal is emerging as a growing need for compliant CCR pond closures where groundwater may be in contact with CCR in an unlined system. In this presentation, we will review lessons learned and best practices during closure by removal projects. Topics presented include safety, the development of excavation plans, ash dewatering/conditioning, moisture content during transport/placement, stormwater management, support area requirements, loadout methods, transportation options, and off-site disposal. We will explore the operational and efficiency challenges encountered and methods for mitigation. The information presented is intended to provide for a more informed decision-making process when planning and implementing closure by removal projects.
Keywords
best management practices, closure, ponded ash, CCR, transportation, placement, contact water, stormwater, trucking, drying, conditioning, impoundment
Conference
2022 ENERGY UTILITY ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE – October 5-7, 2022
Andrew Xie
Solutions for online silica monitoring in Power Plants and Ultrapure Water Facilities (Confirmed)
Solutions for online silica monitoring in Power Plants and Ultrapure Water Facilities
Andrew Xie – Thermo Fisher Scientific
Silica in boiler feedwater and steam could cause silica deposition on power plant turbines and heat exchange tubes, which leads to inefficiencies, equipment failure and increased maintenance. Monitoring soluble reactive silica at ppb level in ultrapure water with an online analyzer allow users to detect excess silica and enable water treatment operations to remove silica through prior to boiler and turbine. Online Silica analyzers are widely used for monitoring boiler feedwater and ultrapure water in various industries, such as power plants, oil refineries, and manufacturing plants. Especially, Peaker power plants, which turns on and off regularly on demand, poses significant challenges to online silica analysis due to their intermittent flow, particles in sample, analysis and reagent stability requirements.Thermo Fisher Scientific developed the Orion 8030cX Silica Analyzer to solve silica monitoring challenges to prevent silica built-up, improve energy efficiency and maximize uptime. It offers superior accuracy, reliable operation, automated features and intuitive user interface to protect valuable assets and ensure safe power generation. It combines a patented fluid delivery system with smart flow sensing and auto-cleaning to resolve challenges related to intermittent flow and particles in sample. The optimized reagent chemistry minimizes common interferences from phosphate and lasts longer. Consuming only about 200 µL of reagent per test, the new analyzer can continuously monitor unattended for up to 100 days while reducing chemical waste. The 8030cX Silica Analyzer features state-of-the-art automation (such as automated calibration, validation and cleaning), advanced intuitive software, intelligent system diagnostics and alert notifications that reduce manual intervention and maintenance.
Monte Markley
The basics of Deep Well Injection as a Leachate Disposal Option (Confirmed)
The basics of Deep Well Injection as a Leachate Disposal Option
Monte Markley – SCS Engineers
Mehmet Gencer
Commercial Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment & WaterReuse – IMET Technology (Confirmed)
Commercial Energy Efficient Wastewater Treatment & WaterReuse - IMET Technology
Mehmet Gencer – IMET Corporation
IMET’s aerobic biological modular wastewater treatment and water reuse technology successfully has been applied to a variety of municipal, residential, commercial, and industrial wastewater treatment and water recovery projects for nearly two decades. These applications include municipal pump stations, commercial grease traps, grease interceptors and pump stations, residential septic tanks and large residential (camp sites) and small municipal wastewater treatment systems, park vault toilet black water treatment and industrial plastics to energy wastewater treatment. IMET technology mimics nature and does not utilize any chemicals except for pH adjustment when necessary. In all these applications, IMET technology has proven to be an economical solution to reduce BOD, COD, Ammonia Nitrogen, Total Nitrogen, and TSS to very low levels, meeting and exceeding discharge requirements. As in the industrial application above, the levels of very high COD (10,000-20,000ppm) and BOD (5,000 -10,000 ppm), have been sustainably reduced to required discharge levels. Over the years, all applications have shown that IMET technology utilizes significantly less energy (less than 50%) as compared to traditional technologies and produces significantly less bio sludge close to elimination levels. Ten years later, this is a follow-up to IMET’s presentations in the last EUEC conferences in 2013 and 2014. This time, we will present results from:•Various municipal and resort pump station applications around the world showing significant reductions in H2S levels and related odor issues within a town and or neighboring towns as well as Fats, Oils and Grease build up in the wet well and downstream.•Wastewater Treatment plant for reduction in levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), Ammonia nitrogen and total suspended solids (TSS).•Vault toilet blackwater treatment to eliminate pump outs and odor while maintaining healthy conditions.In summary, this presentation will provide a selected number of IMET technology applications in the past ten years including IMET’s NSF/ANSI Standard 40 and 245 certification data. IMET Technology, today, represents an economically viable aerobic biological system to recover healthy water from wastewaters towards achieving the sustainability of water. Economically viable technologies such as IMET are needed to achieve the sustainability of water as they enable wastewater to be perpetually reused, recycled and recharged in a healthy manner.
I3
316 (b)
Jeff Scott
The Realities of Installing EPA 316(b) Compliant Traveling Screens
The Realities of Installing EPA 316(b) Compliant Traveling Screens
Jeff Scott – Atlas SSI
This Paper explores the Engineering challenges and lessons learned of implementing EPA 316(b) requirements from a utility and manufacturer prospective. New York State DEC maintained lead agency status and required the equivalent of 316(b) for Con Edison’s East River Station in 2009. Best Technology Available identified replacing its existing dual flow screens with Atlas-SSI Ristroph Screens. The project seemed simple but insuring proper design and operation presented multiple challenges. The journey addressed electrical infrastructure, CFD Modeling of intake flows and structural loading, equipment material selection, fine mesh panel requirements and testing, continuous vs intermittent screen operation and ultimate compliance testing.
Co-Author: Gary Thorn, Consolidated Edison
Bill Stephens
Optimizing Systems of Technologies for 316(b) BTA 6-Estimating Credits and Reductions
I3.1 Optimizing Systems of Technologies for 316(b) BTA 6-Estimating Credits and Reductions
Bill Stephens – J.S. Held
Waterford 3 (WF3), a nuclear power facility on the Lower Mississippi River performed a 2-year site-specific optimization study (January 2020 – January 2022) demonstrating operation of the systems of technologies, operational measures and best managements practices have been optimized to minimize impingement mortality (IM). This study developed a calculation baseline for comparison to determine credits for reductions in IM and entrainment (E) and demonstrated that WF3 operates a BTA meeting IM and E standards. WF3’s in-place systems of technologies include: 1) 33% credit for offshore cooling water intake structure (CWIS) located in the channel border/main channel habitat area where less habitat is available for fish and fish densities are much lower; 2) 27.15% credit for seasonal/operational reduction of cooling water usage from 1440 million gallons per day (MGD) to 1049 MGD; 3) 66.4% credit for minimized area of effective zone of influence (ZOI) compared to defined area of calculation baseline for the CWIS from combined reductions associated with river flow periods and reduced fish density and fish ability to avoid ZOI; and 4) 46% credit for use of fish-friendly multi-disc rotating Geiger screens. From the calculation baseline, credits for the identified reductions in impingement estimate impingeable fish rates based on the performance of each technology. Credit estimations are cumulative as opposed to additive and account for a 91.4% impingement reduction.
John Burnett
A Review of Built Wedge Wire Screen Systems for Clean Water Act 316(b) Compliance
I3.3 A Review of Built Wedge Wire Screen Systems for Clean Water Act 316(b) Compliance
John Burnett – ISI
Intake Screens, Inc. has designed, fabricated, and installed mechanical brush-cleaned wedge wire screen systems for Clean Water Act 316(b) compliance at facilities located across the United States. This presentation will showcase built projects with screen opening sizes ranging from 0.5 mm to 1.75 mm and focus on screen layouts and design features to maximize fish protection and eliminate debris management and biofouling issues. Featured power plant projects will include offshore deep water intake retrofits, traveling water screen retrofit projects, and installations in designated critical habitat habitat for federally protected fishes. Strategies for dealing with surface ice, frazil ice, invasive mussels and more will be discussed.
Kurtis Schlicht
Unique Strategies with 316(b) Compliance at Multiple Facilities
I3.2 Unique Strategies with 3`16(b) Compliance at Multiple Facilities
| Kurtis Schlicht – J.S. Held Four facilities relied on fisheries-based approach to 316b compliance. Each facility developed a calculation baseline for comparison to determine credits for reductions in impingement mortality (IM) and entrainment (E) to demonstrate they met IM and E standards with BTA 6- Systems of Technologies. Each facility was situated on a unique water of the United States (WOUS) in four different states including two nuclear power plants, one fossil power plant and a paper facility. The Texas facility was an estuarine system on Sabine Lake. The Mississippi facility was on the large Lower Mississippi River. The Arkansas facility was located on a seasonal pool of the Arkansas River and the Georgia facility was on the small Chattahoochee River with water levels influenced daily by an upstream power-generating dam. Three of the facilities performed required 2-year impingement technology performance optimization studies and one relied on historical data. A variety of cooling water intake structures (CWIS) locations, zones of influence (ZOI), actual intake flows (AIFs) and screen technology types were assessed. One of the three facilities attempted the de minimis approach. All four facilities demonstrated compliance associated with reductions and credits compared to a calculation baseline with a system’s approach specific to each facilities’ technologies, management practices and operational measures |
Katelyn Jackson
Freshwater Mussel Survey near a Midwestern Power Plant – Regulatory
I1.3 Freshwater Mussel Survey near a Midwestern Power Plant – Regulatory Lessons Learned
Katelyn Jackson – EA
| In 2015, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC (EA) developed a §316(a) Demonstration for a midwestern power station that included biological studies used to examine thermal effects associated with station operations. Such studies included a freshwater mussel survey to characterize the unionid mussel assemblage and habitat on the Illinois River within the thermal plume in the vicinity of the station. A total of 3,349 individuals representing 25 species were collected within the survey area from the semi-quantitative and qualitative sampling efforts. |
I2
PFAS | HOD UV
Fred Olivari
Issues, Trends and Treatment Alternatives of Environmental Liability Associated with PFAS
I2.1 Issues, Trends and Treatment Alternatives of Environmental Liability Associated with PFAS
Fred Olivari – EA Engineering
. In response to increased public awareness of the potential threat PFAS in drinking water supplies pose to humans, more than 15 state regulatory agencies have published PFAS criteria for environmental media. EA will make a presentation that will highlight some of these challenges faced by those impacted by contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS]), and discuss how we are working with our clients to address them. We will review best practices as well as emerging trends and tier anticipated impact.
The presentation will:
• Summarize the current and anticipated future applicable state and Federal PFAS regulations and requirements.
• Define best practices and ways to identify PFAS and Emerging Contaminants Risk and select remedial actions at railroad facilities and properties.
• Provide an overview of recent high-profile PFAS liabilities nationwide and how this could set precedent for future regulatory enforcement or litigation in the utility industry.
• Provide a brief overview of the PFAS Inventory/Prioritization process and how it could be tailored to provide risk-mitigation to the rail industry.
Elisabeth Christ
Destruction of PFAS in High Strength Wastes (Confirmed)
Destruction of PFAS in High Strength Wastes
Elisabeth Christ – Aclarity
With recent action by the USEPA and individual states, stricter regulation of poly- and perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in water and solids wastes will change the way that the water industry has dealt with organic contaminants in the past. Typically, regulated organic contaminants have been controlled through the use of oxidation, e.g., ozonation or chlorination, or by adsorption onto activated carbon, followed by high temperature regeneration. Because of the chemical and thermal stability of PFAS compounds, however, these approaches will not work. It has been shown that even the strongest oxidant commonly used in water treatment, hydroxyl radicals, cannot degrade these compounds. It has also been shown that some PFAS is not destroyed by thermal regeneration of activated carbon, even with an afterburner. Several states have banned the incineration of PFAS-containing wastes.These circumstances have led the industry to search for technologies capable of destroying PFAS by breaking carbon-fluorine bonds, among the strongest known in organic chemistry. Among these destructive technologies are supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), plasma reactors, and electrochemical oxidation (EOx).To date, these technologies have been studied at relatively small scales, and are not economic for treating the millions of gallons per day flows for water treatment plants. However, when coupled with concentration technologies such as high pressure membranes, regenerable ion exchange, or foam fractionation, the technologies can be viable for use in municipal water treatment.This presentation will show results from bench and pilot scale testing of Aclarity’s EOx system treating multiple high strength wastes including reverse osmosis brine, raw landfill leachate, ion exchange brines and foam fractionate. In addition to PFAS destruction data, transformation byproducts will be addressed. Economic data demonstrating viability at larger scales will also be presented.
Dennis Bitter
Long-Term Membrane Performance using HOD UV for Dechlorination and or Disinfection
I 2.3 Long-Term Membrane Performance using HOD UV for Dechlorination and or Disinfection
Dennis Bitter – Atlantium
Plant Bowen installed the Hydro-Optic UV water treatment technology to improve the overall quality of reverse osmosis feed water. Since the installation Plant Bowen has been able to maintain the integrity of their feed water for the boiler and steam cycle, ensuring production and quality levels necessary for the facility to operate efficiently. This presentation will detail the long-term membrane performance with the continuous use of the HOD UV technology at Plant Bowen and other sites (including sites that installed the HOD UV).
What is the desired UV dose to dechlorinate the water to non detect?
If chlorine is not added in the front of the water treatment plant, can the HOD UV disinfect the water (eliminate biocides)?
Can the HOD UV be used on Cooling water?
Chris Hull
Electrochemical Oxidation for PFAS Destruction
I 2.3 Electrochemical Oxidation for PFAS Destruction
Chris Hull – Aclarity LLC
Electrochemical systems have been shown to degrade and destroy compounds like PFAS, 1,4-Dioxane, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), often mineralizing them to carbon dioxide (in the case of organic carbon) or to their constituent elements (nitrogen, fluoride, chlorine, etc.). This presentation will be an overview of electrochemistry, how it fits in the continuum of advanced oxidation processes, and how it can be applied for the destruction of PFAS and other emerging contaminants in several matrices. Data showing destruction of these contaminants using Aclarity’s commercial technology, as well as impacts of system flow rates, applied voltages and amperage, and type of electrodes, will be discussed.
OPEN SPOT
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I4
316 (b) | Dewatering Systems | Impoundments | ESG
Brian Edge
Multi-metals Continuous Water Analyzer Based on ED-XRF
I3.4 Multi-metals Continuous Water Analyzer Based on ED-XRF
Brian Edge – Cooper Environmental Services
Cooper Environmental Services has developed a near real-time continuous water analyzer for multi-metals monitoring. The instrument can achieve sub-part per billion detection limits by pre-concentrating the liquid sample onto a filter media where it is subsequently analyzed by X-Ray Fluorescence. The instrument can report up to 67 metal concentrations simultaneously including selenium (Se), arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). Performance data from the laboratory and a field study at an industrial treatment plant will be discussed.
Co-authors: Krag Petterson & Troy Pittinger
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OPEN SPOT
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Advisory Board
