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Corbin Engineering Consulting - www.uswca.com
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Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
CORBIN CONSULTING
www.uswca.com
PO Box 250
251 North Avenue W.
Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone
908.232-0473 fax
formerly Water Control Associates, Inc.
Give Us Your Tough Issues
And Your Biggest Goals.
Projects
Horace R. Corbin, P.E.
Copper Mining On Top of The World...
The Andes Mountains, Zaldivar, Chile.
PO Box 250
251 North Avenue W.
Westfield, NJ 07091
We’ll Get Right To The Heart Of It
Horace and associates assist clients on major projects throughout the United
States and in many foreign countries. Mr. Corbin, chemical engineer, has 40 years
experience in chemical, refinery, pharmaceutical, electric power generation (nuclear
and fossil), mining, pulp and paper, electronics, food processing, water, and
wastewater engineering.
Horace has several innovations to his credit involving germanium, technetium,
tire manufacturing, acid production, nuclear power, reverse osmosis, high strength
organic waste, power plants, environmental permitting, process design, Zero
Liquid Discharge and systems control.
Horace has published many articles including those for the American Chemical
Society, TAPPI, Power Magazine and Chemical Processing Magazine.
“The Driest Part of The Planet”
“We employ modern tools, talented people, innovation and dedication to
enhance our services for our clients. We are devoted to maintaining leadership
in these areas.”
Technetium Exists
Only in the Stars....
Created by stellar nuclear reactions,
it doesn’t exist naturally
on this earth. 908.232-4407 phone
908.232-0473 fax
info@uswca.com
Technetium Separator
Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
uswca.com
Driest Part of the Planet
CORBIN
CONSULTING
Copper Mining at 13,000 feet... Without a drop of rain in 40 years, the Atacama high desert
plateau in the Andes mountains in northern Chile is considered the driest part of the planet.
It has the appearance similar to the surface of the moon. This area is the reserve of the major
source of the worlds’ copper ore. As luck would have it, modern techniques for copper
electrowinning require high volumes of ultra pure water. WCA, Inc., as part of the team with
several other organizations (Placer Dome, Fluor Daniel, BHP, Minera Escondida and others)
are solving these mining production challenges.First, locate saline water in a volcanic aquifer,
then pump it 60 kilometers horizontally and a mile straight up to the mountain (a
considerable feat). Once at the mine, desalinate it to ultra pure water. The water system must
also provide for the potable and sanitary needs of the miners.Add “fast track” scheduling to
multi-lingual design, construction and operation. Link the engineering teams from many
locations throughout the world over the Internet. Computerize the operation to achieve the
necessary efficiency and reliability. Convert your ocean going cargo containers to living
quarters at 13,000 feet elevation.That’s what it’s like at the driest part of the planet!
Technology Consulting Worldwide Chemical Process, Water, Waste, Production, Environmental,
Research, Development, Consulting, Plant Design, Supply, Automation, Control, Instrumentation, Data
Communication, Project Management
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
uswca.com
CORBIN
CONSULTING
Technetium Exists Only
in the Stars....
Created by stellar nuclear
reactions, it doesn’t exist
naturally on this earth. Yet,
uswca.com technology and
equipment are helping to
eliminate this nasty pollutant
from a U.S. Department of
Energy facility.
Since the end of the Cold
War, disarming Soviet Union
nuclear weapons is creating
radioactive Technetium
wastewater - uswca processes and decontaminates the wastewater. Ultimately, the
radioactivity is isolated (for a few thousand years) in solid concrete. The
Technetium contaminant is separated from the wastewater and converted into a
solid form by using special absorbing and reactive metal media.
Elemental Technetium, discovered in 1937, has about 19 radioactive isotopes
with atomic masses ranging from 90 to 108. Some isotopes decay rapidly. The
isotope 95m_Tc has a half life of 61 days. This rapidly decaying isotope is used
as a tracer in the medical diagnosis of certain human ailments. Other isotopes
have a half life measured in thousand of years. The isotope 97_Tc has a half life
of 2.6 million years. This is troublesome.
Technetium was the first element to be produced artificially. Searches for the
element in terrestrial materials has been without success. However, Technetium
has been found in the spectrum of S-, M-, and N-type stars.
Corbin Consulting has assisted with many projects. Each one has an interesting
technical, commercial and/or manufacturing story.
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
Biological Wastewater Treatment
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Aerobic & Anaerobic Biological
Wastewater Treatment
Many wastewaters are purified of soluble
organic contamination by utilizing the metabolic
functions of microorganisms.
Specials machines maintain precise conditions so
that specific cultures thrive. These cultures feed
on the wastes and purify the water. Two basic
processes are employed.
Treatment Plants are custom designed for each
specific application. The nature and quantity
of the wastewater are the largest factors
influencing design configuration. A small size
system is shown on the right.
CORBIN
Digestion
Aeration
CONSULTING
The Aerobic process grows microbes requiring the presence of dissolved air (oxygen)
in the water. This is normally accomplished with open chambers and air blowers. The
Anaerobic process grows microbes that cannot exist with dissolved air in the water.
So, the reactors are closed to the atmosphere. The plants can be large or small.
Clarification
Treatment plants are composed of multiple
unit operations, arranged in a coordinated
manner to ensure performance and to
minimize costs. A complete instrumentation
and control system is required in modern day
facilities.
With attention to design detail and with
proper training of personnel, the facilities can
be easy to operate and to maintain.
To protect the environment and to achieve
regulatory compliance for wastewater
discharge, many tools and considerable
experience are available.
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
Oil Water Separation
Summer 2010
One of the world’s largest environmental disasters is occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, 5,000 feet
below the surface of the ocean with oil gushing into the sea and on to beaches. Officials seem
paralyzed to respond. Solving the ruptured drilling rig pipe is for sure a tremendous challenge.
However, mitigation seems forestalled though a massive effort is ongoing to assess the blame.
Many of the world’s experts have not been requested to assist, or even allowed.
3.0
2.0
0.75
OUTLET 3" NOZZLE AND FLANGE
LOCATE C/L 0.8' FROM BOTTOM
Most times, the solutions to the most challenging problems start with the basics.
PLACE TO EDGE OF BAFFLE AND
MATCH DRILL MACHINE BOLT HOLES;
CUT AND PLACE SEAL GASKET END TO END;
POSITION AND LEVEL WEIR EDGE;
BOLT THE ASSEMBLY IN PLACE.
LENGTH @ FULL TANK WIDTH,
TOP STRAIGHT EDGE @ +/- 0.03' END TO END
C/L
0.5'
3" DEEP SLOTS FOR 0.5" BOLTS & WASHERS,
LOCATE ON 1 FOOT CENTERS THROUGHOUT 0.5' WIDE PLATE
WEIR DETAIL
(TYPICAL FOR ALL)
VAPOR VENT, 3" CPVC
U-BOLT TO INSIDE TANK WALL
FLOAT LS C/L
NOTE: MAKE EACH UNIT
LEFT OR RIGHT HANDED
DEPENDING ON FIELD
SITE ARRANGEMENT.
BACK VIEW
2.0
DRAIN
0.5'
FRONT VIEW
W
1.5
1.0
INLET AND SLOP OVERFLOW
3" NOZZLE AND FLANGE
2.5
2.0
0.75
SLOP
L
TK-1 (L = 30; W = 8.0; H = 5.0)
TK-2 (L = 32; W = 9.5; H = 5.0)
C/L
PLAN VIEW
SEE WEIR DETAIL SEE WEIR DETAIL
INTERNAL BAFFLES, 0.25" THICK A-36 STEEL NOMINAL THROUGHOUT
SEAL WELD ON ALL TANK WALL CONTACT SURFACES
CENTER
SLUDGE DRAIN
3" NOZZLE AND FLANGE
SIDE VIEW
TK-1 AND TK-2
API SEPARATOR, GILLETTE, WY
H. CORBIN, WCA, 5/18/98
H. CORBIN, P.E. - MAY, 1998
TEMPORARY SYSTEM IN OPERATION
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com
CORBIN
CONSULTING
uswca.com
C/L
1.0
H
Water Treatment Reactors
uswca.com
Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
www.uswca.com
REACTORS REACTORS
www.uswca.com
CORBIN
CONSULTING
Water and wastewater are treated by chemical Water and wastewater are treated by chemical
and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of
modern industrial and municipal facilities. modern industrial and municipal facilities.
Impurities in raw water are precipitated with Impurities in raw water are precipitated with
chemicals in the reactor. Then, pure water is chemicals in the reactor. Then, pure water is
separated from the billowing mass. separated from the billowing mass.
PUTTING CHEMISTRY TO WORK PUTTING CHEMISTRY TO WORK
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com System Design
uswca.com
Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
www.uswca.com
QUALITY SHOWS QUALITY SHOWS
www.uswca.com
CORBIN
CONSULTING
If there’s art in engineering, quality most If there’s art in engineering, quality most
certainly is an essential component. certainly is an essential component.
It takes experience and committment to get It takes experience and committment to get
the complete job done. A little knowledge of the complete job done. A little knowledge of
chemistry and physics doesn’t hurt either. chemistry and physics doesn’t hurt either.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
WCA Engineers - www.uswca.com WCA Engineers
WCA Engineers
WCA Engineers
Processing facilities cover huge areas at the
Chilean copper mines.
Copper Mining
UP, UP AND AWAY UP, UP AND AWAY
Copper mines in northern Chile are high in the
Andes Mountains, hundreds of miles from...well.
HUNGRY, VERY HUNGRY
Tons of ore are moved in seconds over distances
of miles.
MILES AND MILES
STACKS AND STACKS
Reverse Osmosis membrane stacks remove
the salt from high pressurize water.
WCA Engineers
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com
WCA Engineers
CORBIN
CONSULTING
WCA Engineers
LUNAR LIKE LUNAR LIKE
WCA Engineers
REACTORS REACTORS
WCA Engineers
TOUGH GUYS TOUGH GUYS
uswca.com
Not a drop of rain in 40 years, the Atacama
high desert plateau is considered the driest part
of the planet.
PROCESSING COPPER PROCESSING COPPER
Copper is dissolved from crude ore then converted
to pure solid plate in electrowinning facilities.
Copper mining in the Andes is not for the timid or
frail. Highly skilled men from around the world
master the challenge.
Water and wastewater are treated by chemical
and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of
modern industrial and municipal facilities.
Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
Clients
Hilton Hotels International
Air Products & Chemicals
CORBIN
CONSULTING
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IBM
General Electric
Lockwood-Greene
Fluor Daniel
Wright Engineers
Placer Dome
Simons
Hoffmann-La Roche
Eckenfelder
AT&T Bell Labs
Nascolite Superfund Site
Lucent Technologies
Stone Container
DuPont
Merck
Thermo Electron
Ebasco Services
Raytheon
Pharmacia
Sandoz
New Jersey Steel
U.S. Dept. of Energy
Savannah River Site
Ames Rubber
Lockheed Martin
M. Polaner/B&G Foods
MK-Ferguson of Oak Ridge
Ocean States Power
Connecticut Light & Power
City of New York
Jersey Central Power & Light
AES
Delmarva Power & Light
Foster Wheeler
Minera Escondida Limitada
ABB
Degremont
Newport Generation
Sargent & Lundy
Kessler Institute
Hackensack Water Co.
Vattenfalls Ringhals
Kvaerner
Exxon
Hess Oil
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com Engineering Due Diligence Water Waste Process Power Economics Marketing
Professional Profile
Horace R. Corbin, P.E.
Florida and Texas.
CORBIN
CONSULTING
and operates engineering consulting, newspaper and Internet publishing companies.
uswca.com
Horace Corbin is the owner of Corbin Consulting and of Watchung Communications, Inc. Company
profiles are available at www.uswca.com and at www.goleader.com. Mr. Corbin has 40 years of business,
engineering, and publishing experience. He has directed and served on many engineering projects involving
nuclear energy, electric power generation, mining, refining, pharmaceutical, chemical, potable water,
sewage, industrial waste, air pollution control, solid waste, “SuperFund”cleanup, pulp & paper, fiber optics
and food & beverage processing throughout North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and
the Far East.
Mr. Corbin is a registered professional engineer and a newspaper publisher in New Jersey. He has practiced
professional engineering in several states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California,
EDUCATION: Mr. Corbin is a chemical engineering graduate from Drexel University and elastomer
technology from the University of Akron. He has many business, management and technical continuing
education courses to his credit. He has authored several articles for publications including Power Magazine,
Chemical Processing, American Power Conference, TAPPI and the American Chemical Society. He has
lectured at many business and trade associations.
WORK HISTORY: Mr. Corbin was employed by Mobil Oil, Dupont, Exxon Research and Engineering,
Graver Water Co., R. F. Weston Consulting Engineers and Degremont. He served in several capacities
including research, development, design, management, sales and marketing. For the past 20 years, he owns
ENGINEERING PROFICIENCY: Mr. Corbin provides consulting for project development, economic
review, Due Diligence, Expert Witness, concept & process design, instrumentation, control, communication
networks, information management, training, documentation and troubleshooting for industry, government,
authorities, financiers, architects, engineers, constructors and developers.
SYNOPSIS OF PAST WORK: In the 1970’s, Mr. Corbin commissioned several nuclear power plant
facilities in the U.S. and Sweden involving radwaste treatment, reactor cleanup, fuel pool cleanup and
condensate polishing. He commissioned advanced phosphorus removal for the EPA and designed water
reuse techniques for pulp and paper. He led technology transfer from Germany for electromagnetic filtration
of nuclear reactor core water, applied the use of reverse osmosis for high pressure boilers and developed new
techniques for tire, inner tube and chemical production. In the 1980’s on New York City’s sewage treatment
plant upgrades, Mr. Corbin served in retrofitting the headworks, inlet bar screens and digester screens, which
comprise some of the world’s largest sewage treatment facilities. Also during this era, Mr. Corbin teamed
with Exxon Engineering in developing air pollution oxidation treatment and catalyst fines removal
processes, which are now the standard for the world’s refinery operation. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Mr.
Corbin developed and implemented Zero Liquid Discharge technology for several dozen power stations and
trash incinerators in the northeast, Florida, southwestern U.S. and California. In the 1990’s, Mr. Corbin
created advanced water systems for the world’s largest copper mines located in Escondida and Zaldivar,
Chile. In the 2000s, Mr. Corbin is focusing on senior level consulting for law firms and major corporations
in expert testimony, business development, “Going Green” initiatives, environmental issues, market
economics and productivity.
Mr. Corbin served on teams for many varied projects including potable water and sewage systems, village
water and sewage systems, hospital wastes, toxic wastes, advanced tertiary systems, sterilization, anaerobic
and aerobic food & pharmaceutical wastewater treatment, SuperFund cleanup, potable water systems with
ozone, power plant cooling, germanium recovery for fiber optics manufacturing, oil/water separation in
refining and steel making, technetium removal in weapons disarmament and luxury hotel utility systems. Mr.
Corbin pioneered the use of computers, instruments, controls and networks to manage and optimize complex
facilities and to coordinate regional operations.
PO Box 250 251 North Avenue W. Westfield, NJ 07091
908.232-4407 phone 908.232-0473 fax info@uswca.com CORBIN Consulting
ZLD ZLD
Cedar Bay 1994
Crystallizer
2 Evaporators
CORBIN Consulting
ZLD ZLD ZLD ZLD
Cedar Bay 1994 Cedar Bay 1994
Crystallizer Crystallizer
2 Evaporators 2 Evaporators
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
TECHNICAL REPORT - ZERO DISCHARGE CONSIDERATIONS
December 2, 1991 - WATER CONTROL ASSOCIATES, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
As of 1991, WCA has engineered and supplied eight (8) Zero Discharge Systems since 1986 with
others currently under design. The Systems are innovative, work well, and cost effective. Four of
these plants are in New England (Ocean State in Rhode Island for Ebasco/Bechtel/G.E., 2 in New
Hampshire, 1 in Maine). WCA is currently engineering what may be the largest and most complex
system in the world (Cedar Bay - Jacksonville, Fla.).
An innovative installation to date is in Delano, CA (in operation for 1 & 1/2 years). WCA is
engaged to double the Delano size for a second power block currently underway. It is
"Advanced", which means practical & economic, innovative process design and application,
"state-of-the-art" automation and controls, low parasitic power and chemical requirements,
straight forward operation and maintenance, optimum environmental sensibility; (essentially
"smart" steel with chemical engineering and operations "know how"). WCA incorporated several
proprietary features in the system which make this possible.
For Delano Unit 1, WCA's customer was ABB & Schneider Engs. through the developer, Thermo
Electron of Waltham, MA. On Unit 2, ABB is supplying the turbine generator, UE&C Boston
provides general engineering, and WCA is supplying the water system direct to Thermo Electron.
Other systems are in various stages with divisions of ABB, Bechtel, Schneider, Simons Eastern,
Ebasco, General Electric, Westinghouse and others.
WCA provides Professional Services, permitting assistance, construction management, contract
operations and maintenance in the specialty of Zero Discharge. WCA compliments the efforts of
others as part of the team. This arrangement has produced excellent results; effective Project and
Cost Management; satisfied owners, operators, and suppliers.
When providing design/supply contracts, WCA uses "Top-of-the-Line" components from
suppliers who include Netszch, Komline Sanderson, Infilco Degremont, Allen Bradley, Duriron,
Goulds, instrument and control suppliers, resin suppliers, R.O. components, Alfa Laval, Marley,
Milton Roy, vessel and fabricating shops, and many others.
A Zero Discharge System includes several subsystems such as:
1. Reverse Osmosis for Makeup Demineralization.
2. Sidestream Treatment of the Cooling Tower.
3. Secondary Waste Reactor.
4. Waste Brine Concentrator (evaporative tower or mechanical).
5. Crystallizer (steam, mechanical or submerged combustion).
6. Solids and Salt Slurry Dewatering.
7. System Integration and Control.
Page - 1
CORBIN Consulting
ZLD - ZLD - Delano, CA 1990 Delano, CA 1990
n Water and wastewater are treated by chemical Water and wastewater are treated by chemical
and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of
the power station facility. the power station facility.
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
8. Chemical Optimization and Reuse.
TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS:
THE WATER SUPPLY - Detailed raw water source(s) analyses are required for system design.
Is more than one supply to be utilized? Is City water or well water to be used for boiler makeup
and NOx suppression requirements? Is river water, other surface water, well water, or recovered
wastewater to be used for cooling tower makeup? The analyses of all sources are to be
determined.
RAW WATER PRETREATMENT - In general, it is not necessary to pretreat cooling tower
makeup from most water sources. It is usually more effective (technically and economically) to
employ sidestream treatment of the cooling tower. In extreme cases, both pretreatment of the
makeup and sidestream treatment are required for optimum cooling tower operation in Zero
Discharge Systems.
High hardness supplies, high turbidity surface waters and recovered wastewaters (such as
secondary STP effluent and industrial effluents) used as cooling tower makeup generally require
pretreatment. Pretreatment and/or Sidestream Treatment may be recommended when applicable.
As a precursor to reverse osmosis and ion exchange, water supply pretreatment is required. For
City waters, this pretreatment may be limited to pH adjustment, chlorine removal and polishing
filtration. For other supplies, elaborate pretreatment may be required including clarification, sand
filtration, acidification, degasification, activated carbon, and cartridge filtration. WCA will advise
the nature of pretreatment required based on the supply characteristics.
PARASITIC POWER - It is environmentally (and economically) unproductive to expend
extensive parasitic power (connected and operating) for the operation of evaporators and
crystallizers in Zero Discharge Designs. WCA recommends avoiding (or minimizing) this,
wherever possible, with alternate design techniques.
Parasitic power consumption is environmentally undesirable. Substantial environmental releases
occur from parasitic power generation (thermal, air, water and solid waste). Electric power
generation is energy inefficient. Therefore, the best Environmental Plan strongly favors
minimizing the parasitic load. Waste energy reuse and direct energy conversion are favored in
WCA designs when energy consumption becomes necessary. Prior to this, every design effort is
made to minimize this requirement.
Power stations have an abundance of waste energy which can be used for wastewater
concentration at little cost and with environmental sensibility. The condenser is the primary
source. Waste extraction steam, boiler blowdown and others can be applied as supplement when
and if required.
Page - 2
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
CHEMICAL USE MINIMIZATION - Avoiding the use of chemicals is a paramount factor in
Zero Discharge Design. INPUT = OUTPUT + ACCUMULATION. When chemicals must be
used, discriminating application, integration, control, and reuse are invoked to realize efficiency.
To avoid buildup in the system, releases to the environment, and equipment malfunction; synthetic
organic chemicals must be largely excluded from the plant (polymers, dispersants, antiscalants,
organic biocides, etc.). Only "natural earth" inorganic chemicals (acid, caustic, lime, soda ash,
MgO, etc.) are recommended. The benefits of this policy have been well established.
"RESTRICTED CHEMICAL USE" procedures required by Zero Discharge operation may be
unfamiliar to many due to past conventions and chemical supplier recommendations. WCA
provides detailed process and operating specifications to simplify implementation and to optimize
performance.
BOILER MAKEUP TREATMENT - As a first step, designs using reverse osmosis for boiler
makeup and NOx suppression are recommended. The R.O. effluent is polished by Mixed Bed ion
exchange. Acid and caustic use is reduced by ~95% compared to that of "standalone"
conventional ion exchange. Waste quantities are reduced correspondingly. Waste neutralization is
not employed. If possible, on-site ion exchange regeneration should be entirely avoided.
Otherwise, small regeneration wastes that result are reused; by keeping them separate and by
feeding them as reagents to other processes within the wastewater and cooling tower system. The
R.O. reject, relatively dilute, is used as cooling tower makeup. By employing the above
techniques, about half of the Zero Discharge Brine Management problems are avoided in most
cases.
COOLING TOWER & CONDENSER CONSIDERATIONS - When suitably designed and
controlled, the cooling tower is the most effective and sensible appliance for achieving Zero
Discharge. No parasitic energy is consumed. Chemical use is minimized. The environmental
impact is minor and is the lowest of all other alternatives.
As example: By applying Sidestream Treatment, plants in New Hampshire, Maine, and California
operate without Tower Blowdown, expend no parasitic energy, and consume the minimum of
chemicals.
At these installations (without the use of R.O.), the circulating water TDS is maintained at
~12,000 mg/l (sodium sulfate). Corrosion and fouling rates are very low. Chemical additives and
environmental impacts are at a minimum. Materials of construction for the condenser, cooling
tower, and piping are standard (typically admiralty brass and copper/nickel tubes). Titanium
condenser tubes are used for severe duty applications. This permits high circulating water TDS
operation in excess of 40,000 mg/l.
Page - 3
CORBIN Consulting
STACKS AND STACKS STACKS AND STACKS
n Reverse Osmosis membrane stacks remove Reverse Osmosis membrane stacks remove
the salt from high pressurize water. the salt from high pressurize water.
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
In difficult applications, 316 SS tubes are not recommended due to the potential for chloride
stress crack corrosion. One such example is where hot, bypass condenser service must be used
during turbine dump, offline operation.
SIDESTREAM TREATMENT - Water supplies low in TDS make Zero Blowdown possible in
cooling tower operation. Sidestream treatment acts as a kidney to the circulation loop. Calcium,
silica, alkalinity, suspended solids, and microbial action are stripped from the system. Harmless
sodium salts rise in limited fashion within the system to acceptable levels. Chemical additives are
largely unnecessary.
Page - 4
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
Reference article abstract (Horace Corbin, Chemical Processing Magazine, August 1991).
COOLING TOWER CYCLES OF CONCENTRATION - This commonly used term is imprecise.
Without further examination, design, environmental, and operating oversights can arise. Modeling
of the specific circulating water parameters is required. These parameters include:
DETECTION
Algae growth
Laboratory Analyses
Mass Measurement
Chemical Oxygen Demand
BOD5
Laboratory Analysis
pH & Alkalinity
Ca & SiO2 Measurement
Ion Measurement
CIRCULATING WATER PARAMETERS
PARAMETER
1. Biological Activity
2. Viruses & Microbes
3. Suspended Solids
4. Chemical Organics
5. Biodegradable Organics
6. Metal Contaminants
7. Acidity/Causticity
8. Scaling Salts
9. Soluble Salts
Each parameter has a distinct environmental and operating impact. The "mix" results in a
synergistic and composite effect. The simplistic concept of "Cycles of Concentration" is of little
assistance for precise engineering and operation. Detailed control of each parameter and the
composite is required.
"Cycles" compares circulating water characteristic to that of the inlet water. Other significant
influences are at work in the dynamics of operation. These include:
DYNAMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING CIRCULATING WATERS
1. Air Impurities Imparted to the System. 2. Residuals Resulting from Treatment Chemicals. 3.
Biological Action. 4. Air Stripping of CO2 and volatile organics. 5. Chemical Scaling. 6. Chemical
Corrosion. 7. Chemical and Chemical/Physical Fouling. 8. Wastewaters Added to the System. 9.
Impurities from the Makeup Supply. 10. Impurities purged by Blowdown, Drift, and Windage.
11. Effectiveness of Treatment Techniques. 12. Effectiveness of Control Systems.
Page - 5
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
DESIGN & CONTROL CONDITIONS FOR CIRCULATING WATERS
Extensive operating data and measurements have been collected and analyzed by WCA over the
last several years. The design and control of the "Mix of Parameters" for circulating waters can
now be precisely established for new plants to minimize water consumption, reduce wastes, assure
reliable operation, prevent scaling and corrosion, and minimize impacts to the environment.
The design and operating window is summarized below:
CIRCULATING WATER DESIGN PARAMETERS (controlled with Sidestream Treatment)
PARAMETER
pH, S.U.
Ca, ppm
Mg, ppm
SiO2, mg/l
HCO3, ppm
CO3, ppm
SS, mg/l
Conductivity,
Metals, mg/l
BOD5
COD
Nearly complete microbe and virus sterilization is maintained by the action of sidestream
treatment (high pH shock kill and chem/physical removal) plus the use of inorganic bromine
residual. This technique also eliminates algae and slim growth.
Notes: Organic treatment additives to the system are disallowed. Sulfuric acid is added for
precision pH maintenance. No evidence of scaling or fouling has been detected with the above
conditions after several years of observation. Corrosion coupons displayed rates less than 1 mil
per year.
CASE STUDY (Plant A and Plant B):
At the time of design for the above plants, Zero Discharge technology was not mature.
Experience and operating data were limited. The Engineers for the above projects chose different
paths. Now, over a years' operating data are now available from each Plant to compare the
successes of the different paths. Both plants achieve Zero Discharge.
From a chemical processing point of view, the plants are of similar size. Plant B is 30Megawatts
compared to Plant A at 250 Megawatts per Unit. However, the Plant B water supply is several
times higher in TDS. As such, the Zero Discharge operations are comparable.
PLANT A:
hcorbin@goleader.com
TARGET RANGE
8.2 8-8.3
700 1000 max.
50 0-200
100 150 max.
140 (fixed by pH)
0 (fixed by pH)
<20 (successfully maintained in all cases)
mmhos (no target limit, 25,000 database max.)
<.3 (successfully maintained in all cases)
<10 (higher values not observed)
no discovered limit up to 750 mg/l
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CORBIN Consulting
REACTORS REACTORS
n Water and wastewater are treated by chemical Water and wastewater are treated by chemical
and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of and physical means in reactor clarifiers as part of
modern industrial and municipal facilities. modern industrial and municipal facilities.
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
At Plant A, Zero Discharge Water Systems (two stations) are equipped with 3 Evaporators, 3
crystallizers, 3 electro-dialysis concentrators, makeup ion exchange and pretreatment, waste
neutralization, greensand filters for wastewater iron removal and sidestream treatment. The
connected parasitic load exceeds 2 MegaWatts. The installed cost at Plant A for the water and
wastewater facility was ~$20 million.
The operation of Plant A proves to be complex and expensive to maintain & operate. Continuous
difficulty is experienced with evaporator and crystallizer fouling and mechanical failure. The EDR
membranes are sensitive and foul.
The Plant A operating staff is overloaded with duties to keep the EDR, Evaporator, and
Crystallizer operational along with the rest of the equipment. The water staff comprises 24
operators plus management, laboratory, and chemistry personnel.
UPGRADES TO PLANT A:
WCA demonstrated operation of Plant A for over a month using sidestream treatment and ion
exchange improvements to maintain the circulating water below 4000 TDS while achieving Zero
Discharge without the use of the EDR, evaporators or crystallizers. Modifications are now
underway to make many of these provisions permanent.
From this work, it has been demonstrated that the use of reverse osmosis would be of significant
benefit for the production of boiler water makeup and NOx suppression water while improving
the Zero Discharge performance.
Membrane processes such as EDR are sensitive to fouling when used for wastewater
concentration in Zero Discharge systems. Membrane processes are best applied on the clean
waterside such as a precursor to ion exchange to improve chemical efficiency and reduce waste
generation.
In power stations supplied with good quality water supplies, vapor compression brine
concentrators (evaporators) are (may be) unnecessary, and the costly and difficult operating
requirements can be avoided. Similarly, the use of crystallizers can be minimized.
PLANT B:
At Plant B, the WCA system employs ion exchange for boiler makeup production, chemical &
waste reuse, sidestream treatment, a secondary waste reactor, a brine concentrating tower, and a
4 gpm evaporative pond. Connected parasitic load is ~150 HP. The water and wastewater facility
including the evaporation pond was ~$2.5 million installed.
The system has operated reliably since startup. The circulating water is maintained at 20,000
mmhos with low corrosion and no fouling. The plant chemist operates the complete water system
with assistance at night by a utility operator.
Page - 7
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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UPGRADES TO PLANT B:
To increase the capacity of the system to accommodate a second generating unit, reverse osmosis
is being added for boiler makeup production. The current production of demineralized water by
ion exchange generates approximately 50% of the station brine waste. This waste will be
eliminated by 90% upon installation of the R.O.
Additional automation is being installed such that one operator can handle the added water duties
created by the second generating station. Remote monitoring and technical servicing by telephone
modem will be installed to connect the plant control system with WCA headquarters. This avoids
the need to increase the size of the technical staff at Plant B.
PLANT A AND PLANT B CONCLUSIONS:
1. Both plants will benefit greatly with the addition of Reverse Osmosis treatment prior to
ionexchange.
2. Plant B operates reliably with little manpower, maintenance, parasitic power, and chemical
consumption. The sidestream techniques, chemical recovery, secondary waste reactor and
Evaporative Tower are reliable and rugged. The brine waste volume resulting is small. Crystallizer
processing is avoided by use of the evaporation pond. The control system and automation for
integrating the system proves to be very important to the success. Additional control
improvements and remote servicing provisions will be added.
3. Plant A is difficult to operate and maintain. Manpower requirements are excessive. Parasitic
loads and chemical consumption are high. Electrodialysis, vapor compression evaporation and
crystallization cause great difficulty and expense. Many of the techniques from Plant B will be
installed at Plant A to improve circumstances.
4. A reliable and rugged crystallizing process is required for Zero Discharge operation. Where
climatic and land conditions permit, evaporative ponds are ideal. Mechanically driven crystallizers
appear unsatisfactory for the application.
BRINE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:
Zero Discharge Systems require reliable and rugged methods for brine management and disposal.
Four general methods exist: PREVENTION, DIVERSION, CONCENTRATION and
CRYSTALLIZATION.
BRINE PREVENTION: The most effective management technique is to minimize brine
production. The highest quality raw water source, proper use, and efficient preparation provides
direct prevention. Proficient inter-plant processing (cooling tower operation, demineralized water
production, chemical minimization, chemical reuse, and recovery) provide additional prevention.
Applying automation, integration and processing "know-how" achieves significant results.
Page - 8
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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Where raw water supplies are good, PREVENTION TECHNIQUES in combination with
NATURAL SYSTEMS LOSSES are sufficient to meet the complete brine management and
disposal requirements in many applications to achieve Zero Discharge.
BRINE DIVERSION: Many processes within a power station can be arranged to consume brine .
laden wastewaters. These include ash quenching, dry flue gas scrubber injection water, ash
treatment and spraying, interstitial water displacement of dewatered sludges and area wide
washdown evaporation. With design integration, diversion is an important factor for brine
management.
.
With PREVENTION and DIVERSION, most stations can achieve Zero Discharge without the
need for CONCENTRATION AND CRYSTALLIZATION.
BRINE CONCENTRATION: Waste streams can be concentrated up to approximately 17%by
weight salt by a combination of methods. Further concentration is not possible with these methods
as sodium salt crystallization occurs which fouls the equipment. In the dilute concentrating range
(up to 3-4% TDS) reverse osmosis and electrodialysis have been used. To achieve the higher
levels of concentration, evaporation techniques are required.
Reverse Osmosis and Electrodialysis are membrane separation processes using electric energy to
achieve the results. The details of these processes are not covered within this text. The processes
are well understood and considerable data are published for the reader to explore, if desired.
In Zero Discharge Systems, membrane processes are sensitive to fouling and scaling when
concentrating wastewaters. Dependable operation may not be possible. Therefore, their use is
generally not recommended for this application. Membrane processes are best applied in clean
water systems such as for demineralized water production.
EVAPORATORS are being used with reasonable success for brine concentration in Zero
Discharge applications. Two basic evaporator methods are being used: Vapor Compression
(falling film, slurry recirculation) and Evaporative Towers. Other evaporator types are available,
such as multiple effect, steam driven units. These are not used in Zero Discharge System due to
technical and cost limitations. The reader is referred to the CHEMICALENGINEER'S
HANDBOOK by Perry for further detail.
EVAPORATIVE TOWERS: The simplest brine concentrating method is the Evaporative Tower.
This system is similar to a conventional cooling tower. The waste stream is circulated within the
tower system over packing and contacted by ambient air drawn through the system with fans.
Heat is applied to the circulating water through a plate exchanger powered by station condenser
waste heat. Higher temperature waste energy (steam, condensate, boiler blowdown, or
combustion gas) can be applied as a supplement to increase the capacity of the system.
Page - 9
CORBIN Consulting
FROM THE TOP FROM THE TOP
n Four of these pressure vessels filter 2500 gpm Four of these pressure vessels filter 2500 gpm
of clarified water (about 500 M3/hr.). of clarified water (about 500 M3/hr.).
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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Water vapor evaporates and exits with the exhaust air as a function of the relative humidity
relationship. Feed is added to maintain level in the tower basin. The circulation fluid is monitored
to control the conductivity (dissolved salt). A bleed stream of concentrate results.
Prior to entering the tower, the feed is processed by a reactor to strip calcium, magnesium and
silica from the stream which prevents scaling. The pH within the tower is maintained between7
and 8 pH by acid addition. In this manner, the stream can be concentrated up to 17% by weight
salt.
WCA has applied this system for use in Zero Discharge Systems. The installed and operating cost
is low. Energy consumption is low as waste condenser heat is the primary source. The system is
reliable, effective and requires little attention.
VAPOR COMPRESSION EVAPORATION: Waste streams can be concentrated to 17% salt and
the pure water recovered as condensate by using the "Vapor Compression, falling film, slurry
recirculation Evaporator.
The liquid within the unit is seeded and maintained with ~8% calcium sulfate crystals (to avoid
scaling). This liquor is kept in constant circulation by pumping to the top of a vertical tube
exchanger section. Liquor coats the tubes and falls to the main body for pumping.
A vapor compressor provides the energy input which is exchanged to the liquor. Boiling vapors
are the input to the compressor. The heated vapors condense and are recovered after transferring
energy to the fluid.
This system is expensive, difficult to operate, requires maintenance for scale removal and is a high
energy consumer. When it's important and economically viable to recover the water vapor, the
system has greater application in Zero Discharge Systems.
CRYSTALLIZATION: Two general crystallization processes exist: PASSIVE and FORCED.
Both have limits of applicability, operation, and high cost.
A solar evaporative pond, the primary Passive technique, is a reliable method for crystallization
where climatic and land conditions permit. Most sites are limited and cannot employ this method.
The remaining option for brine management is FORCED CRYSTALLIZATION. Two basic
versions exist: VAPOR RELEASE and VAPOR RECOVERY. Within each version, options for
energy type and application vary. The most prevalent energy types include electric, fuel
combustion, and steam.
VAPOR RELEASE FORCED CRYSTALLIZATION: Kilns, incineration, spray driers, and
submerged combustion units are common examples.
Page - 10
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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KILNS are used in the chemical industry where the production of a valuable product is the
primary goal. High temperature gas (several hundred degrees) is contacted with brine liquor in a
rotating vessel to drive off the moisture and to capture the dried product. Due to the high energy
cost and high equipment cost, kilns are generally not applicable to Zero Discharge systems.
INCINERATORS are used to destruct liquids and solids by injection at direct contact with a high
temperature flame. Toxic organic compounds are often destroyed by this method. Incinerators
consume very high energy and are generally not applicable to liquids which create a solid residue
by-product such as in Zero Discharge Systems.
SPRAY DRIERS contact the atomized waste liquid with high temperature and high velocity gas
to evaporate the moisture. Solid residues are carried within the gas stream to a bag filter for
removal. Spray driers have some applicability to Zero Discharge System although they are
expensive, suffer high energy cost, and are difficult to maintain.
SUBMERGED COMBUSTION CRYSTALLIZATION is the most used method of the past in
the chemical industry. The outstanding feature of this device is its' low equipment cost, ease of
operation and resistance to scaling. A clean burning fuel is required as the combustion products
come in direct contact with the brine and are discharged to the atmosphere. Energy consumption
is moderately high (~2000 BTU's per pound of water evaporated).
The fuel (such as natural gas, propane, or LPG) is burned with excess air compressed under low
pressure within a chamber. The hot combustion gas product exits and sparges below the liquid
surface in a vat to cause evaporation. Direct energy transfer occurs and crystalline solids form
between the liquid-gas interface. Scaling is not possible with this technique.
Due to its' simplicity and non scaling nature, SUBMERGED COMBUSTION
CRYSTALLIZATION may grow in its use for Zero Discharge Systems where a clean fuel source
is available. In power stations, natural gas or propane are commonly available.
VAPOR RECOVERY FORCED CRYSTALLIZATION:
Several methods exist and the reader is referred to the "CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
HANDBOOK by Perry, for detail. The processes can be conducted under atmospheric pressure
and under vacuum. Atmospheric operation is most common.
Two energy driver methods (steam and vapor compression) have been used in Zero Discharge
Systems with some success.
Vapor compression units offer the convenience of using electric power. A compressor (ratio of
~1.5) creates heat which is exchanged to the liquid to drive evaporation. The water vapor
evaporated feeds the inlet of the compressor, is raised in temperature, flows through a heat
exchanger, is condensed and is recovered. Crystals develop in the evaporator body and are
extracted for disposal.
Page - 11
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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Vapor compression is limited to the maximum temperature rise of the compressor (~18degrees).
In wastewaters, calcium chloride often exists which creates a boiling point elevation of up to 40
degrees. When this occurs, the motive force of the compressor cannot overcome the boiling point
rise. The unit stalls (ceases to operate).
To overcome the boiling point rise effect, steam can be used in the heat exchanger rather than
compressed vapor energy to drive the crystallizer evaporation. This improves the flexibility of the
process. The convenience of electric connection is lost.
Vapor recovery crystallizers are costly, can be difficult to operate & maintain, and can scale.
Where vapor recovery is important, the steam driven method provides superior flexibility
compared to vapor compression. When steam is not available, care must be exercised in reviewing
the stalling effect of boiling point rise with vapor compressor applications.
Vapor Recovery Forced Crystallization equipment is subject to operating and control difficulty
from: scaling, heat transfer fouling, foaming and carryover, high boiling point rise, corrosion, and
high energy consumption.
The most important consideration in Crystallizer choice in Zero Discharge Systems is operating
reliability and low maintenance. Energy consumption is a secondary consideration.
MATERIAL BALANCE OVERVIEW:
WCA’s practice is to model the system calculations with personal computers. Inputs and
operating parameters are varied to calculate the impacts.
Example Discussion:
Producing 140 gpm of ion exchanged water produces about 4 pounds of chemical waste (acid &
caustic) per pound of inlet TDS removed plus the original salt mass of the supply. This is
equivalent to the salt load of evaporating 700 gpm of water in the cooling tower. Using R.O.
eliminates 95% of the chemical waste. The supply TDS mass remains but is manageable through
addition to the tower. As an overview, R.O. use eliminates about 40 to 50% of the power station
salt load.
The cooling tower evaporates approximately 600 gpm. If sidestream treatment were employed
and no tower blowdown employed, the circulation water would equilibrate approximately as
follows:
TOWER CYCLING AT ZERO BLOWDOWN:
MU = Evap + Drift + Windage (Blowdown = zero). Assuming Drift + Windage = 20 gpm; MU
TDS = 100; then:
Page - 12
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
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MU = 600 + 20
Cycles of Concentration = 620/20 = 30.67
Circulation TDS = 30.67 x 100 = 3067 mg/l.
A completely closed tower as above is easily achieved when using sidestream treatment.
Sidestream treatment and misc. waste streams add some chemical load. Even so, there is a wide
berth for increase without impact. So the question becomes: "Is there really a problem during
normal operation when the system is designed as above?".
SPECIAL ISSUES OF COAL PILE RUNOFF:
Given design; that once every 100 years, storm flow will generate collected wastewater that must
be disposed of in 5 days at 120 gpm. During other years, storm flow will be considerably less. The
storm flow comprises yard and coal pile runoff.
The coal pile runoff is the important polluter. However, it is well known that coal pile runoff is
only of high strength during the first displacement phase within the pile. After which, the
wastewater becomes dilute since the mechanisms of waste leaching become limited.
Essentially, the first 10% or so of the waste is strong. Afterwards, the quality improves rapidly.
The actual amount of pounds of pollution to deal with is relatively small.
Coal pile runoff contains typically acidity, sulfate TDS, iron, aluminum and other metals. The
metals are easily removed and the acidity corrected by feeding the stream to the sidestream
treatment system and back to the cooling tower.
When this is practiced for 5 days, the mathematics show that the circulating water TDS will rise
temporarily (by perhaps double the normal level). Continued operation will eventually restore
TDS to near normal conditions. This temporary rise may gives little technical concern and little
environmental concern. The evaporator alternatives with the parasitic loads otherwise must be
contemplated.
Temporary salt load can be extracted with standby equipment comprising a concentrating tower
and submerged combustion crystallizer at modest equipment and low annual energy expense. The
operation of this equipment will be required only occasionally.
The connected electric load and all other complications of the alternatives are avoided. The
submerged combustion crystallizer would be energized by propane or other fuel already onsite for
boiler restarts.
ABOUT WCA:
WCA is a unique firm of chemical, mechanical, and construction engineers dedicated to the
design, management, and supply of Advanced Systems for water, wastewater, operations, and
service. WCA provides complete System Engineering and Supply; fabrication of specialty
Page - 13
CORBIN50 Elm St., Westfield, NJ 07090 Tel: 908-232-3473, Fax: 908-232-0473
hcorbin@goleader.com
components; procurement & customizing of standard components; design, programming &supply
of the controls, instruments and automation; construction assistance; training; commissioning; and
maintenance, operations assistance and service.
Regards,
Horace R. Corbin, P.E.
Page - 14
CORBIN Consulting
n
CONTACT US CONTACT US
If you have a challenging job that needs to get
done, contact us (908) 232-3473. Regards.
Horace R. Corbin, P.E. horace@goleader.com