Black & Veatch installing new air quality control technology on St. Louis sewage sludge incinerators

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) has selected Black & Veatch to lead its $35 million incinerator air emissions upgrade program. The program is necessary in order to meet new federal air emission limits for existing and new sewage sludge incinerators.

“Black & Veatch was selected for this program based on their extensive knowledge and experience with emissions control upgrades,” said Jon Sprague, MSD Director of Operations. “Their ability to quickly mobilize efforts so that we can complete this project within the required timeframe for compliance was also a factor.”

In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued new air emission limits for existing and new sewage sludge incinerators. The deadline for compliance is March 21, 2016. Black & Veatch is working with MSD to install advanced wet scrubbers on its Bissell Point and Lemay plants in order to meet the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards. Together, the Bissell Point and Lemay plants incinerate 75 percent of all solids generated by the MSD service area.

The company is currently completing similar work in Detroit and Indianapolis. In addition, Black & Veatch is providing design, permitting and construction management for a new incinerator facility in for the Little Blue Valley Sewer District in Eastern Jackson County, Missouri. It is the first in the state of Missouri to be permitted under the new MACT SSI standards.

“Retrofitting existing facilities always presents unique challenges,” said Tom Ratzki, Black & Veatch Project Director for the St. Louis project. “These facilities were built in the 1960s. With no comprehensive drawings available to reference, we will use laser scanning and 3D modeling to integrate the new equipment into the working facility. We will also deploy an accelerated construction schedule to meet the EPA’s deadline for compliance.”

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Editor’s Notes:

* The 3D design process alleviates conflicts in a virtual environment rather than in the field during construction in order to streamline the construction schedule and reduce field changes.

* Construction is expected to begin by May 1, 2015, with completion in time to test the scrubbers prior to the March 2016 deadline for compliance.

* Wet scrubber technology provides advanced control of particulates, metals, and acid gases from the incinerator exhaust gas to reduce air emissions.

* Black & Veatch is providing engineering services for Preliminary Design, and Final Design. The project is expected to bid to general contractors in March of 2015. B&V will provide engineering assistance to the District during construction.


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