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Fuel Cell Harnesses ‘Beer Power’
 DANBURY,
CT -- FuelCell Energy, Inc. announced the upgrade of its 1
megawatt (MW) Direct Fuel Cell® (DFC®) power plant at Sierra
Nevada Brewing Co. to use fuel created from a waste
by-product of the brewing process. With this enhancement,
Sierra Nevada furthers its sustainability and energy
efficiency goals, while realizing substantial cost savings
by offsetting its purchase of natural gas.
The brewery’s fuel cell power
plant, which began running last summer and was dedicated by
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, initially ran on
natural gas. To boost the brewery’s energy efficiency and
ecologically friendly profile, Sierra Nevada founder Ken
Grossman sought to convert the ultra-clean fuel cells from
operating solely on natural gas to a gas mixture that the
brewery produced as a by-product, methane.
Sierra Nevada installed a
compressor and filtration system to purify methane gas that
is generated during the brewery’s water treatment process,
and then feed it to the power plant for fuel. As a result,
two of the plant’s four fuel cell stacks can now operate in
dual fuel mode -- using any combination of natural gas and
anaerobic digester gas (ADG). As Sierra Nevada increases its
production and the amount of methane it generates, it also
can operate the other two fuel cells on ADG.
Gas produced in the digester reduces the amount of fuel used
in the power plant. The system is now capable of producing
250 to 400 kilowatts (kW) of electricity from biogas,
reducing the company’s fuel costs by 25 to 40 percent.
Regardless of the fuel blend used, the high efficiency of
DFC power plants require less fuel than conventional power
plants, resulting in lower operating costs and an overall
reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the
atmosphere per unit of power output.
The 1 MW power plant, one of
three FuelCell Energy megawatt-class sites now running in
the state, is classified as an ultra-clean technology under
California law and provides virtually 100 percent of Sierra
Nevada’s base load power requirements. The fuel cells
operate in co-generation mode, so their 650 degree thermal
output is utilized to create steam that further offsets the
natural gas needs of their existing boilers providing an
additional reduction in operating costs and increase in
system efficiency. The facility was named one of 12 “Top
Plants” worldwide by Power Magazine in 2006.
“By converting the DFC plants to
operate on ADG, we have further advanced our company’s
sustainability goals and reduced our energy and waste
disposal costs,” said Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman. “The
fuel cell power plant provides us with reliable, 24-7
electricity and helps make our energy self-sufficiency a
reality.”
Sierra Nevada’s installation of
ultra-clean onsite power generation has also enhanced the
company’s reputation of being a good neighbor by helping to
reduce demand on the local power grid for the production of
its award-winning craft beer. The company benefits by
ensuring that its critical business operations have access
to reliable power and neighbors have access to more power
that would otherwise be consumed by the brewery.
“The installation at Sierra
Nevada is a great example of the fuel flexibility of our DFC
power plants,” said Bruce Ludemann, Senior Vice President of
Sales and Marketing, FuelCell Energy. “Because fuel cells
generate energy by chemical conversion rather than
combustion, they can convert virtually any biomass- or
hydrocarbon-power source into ultra-clean electricity.
Sierra Nevada is reducing its energy costs and eliminating a
manufacturing by-product that would otherwise add to its
disposal and waste water expenditures.”
When the fuel cells generate more
power than the brewery requires, Sierra Nevada can send
excess electricity back to the grid system and receive
credit for a portion of its generation costs.
For more information on the
company, its products and its worldwide commercial
distribution alliances, please see
www.fuelcellenergy.com
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This
newsletter is sponsored by:
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Dallas to Host "Wastewater
Olympics"
 Alexandria
, VA -- Over 200 of the world’s best and brightest
wastewater treatment professionals will compete in
Operations Challenge 2006, a unique, fast-paced skills
competition for wastewater operations and maintenance
professionals. Now in its 19th year, the one-of-a-kind
Wastewater Olympics will take place Tuesday, October 24 at
the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
Growing from an original 22-team
event to its current 40-team, two division format, each
four-member team will be judged on the best combination of
precision, speed and safety. Winners are determined by a
weighted point system for five events including collection
systems, laboratory, process control, maintenance and
safety. The events are designed to test the diverse skills
required for the operation and maintenance of wastewater
treatment facilities, their collection systems and
laboratories all vital to the protection of public health
and the environment.
The current champions, the Water
Environment Federation of Texas Trinity River Authority
(TRA) CReWSers, will represent the host city of Dallas to
defend their title against a record 43 teams from the United
States , Canada and Argentina . The CReWSers, of TRAs
Central Regional Wastewater System, have consistently
finished in the top three and won for the first time last
year. Coached by Troy Pratt, the team is comprised of
captain Dale Burrow, David Brown, Jacob Burwell, and Steve
Price.
Presented in conjunction with WEFTEC®.06 - the Water
Environment Federations 79th annual technical exhibition and
conference - and sponsored by Hach Company, the first event
of Operations Challenge kicks off on Tuesday, October 24th,
at 9:15 am in Exhibit Hall F of the convention center.
Recognized as the largest water
quality event in North America, WEFTEC.06 is expected to
draw more than 16,000 water quality professionals and
feature over 960 exhibiting companies for five days -
October 21 through 25 - of technical education, information
exchange and networking opportunities.
Web site:
http://www.wef.org/
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Proposals Sought for Research on
Trace Organics
 ALEXANDRIA,
VA -- The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) is
now accepting proposals for two RFPs on trace organics in
wastewater and receiving waters. WERF anticipates funding of
about $2.4 million will be needed for this global challenge
over a six year period (2006-2011).
WERF
has already allocated almost $2 million to address ongoing
and completed research related to hormonally active and
pharmaceutically active compounds. For several years, WERF
has been working in collaboration with other water research
organizations both in the United States and abroad on this
issue. In 2005, WERF and its subscribers again identified
and prioritized the management of human and environmental
health risks due to trace organic chemicals in wastewater as
one of the highest priority research needs for the
wastewater treatment industry.
Trace
organics include pharmaceuticals, personal care products,
surfactants, flame retardants, and other compounds that are
known or suspected to affect normal reproductive endocrine
functions in animals or humans.
Proposals for the first RFP, Workshop on Trace Organics:
Mapping a Collaborative Research Roadmap, are due Nov. 6.
Through this RFP, WERF will take initial steps to establish
a coordinated research program in the area of trace organics
in water among all organizations that fund research in this
area and to focus its own research efforts within this
broader program. WERF and its subscribers are hoping that
such a collaborative approach will lead to better, more
strategic use of resources and strengths.
Proposals for the second RFP, Communicating Risks Associated
with Exposure to Trace Organic Chemicals in Wastewater
Effluent and Reclaimed Water, are due Nov. 20. This research
will address communication-related issues associated with
ecological and human health risks from trace organic
chemicals. Researchers will identify current knowledge and
perceptions by the public, regulators, and the media of
risks associated with trace organics and ultimately identify
strategies to effectively communicate risks.
The
Water Environment Research Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization, addresses water quality issues with a
commitment to environmental protection, economic
conservancy, and enhanced quality of life. WERF subscribers
consist of wastewater utilities representing more than 70%
of the U.S. sewered population and corporations sharing
concerns for water quality issues.
Researchers interested in submitting a proposal are
encouraged to visit the WERF website at
http://www.werf.org for
more information and a complete RFP.
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SS
Submersible Pump for Extreme Environments
 Tinley
Park, IL -- Grindex is now launching Master Inox, the first
model in the new pump series Inox. The series comprises three
drainage and three sludge pumps in stainless steel. The new
pumps originate from Grindex well known red Proline pumps, with
the cast aluminum replaced by cast stainless steel. The
stainless steel pumps are intended for use in corrosive
applications with pH values from 2-10. Some examples are mines,
process industries, landfills and leach water applications.
The drainage pump Master Inox is
designed for use in applications where conventional pumps are
destroyed quickly, due to the extreme pH values in the fluids.
While a Proline pump is made of aluminum and designed for work
in fluids with pH values from 5-8, the Inox series can pump
fluids with pH values from 2-10.
Some of the toughest environments you
can expose a pump to is drainage in a copper mine (with its
corrosive fluids), or pumping water in the pH-neutralizing
process from the gas purification system in a coal power plant
(with its alkaline fluids), says Gunnar Benselfelt, marketing
manager at Grindex. A conventional pump is destroyed within half
a year in such environments.
The stainless Inox pumps have been
tested and evaluated in extreme conditions, pumping both acid
and alkaline fluids. In all tests, the pumps have managed with
the extreme environments and worked well during the whole test
period.
Many parts in common and high
reliability
The biggest difference between the
red Proline pumps and the new Inox pumps is the cast parts; in
Inox all cast aluminum parts have been replaced by acid proof
stainless steel. The Inox pumps have many spare parts in common,
i.e. the shaft seal that fits all Inox pumps. These are details
that simplify service and minimize the stock of spare parts.
Just as other Grindex pumps, the Inox pumps come equipped with
an air valve that allows the impeller to work as a fan for
cooling, should the pump run dry.
The next pump model in the Inox
series to be launched is Major Inox. It is slightly smaller and
will have the same ability to pump corrosive fluids in demanding
applications as Master Inox.
For further information please
contact:
Grindex Pumps
18524 81st. Avenue
Tinley Park, IL 60487
Tel: 708-532-9988
Fax: 708-532-8767
Website:
www.grindexpumps.com
Email:
info@grindexpumps.com
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| Help Forum :
Hot Messages from the Help Forum
People post their requests
for help and offer their suggestions to others in our open
forum.
Mr. Savic needs help algae in cooling system:
Water cooling system which is
made from recirculation wastewater in sugar factory has high
concentration of sugar and algae. Algae has spread through
the entire cooling system. How I can eliminate the algae?
(Click
here to post a reply)
Thank you,
Svetlana Savic
Koteks
savics@koteks-viscofan.com
Mr. Myre needs help with sand filtration of iron oxides:
I would like to design a sand
filtration trap for removing precipitated iron oxides. Is
there an optimum sand grain size that could efficiently trap
the iron oxides without causing too much flow restriction?
(Click
here to post a reply)
Many thanks,
Alex Myre
alexmyre@hotmail.com
Help Forum:
Share your
expertise with others in our
Help
Forum. |
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| From the Job
Fair: Project Process
Engineer - Wauwatosa, WI
Join the Procorp Team Today!
Procorp, Inc. is a dynamic, rapidly expanding engineering
consultant and design/build firm in the greater Milwaukee
area. Procorp is well-known for innovation, customized
design and patented processes developed for wastewater
treatment and water softening.
This is an exciting time to
be part of this growing company! If you are looking for a
position in a fast-paced, multi-faceted environment, join
Procorp now.
Project Process Engineer
This position requires
knowledge of wastewater management engineering processes
including biological and chemical treatment and associated
regulatory compliance issues. Candidates for this position
must be personable, able to listen to and present clear
ideas to clients, and willing to travel to project sites
regularly.
Procorp seeks individuals who
are organized, efficient, detail-oriented, driven to succeed
and can work within established budgets. This position
requires the ability to provide project support to Senior
Project Engineers and sales efforts. Competence with MS
Excel, MS Word, MS Outlook is required; proficiency with
AutoCAD and MS Project are a plus.
Candidates must be eligible
and willing to obtain P.E. licensure if not already
licensed. Candidates with current P.E. licensure status are
desirable. Travel is required for this position. The ideal
candidate will have 2-5 years experience in the wastewater
management industry; experience in the industrial sector is
a plus. B.S. in Engineering is required.
Please submit resume and
salary history to:
Procorp, Inc.
3720 N. 124th Street
Suite H
Wauwatosa, WI 53222
Fax: (414) 258-8066
email:
solutions@procorpinc.com
Visit our website at:
www.procorpinc.com
The Job Fair:
A free
service of Water and Wastewater.com. You can post job
opening for managers, engineers, sales, reps or other
talented people you need. ...Or one can post their resume
for companies who are looking to add talented people to
their staff.
Do you have a position
you need to fill? Visit the Job
Fair. |
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| About Us :
Water and Wastewater Newsletter
© 1999-2006 Water and Wastewater.com
Home page: http://www.waterandwastewater.com
Joseph Taylor, Editor
Water and Wastewater Newsletter
3948 South Third Street, No. 121
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
Phone: 904-280-4656
Fax: 904-273-1399
Email: jtaylor@waterandwastewater.com
Water and Wastewater
Newsletter is a 100% opt-in e-mail list of information for
the water and wastewater treatment professional. Do
you have company news, a new product, new service or other
information you would like to share with our subscribers?
Please submit articles via e-mail, only to: news@waterandwastewater.com |
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::
Fuel Cell Harnesses ‘Beer Power’
::
Dallas to Host "Wastewater
Olympics"
::
Proposals Sought for Research
on Trace Organics
::
SS Submersible Pump for
Extreme Environments
:: The News Center : More headlines
:: The Water and Wastewater Blog
:: Help Forum
::
Water and Wastewater Plant
Directory : Featured Plant
:: The Job Fair
:: Top Picks at Amazon.com
:: Ask Tom! Column!
:: 121,000+ visitors in September !
:: Call For Photographs!
:: Subscribe, Unsubscribe
:: Archive Information
:: About Us
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| Hi Everyone,
Exhibitors: WEFTEC is
approaching and we will be walking the show this year.
If you would like to have us meet with you at your booth,
please send me an email.
Just shoot me an email at:
jtaylor@waterandwastewater.com .
Cogeneration:
We
have added a new section to our Buyers Guide and Industry
Directory for Cogeneration using biogas/methane. You can
visit this new section by
clicking here.
With over 10,000+ subscribers,
our goal is to provide information
to improve your business by using the resources available on the
Internet.
Thanks,
Joe Taylor, Editor
jtaylor@waterandwastewater.com
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| This
months Ask Tom! article |
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Concentrating RO Reject Streams with VSEP
Guest article by Dr. Brad Culkin, New Logic Research,
Inc.
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 We
Need Your
Guest Articles!
Do you have an area of expertise in water and wastewater
treatment, have you solved a difficult problem? Share your
knowledge with others and promote yourself too, by contributing
an article to the Ask Tom! Column. For more
information, please contact Tom
Keenan.
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Featured
Case History |
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Award Winning Separation System Protects MBR
Management of a 1.2 MGD
wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) here reports
successful installation of a solids separation and
removal system which protect membranes in its new,
state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor (MBR) addition.
Meanwhile, immediate maintenance benefits have been
gained through elimination of aerator plugging in
its three lagoons...(more) |
More case histories...
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| Call For
Photographs
This weeks photo
is of a 100 cu. ft. Dryvac filter press installed at a
membrane bio-reactor facility supplied by Dehydration &
Environmental Systems (DES). The Dryvac unit is used to
dewater the biosolids produced by the MBR to 75% solids.
Photo courtesy
Bob West of
DES.
Send us
your photos: We would love to have your photo of
a water or wastewater treatment "action shot" for
inclusion on our home page, free of charge. Send your
photograph and description to: news@waterandwastewater.com
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| Dr. Michael
Richard, Microbiologist
 Michael
is a wastewater treatment microbiologist and he provides
microbiological analysis and filament identification for
bulking, foaming and other treatment problems for activated
sludge systems, lagoons and filters. He is the co-author of
the definitive manual on activated sludge microbiology and
has received numerous awards.
Click here
to visit his web site.
Michael has become a member
of the
Help Forum this Fall.
Click here to read his profile. |
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Water and Wastewater Newsletter was sent to 10,649 water and wastewater treatment professionals at the time of this
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