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| |  Posted 11/30/2006 2:31:46 AM | |
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| | Hello Fellows, I would like to ask for your input in this matter, in the area where I live there is a proposal from a company that plans to build a power plant that would produce power by incinerating biosolids. Such project, as far as I know, it would be the first of its kind due to the magnitude of the solids involved (2,400 tons per day). Biosolids would be coming from the Los Angeles and Riverside counties which implies residential and industrial wastes. Obviously our community is very concern about this endeavor since we already have air quality issues, not to mention that we have one of the highest level of asthma on infants statewide. Your professional view about possible environmental outcomes is appreciated. Thank you,
Manuel S.
"Respect yourself, respect others, then be a teacher" |
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| | | Posted 11/30/2006 12:25:26 PM | |
| Supreme Being
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| | Manuel, Is anyone estimating the air quality impact of the current emmisions generated to haul off the biosolids vs the expected incinerator emmisions? A semi truck with pup trailer can haul about 30 tons, so 80 or trucks running every day in the LA basin to the biosolids application site which I would guess is a ways away, or 80 trucks to the incinerator and about 5-8 trucks leaving the incinerator to a land fill which is probably closer. This is why engineering firms get the big bucks. I am sure someone has done an air quality modle for this project. Ask if they have and if you can see it. Good luck, Mark |
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| | | Posted 12/2/2006 3:11:39 AM | |
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| | It is my understanding that such sludge will be mainly water and that there are no plans to include any type of digesters for proper biodegradation,it is not necessary (according to them), as far as air quality they are only considering to use scrubbers. The amount of power generated is not really atractive, according to them they will produce enough electricity to supply 12 thousand homes, obviously the money maker is in the actual relocation of the sludge.
Manuel S.
"Respect yourself, respect others, then be a teacher" |
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| | | Posted 12/2/2006 3:58:25 PM | |
| Supreme Being
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| Biosolids would be coming from the Los Angeles and Riverside counties which implies residential and industrial wastes.
Do you know specifically "where" in those counties, and from what agencies, the sludge would be coming from?
I frankly don't think that the incineration of "sludge" will cause any real health problem, particularly when control system(s) are used to minimize the emissions from the combustion process.
As far as the sludge being mostly water, I guess I would expect (without having any specific information on the project that you are inquiring about) that hauling either "liquid" or "undigested" sludge from LA to Imperial County would NOT be the preferred option. I would expect that any large sewage agency would first "digest" the sludge, followed by some means of dewatering. I realize that this would still produce a material that is at most 30 percent solids, while being solid in physical character.
Jeff Naumann
(310) 540-0045
FAX (310) 540-0337
http://www.jeffnaumannassociates.com/ |
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| | | Posted 12/3/2006 1:39:41 AM | |
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| Thanks for your response Mr. Naumann. I do not know where specifically this sludge is coming from, such are proper questions, unfortunately I have not been able to attend any of the information meetings they had offered, and everything I’ve mentioned is basically from the local newspaper. I will try to get more information from people that has. In regards of the solids, yes they will be mostly 30 percent in concentration, I agree that the hauling would not be the preferred option but that is what they had mentioned so far. My main concern is that in my opinion this would be a pilot plan, understanding that there is already an existing plant similar to the one in question somewhere else, but not receiving this same amount of solids nor receiving industrial wastes. Have you seen any industries that perform such incineration, if so have you seen their air quality records?
Manuel S.
"Respect yourself, respect others, then be a teacher" |
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| | | Posted 12/4/2006 1:29:10 PM | |
| Supreme Being
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| Have you seen any industries that perform such incineration, if so have you seen their air quality records?
I know that incineration of both solid waste and sewage sludge has been done for several decades, both in the US and other countries. I do not have any information specifically on facilities. I recall that the City or County of Monterey in central California had a plant that was incinerating sludge in the early 1980's. I visited that plant, but can't offer any data. The City of Los Angeles installed (and attempted to operate) a very large Carver-Greenfield system (pyrolosis) at the Hyperion Plant in the early 1990's, before they (quietly) abandoned the system to dry the sludge in large rotary kiln-type dryers. As far as I know, Hyperion is still using the dryers. Since they are located in Los Angeles, any air emissions are stringently-controlled by the South Coast Air Quality Management District permit requirements. The situation at Hyperion is an interesting one in that they essentially duplicated the system that they operated in the early 1950's (while spending an incredible amount of $$$$). The "old" Hyperion plant included a system known as the "filter-dryer" building, where they dried sludge and tried to give it away as a soil amendment. They were not able to get rid of all of the solids, even for free, so they eventually abandoned the process, and installed the "7-mile sludge outfall," allowing deep-water sludge disposal into Santa Monica Bay. That went on until the Carver-Greenfield system was installed.
I guess my overall opinion is that the combustion of sludge will not cause any significant air quality problem no matter where the plant is operated as long as some type of scrubber is included.
People are so paranoid today about insignificant things, while totally ignoring more serious issues - like driving and talking on a cell phone. I continually see young couples riding bikes without helmets, although the little kiddies have them because the law says they MUST wear a helmet. I guess the parent reasoning (reasoning? - what's that??) the kiddie helmet will protect the parent by some divine miracle. The more likely case is that the kids will be orphaned by a dead parent. My take on the growing level of asthma is that kids today just don't get enough exercise.
I grew up in Los Angeles in the 1940's and 1950's, when the air quality was just terrible. I know of only one kid in our neighborhood that had asthma. We all played sports, mercifully WITHOUT adult involvement and outside organization. We just had to be home by dinnertime.
The amount of lead, hex chrome, other metals, and asbestos that was in use in those days was several orders of magnitude higher than today. All paints were full of lead, as was the gasoline, yet I don't recall my generation being impaired by high lead levels in the blood. Every wooden cooling tower (and, they were used in every petroleum refinery), and plating shops spewed tons of hex chrome into the atmosphere each year. Chemical plants had no air pollution control in that the concept had not yet been invented or put into use for the vast majority of emission sources. (Sorry about the editorial).
Jeff Naumann
(310) 540-0045
FAX (310) 540-0337
http://www.jeffnaumannassociates.com/ |
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| | | Posted 12/4/2006 3:45:03 PM | |
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| | Incineration will require a supplemental fuel to control and sustain the burn. I'm not sure what type of incinerator is proposed, but sludge without digestion typically will burn autogenously above 26 % in a multiple hearth furnace, making the fire difficult to control. Sludge typically has a high nitrogen component, especially biological sludge. That may contribute a small amount to NOx emissions. Particulate scrubber technology is much improved these days so particulate emissions shouldn't be an issue. Supplemental fuel source may also be a concern as for as SOx emissions, if the source is fuel oil or unscrubbed gas from a digester operation. Just some random thoughts. |
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| | | Posted 1/16/2007 6:11:31 PM | |
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| Before any permits are issued for such a facility, they must by law prepare and get approval for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) where any environmental impacts are thoroughly investiagted and explored. Air quality will be a major part of this document. You need to obtain a copy of the EIR and read what they plan to do regarding air quality.
The type of incineration equipment being used has major impacts on air quality. Multiple heath furnaces (old technology but still used in some places) is essentially a sludge "distiller" where the sludge is incrementally heated, driving off various chemicals and compounds as it dries and then burns. These produce alot of particulates and unburned/partially oxidized organic carbon along with a visible plume. Fluidized bed incinerators inject the sludge into a fluidized bed of sand at 1300 degrees which instantly combusts the sludge before distillation and fractionation can occur. These furnaces produce particulates which are typically captured in a scrubber leaving a relatively odor free airstream. Some plume may be visible depending upon the temperature.
You would want to see fluidized beds. I don't think you have much to worry about. South Coast Air Quality Management District will protect you. They're tough. |
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| | | Posted 1/29/2007 12:44:53 PM | |
| Supreme Being
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| You would want to see fluidized beds. I don't think you have much to worry about. South Coast Air Quality Management District will protect you. They're tough.
Actually, they are in the Imperial County APCD area, not the South Coast AQMD.
Jeff Naumann
(310) 540-0045
FAX (310) 540-0337
http://www.jeffnaumannassociates.com/ |
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