Energy Recovery Options for Liquid Effluent Decontamination Systems

Cory Ziegler, Merrick & Company
Gary Schmidt, PRI Bio

Liquid Effluent Decontamination Systems are required for many BSL-3 labs working with select agents, and all BSL-3Ag and BSL-4 labs. Heat treatment systems are utility intensive as not only is the effluent required to be heated to high temperatures, but also cooled after the process before dumping down the building sewer. There are several options for energy recovery with these types of systems, and this presentation will focus on direct recovery within the process itself, using the discharged heated effluent to pre-heat incoming effluent. Options explored for batch systems will include heat recovery using both external heat exchangers, and thermal transfer fluid pumped between the tank jackets. Continuous flow systems will also be explored along with the economics of heat recovery. Considerations for choosing the optimal system for a facility include solids content, overall footprint, processing time, capital costs, and energy savings. Solids content can build up and create blockage in the heat exchange process, resulting in heat exchangers with larger cross sectional areas which are less effective and require a larger footprint. Different methods for transferring heat energy may increase the overall processing time, which may require a larger system to process the same volume of effluent. As with any energy recovery process, initial capital costs and long term maintenance costs will be higher, and the energy savings associated with the system must be carefully analyzed over the projected lifetime of the equipment to understand the true value of the energy recovery system. Several case studies of existing installations of Batch Systems with Heat recovery, as well as existing continuous flow systems, will provide the audience with real world applications, and true cost/benefit analysis. The material presented will provide owners and facility operators with the knowledge to apply these energy recovery features to their future Liquid Effluent Decontamination System.

Learning Objectives

  • Participants will be able to define critical performance goals of Liquid Effluent Decontamination Systems in terms of overall footprint, processing time, capital costs, and minimum energy savings.
  • Participants will be able to calculate the projected energy savings of an energy recovery system for a specific Liquid Effluent Decontamination Systems, using the guidelines provided in the course material.
  • Participants will be able to compare and contrast different Liquid Effluent Decontamiantion Systems and their potential for energy recovery, and the ability to handle solids.

Biographies:

Cory Ziegler, PE, of Merrick & Company, has over 19 years of experience with design, contract administration, and commissioning of specialty systems for universities and governments world-wide. Mr. Ziegler has been involved in more than 15 projects which use Liquid Effluent Decontamination systems. Mr. Ziegler has extensive field experience during construction, commissioning, and operation, which allows for real life examination of design solutions, constructability, and maintenance.

Gary Schmidt, of PRI Bio, has over 35 years of experience in the application of process equipment for a wide range of industries and applications. In his 13 years with PRI Mr. Schmidt has been directly involved with numerous Liquid Effluent Decontamination System projects spanning a wide range of facility types. With a wealth of field experience and a 'problem solving' approach Mr. Schmidt offers pragmatic, functional concepts to the task of choosing the proper methodology and system design.

 

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