Page Template Tag: projects

Receiving and disposing outside grease it is an important aspect of DELCORA’s business. Several upgrades were made to our GAP, including a biological odor control system.

The results: increased convenience for truck drivers, reduced labor for DELCORA operations and maintenance, improved concentrated grease solids, improved odor control, and increased work environment safety.

New Lakeside Raptor Grease Acceptance Plant
This unit screens out large pieces of debris and floating material for disposal without incinerating and which could harm downstream equipment if not removed. Two new grease transfer pumps were also installed—each capable of pumping 400 gallons per minute of up to 8.3% grease at 60 feet.

New grease thickening equipment
The new equipment included new top skimmers, bottom skimmers, beech section, discharge screw conveyor, and tank cover—for odor control and to keep the building safe. Also included were new control panels for the thickeners, automatic controls for the top and bottom skimmers, and a screw conveyor, as well as emergency back-up equipment.

New BioAir odor control system
The odor control system removes harmful gases including hydrogen sulfide. The new tower is designed to treat 11,500 cubic feet/minute and reduce hydrogen sulfide concentration. This biological packed tower scrubber from BioAir has lower maintenance and a robust biological growth that is able to withstand most upsets.

Other upgrades included a submersible heater and air diffusion system, several natural gas unit heaters, four natural gas instant water heaters, and new gas and fire detectors throughout the building.

Significantly reduced emissions of air pollutants, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides by almost 10 million pounds

Over the last two years, DELCORA has implemented a $2.5-million project to modify its two existing 1975 oil-fired sewage sludge incinerators at the Western Regional Treatment Plant (WRTP) with dual-fired burners that are capable of using either natural gas or No. 2 fuel oil. The project involved incinerator modifications, instrumentation and control upgrades, information systems integration and new natural gas utility infrastructure.

After the first full year of the two incinerators’ operation on natural gas, the Authority saved approximately $1.9 million on the cost of fuel; combined fuel savings in 2013 and 2014 exceeded $3.5 million. Moreover, natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel. Compared with fuel-oil combustion, natural gas combustion releases lower levels of harmful air emissions, including a lower ratio of carbon emissions, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, as well as lower levels of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other reactive hydrocarbons, no mercury, and virtually no ash or particulate matter.

Thanks to new state-of-the-art digital controls and integration with the plant’s information systems, including the SCADA system, plant operators and supervisors are better able to optimize operation and maintenance of the incinerators. For example, automated control of temperature, draft, scrubber pressure and associated operating parameters decreases fuel use and reduces the build-up of residue (slag) that must be removed.

A milestone in Edgmont’s implementation of a public sewer system serving eastern Edgmont and an important expansion to DELCORA’s service area

In the summer of 2014, DELCORA completed the first milestone in Edgmont Township’s planned implementation of a public sewer system to serve eastern Edgmont. The project involved the installation of a new public wastewater collection system for a community of about 1,000 equivalent dwelling units (EDUs) in the Crum Creek District of eastern Edgmont. The total flow from these users is expected to average 350,000 gallons per day (GPD) of mostly residential wastewater.

The first phase of the project involved the installation of a 7,650 foot 10-inch fusible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) force main along Gradyville Road. This force main will convey the wastewater flow that is collected in the Crum Creek District to the interceptor of Central Delaware County Authority (CDCA), which is located in Marple Township.

The second phase of the project involved construction of the collection system. Both new and existing pipes will convey the flow from the Edgmont residents to three new pump stations, which were constructed as part of this project.

The Edgmont Crum Creek Sewer Project is being funded by a bond secured by DELCORA, which will be repaid by Edgmont Township sewer users over the life of the system. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also provided an “H2O grant,” which provides single- or multi-year grants to municipalities or municipal authorities to assist with the construction of drinking water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer projects.