The CHP system consists of three 1.5 MW engine generators and three 5,000 lb/hr steam boilers and serves multiple purposes for the project. First, the engines will generate enough power to run the entire bioenergy project and will serve as a backup power source for the entire Piscataway WRRF if there is a loss of power due to weather or other cause. The engines will also provide heat to the Medium Temperature Hot Water (MTHW) loop that runs throughout the project and supports the sidestream treatment project. The boilers will recover heat from the engines to generate steam, which will be used to supply the Cambi thermal hydrolysis process (THP).

The gas cleaning system will take the methane generated from the two 1.5-million-gallon anaerobic digesters and remove impurities, resulting in renewable natural gas that can be fed into Washington Gas’ pipeline and used in Montgomery County buses.

The cake receiving facility is a key component of this regional facility. WSSC will haul biosolids from their four other treatment facilities and, as the name implies, the cake receiving facility is where trucks will deliver the biosolids material. The cake receiving facility consists of two large storage bins, two hoppers that hold the solids as they are transferred from the trucks and several pumps that transfer the biosolids. The pre-engineered metal building encloses the hoppers to mitigate any potential odors. As trucks approach the building, a large door opens, allowing the truck to dump material into the hopper. Once the truck is empty, the large door closes.

The digested sludge storage tank (DSST) is a converted 55-foot gravity thickening tank that was no longer needed. A cover consisting of 24 steel “wedges” was assembled, welded and painted on site. The assembled cover was then lifted and placed on the new digested sludge storage tank. The DSST provides additional storage for sludge before it is sent to the post-dewatering belt filter presses. This additional storage provides the plant operators flexibility in managing the overall flow of the plant.

This project has been exciting from the start and now, as major construction activities start to wind down, we’ll get to see all the new processes in action. Stay tuned in the coming months for updates on the start-up of this state-of-the-art facility for WSSC Water.

The post WSSC Bioenergy Project Nears Construction Completion appeared first on PC Construction.

Another major milestone was reached on the Piscataway WRRF Bioenergy Project as the first of three 1.5 MW generators arrived on site. The final two generators are expected on site later this fall.

The engines were fabricated by MTU Solutions in Germany and shipped to the port of Charleston, South Carolina, early last spring. From there, they were transported to Atlanta to be paired with the generator control systems and to have soundproof enclosures built around them.

The fully assembled enclosure with generator and controls, weighing at 100,000-pounds, was then lifted onto a 140-foot tractor with articulating rear dolly assembly for the week-long journey through the Carolinas and Virginia, including a police escort through Maryland, before arriving at the Piscataway WRRF late in the evening. The next morning the tractor and trailer assembly had to maneuver multiple turns through the plant roadway system, including backing the truck down a curving road to reach the installation site.

Once there, PC’s crew lifted the generator off the trailer using a 500-ton crane and placed the generator on its concrete pad. This was only possible after the team’s detailed planning and coordination with the generator supplier, Curtis Power Solutions, and their logistical team.

The CHP system is an integral component of the overall Bioenergy project. These generators will supply electricity to the project and the exhaust heat from the generator engines will be recovered to heat the boilers to generate steam needed for the Cambi THP process. Excess heat will also be used in the medium temperature hot water loop around the site that feeds several other processes, including the sidestream treatment.

The skill and dedication of the PC team on this project continue to exemplify Building Stronger, Together!

The post The First CHP Generator Completes the Final Leg of its Journey to the Bioenergy Project appeared first on PC Construction.

Wednesday 8/31, 2:00pm
I am teaming with Joe Uglevich, Vice President, Director Water Delivery – North America at Stantec, to present “Mitigating the Impacts of Volatile Market Conditions through Progressive Design-Build”. This session looks at how these issues were tackled on WSSC Water’s Piscataway WRRF Bioenergy Project.

Thursday, 9/1, 3:00pm
Alan Parent, PC’s Senior Director of Business Development in the Water/Wastewater market, will present “CMAR and Early Contractor Involvement Puts Critical Infrastructure Project on Path to Success”. This session is based on PC Construction’s experience on the Atlanta Water Supply Program project.

The post Look Out for PC at Tri-Con appeared first on PC Construction.

PC received the Notice to Proceed for the WSSC Bio-Energy Project Early Work Package earlier this fall. As part of this work, the team is in the process of removing hazardous materials from several buildings, installing erosion control measures, cleaning digesters and underground piping, clearing the adjacent ballfield that will house the trailer complex and beginning work on a temporary access road to the trailer complex.

December will bring demolition of the incinerator building to make room for the new bio-energy facility, demolition of ductbanks around the site and the installation of the construction trailer complex.

Work will continue through July 2020 with additional demolition, plant drain improvements and utility relocation. All this work is setting the stage for construction of the bio-energy facility, which is anticipated to begin in Spring 2020.

Click here for more information about this project.

The post Work Underway for WSSC’s Bio-Energy Project appeared first on PC Construction.

The facility will also capture the digester gas, clean it, and then use it to generate steam and electricity to power the bio-energy project. As the design-builder, PC has teamed with Stantec and Hazen and Sawyer to complete the project design.

The Phase 1 enabling work is set to begin in the next few weeks with construction of the major project components slated to begin in Spring 2020. When the facility is complete in late 2023, this green project will produce Class A biosolids that can be used as soil amendment on farms, in forests and in backyard gardens.

This cutting-edge project will serve the residents of Montgomery and Prince George’s County and save rate payers over $3 million per year while helping protect the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries for future generations. With this project, WSSC continues their 100-year commitment to clean water and PC is proud to help bring their bold vision to life.

The post Ground Broken for $262M Piscataway WRRF Bio-Energy Project appeared first on PC Construction.

Recently, members of PC Construction’s Business Development team toured the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project at The University of Vermont. As a new employee-owner and a graduate of UVM’s College of Engineering, I was excited to see the construction progress, and was not disappointed.

The STEM Initiative, valued at over $80 million, is the single largest capital project ever undertaken by the University. When completed, the laboratory building and classroom building will total 200,000 square feet.

Our tour began on the ground floor of the laboratory building, the six-story, teaching and research lab, where the team showed us some of the innovative tools and techniques they are using. Project Engineer Ravi Bidichandani showed us the project’s detailed three-dimensional model, which was developed by PC Construction in collaboration with the project’s subcontractors. Ravi explained that coordinating the project in 3D has enabled a smooth start to the installation of the building’s MEP systems. In most of the research laboratories, the ductwork, conduit and piping will remain exposed as part the modern, industrial design – so a professional and organized installation is extremely important.

We also learned that the interior floors are polished concrete, and need to be protected during the construction. As part of PC Construction’s Lean initiative, the team researched solutions and settled on a product new to the company – Skudo temporary surface protection. Skudo is two-layer system including an adhesive base coat and a protective mat covering that protects the concrete slab on deck. This system requires little maintenance, improves site safety and is more effective than other options such as plastic or cardboard, which can slide around from foot traffic.

At the penthouse, in addition to spectacular views of Lake Champlain, we found two massive air handlers each designed to manage the entire building, 75,000 cubic feet per minute. Each unit weighs 150,000 pounds and is made up of nine individual sections. The massive equipment was set in place with only inches of clearance between structural steel. The air-handling units are an integral part to the research and programming that will take place in this facility.

UVM has set up a live web cam so people can watch the development of STEM.  I know that I will watch with great interest and look forward to our next site visit.

The post Project Update: UVM STEM appeared first on PC Construction.