The post Safety Series: P.P.E Can Spare You P.A.I.N appeared first on .

• Adult CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
• AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Training
• Basic first aid
• The Heimlich Maneuver

A representative from CPR Plus, which is affiliated with the National Safety Council, taught the session.

Paul Kirksey, EPIC’s safety coordinator organized the onsite CPR/ 1^st Aid/ AED Training session. His goal was to have key EPIC employees gain a working knowledge of potentially lifesaving procedures.

Jen Seitz, EPIC’s Finance Director attended the session.

“I have been here a year and we had to use the first aid kit for one injury,” Seitz said. “We haven’t had any situations with CPR or AED.”

So why did she make it a priority to attend?

“You never know when an emergency could happen,” Seitz said. “That is what is scary. It is one of those situations to be prepared for. Anytime you have a situation with injury, illness or first aid, panic is the first thing that happens. So if you have more knowledge, the more likely it will work out favorably. You panic when you don’t know.”

Seitz felt like she had just enough knowledge to make her dangerous.

“Big thing was, I used to lifeguard, but it has been forever. I wanted to update my certification and overall knowledge because so much has changed since I was last CPR certified.”

FACT: CPR certifications change every few years per American Heart Association guidelines.

“I was at the point where I almost felt impaired because I knew I would be doing it wrong according to the new guidelines. It is that feel that you are helpless to stand there and not help or help them incorrectly.”

The class allowed her to receive her AED Certification for defibrillator use as well as well as basic first aid training. “We did first aid which included; burns, lacerations, breaks, heat illnesses and recognizing the signs of heart attacks for men and women,” said Seitz.

Takeaway – What to do in case of a heart attack

Step 1: Remain calm: If your co-worker is having a heart attack remain calm and think back to your safety training.

Step 2: Look for the Signs: Signs of a heart attack in women can include: shortness of breath, indigestion lightheadedness, nausea or clammy. Women may also experience limpness in their left arm. The signs may not be obvious; rather signs tend to be exhaustion or other things that are easily dismissed.

With men it tends to be a sharper pain or stiffness in their chest or pressure on their chest. And men tend to have more pain down their left arm.

Step 3: Call 9-1-1: After assessing the situation call for emergency assistance.

Step 4: Take Action: The safety session taught employees to give an aspirin. These are located in safety kits in the kitchen, at the front desk and in two stations in the shop. Have the patient sit down. If you have the AED available go get it and follow the directions to strap it onto the patient.

“It is all voice command and voice prompted. It analyzes and assesses the person’s heart rate,” Seitz said. “So you can’t mistakenly use it. It takes the guess work out of it. If their heart rate became inconsistent it will prompt you on the correct usage.”

The AED will assess whether a shock treatment or CPR are required.

What to do in case of any other emergency? Remember the first rule, remain calm and do not panic. If you are unaware of how to handle a serious situation, do not hesitate to call 911 and contact a member of the safety team.

The post Safety Series: Close to Your Heart appeared first on .

Fab Spotlight: Paul Kirksey

Name: Paul Kirksey

Job Description:

Quality Assurance (QA) Manager & Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Manager

About Paul:

Paul Kirksey was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. He currently resides with his wife, Missy, in St. Charles, MO. This July, they will be married 29 years! He has three children ages 26, 23 & 21. Paul has worked at EPIC for one year as a full time employee.

Past Experience:

• Attended Hobart Institute for Welding Technology – he studied welding inspection and Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC).
• Certified Welding Inspector and Supervisor by the American Welding Society (AWS).
• Business Leader for Febreze Packing for fourteen years at P&G.

Most Challenging EPIC Project:

“There is a set of skids containing a complicated process system that I am currently working on. There is a lot to inspect on it. One big challenge is testing all the piping for leaks – there is a lot of piping of various sizes.”

Most Rewarding Project at EPIC:

“From the smallest to the largest project, they are all rewarding. This year we received our ASME U stamp and National Board R Stamp. Completing the certification process was personally rewarding and allows EPIC to manufacture and repair coded pressure vessels. This was a capability we previously had to outsource.”

What Paul likes most about EPIC:

“My co-workers are great.They are knowledgeable in their trades and it is easy to learn from people like that.”

Hobbies:

Paul likes to hunt waterfowl and upland birds. He belongs to a duck club and enjoys traveling to hunt. He also trains his dog, Ali, and he likes to watch hockey.

Interesting Fact:

Paul serves on the 2013 REC Committee, which plans social events for EPIC employees and their families.

The post Fab Spotlight: Paul Kirksey appeared first on .

Building the Emergency Response Team

Jen Seitz, Director of Administration and Finance, and Paul Kirksey, EPIC’s EH&S manager, are working to bring a higher level of safety and certifications in-house. In addition to standard OSHA training, they are working to have someone from EPIC on hand to be certified to teach safety classes. Seitz, for example, will be receiving her state level certification in Blood Borne Pathogens in the next coming months. She will then be able to teach a workshop at EPIC.

We are looking to always have someone from the team at the facility. “Having someone who is typically here really early, like me; I am here by 5:30a.m. or 6 a.m.. Alternatively we also want people who are here later in the day, like Tracy who is here ‘til 6p.m. or 7p.m. at night,” said Seitz. “And we will open it up to other people, but we want that team to be individuals that are here the majority of the time.”

In-House Training

The shift to in-house training will mean more programs tailored to the needs of EPIC employees and it will be the most cost effective option.

Paul Kirksey is now teaching Forklift Safety. He plans on teaching safety courses on Lock-out/Tag-out Training, and the new Global Harmonized System program. “We always contracted out our forklift safety until this past January,” said Kirksey.” This year we developed a program to bring it in house.””

Paul taught the forklift class using the program “Blue Prints for Safety.”

“The next training will be on Lock-out/ tag-out Safety and is also based off of ‘Blue Print for Safety.’ We bought the training program so we can modify it to fit EPIC and then we will train employees internally,” said Kirksey.

Hazardous chemical labeling must follow the new The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). This system establishes a worldwide agreed hazard classification. Each employee must be trained by the end of the year. Kirksey will be doing the training.

“Little by little we are starting to bring safety in house -and we need to – because we are growing,” concluded Kirksey. “This is going to be an important topic for EPIC as we continue to expand.”

The post Safety Series: Always On Call appeared first on .

Job Description: General assembly, fabrication and electrical work.

About Mike: Mike (Ramey) Beerman was born in Alaska and moved to Missouri in 1953. He grew up in South County with his family. He has two children and two grandchildren ages 9 & 7.  Mike resides in Fenton. He has worked at EPIC for six years as a pipefitter.

Past Experience:

• Graduate of St. John Vianney high school.
• Boatswain in the Navy for two years.
• Carpenter and millwright for 28 years after leaving the Navy.
• Completed union blue print reading courses

Most Challenging EPIC Project: “They’re all challenging,” says Mike. “My current project is a modular skid with a lot of electrical and wiring detail. The project is interesting because it’s an ongoing experiment that requires a lot of change in wiring.”

Most Rewarding Project at EPIC: “We had a large process re-location project a few years ago. Our team had a lot of fun working on it and the scale of the project was something to be proud of.”

What Mike likes most about EPIC: The people and the projects. “I like everyone in the company; they are confident and quality people.”

Hobbies: Riding and building motorcycles is a passion of Mike’s. Since he was 16 years old he has enjoyed the hobby and likes to ride with his friends. Mike has built five motorcycles from the ground up by himself!

The post Fab Shop Spotlight: Mike Beerman appeared first on .

“We wanted this machine in the fabrication shop for awhile now. We were sending out a fair amount of parts to vendors to be made, for example anytime we need holes punched in base plates, channels, notches etc. Now we can do all of that in-house and much faster,” says Mike Goetz, Shop Foreman.Fabrication Shop. Metal punching, sheering, and notching are all done on the same machine, which can be simultaneously operated by two machinists. This powerful addition has a maximum of eighty-eight tons of force than can be applied by the ram for various, punching, cutting, sheering and metal shaping operations.

Carbon steel, stainless steel, iron and various other metals can all be manipulated by the ironworker. Sheering and punching can be completed concurrently, but notching requires the other functions of the iron worker to be disabled. An auto mode can be used for the sheering operation, but is not available for the notching or punching functions. A jog mode allows for maintenance, die changes and machine adjustments by keeping the machine at a lower pressure.

The ironworker was purchased from Icon Machine Tool and installed in the fabrication shop this month.  “The Sunrise Ironworker offered the best bang for the buck,” says Ken Sipes, Process and Mechanical Group Manager. “It allows our guys to very efficiently sheer steel to length, much faster than the sawing process we were using. Coping, trimming anything like that can be done in-house with the ironworker, which is a huge time saver.”

Tutorial: How To Operate An Ironworker

Ben Flamholz from Trilogy Machine, the ironworker machine wholesaler, spent two hours in the EPIC fabrication shop demonstrating the functions of the ironworker to EPIC’s engineers, project managers and skilled craftsmen. Ben went over each function of the machine, providing an operational how-to, safety guidelines and maintenance recommendations.
The punch side of the machine can punch a hole up to two inches in diameter. It comes with three inserts standard, which allow for various sized holes to be punched. A stripper keeps the material from getting caught in the punch and helps create flatter, higher-quality, punches. The punch also has options for custom tooling and can be used as a press, form, stamp or picket.

Off-set dies, flanges and custom dies can also be used on the punch, but must custom

keyed to the correct angle. Stroke can be adjusted through two limit switches that control two actuators inside the machine, shortening or lengthening the stroke.

The sheering station can be used for angled, round, structural and steel bar. The sheer acts like a pair of scissors, exacting the most force at the fulcrum and sheering in a cascaded cut from the fulcrum outward. Thick pieces of metal should be placed near the fulcrum. The blade gap can also be adjusted depending on the thickness of the metal, wider gap for thick plate and smaller gap for thin plate. Hold downs should always be used when sheering to achieve better cuts.

A key is required to use the ironworker in notch mode because it is the most finicky of all the operations and should not be done in conjunction with other operations. The notching function works without the guard lowered and proper technique must always be used to avoid danger. An adjustable cover is attached to the machine and should be raised no higher than required to insert the material.

The notching blade is three-sided and two blades should always be used to avoid kickback. The final feature of the ironworker is an electric lamp gauge that can be used to sheer material at specific

lengths. The proximity center on the electric lamp gauge senses the presence of material and activates the sheer blade. This allows craftsmen in the fabrication shop to quickly make sets of metal pieces often used on skids.

Routine maintenance is required. A pre-installed grease gun should be used to lubricate the internals every 40 working hours. An oil filter should be changed when oil becomes cloudy. Occasionally blades may require training.

The post Ironworker Brings Part Fabrication In-House appeared first on .

Craig Giffi, vice chairman and U.S. leader for consumer and industrial products at DeLoitte shared his views in an article for Sustainable Plant. “Digitization has enabled companies to replicate advanced technology and capabilities and facilities anywhere,” Giffi says. “Increasing access to and application of advanced technology enables near identical production capabilities in any location that has skilled talent, supporting infrastructure and favorable policy.”

We are subject to economic trends and a growing global manufacturing sector. The author invites us to be encouraged. He believes that: “The fate of U.S. manufacturing largely lies where it’s always been, in the hands of the folks who want to do it and can do it well, and that is you.”

The post What Will the New Year Hold for Manufacturers? appeared first on .

DEMONSTRATION PLANT/PILOT PLANT

A custom engineered pilot plant was fabricated to convert biomass to liquid fuel. The self-contained process skid tested and validated the production feasibility of a multi-stage separation process.

CLIENT: Fortune 500 Company
INDUSTRY: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy

KEY ENGINEERING FEATURES:

• Multi-stage separation process for alternative energy: biomass to liquid fuel
• Future technologies proof-of-concept pilot plant
• Industrial feasibility testing – industrial testing equipment
• Integrated utility systems
• 12+ sampling points

CORE CHALLENGES:

• Proprietary technology scale-up
• Skid design – everything contained in small footprint with enclosed walls
  • Layout – Ensuring all equipment and critical processes are accessible within skid
• Integrating scale-able technologies for industrial feasibility testing
• No pre-existing utility systems
• On-going skid modifications as skid was built and tested

AN EPIC SOLUTION

Front-End Engineering/Design Engineering

During our proprietary Front-End Engineering (FEE) stage, EPIC took the client provided lab-scale testing data and the process flow diagram and began developing a physical modular plant and P&ID’s. The general concept and general operational stages were discussed with the client in detail, and EPIC made additional recommendations for intermediate processing steps.

After EPIC submitted a bid that was accepted by the client, final P&ID’s were developed and scale-up work began in 2D & 3D modeling software. There are several project features that EPIC always examines during the detailed design stage for scale-up projects:

• Full-Production Feasibility – EPIC each step of your technology works to specification. Our scale-up specialists establish a feasible path to full production for all processes involved.
• Critical Scale-Up Challenges – The critical scale-up challenges are identified during the design phase, and we test the limits of these challenges through scale-up modeling software to determine the best solutions for each processing step
• Skid Layout – Layout begins during the Front-end engineering stage and continues to evolve during the detailed design phase. Our goal is to create a layout for the pilot plant with accessibility as the key concern and a clear path to any equipment likely to change during testing. Typically we design skids with equipment in a U-shape around the outside edges and a control panel at one end. This allows access to equipment from both the outside and inside of the skid.
• Process Flexibility – Demonstration plants often require on-going modifications and testing, including equipment changes and various production rates. We design your pilot plant to allow you to easily try multiple variations by either designing several different flow paths, or by making sure parts can be easily exchanged.
• Sampling Points – We design sampling points so that you can understand how your product is changing as it travels through the process and so you can measure the key efficiencies of your process.
• Utility Systems – Exhaust fans, catch pans, drainage and various other utilities may or may not pre-exist in facilities where pilot plants are destined. We thoroughly examine the needed utility systems an incorporate any necessary systems into the packaged modular skid.

THE FINAL SOLUTION

A self-contained automated advanced laboratory skid that converted biomass to liquid fuels in a multi-stage process was delivered fully tested to the client. The final skid included several industrial technologies that provided a clear path to production. For example; the heat source for this project was a major concern. At the pilot plant scale, electric heat tracing could have been used to heat the process. The size of equipment required for full production was too large for electric heat tracing to adequately provide heating. For this reason, EPIC designed the demonstration skid with an industrial heater to test the production-sized heating process.

There were no pre-existing utility systems for this plant. EPIC’s scale-up specialists included an exhaust system, drainage system, and spill management system on the pilot plant itself. The skid was also fully enclosed due to location in a lab space, where a system breach would need containment within the skid.

The final pilot plant included over a dozen sampling points placed strategically throughout the process. This allowed the client to check specific process efficiencies and understand the changing states of the product. The end of the process also had a built in valving system that allowed plant operators to collect multiple samples at different points during operation in different totes for analysis. Product would be collected in one tote during start-up. After a valve switch, it is collected in a different tote during steady-state operations, and finally in a third tote during process shut-down.

The pilot plant stayed at EPIC for extended testing. Testing with chemicals was performed at EPIC’s fabrication shop before the system was shipped. There were several issues identified during initial testing that could not have been for-seen by either the customer or EPIC. These were addressed during the extended testing period in the controlled environment of EPIC’s shop. This two month period of testing, by EPIC’s project managers, allowed the client to save 3-4 months of start-up time on location.

IMPACT

• Reduced start-up time through extended testing in EPIC’s shop by using the same project manager and controlled shop environment to make adjustments prior to plant shipment.
• Proprietary technology was protected in an enclosed in-door fabrication facility
• No external site modifications were required because utility systems were included in pilot plant
• Clear path to production sized operations were provided by industrial technologies, incorporated by EPIC’s scale-up specialists
• Time and money invested for production scale design/fabrication significantly reduced through use of industrial technology testing at the pilot plant level
• Changes to process were easy to make, due to accessible skid design
• Pilot plant was inherently safe for lab workers and could be easily relocated or re-purposed because of contained modular design

WHY EPIC MODULAR PROCESS?

A process design firm helps you design, fabricate and integrate an appropriate process solution that improves your manufacturing process. EPIC believes we can help you “Do It Better” by:

• Utilizing Front-End Engineering to ensure that the proper steps are taken during project scope development
• Designing most process systems as modular skids, which often saves time, money and creates a more efficient solution
• Applying our plant engineering experience to assist clients in identifying needs, pinpointing objectives and providing the most appropriate manufacturing equipment
• Maintaining an open door client policy to promote innovation. We invite clients to visit EPIC to experiment with new processes, technologies and techniques that push the limits of traditional engineering.
• Imparting a transfer of knowledge (not just a basic training) for the systems and equipment we provide
• Appointing a single point of direct contact during the entirety of the project

Find a better solution. Contact EPIC or learn more about pilot plants or modular process systems.

The post Advanced Pilot Plant Validates Alternative Energy Technology With Automated Production-Level Testing appeared first on .

Pilot Plants

EPIC Systems’ engineering team helped the client design a modular ion exchange chemical pilot plant to upgrade a proprietary process to the commercial level. The system was fabricated by EPIC in a short project schedule due to a customer specified timeline.

CLIENT: A Fortune 500 company

INDUSTRY: Agricultural Products | Chemicals

KEY ENGINEERING FEATURES:

• Project scope: Turnkey modular chemical pilot plant, piping, instrumentation, design, fabrication, installation and start-up.
• Proprietary client technology never disclosed; EPIC worked with a client provided sequence of operations to build the plant
• Scale-up of R&D process to commercial level with industrial grade system components
• Many instrumentation points and several sampling points
• Low-flow highly corrosive chemical process
• Corrosive chemical effluent treatment system
• Elaborate piping specification requirements due to highly corrosive chemical process

 CORE CHALLENGES:

• Small process footprint
• Industrial specifications for instrumentation and equipment
• Low flow, highly corrosive chemicals
• Proprietary technology
• Unique piping specifications – overhead and low piping, PVC piping and custom Teflon lined piping, exotic metal requirements, etc…
• Lots of instrumentation points
• Flexible engineering and fabrication for evolving specification provided by client during build
  • EPIC made continuous customer requested design & specification changes through-out the build process & into FAT stage of the project.
• Safety issues, especially at sampling points
• Waste processing of corrosive chemicals
• Tight customer schedule
• Functional FAT at EPIC’s facility for water batching & equipment/instrumentation verification.

AN EPIC SOLUTION

Front-end Engineering

The client was unable to disclose the proprietary chemical technology to EPIC. A sequence of operations was provided with specification for flexible design and build changes throughout the process. In the design stages of the project, EPIC recommended the following design parameters:

• A modular build approach for the pilot plant to reduce time, cost and footprint
• Hastelloy, PVC, Teflon lined, welded carbon steel, welded stainless steel, and stainless steel Swagelok piping, fiberglass tanks, and custom built flanges to meet customer specified industrial grade materials for corrosive chemicals
• Custom designed customer access points for maintaining equipment and obtaining samples
• Special flow meters to accommodate low flow and multiple sampling points
• Bubbler system to ascertain liquid levels inside tanks
• Closed sampling boxes for safe sampling procedures
• Hard piped and tied drains collecting waste in gravity pit for further processing before release
• Industrial conduit & electrical installations for plant requirements

The Final Solution

EPIC utilized the client provided sequence of operations to build the modular chemical pilot plant. Based on a 3D model designed by EPIC’s process & mechanical engineers, the pilot plant was able to fit in the required small footprint. Also, extensive design efforts were included by EPIC’s Automation Controls & Instrumentation Engineers for the large amount of control systems.

A highly corrosive acid was the main component of the system. To meet the industrial grade requirements of the client, EPIC used a variety of atypical materials in the fabrication of the pilot plant. Hastelloy and Teflon lined lines and other piping specifications were used throughout, along with fiberglass tanks. PVC and Teflon lined piping required custom built flanges by EPIC due to tight tolerance specifications. The highly corrosive nature of the material, combined with the low flow rate demanded installation of unique flow meters.

The pilot system required measurement at many instrumentation points, including: flow, temperature, pressure and chemical level in the tanks. EPIC installed a bubbler system to allow for easier and constant measurement of the liquid level. Compressed air was released into the bottom of tanks, and based on the resulting level, the liquid level was calculated.

The ion exchange process was kept proprietary by the client, but EPIC designed the base system and implemented the sequence of operations. The basic process included chemicals mixed together and run across a catalyst and resins. This allowed ions to be exchanged and altered the chemical make-up of the mixture.

Many samples were taken from the process. EPIC installed closed sampling boxes to maintain high safety standards for the system. Taking a sample involved a simple process During setup, EPIC monitored the process. The operator turned the flow valve on by placing a receptacle inside the sampling box and closing the door. The operator viewed the liquid fill level of the receptacle through a Plexiglas window. The box could not be opened while the flow valve was exposed.

Waste and discharge from the system were routed through hard piping to a gravity pit where waste was neutralized before being removed as hazardous waste.

This pilot plant was the intermediate step before a large industrial, international process plant was built for this technology. The many sampling and instrumentation points allowed the client to collect the necessary date for a larger industrial scale operation.

IMPACT:

• Successfully upgraded the client process from research and development to commercialized pilot plant
• Allowed for easy collection of necessary data for industrial level evaluations
• Cost justification for process through modular savings and information collection abilities
• 12-18 months of successful pilot plant run-time before the process was converted to industrial

ADVANTAGES TO MODULAR FABRICATION

EPIC used a value engineering approach to save the client time and money. Our modular fabrication approach to process systems has many advantages, the main points of which are highlighted below. To learn specifically how modular fabrication achieves these benefits, please visit our Advantages of Modular Fabrication page.

• Reduced cost
• Higher quality construction
• Faster time to market
• Improved safety
• Less resource requirements
• Flexibility
• Lowered safety exposure in customer’s plant environment

Find a solution that is right for your company. Contact EPIC or learn more about pilot plants or modular process systems.

The post Ion Exchange Pilot Plant appeared first on .

Wastewater Treatment

EPIC Systems reduced effluent costs for a major consumer products company by designing and installing a complete wastewater treatment system including a DAF and flocculation unit.

CLIENT: A Fortune 500 company

INDUSTRY: Consumer Products

KEY ENGINEERING FEATURES:

• Project scope: complete project engineering & design efforts, site civil upgrades, pipe racks and bridges, equipment/instrumentation/specialty procurement, pipe spools, process equipment and raw material pumping systems
• Manage contractor install, controls/programming, start-up / validation
• Complete wastewater treatment and waste transfer systems, including Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) tank, and flocculator
• Caustic chemical treatment of wastewater
• Pre-fabricated building installation with HVAC system for cooling
• Heat trace system for flocculator to prevent pipe blockage

CORE CHALLENGES:

• Fats, oils and solids removal from wastewater before going to municipality
• Forcing fats, oils and solids suspended in wastewater to top for removal
• Installation of new building to house treatment system
• Intersecting pipe bridge strut removal
• Flexible waste transfer system
• Fat buildup in flocculator requiring heat trace system
• Budget constraints

AN EPIC SOLUTION

Project Engineering

A consumer products company had a process requiring the removal of fats to a municipality wastewater treatment center. The runoff had a high concentration of suspended fats, oils and solids. Recent changes to local government environmental laws created a need for cleaner wastewater treatment to the facility.

The company had been paying a fee, but the municipality stricter guidelines would reject wastewater from the facility if the fat content was not drastically reduced. EPIC proposed the following wastewater treatment solution, working with a client-selected equipment company:

• Dissolved Air Flotation tank (DAF)
• Upstream flocculation system with chemical treatment
• Removal of ground supports and addition of reinforcements for pipe bridge running above treatment building
• Waste transfer system with sludge storage tanks
• Pre-fabricated building to house system and reduce costs

The Final Solution

EPIC managed the entire project from the design stage through the final startup. A pre-existing unusable structure was cleared from the job site. The pipe rack running above the building space was reinforced along the top, and the ground struts were removed to make room for a new wastewater building.

EPIC managed a sub-contractor who completed the site civil work and installed the new 2400 ft2 pre-fabricated building. EPIC worked with the building fabricator to design the building arrangement. Using a pre-fabricated building lowered costs compared to a traditional stick-built solution. A complete HVAC system was installed to cool the MCC controls room.

EPIC installed an Allen Bradley PLC and integrated the flocculation system and DAF into the waste stream. The system was designed for water traveling through the flocculator to be chemically treated with a caustic solution. Fats and solids in the wastewater are combined and rise to the top of the solution. EPIC installed a small caustic tank in the wastewater treatment building with an automatic fill on demand feature from a larger pre-existing caustic tank, located inside the production facility.

A heat trace system was added to the flocculation piping to raise the temperature of the wastewater. The high percentage of fats in the waste stream was prone to build up and caused blockage if allowed to transform to a solid state. The heat trace system was purposely designed to keep fats in a liquid state during flocculation, the only part of the treatment process with relatively narrow piping.

The flocculation system was seamlessly joined to the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) tank. A portion of wastewater must be removed from the stream and injected with high pressure air. The excess was engineered to enter the DAF based on resonance time to create turbulent upward flow. The high pressure air/water solution force the flocculated fats and solids upward at a high rate. Steady upward pressure exists throughout the DAF to keep fats and solids at the top of the tank.

A belt skimmer was installed to scrape fats from the top of the tank into a hopper bin. A trigger inside the trough is designed to run a sludge pump when the trough is filled. The pump siphons sludge into storage tanks.

The trigger system with batch pumping proved to be a less expensive waste removal method than continuous pumping operations. EPIC specified hookups on the outside of the sludge tanks so that sludge could be easily pumped into trucks and removed periodically.

A second filtration step was also installed. Wastewater passes through this process before being released to the municipality. After the DAF system was installed the municipality was able to accept effluent from the plant and without extra fees.

IMPACT:

• Resolved issues with municipality and eliminated effluent disposal fees
• Reduced project costs through use of pre-fabricated building, batch pumping system and on-demand caustic system

Find a solution that is right for your company. Contact an EPIC engineer to learn more about wastewater treatment systems.

The post Complete Wastewater Treatment System by EPIC appeared first on .