Drought Effects On Aging Power Plants May Be Larger Than Expected

If the business or institution you represent is seeking water technology solutions, it?s best to know what to expect from a water technology company. There?s a range of depth in which such a company may go to in order to provide the solutions you require. If you seek to optimize the existing water technology of your business or institution, an extended range of inquiry may bring about a more comprehensive diagnosis of your solution than settling for a more limited one.

If the water technology company you approach is content to simply look of the inflow and outflow on site and then offer different filters or chemicals as a way of improvement, then you?ve been offered a solution that only goes part of the way toward total optimization of your water situation. This doesn?t go far enough if you are looking for a complete answer to your water question. The complete answer also includes a hard look into your apparatus, which may contain areas of opportunity afforded by developments in water technology as detected by an engineer?s eye.

If you seek water technology solutions in Etobicoke, Ontario or the surrounding areas, we at Ion Water Solutions provide that comprehensive approach you require. We combine backgrounds of chemistry and web page engineering with water technology expertise in order to detect areas of opportunity in your water and in your apparatus as well. To see if our holistic vision of your water technology setup can be upgraded to add profitability or productivity, give us a call for a free onsite survey.

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Study shows potential for Earth-friendly plastic replacement The new bioplastic and rubber blend devised by Ohio State researchers proved much more durable than the bioplastic on its own Credit: Ohio State University

The quest to keep plastic out of landfills and simultaneously satisfy the needs of the food industry is filled with obstacles.

A biodegradable replacement for petroleum-based products has to meet all sorts of standards and, so far, attempts at viable replacements from renewable sources have faced limited success due to processing and economic constraints. Among the obstacles, products to date have been too brittle for food packaging.

But new research from The Ohio State University has shown that combining natural rubber with bioplastic in a novel way results in a much stronger replacement for plastic, one that is already capturing the interest of companies looking to shrink their environmental footprints.

Almost all plastics?about 90 percent?are petroleum-based and are not biodegradable, a major environmental concern.

In a new study published in the journal Polymers, the research team reports success with a rubber-toughened product derived from microbial fermentation that they say could perform like conventional plastic. This new study highlights the greatest success in this area so far, according to the scientists.

"Previous attempts at this combination were unsuccessful because the softness of the rubber meant the product lost a lot of strength in the process," said lead author Xiaoying Zhao, a postdoctoral researcher in Ohio State's Department of Food Science and Technology.

The new study involved melting rubber into a plant-based thermoplastic called PHBV along with organic peroxide and another additive called trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA).

The end product was 75 percent tougher and 100 percent more flexible than PHBV on its own?meaning it is far easier to shape into food packaging.

Other research teams have combined rubber and PHBV, but the products have been too weak to withstand all the demands of a food package?from processing, to shipping, to handling in stores and homes, especially containers that are used for freezing and then microwaving, said the study's senior author, Yael Vodovotz, homepage a professor of food science and technology at Ohio State.

Increased flexibility, without a significant loss of strength, is particularly important when it comes to plastic films commonly used to package everything from fresh produce to frozen foods, she said.

While other attempts at making this type of rubber-enhanced bioplastic have reduced the strength of the PHBV by as much as 80 percent, only 30 percent of the strength was lost in this study?a much more manageable amount, Zhao said.

Toughness, which was improved, is different from strength, explained study co-author Katrina Cornish, an expert in natural rubber and professor of horticulture and crop science at Ohio State.

"Imagine trying to pull a block of concrete apart with your hands. That's testing its strength. But karate chopping it with your hand or foot is testing its toughness?how easily it breaks," Cornish said.

"You can never pull it apart, but if you're strong enough you can break it."

Much of the researchers' current focus is on the potential use of various biodegradable?and otherwise environmentally conscious?materials they might use as fillers to further strengthen the mix. They've discussed using the "cake" left behind after a fellow researcher extracts oil from spent coffee grounds. Tomato skins are under consideration, as are eggshells.

"We want something that would otherwise go to waste that is sustainable and also relatively cheap," Vodovotz said.

They're even looking at the potential to attack two environmental problems at once, by seeing how invasive grasses that environmentalists are yanking out of waterways might play with the rubber-infused mix.

"We could dry them, grind them up and potentially use these grasses as a fibrous filler," Vodovotz said.

Beyond packaged foods, a bioplastic could potentially be used in other food-related applications such as utensils and cutting boards.

And the researchers are looking to collaborate with colleagues outside of food science to consider other applications for their product, such as to create building materials, gloves for those working in food service, or parts for cars and airplanes.

As the team works to move its technology out of the lab and into the food industry, there will be many details to work out depending on a company's individual priorities and concerns, Vodovotz said, and that may mean tinkering with the mix.

"As we get closer and closer to working with food manufacturers, there are specific questions our potential partners are asking," Vodovotz said. "We have to be very careful about what we use in this process in order to meet their needs, and they have very specific parameters."

Keystone Power Holdings Completes Solar problem For Penns Grove Sewerage Authority

Since 2014, the Water Resources Fund has provided 125 grants to support projects in 12 river basins in the Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia

The most recent round of grants supports 12 projects impacting 43 counties



Twelve organizations spanning 43 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina will receive $940,000 in new grants from Duke Energy?s Water Resources Fund to support environmental and wildlife programs.

With this final round of Water Resources Fund grants, Duke Energy has reached its commitment to invest $10M to help local organizations protect and improve the environment.

Since the fund?s inception in 2014, Duke Energy has supported 125 projects to protect natural resources in 12 river basins across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, including more than $1.5M in the Dan River Basin.

?The projects we?ve supported over the last five years will have a lasting impact on our region?s waterways,?? said Stephen De May, Duke Energy?s North Carolina president. ?While the Water Resources Fund has achieved its financial goal, our commitment to be good stewards of our natural resources in ongoing.??

?In a region blessed with an abundance of public and conserved natural lands, DuPont State Recreational Forest is already one of our greatest conservation gems,?? said Conserving Carolina executive director Kieran Roe. ?The incorporation of this tract will enhance it further by protecting water quality, preserving an important wildlife corridor, and creating future opportunities for public recreation.??

?Today is about celebrating our partners?? said Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, Duke Energy?s South Carolina president. ?This was a true collaborative effort with dozens of organizations and environmental experts to protect our waterways for future generations.??

?The Belton Landing project will serve to enhance access to and awareness of one of South Carolina?s most important natural resources,?? said city of Belton Mayor Wendell web page. ?The Saluda River Blue Trail attracts nature-based tourism from around the globe, and we are proud to serve as the host site for this major expansion of recreational opportunities in our region.??

Grants were selected by an independent panel with diverse environmental expertise. The panel includes five external members and two Duke Energy representatives. View an interactive map showcasing all 125 grantees at duke-energy.com/H2O.

About Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy?s customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $30M annually in charitable gifts and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about the Foundation and its Powerful Communities program can be found at duke-energy.com/foundation.

Duke Energy, a Fortune 125 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers? experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit?s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states ? North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states ? North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune?s 2019 ?World?s Most Admired Companies?? list and Forbes? 2019 ?America?s Best Employers?? list. For more information, visit duke-energy.com.

Researchers is Now Able To Predict Properties Of Disordered Polymers Credit: Acs

class="doc-header">Ducon Receives Order For A 2x300 MW FGD System From China

Ducon Group's Ducon Infratechnologies Ltd. announced recently that Ducon has received an order to supply a Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system on a 2x300 MW coal-fired plant from Harbin Boiler Group in China.

Under the terms of the order, Ducon will supply its proprietary Seawater FGD (SWFGD) technology with counter current DUPACK absorber to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 96 percent. Ducon believes that its superior SWFGD technology, providing low capital and operating costs along with its proven operational record of previously supplied SWFGD systems, contributed to Ducon being selected for this order. Ducon will be responsible for basic design, engineering, supply of crucial components and supervision during erection and commission of the system.

Ducon's SWFGD system with DUPACK absorber is the most cost-effective technology for sulfur dioxide emissions control due to its lower initial investment, low power consumption and minimal operating cost. It is suitable for oil and coal-fired power boilers and can effectively treat flue gases containing up to 7000 ppm of SO2 inlet concentration. Ducon SWFGD uses the spent seawater from the condensers to absorb SO2 thus requiring no chemicals and treated seawater is safely discharged to the ocean with no harmful effects. Ducon provides a complete line of Limestone FGD, Wet FGD, SWFGD and Dry FGD systems.

Ducon currently has outstanding FGD system proposals on 35 different projects both in private and public sector power plants worldwide, totaling approximately 25,000 MW of power capacity where it is actively involved in discussions. Due to enforcement of tighter air pollution control regulations worldwide, webpage the global market for FGD systems, including in China and India, is expanding tremendously, resulting in an increase in the demand for higher FGD capacity. Ducon, with its illustrious proven record in FGD systems, is continuing to aggressively market its FGD technologies globally and expects further orders in this market place.

SOURCE: Ducon Technologies Inc.

Reducing Odors From Process And Waste Water By Chemical Oxidation :: Momar

This past summer New York City experienced the worst Legionnaires? disease outbreak in its recorded history. In what is now being referred to as the NYC Legionella Outbreak of 2015, more than 130 people were sickened and 16 people tragically died. In an effort to keep the public safe, both the City and State of New York passed emergency legislation designed to regulate the operation and maintenance of cooling towers. Today, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) seeks to make those emergency provisions stronger and lasting; and will hold a public hearing to discuss and pass their newly proposed rules. The hearing will take place from 10AM to 12PM on January 4, 2016 at DOHMH headquarters in Long Island City. Once the hearing is over, the DOHMH will modify the rules based on the public?s feedback, if necessary, and then draft a final version. A copy is then published in the City Record and submitted to the City Council where it will be voted on to become law. This legislation will have an effect on the operation procedures of any building that operates a cooling, as well as the water treatment companies and environmental consulting firms that service them.

CURRENT NYC COOLING TOWER LAW TO COMBAT LEGIONELLA

To deal with the serious issue of legionella in cooling towers, on August 18th, 2015 in New York City, the City Council and Mayor de Blasio enacted Local Law 77 of 2015. Legionnaires? disease is said to have a case fatality rate of 5-30%. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there were between 8,000 and 18,000 cases of LD in the United States annually, and that more than 10% of cases are fatal. (Learn more here: What is legionella?)

Local Law 77 added a new Article 317 to Title 28 of the Administrative Code that required owners of cooling towers to register them with the Department of Buildings (DOB) by September 17, 2015. Towers must be inspected, tested, cleaned and disinfected in accordance with new Administrative Code ?17-194.1 and rules adopted by the DOB. Owners and operators of cooling towers must annually certify to the Department that their cooling towers have been inspected, tested, cleaned and disinfected and that a management and maintenance program has been developed and implemented in accordance with Administrative Code ?17-194.1 which includes maintaining a proper cooling tower water treatment program. Statewide, including in New York City, owners of all cooling towers must also comply with New York State Sanitary Code (SSC) Part 4, which includes registration with and reporting requirements to the New York State Department of Health.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROPOSED UPDATES TO TITLE 24

Today, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is proposing to add a new Chapter 8 (Cooling Towers) to Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York to establish rules for maintenance of cooling towers to minimize potential contamination by Legionella bacteria to prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires? disease. This new Chapter 8 will further the work of Local Law 77, and require building owners to provide cooling tower maintenance and testing records to the NYC Department of Health.

Chapter 8?s provisions that are equivalent to the State Sanitary Code Part 4. This proposed Chapter is organized differently than the State Sanitary Code requirements; more terms are defined in this Chapter and more detailed instructions for management and maintenance are provided than those contained in SSC Part 4 to facilitate compliance with both the City and State rules and requirements.

To ratify these changes, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has issued their Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Amendments to Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York. (You can find a link to the DOHMH Notice at the end of this post.)

According to the NYC Rules website, here are the proposed changes to Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York. It adds a new Chapter 8, which includes the following sections:

8-01 Scope and applicability: applicable to all owners and operators of buildings and other premises that are equipped with cooling towers.

8-02 Definitions: to facilitate compliance with and enforcement of these rules, more terms are defined in this Chapter than in the corresponding sections of either Administrative Code or SSC Part 4.

8-03 Maintenance program and plan: the requirements of this section exceed those of SSC Part 4, including specific routine maintenance tasks; identification of persons responsible for various functions; identifying system components; and establishing a system risk management assessment to identify areas that may create problems and lead to proliferation of Legionella bacteria.

8-04 Process control measures: this section establishes requirements for routine monitoring, to be conducted at least weekly by a ?responsible person?? under the supervision ? remote or on-site -- of the ?qualified person?? identified in SSC Part 4, and for compliance inspections, to be conducted at least every 90 days, by the qualified person. It specifies standards for maintenance, cleaning, and parts replacement; and requires installation of high efficiency drift eliminators in all new and retrofitted cooling tower systems and in existing ones, where practicable.

8-05 Water treatment: this section specifies requirements for automatic treatments, use of chemicals and biocides, and monitoring water quality characteristics/parameters, and establishes a schedule for sampling for Legionella and other bacteria including requiring additional sampling when certain events occur. This section also mandates the use of certain qualified laboratories for analysis and requires reporting levels of Legionella at a certain magnitude to the Department within 24 hours of obtaining test results; and specifies corrective actions for various levels of bacteria. Although the 2014 New York City Plumbing Code Appendix C authorizes use of rainwater or recycled water as makeup water for cooling towers, it does not require disinfection for Legionella bacteria before use. These rules prohibit such use unless owners use additional control measures approved by the Department that protect against cooling tower system contamination since the Department believes that this water may not meet public health standards and may tend to support microbial growth.

8-06 System shutdown and start-up; commissioning new cooling towers: this section sets forth requirements for pre-seasonal cleaning and disinfection and for new cooling towers being placed into use.

8-07 Records: this requires the maintenance of records of all activities and that such records be made available for immediate inspection by the Department at the premises where the cooling tower is installed.

8-08 Modification: authorizes the Commissioner to modify the application of a provision of these rules where compliance imposes an undue hardship and would not otherwise be required by law, provided that the modification does not compromise public health concerns.

8-09 Penalties: establishes a schedule of penalties for initial and subsequent violations within the limits set forth in Administrative Code ?17-194.1.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PUBLIC HEARING ON COOLING TOWER LEGISLATION



The NYC DOHMH will hold a public hearing on these proposed rules. The hearing will take place from 10AM to 12PM on January 4, 2016 at:

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Gotham Center

42-09 28th Street, 14th Floor, Room 14-43

Long Island City, NY 11101-4132

Anyone is permitted to attend the hearing and/or comment on the proposal. The DOHMH has given the following ways to communicate public commentary:

Website: You can submit comments to the Department through the NYC rules Web site at http://rules.cityofnewyork.us

Email: You can email written comments to resolutioncomments@health.nyc.gov

Mail: You can mail written comments to:

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Office of General Counsel

Attn: Svetlana Burdeynik

42-09 28th Street, 14th Floor

Long Island City, NY 11101-4132

Fax: You can fax written comments to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene at 347-396-6087.

Speaking at the hearing: Anyone who wants to comment on the proposal at the public hearing must sign up to speak. You can sign up before the hearing by calling at 347-396-6078. You can also sign up in the hearing room before or during the hearing on January 4, 2016. You can speak for up to five minutes.

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE FULL NOTICE

If you would like to read the full copy of the DOH?s notice, please fill out the form below for an instant link. This document fully outlines all of the sections of the newly proposed Chapter 8 including the full requirements for maintenance, operation, and ongoing water treatment of cooling towers in New York City. There is no charge for this information and it is freely available online.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene?s Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Amendments to Title 24 of the Rules of the City of New York here:

About Clarity Water Technologies

Clarity Water Technologies is known throughout the east coast as an innovative industrial/commercial water treatment company and the innovators of 360 Degree Legionella Management Service. To put it simply: As New York City's Top Environmental Consultants, we make commercial HVAC and industrial process machinery last longer and run more efficiently, with less fuel and less downtime, by chemically treating the water that runs through it. Typical systems that we treat include steam boilers, chillers and cooling towers; however, we also offer advanced wastewater, glycol services, odor control and fuel treatment services. We are one of Northeast?s most trusted Legionella remediation companies and are widely accepted as one of the best consulting firms to establish best practices for the implementation of ASHRAE Standard 188 - Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.

As environmental consultants specializing in water treatment, we know that chemistry is only one part of what makes a cooling tower system operate at peak performance. The other part of the equation is proper physical cleaning, disinfection and maintenance. Today, Clarity offers one of the most reliable and effective cooling tower disinfection services available throughout NY, NJ, CT, DE, MD and PA. Clarity is a NADCA Certified HVAC Cleaning Service Company. Our team also offers on-line cleanings, chlorine dioxide disinfection, Legionella remediation and installation of the EcoSAFE Solid Feed System?one of the most advanced water treatment systems for Cooling Towers in the world! Please contact us today for a free estimate on your next project.

New York City Water Treatment Expert and Environmental Consultant, Greg Frazier has a vast knowledge of Industrial Boiler Water Treatment and is currently the Managing Partner of Clarity Water Technologies, one of the top Environmental Consulting firms in New York. Mr. Frazier has over 19 years of Industrial Water Treatment experience and holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tennessee. Clarity Water Technologies specializes in comprehensive water treatment services. Clarity's service goes far beyond administering Cooling Tower Water Treatment chemicals - it also includes Cooling Tower Maintenance and HVAC Cleaning Services.