 Alliance Acoustical Consultants, Inc. |
|
|
|
|
INDUSTRIAL NOISE continued - Retrofit
and Treatment
|
|||
|
Bellingham CO2 Recovery Project Noise Retrofit Client: Fluor Daniel (Contractor) for Northwest Energy L.P. Location: Bellingham, Massachusetts, USA Project Description: The Bellingham CO2 Recovery Plant was built in 1991 by Fluor Daniel and was the first commercial production plant for CO2 recovery to use the Econamine FG process for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gases. In this case, the Bellingham facility captures 15% of the flue gas from the adjacent 300+ MW Bellingham Cogeneration Facility to strip out 350 tons per day of good-grade carbon dioxide for sale to two major distributors. This CO2 would normally be simply expelled into the atmosphere in the exhaust gas from the power plant. The Econamine FG process utilizes monoethanolamine (MEA) absorbers inside a processing column at relatively cool temperatures (i.e. below 50 °C) for proper operating efficiencies. Various filters, scrubbers, and strippers are also needed to remove soot and particulates, sulphur oxides (SOx), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) prior to the CO2 recovery. Significant amounts of cooling capacity, water treatment, and gas compression equipment is essential at this type of plant. Scope: Noise Control Engineering: (a) Follow-on design engineering support, (b) On-site noise measurement survey, and (c) Noise reduction retrofit investigation & implementation. Regulatory Involvement and Environmental Documentation: Provided plant noise control engineering information to independent consultant for use in compliance verification measurements and submittals to state regulatory authorities. Noise Control Services: During plant start-up and commissioning, it became apparent that the as-built plant might be in jeopardy of not meeting the community noise emissions requirements established in the operating permit. A noise source troubleshooting and noise reduction investigation was initiated to identify the culprit sources and to quickly implement retrofit mitigation measures. On-site noise measurements identified several serious noise emitters, including the main flue gas blower (a 185,000 cfm, 2500 hp fan), the associated ducting into the process column, a large bank of elevated, air-cooling fans (and their drive mechanisms), openings in the compressor building shell (allowing noise from the large process gas compressors to escape), and several large pumps. Given the strong desire to maintain the schedule for commercial operation, quick turn-around noise control treatments were of utmost priority. With the field measurements completed and the prominent noise sources identified, a retrofit mitigation program was launched; including the identification of acoustical materials suppliers, arranging for qualified fabricators/installers, and setting up implementation plans and specifications. Treatments included the installation of acoustical lagging on the blower fan, ductwork, and the process column (part way up from grade level); using noise control louvers and doors on the compressor building shell; replacing the cooling fan drive belts and re-aligning the drive pulleys; refurbishing the original (but subsequently resized and moved) noise control barrier wall; and installing acoustical enclosures on selected pump+motor sets. AAC staff members helped supervise and direct the on-site installation of noise control treatments and conducted spot-check measurements to verify the desired reduction characteristics. Following the retrofit mitigation implementation, a third-party noise consultant conducted a compliance survey and proved that the plant successfully met the state and local noise requirements. |
 |
||
| Home | Aircraft & Airport Noise | Architectural/Building Acoustics | Environmental Noise | Industrial Noise | Noise Design Engineering | Power Plant Noise Permitting | Retrofit Noise Control | Bellingham CO2 Project | Brasil Power Plant Evaluation | Liberty Electric Evaluation | Mission Peaking Plant | Morro Bay Power Plant | Newington Energy | Riyadh Refinery Evaluation | Seward Coal Plant | Pringles Packaging Noise Control | Railroad Noise | Traffic Noise | Vibration Evaluation | AAC History | Engineering Philosophy | Teaming | Work Practices | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
|
|
||
| © 2005 Alliance Acoustical Consultants, Inc. | AllianceAcoustics.com | AllianceAcoustical.com | |||