 Alliance Acoustical Consultants, Inc. |
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INDUSTRIAL NOISE continued -
Design Engineering & Verification
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Seward Coal Plant Repowering Client: Duke/Fluor Daniel (EPC Contractor) for Reliant Energy Location: East Wheatfield Township, Pennsylvania, USA Project Description: An aging, coal-fired boiler power plant was completely rebuilt (“repowered”) with the installation of two modern Clean Coal Technology, circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers. The new boilers will result in decreases in targeted criteria air pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and PM/PM10. An all new steam turbine generator, a 20-cell wet cooling tower, and coal, limestone, and ash material handling systems were also part of the replacement project which reused only the existing 600-foot exhaust stack. Noise sources of concern included the increased flow-rate through the existing stack, large induced-draft (ID) fans on the boilers, a large power transformer, material crushing/transferring/ blowing systems, and a significantly increased footprint for material handling and trucking activities. The project is scheduled for commercial operation in the summer of 2004. Scope: Noise Control Engineering: (a) Ambient/baseline assessment, (b) Design engineering, (c) Configuration optimization, and (d) Haul Truck Traffic impact analyses. Noise Control Services: The Seward Project, located in western Pennsylvania, is close to other heavy industrial uses, but also near small townships, scattered residential developments, and a bend in the Conemaugh River (previously used for plant cooling). Although there were no local noise ordinances involved, the client desired to preclude a significant increase in noise emissions from the power generation site. AAC was hired to conduct noise evaluations of the then-existing and the future coal-fired plants to properly address facility noise emissions for the repowering project. To establish a baseline condition, AAC field engineers measured the old plant, both on-site and in the surrounding areas, for a ‘before’ case. The measurements were recreated in a computer modeling to enable a clear comparison between the old ‘before’ case and the proposed ‘after’ case (from the new project). During detailed design of the new plant, AAC engineers and scientists conducted numerous predictive modeling exercises to characterize, analyze, and refine several proposed design configurations and equipment options. These extensive computerized analyses solidified the noise emissions limits for individual equipment items as well as assisted in the definition of the main boiler building’s acoustical properties (to help encapsulate boiler noise from propagating into the surrounding communities). The modeling results also aided in optimizing several key arrangements involved with the widespread and complicated coal, limestone, and ash handling systems. Given the many configurations and design improvements investigated during the engineering phase, tabular and graphical summaries – the latter in the form of noise contour maps – were employed to efficiently and effectively communicate the analysis results to the project engineering and management staff. |
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