The Third Option for Meeting 316(b) Requirements

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles F. Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Circulating Water ◽  
Surface Areas

Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act requires plants with intake flows of over 2 million gallons of water per day taken from the waters of the United States to implement the “best available” technology to reduce injury and death of fish and other aquatic life that may be impinged on or entrained in the intake. The two options commonly identified to address 316(b) are closed cycle cooling and fish screens. A third option that is often overlooked and may be less expansive is to implement changes in the plant, allowing it to operate with less condenser circulating water (CCW) flow. Most CCW systems of power plants were originally designed to achieve an economic optimum balance between capital cost and the operating benefit of a lower main condenser (MC) pressure with the resulting increased electrical output. For those plants that are located on rivers, lakes, and oceans where CCW was abundant and free, economics often dictated high CCW flows impelled by low-head pumps and MC’s designed with minimal surface areas, as larger MC’s were not justified on the basis of economics. The passage of Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act suggests a new look at the existing CCW system design for many plants with the goal of reducing the required CCW flow rate. In some instances simply reducing the CCW flow rate may be sufficient to meet 316(b) requirements. In other cases, the reduction of CCW flow may significantly reduce the capital and operating cost of adding cooling towers and/or fish screens. This paper investigates ways to reduce the required CCW flow to existing power plants by redesigning and modifying the existing CCW system based on current technology. The result could be a new, improved, MC and other turbine cycle equipment and perhaps new CCW pumps, resulting in the same or better plant performance. The paper presents case studies in which the CCW systems for two power plants are redesigned to reduce the CCW flow.

Increasing Regulations Result in Decreasing Operational Efficiency

1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 149-152
Author(s):  
Charles W. Ganze ◽  
Richard L. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
The United States ◽  
The State ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Aquatic Life ◽  
Wastewater Disposal

In 1972, the Congress of the United States of America passed major legislation called the Clean Water Act, which required all wastewater discharges to meet minimal standards. The Clean Water Act promoted efficiency and cost effectiveness. The Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority was created in 1969 by the Legislature of the State of Texas to, among other things, own and operate wastewater disposal systems which would be protective of public health, “terrestrial and aquatic life, the operation of existing industries and the economic development of the state“. Since enactment of the Clean Water Act, other pieces of legislation, rulings by courts of law, and rules established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have thwarted many efforts to operate efficient and cost-effective wastewater treatment facilities. This paper will discuss several of the laws and rules that have discouraged efficiency and cost effectiveness.

scholarly journals Picking Up Where the TMDL Leaves Off: Using the Partnership Wild and Scenic River Framework for Collaborative River Restoration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1878
Author(s):  
Alan R. Hunt ◽  
Meiyin Wu ◽  
Tsung-Ta David Hsu ◽  
Nancy Roberts-Lawler ◽  
Jessica Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Bacterial Contamination ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Private Land ◽  
The Public ◽  
Wild And Scenic Rivers

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects less than ¼ of a percent of the United States’ river miles, focusing on free-flowing rivers of good water quality with outstandingly remarkable values for recreation, scenery, and other unique river attributes. It predates the enactment of the Clean Water Act, yet includes a clear anti-degradation principle, that pollution should be reduced and eliminated on designated rivers, in cooperation with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state pollution control agencies. However, the federal Clean Water Act lacks a clear management framework for implementing restoration activities to reduce non-point source pollution, of which bacterial contamination impacts nearly 40% of the Wild and Scenic Rivers. A case study of the Musconetcong River, in rural mountainous New Jersey, indicates that the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act can be utilized to mobilize and align non-governmental, governmental, philanthropic, and private land-owner resources for restoring river water quality. For example, coordinated restoration efforts on one tributary reduced bacterial contamination by 95%, surpassing the TMDL goal of a 93% reduction. Stakeholder interviews and focus groups indicated widespread knowledge and motivation to improve water quality, but resource constraints limited the scale and scope of restoration efforts. The authors postulate that the Partnership framework, enabled in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, facilitated neo-endogenous rural development through improving water quality for recreational usage, whereby bottom-up restoration activities were catalyzed via federal designation and resource provision. However, further efforts to address water quality via voluntary participatory frameworks were ultimately limited by the public sector’s inadequate funding and inaction with regard to water and wildlife resources in the public trust.

Performance Testing of Coal Fired Power Plants

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane E. Powers ◽  
William C. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Performance Testing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Cycle Performance ◽  
Test Program

With the renewed interest in the construction of coal-fired power plants in the United States, there has also been an increased interest in the methodology used to calculate/determine the overall performance of a coal fired power plant. This methodology is detailed in the ASME PTC 46 (1996) Code, which provides an excellent framework for determining the power output and heat rate of coal fired power plants. Unfortunately, the power industry has been slow to adopt this methodology, in part because of the lack of some details in the Code regarding the planning needed to design a performance test program for the determination of coal fired power plant performance. This paper will expand on the ASME PTC 46 (1996) Code by discussing key concepts that need to be addressed when planning an overall plant performance test of a coal fired power plant. The most difficult aspect of calculating coal fired power plant performance is integrating the calculation of boiler performance with the calculation of turbine cycle performance and other balance of plant aspects. If proper planning of the performance test is not performed, the integration of boiler and turbine data will result in a test result that does not accurately reflect the true performance of the overall plant. This planning must start very early in the development of the test program, and be implemented in all stages of the test program design. This paper will address the necessary planning of the test program, including: • Determination of Actual Plant Performance. • Selection of a Test Goal. • Development of the Basic Correction Algorithm. • Designing a Plant Model. • Development of Correction Curves. • Operation of the Power Plant during the Test. All nomenclature in this paper utilizes the ASME PTC 46 definitions for the calculation and correction of plant performance.

Environmental Protection in the United States Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Industry: An Overview of Regulation of Wastewater Under the U.S. Clean Water Act

1988 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca W. Hanmer
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pulp And Paper ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Pulp Paper

The pulp, paper, and paperboard industry in the United States is the larqest industrial user of water with half of the facilities discharging wastewater directly to our Nation's waters. The major pollutants of concern have historically been the conventional pollutants: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total suspended solids (TSS), and pH. Biological treatment systems are currently employed to reduce these pollutants. Sludges generated by these treatment systems have been categorized as nonhazardous and are generally landfilled. Under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated all the reguired regulations for this industry. The national regulations are applied to individual pulp and paper mills through permits issued by EPA Regional or State staff. Permit limits can be written that are more restrictive than the national regulations to protect local water guality. In its current projects concerning the pulp and paper industry, EPA is focusing on the reduction of toxic pollutants. The Agency is conducting a joint EPA/industry program to study dioxin discharges at bleached kraft mills. The Agency will also undertake a comprehensive review of the pulp and paper regulations in 1988.

scholarly journals Wetlands and Environmental Legislation Issues

1994 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy R. Carriker
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United States Army ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Army Corps ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Army Corps Of Engineers ◽  
Section 404 ◽  
Definition Of

AbstractThe federal government program for wetlands regulation is administered by the United States Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Proposals for amending and/or reforming the Section 404 program are included in Congressional deliberations regarding Clean Water Act reauthorization. Specific issues of public policy include the definition of “waters of the United States”, criteria for delineation of jurisdictional wetlands, definition of activities exempt from regulation, mitigation and classification of wetlands, and issues of property rights.

A New Concept of Impingement Cooling for Gas Turbine Hot Parts and Its Influence on Plant Performance

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Facchini ◽  
M. Surace ◽  
S. Zecchi
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Impinging Jets ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Impingement Cooling

Significant improvements in gas turbine cooling technology are becoming harder as progress goes over and over. Several impingement cooling solutions have been extensively studied in past literature. An accurate and extensive numerical 1D simulation on a new concept of sequential impingement was performed, showing good results. Instead of having a single impingement plate, we used several perforated plates, connecting the inlet of each one with the outlet of the previous one. Main advantages are: absence of the negative interaction between transverse flow and last rows impinging jets (reduced deflection); better distribution of pressure losses and heat transfer coefficients among the different plates, especially when pressure drops are significant and available coolant mass flow rate is low (lean premixed combustion chamber and LP turbine stages). Practical applications can have a positive influence on both cooled nozzles and combustion chambers, in terms of increased cooling efficiency and coolant mass flow rate reduction. Calculated effects are used to analyze main influences of such a cooling system on global performances of power plants.

scholarly journals Evaluation of pollutant loadings in highway runoff and relevant legislative framework

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 797-804
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Highway Runoff

<div> <p>Non-point sources pollution from highway runoff is among the most important reasons for surface and ground waters degradation. Atmospheric deposition, exhaust emissions, pavement wear and tire wear all have been found to be crucial pollutants in highway runoff. The most critical pollutants included in the runoff of interurban roads such as total suspended solids, heavy metals, chlorides and nutrients, together with the factors affecting their concentration are been investigated. Existing legislation about drainage and highway stormwater management in United States and European Union as well as the federal agencies of the United States which have the responsibility to regulate drainage and stormwater management are also presented. Water pollution concerns in the Unites States are mainly addressed through the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, known as the Clean Water Act. Provisions within the Clean Water Act require all states to implement regulations in order to reduce the pollutant mass loading prior to discharging into water recipients. In European Union the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC sets common goals for the water management and created an overall water policy for management at an international level.</p> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p>

scholarly journals Absorption of CO2 With Amines in a Semiclosed GT Cycle: Plant Performance and Operating Costs

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Corti ◽  
L. Lombardi ◽  
G. Manfrida
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Co2 Concentration ◽  
Combined Cycle ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Co2 Removal ◽  
Additional Costs ◽  
Increased Co2 Concentration ◽  
Removal System

A CO2 removal system, using aqueous solutions of amines, is applied to a Semi-Closed Gas Turbine/Combined Cycle (SCGT/CC) power plant. The SCGT/CC is interesting because of the possibility of achieving low emissions at the stack, with a decreased overall flow rate, lower NOx concentration and an increased CO2 concentration (over 15% in volume), which facilitates the removal treatment. Several compositions of the absorbing solution have been investigated, by means of simulations with ASPEN PLUS. A 18% DEA + 12% MDEA composition resulted the most convenient in terms of flow rate and energy requirement for the stripping. A cost analysis of the removal plant allows to estimate additional costs for CO2 removal with respect to conventional power plants.

Developments in Legislation Related to Treatment of Petroleum Refinery Effluents: A U.S. Overview

1989 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 355-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve Laffly
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Point Sources ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Regulatory Requirements ◽  
Federal Water Pollution Control ◽  
Guidelines And Standards ◽  
Pollutant Discharge ◽  
Wastewater Pollutants

Abstract Regulatory requirements in the United States controlling wastewater pollutants and toxicity resulting from point sources, such as refineries, emanated from passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1972 and its subsequent amendments, collectively referred to as the Clean Water Act. The Clean Water Act empowers in the federal U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and states to issue effluents limitation guidelines and water quality standards to point sources that discharge pollutants directly to surface waters. These guidelines and standards are contained in permits issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The current regulatory emphasis on toxics probably will lead to more stringent pretreatment standards and reduced refinery wastewater flow.

Does the Primacy System Work? State versus Federal Implementation of the Clean Water Act

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-160
Author(s):  
Luke Fowler ◽  
Chris Birdsall
Keyword(s):  
South Dakota ◽  
Clean Water Act ◽  
Environmental Policies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Technique ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
Clean Water ◽  
Synthetic Control ◽  
Environmental Federalism ◽  
Program Outcomes

Abstract In the United States, environmental federalism largely relies on a system for policy implementation that allows the federal government to delegate primary program authority (or primacy) to state agencies. Although it is an ingrained feature of several major federal environmental policies, such as the Clean Water Act (CWA), there is little evidence to indicate what impact delegating authorities has on programs. In order to examine this, the authors use a synthetic control technique to determine how actual CWA program outcomes in five states compare to expected outcomes if EPA retained primary authority. Findings indicate that while there were no significant differences in Texas and Oklahoma, state primacy led to improved program outcomes in Florida, but worse outcomes in Maine and South Dakota. Conclusions suggest that primacy has asymmetrical impacts that largely depend on state implementation systems, which carries important implications for environmental federalism.

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