17 Nov 2015

2011 Battelle Conference Presentage – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory Project

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2011 Battelle Conference Presentage – Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory Project | AIR & EARTH LLC

BATTELLE CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT CONFERENCE 2011 PRESENTATION

 

 

Paper C-71, in: E.A. Foote and A.K. Bullard (Conference Chairs),Remediation of Contaminated Sediments—2011. Sixth International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments (New Orleans, LA; February 7–10, 2011). ISBN 978-0-9819730-3-6, Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH.www.battelle.org/sedimentscon

 

New Sediment Remediation and Zebra Mussel Removal Technology Results from a Confined Space at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory

Thomas J. Kryzak (tomkryzak@gmail.com) (A&E’s Environmental Lunch Box Technologies, Altamont, NY)

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This report details Environmental Lunch Box Technologies (ELBT) experiences using new patented technology for a sediment and zebra mussel removal project in a confined space at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) completed in December 2009.

 

The technical specifications under MR #189754 dated February 25, 2009, called for ELBT to submit procedures for removing sediment and zebra mussels from the inlet channel that travels from the Mohawk River to the pump house galley, which required approval from the Department of Energy’s Subcontract Technical Representative.

 

The submitted procedures were ELBT’S designs to comply with the NY State DEC permit and employ new patented dredging technology which is more efficient at sediment recovery and works to control sediment resuspension within the water column.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Environmental Lunch Box Technologies (ELBT) is a subsidiary of Air & Earth, a research and development firm that provides new patented technology for use in the environmental agricultural and energy sectors. ELBT provides a system and method for sediment management in the areas of sampling, in-place treatment, removing, relocating, filtering, capping, invasive species eradication, habitat restoration, and artifact recovery in both fresh water and salt water environments.

 

Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) “based in upstate New York’s Capital Region, is a world-class research and development facility dedicated to support of the United States Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. KAPL is operated for the Department of Energy by Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation (BMPC).”1 “Bechtel is one of the world’s premier engineering, construction, and project management companies. Since its founding in 1898, Bechtel has worked on more than 22,000 projects in 140 countries. Today, Bechtel’s 42,500 employees are teamed with customers, partners, and suppliers on hundreds of projects in nearly 50 countries. At the KAPL, site employees develop advanced nuclear propulsion technology; provide technical support for the safe and reliable operation of existing naval reactors; and provide training to naval personnel who operate them.”2

 

The KAPL site is located on the Mohawk River, which is over 500 miles long with an extensive canal system and waterways. The river flows largely west to east until it meets the Hudson River north of Albany NY. It flows through low-lying lands that contribute to its high sediment load. In 2007, the river experienced a 100-year flood event that left a major impact on the amount of sediment loading in the river. The river has a system of canals with origins from the Erie Canal and a vast lock system there by creating a man- made sediment traps that impedes the natural flow and speed of the river. The Mohawk River provides over 63% of the sediment loading to the Hudson River on its way south to New York City.

 

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The KAPL site relies on water drawn from the Mohawk River for its test laboratory cooling system. The water needs to be provided at high rates of delivery. The high level of suspended sediment in the river water poses a concern for the steady delivery of water through the inlet channel leading to the pump house due to ongoing sediment buildup. The second area of concern is when the river locks are raised from the river prior to the winter season, allowing the seasonal high water level to drop to its natural lower flow level. This reduces the volume of water readily available for uptake to the cooling system as the water has to flow up and over the growing mounds of sediment in the inlet channel. In the past winter season as the river water froze, the ice thickness extended downward approaching the inlet channel bottom sediment. This led to the water flow being squeezed for available space between the two. This reduction endangered the available water to be supplied to operate the cooling system.

 

The Department of Energy engineering staff prepared a technical specification for a sediment removal project for the Mohawk River inlet channel leading to the pump house galley with the following criteria:

  1. Scope of Work: Provide all materials, services, labor, tools, and equipment necessary to remove all sediment, silt, leaves, twigs and zebra mussel shells from the L4 Pump House Concrete Inlet Channel leading to the Mohawk River.
  2. Required Documentation:
    1. Inlet channel sediment removal procedure
    2. Diving procedure
    3. De-watering procedure
    4. Written elevated work procedure
    5. Confined space entry procedure
    6. Respirator procedure
    7. Written hazard analysis plan
    8. Written safety program including on-site safety representative
    9. Diver certification (NAUI or PADI) training
    10. Diver’s air cylinder certificate
  3. Site Condition Requirements:
    1. Comply with the NYS DEC permit
    2. Complete as a land-based project
    3. Provide a divers-in-the-water start date of December 2009
    4. Work from a 55-foot elevation above the water
    5. Work from a 50-foot horizontal travel distance spanning the pump house
    6. Provide a 30-ton crane to reach over the pump house and down tothe water
    7. Install a 210-foot pipeline travel distance for sediment recovery
    8. Contend with overhead structural impediments
    9. Contend with trash rack impediments
  1. Entry to inlet channel by ladder only
  2. Diver assistance required

PROJECT EXECUTION

  1. Used ELBTdesigned sediment-removal procedures which standard dredging practices cannot meet due to hard bottoms (cement-lined inlet channel ), zebra mussels, sediment resuspension and residual regulations, large debris issues (wood/rocks), confined space issues, narrow or limited access and equipment constraints.
  2. The patented Environmental Lunch Box (ELB) nicknamed the TOXIVORE, was used for this site-specific application. The sediment within the ELB confines was suspended using a water/air nozzle agitating system. The confined suspended sediment was removed under a vacuum to the sealed decanting dumpsters.
  3. The ELB process was designed for a removal capacity up to 700CF/M (5,250 gallons) and equipped with a 6-inch diameter uptake pipeline.
  4. Work was performed from shore, at a distance of 55 feet above the inlet channel and reaching 50 feet over the top of the pump house. A 210-foot pipeline was established running from the submerged ELB, up and over the river bank to sealed decanting dumpsters alternating loading between them for continuous ongoing decanting.
  5. All principal members of the project were linked through radio communication with the project site commander for safety and operational controls.
  6. Entry into the inlet channel was by ladder access only.
  7. The ELB was crane lifted over the pump house and out to the inlet channel, submerged and guided throughout the project by a dive team member equipped with a live-cable feed to a laptopviewed by the dive coordinator. 
  8. The ELB system proceeded to remove both the sediment and zebra mussel shells from within the inlet channel.
  9. Completion of the project was diver and video verified.

PROJECT RESULTS

  1. The patented ELB procedure removed more sediment than the 4-foot depth forecasted in the project scope, while ultimately removing 7 feet of increasing sediment levels at the river’s edge.
  2. All nonsediment (wood and rocks larger than 6 inches in diameter) was segregated from entering the ELB’s uptake pipeline for sediment recovery.
  3. Cost savings achieved by using the ELB:
    1. Reduced the 4-day work schedule to less than 1 day.
    2. Reduced the nonsediment volume, handling, and disposal costs.
    3. Employed alternating sealed sediment dumpsters with built-in decanting features.
  4. No turbidity plumes, resuspension, or sediment releases to the water column were observed or recorded.

SUMMARY

  1. The project results demonstrated that the designed sediment removal procedures engineered by ELBT employed the newest and best dredging technology, controls, and management practices.
  2. Efforts were made in the design by ELBT to incorporate remedial alternatives directed to CERCLA Sect.121(d),42 U.S.C. Sect 9621(b)(1), which mandates that remedial actions must be protective of human health and the environment, cost effective and utilize permanent solutions and alternative treatment technologies and resource recovery alternatives to the maximum extent practicable. Section121(b) (1) also establishes a preference for remedial actions that employ, as a principal element, treatment to permanently and significantly reduce the volume, toxicity, or mobility of the hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants at a site.
  3. ELBT complied with the NY State DEC permit requirements and the Department of Energy project specifications with the ELBT’s patented sediment removal procedures having recorded no resuspension, release, or turbidity plumes throughout the project while meeting the scope of work “to remove all sediment, silt, leaves, twigs. and zebra mussel shells.”

CONCLUSION

 

The new technology developed by ELBT should aid in the removal of sediment and invasive species for projects involving power generation and manufacturing processes that use water from rivers, lakes, and waterways for cooling. Many of these processes use over 100,000 gallons a day and draw water at high flow rates aiding in the accumulation of sediments and invasive species in their uptake lines, supply channels, and debris screens. Some processes require additional water to be added to their cooling water processes before returning it, so as not to add thermal pollution to the waterways.

 

 

1 Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory Web Site

 

2 Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation Web Site

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