Independent Assessment of the Energy Savings, Environmental Improvements and Water Conservation of Emerging Non-Chemical Water Treatment Technologies

This paper discusses the results of a project funded by the California Energy Commission Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) to complete an independent assessment of the energy savings, environmental improvements and water conservation capabilities of emerging non-chemical water treatment technologies. The project was completed by a team from California State University at Sacramento and included a technical review of the emerging technologies and a detailed assessment of the emerging non-chemical water treatment technology. Clearwater Systems, Corp. The research was focused on gathering information from industrial field customers who had purchased and installed these systems and had actual experience with their operational characteristics from several months to several years. The team completed a telephone survey with approximately 15 end user customers and made site visits to ten sites. Some limited independent water testing was also completed. The results of these phone surveys and site visits were consolidated and placed in an interim report. Even though only a small number of end user customers were actually surveyed or visited, the research indicated that several hundred systems have been successfully installed in California and throughout the United States. The emerging technologies provide nonchemical treatment for cooling tower and evaporative condenser system water. All the information collected and results derived from this effort will be made available to the public later this year in the form of a PIER Technical Report. A Project Advisory Committee that included representatives from CalEPA, the Energy Commission PIER Program and local utilities supported this team. Disclaimer: This technical paper is a result of work sponsored by the California Energy Commission and does not necessarily represent the views of the Energy Commission, its employees or the State of California. This technical paper has not been approved or disapproved by the California Energy Commission nor has the Energy Commission passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the information in this technical paper. Paper published with permission.

2010 Regulatory Update for Anhydrous Ammonia Refrigeration Processes

Refrigeration processes that contain more than 10,000 lb of anhydrous ammonia refrigerant are subject to a number of environmental and safety regulations, including the following: ▪ Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (the PSM Standard), 29 CFR 1910.119 ▪ Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Risk Management Plan (RMP) Rule, 40 CFR, Part 68 ▪ EPA’s Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), 40 CFR parts 350 to 372, ▪ Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard, 6 CFR Part 27. These regulations require periodic reporting and other actions, such as employee training and the implementation of hazard prevention programs and emergency response plans. This paper provides a brief summary of the listed rules, as they apply to ammonia refrigeration processes, and describes the following regulatory changes and trends: ▪ OSHA 2009 PSM Covered Chemical Facilities National Emphasis Program, which will include a focus on ammonia refrigeration facilities ▪ EPA’s recently implemented RMP e*Submit procedure ▪ Recent changes to the Tier II reporting for Florida facilities ▪ Rulemaking related to the DHS chemical facility antiterrorism standard. This paper should be helpful to ammonia refrigeration facility owners and operators who are struggling to stay in compliance with the many regulations applicable to their process. Additionally, the references and website links listed on the bibliography of this paper will serve as resources to further assist such owners and operators in the future, as regulations continue to change. All website addresses were checked on February 16, 2010. Paper published with permission.

Rheological Behavior of Citrus Pulp and its Application to Aseptic Processing

High-density citrus pulp is becoming increasingly popular in the beverage industry; however, its unique rheological behavior poses some challenges for its processing in heat exchangers, including high pressures resulting from its high viscosity and the difficulties producing an even mixture. The rheological behavior of 850 g/l citrus pulp has been studied at different temperatures between 20 °C and 80 °C and applied to computerized fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of flow in circular pipes and annular heat exchangers in order to determine flow characteristics and solutions for pulp mixing. Paper published with permission.

Chlorine Dioxide Sterilization of Bulk Aseptic Storage Tanks

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an antimicrobial pesticide recognized for its disinfectant properties since the early 1900’s. Antimicrobial pesticides are substances used to control harmful microorganisms including bacteria, viruses or fungi on inanimate objects and surfaces. In 1967, EPA first registered the liquid form of chlorine dioxide for use as a disinfectant and sanitizer. In 1988, EPA registered chlorine dioxide gas as a sterilant. Enerfab and Purdue University began studying the efficacy of using chlorine dioxide gas to sterilize the surfaces of produce in 1996. During this process, Enerfab and Purdue determined that chlorine dioxide gas could potentially be used as an alternative to the traditional method of flood sterilizing bulk aseptic storage tanks with iodophor. This paper outlines the research that has been performed to develop chlorine dioxide gas sterilization of bulk storage tanks with chlorine dioxide, the efficacy of this method of sterilization, the benefits of its use, and the current status. Paper published with permission.

Benefits and Techniques for Machine Condition Monitoring in Industrial Environments

Condition monitoring of plant machinery is becoming more common place. With new advanced signal processing algorithms and better machine life models proactive maintenance of citrus processing machinery allows avoiding unplanned downtime and catastrophic failure. It also avoids relying only on predictions and assuming the machine will break. This paper will discuss the main steps that are necessary in developing a plant machinery maintenance system and make a business case for implementing machine monitoring on a wide range of plant equipment. Paper published with permission.