Are You Getting Your Money s Worth?

Transcription

1 Are You Getting Your Money s Worth? Dividends of Performance-Based Polymer Procurement Keller Schnier, PE April 2016 Asheville, NC

2 Acknowledgements Maggie Macomber, PE Charlotte Water Jackie Jarrell, PE Charlotte Water David Wagoner, PE CDM Smith

3 Presentation Take Aways Key steps in the polymer selection program Importance of: Proper polymer selection Planning the process Qualified participation Maintaining control of the process Polymer selection determination Lowest cost polymer = best value? Relationship between performance and overall cost 3

4 Importance of Proper Polymer Selection Cost Control Equipment Operations Polymer - type Biosolids - end use/disposal Quantity Dewatering performance Quality Handling Odors 4

5 Polymer Selection Goal Produce the best biosolids product for the lowest cost Best product fits your program needs Lowest Cost Polymer cost (selection and usage based) Operations and maintenance cost (operator and equipment) Reuse/disposal cost (performance based) 5

6 Polymer Selection Step-Wise Approach Step 1 Consider 3 rd Party Project/Program manager Step 2 Develop Customized Approach Baseline criteria development and desired results Establish ground rules and polymer selection criteria Testing plan and schedule Vendor Solicitation/selection Step 3 - Conduct Testing Selected vendors Bench-scale testing Full-scale testing Performance data development/handling Step 4 - Bid document/polymer Selection 6

7 Step 1: 3 rd Party Project Manager Administers Polymer Trial program Time coordination - responsiveness Manage the process and the vendors Single point of contact Multiple plants create challenges Uniformity and consistency Control of all data 7

8 Step 2: Customized Approach Baseline criteria development Historical performance Equipment capacities Establish ground rules and polymer selection criteria Detailed testing plan and schedule Vendor selection Advertise details Request submission of Notification of Interest Pre-submission meeting Selection of vendors for Trials 8

9 Establishing Baseline Criteria Goal - Set boundaries/criteria for equipment operation, polymer use and required performance System review - conditions and limitations Polymer mixing Feed concentrations Feed capacity/ranges Dewatering system performance and information Capacity of dewatering equipment Historic performance data Special concerns Odors Fecal coliform reactivation or regrowth 9

10 Plant Information and Data Summary Sheets Facility Name Type of Device Polymer storage/mix/feed NSF Standard 60 Certification required No Make/Model - Attach Specification Number of units operational Dewatering Feed, gpm Current Daily average flow rate per unit 320 Operating Range Min/Max per unit 250 / 390 Dewatering Feed Solids, % solids Average 2.7 Minimum 2.3 Maximum 3.3 Dewatered Solids, % Solids Desired 22 Historical 18.5 Lower Limit 18 Filtrate/ Centrate/Supernatant Solids, mg/l TSS Desired 100 Historical 150 Upper Limit 500 Operating schedule Cake Solids Filtrate/Centrate Solids days of the week 5 hours/day 24 Number of units normally operated 1 10 Dedicated to thickening or combined with dewatering Polymer delivery - drum, tote, bulk Combined Bulk Polymer mixing system type - batch, continuous Batch, DW/TK Combo Batch tank mixer type Mix tank volume & batches per day Make-up water source; plant or potable Polymer feed system type Feed capacity range, gpm 4500 g X 3/13 M-F & 1.5 S-S Potable Prog. Cavity Pump gpm Maximum polymer feed concentration 1.00% Active polymer content, % 41 Neat Polymer Usage per day / year (gal) 310 / 80,600 Neat Polymer per batch (gal) Current Polymer mix feed conc, % 0.70% Polymer feed rate, gpm Current Average 30 Design Min/Max 0 / 35 Maximum Polymer dosage to achieve cake solids and centrate/filtrate/supernatant specified, lb total polymer/dry ton solids 60 Max. Polymer Dosage

11 SUBJECT: SOLICITATION OF INTEREST FOR POLYMER SUPPLY CONTRACT To Whom It May Concern: The is currently contacting polymer manufacturers that may be interested in supplying polymer for a twelve (12) month period. The polymer will be used in the sludge thickening and dewatering processes at the following facilities. Prequalification testing of polymer products will begin in. Interested Manufacturers are required to provide a Notification of Interest to: Notifications will be accepted until. All information listed in the Applicant Qualification must be submitted in the Notification. Incomplete or partial submittal of information will not be accepted. A prequalification testing protocol, containing manufacturer qualifications, existing feed equipment description, polymer type specification, sludge characteristics, and evaluation criteria, is attached to this letter for reference. Please read the prequalification testing protocols very carefully. Prequalification The polymer supplied shall be suitable as a conditioner for: anaerobically digested sludge prior to centrifuge or belt filter press dewatering, water treatment plant alum sludge prior to gravity thickening followed by belt filter press dewatering and secondary sludge centrifuge and gravity belt thickening prior to anaerobic digestion. The polymer supplied by the manufacturer shall be an anionic or cationic emulsion type. No gel, dry or liquid polymers will be accepted. The polymer shall be compatible with the City's existing equipment and treatment scheme and cause no impacts to effluent quality. Bench-Scale & Full-Scale Testing The prequalification testing process includes: Bench-scale Laboratory Jar Testing: All manufacturers who express an interest will be given an appointment between to perform jar tests to screen their polymers. Each manufacturer may prequalify more than one product, but only one polymer will be chosen for full scale testing. Designated plant staff (or the city's representative) will be available to assist with jar testing in accordance with the polymer testing protocol. Minimum acceptable performance conditions Full-scale Performance Testing: Manufacturers submitting products for full-scale testing will be given eight (8) to ten (10) hour appointments to demonstrate performance. Full-scale testing will be conducted during the months of. Manufacturers shall provide sufficient quantity of polymer to perform the full-scale tests using plant polymer feed systems on the designated thickening and/or dewatering equipment at no cost to the City. Minimum acceptable performance conditions are provided in the attached information. 11 Manufacturers whose polymers have proven to be effective and acceptable based on achieving the minimum acceptable performance requirements during the full-scale performance tests will be invited to offer a sealed bid.

12 Control the Number of Vendors Seek Strong Technical Experience Manufacturer ISO 9001 Sufficient Capacity Service Response References MSDS 12

13 Other Key Items in the Solicitation Full-Scale testing and sampling details Procedural approaches Performance data development Polymer Performance Evaluation Calculations Calculations to be used Full transparency Avoid questions/contested conditions later 13

14 Full-Scale Test and Sampling Details 1. Full-scale testing will be allowed by appointment only. 2. A meeting will be held individually with each manufacturer before initiation of full-scale testing to review the goals, conditions, and responsibilities for the testing. 3. A maximum of two (2) people from the polymer manufacturer will be allowed on-site during the test. 4. A minimum of eight (8) hours, and a maximum of ten (10) hours per day of testing. Under no circumstances shall tests be continued past 5:30 P.M. 5. Minimum of five (5) acceptable polymer dosages with at least 30 minutes of run time per dosage. 6. Maximum of eight (8) acceptable polymer dosages with at least 30 minutes of run time per dosage. 7. Five (5) defined doses (minimum requirements) to be run as close as possible to: a. Lowest possible dosage (lbs/dry ton) to achieve performance goals, the next higher integer dosage (lbs/dry ton), and three (3) more dosages in 2 to 5 lbs/dry ton increments (total of 5 dosages); b. Each of the defined doses will be run twice for a maximum of ten (10) sample sets, and a maximum of sixteen (16) sample sets. 8. Average of the five (5) best acceptable sample sets will be used for evaluation 9. Plant personnel will collect and composite samples for the 30 min run period for each dosage. a. The first sample shall be collected 10 minutes after thickening/dewatering device startup; b. Thereafter samples shall be collected every 10 minutes (3 samples in 30 minutes). 10. Plant personnel will analyze samples and split samples will be analyzed by CMUs state certified laboratory. 14

15 Polymer Performance Evaluation Criteria Solids Feed Rate, S F, (lb/d) S F = 8.34 x Q F x C F Where: Q F = sludge feed rate (gpm) C F = sludge feed concentration (mg/l) Polymer Feed Rate, S P, (lb/d) Where: Sp = 8.34 x Q P x C P Q P = polymer feed rate (gpm) C P = polymer feed concentration (mg/l) Polymer Feed Concentration (Neat), C P, (mg/l) Polymer Usage, PU, (lb polymer/dry ton) Solids Recovery, R (%) P U = S P / (S F /2,000) R =100 x C x (F-B)/(F x (C-B)) Where: C =Total cake solids (%) F =Sludge feed solids (%) B =Centrate solids (%) Where: C P = 120,090 x M / (V P + V W ) M =Mass of neat polymer per test batch (lbs) V P =Volume of polymer per test batch (gallon) V W = Volume of water per test batch (gallon) 15

16 Example Polymer Performance Calculation Biosolids Production (avg): 10 dry ton/day (from polymer trials) Land Application Costs: $15/wet ton (current contract rate) Polymer Dose (avg): 20 lb/dry ton (from polymer trials) Polymer cost: $1.00/lb (from polymer bid) Dewatered Cake Solids (avg): 20% solids (from polymer trials) % recovery (avg): 98% (from polymer trials) Polymer cost per day = 5 dt/d x 20 lb/dt x $1.00/lb / 0.98 recovery = $102.04/day Land Application Costs = 5 dt/d x $15/wt / 0.20 % solids = $375/day Total Cost = $ $375 = $477.04/day 16

17 Selection of Qualified Vendors Pre-submittal meeting with interested Vendors Receive and review Letters of Interest Select 3 to 4 most qualified vendors 17

18 Step 3: Conduct Testing Facility tours with Vendors Equipment review Polymer measurement, mixing, and feed rate/control arrangements Q&A Refine Testing Schedule Bench-Scale Testing Full-Scale Testing 18

19 Bench-Scale Testing Conducted at plant site - lab setting Vendor conducts, Owner/PM observes One vendor at a time Sludge samples provided by Owner Owner keeps samples of polymers being considered for fullscale trials Vendor chooses polymer to advance to full-scale trial Projects and presents dosage rates for full-scale testing lb polymer/dry ton of solids Must fall within acceptable dosage range criteria 19

20 Full-Scale Testing Set dewatering machine operating conditions Based on equipment operation ranges ~ mid range Test all polymers under same conditions level playing field Sample collection, control and testing by Owner Microwave % solids analyzing unit Data management by Project Manager Performance criteria pass/fail and range limitations Maximum allowed polymer dosage Minimum solids capture % or max TSS levels Minimum/maximum cake solids Performance data finalization 20

21 Step 4: Vender Bid Price Submittal and Polymer Selection Facility: WWTP Address: ITB Manufacturer Product Price Per Pound A NC 101 $ 0.96 B K290FLX $ C 8846FS $ 1.11 D SE 757 $

22 Vendor A $0.96 $

23 Vendor D $0.84 $

24 Performance Conditions + Polymer Price = Lowest Cost Outcome Based on performance conditions, Vendor D could have won the contract with a bid of $0.81/lb or lower Performance data provides documentation of the expected performance.once selected polymer is used 24

25 Summary All polymer is not created equal Purchasing polymer based on $/lb polymer alone risky Polymer Trials can: Provide competitive, performance based polymer selection Qualify polymer vendors with technical expertise Set clear instructions and guidelines Control the process Trials protocol, sampling, testing, selection criteria Develop performance data for each polymer Consistent testing conditions for all Apply bid price to performance conditions for lowest cost outcome 25

26 Questions