Oak Ridge National Laboratory Domestic Water Conservation Efforts

Transcription

1 Domestic Water Conservation Efforts As part of an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) project, 62 buildings were identified at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in which standard-flow plumbing fixtures were used. The average faucet flow rate was slightly more than 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm). Showers averaged 2.77 gpm. The average flush volume for standard-flow toilets was 3.48 gallons. Most urinals had standard diaphragm-type flush valves with an average flush volume of 1.85 gallons. This ESPC project upgraded these plumbing fixtures by installing faucet aerators, faucet flow restrictors, low-flow showerheads, urinal flush valves, and low-flow toilets contributing toward domestic water savings and reducing domestic hot water use providing for lower fossil fuel use for water heating. Standard-flow Toilet Dual-Function Handle Instructional Sign Low-flow Toilet with Dual- Function Handle Faucet Aerator Specifically, this project replaced 448 toilets throughout ORNL. Each toilet included a new china fixture specifically designed for low flush volume with a china tank or low-flow flush valve. The new fixtures performed at 1.0 gallons per flush (gpf) for aqueous waste (lever up) and 1.6 gallons per flush for solid waste (lever down) when using the water-saving dual-function handle. A total of 158 urinals with diaphragm-type flush valves were changed to a more efficient valve. Standard diaphragm-type flush valves used a larger than necessary volume of water for each flush and were prone to leakage. The new low-flow valves performed at 1.0 gpf. The aerators or laminar flow devices were installed for 526 traditional lavatory and kitchen sinks. Aeration is achieved by implementing a patented rosette spray that allows comfortable hand washing and other sink use at 0.5 gpm. The laminar flow devices reduce kitchen sink flow rate to about 1.5 gpm. The 122 low-flow showerheads were installed for existing showers. The showerheads were sized for a nominal water flow rate of 2.0 gpm. The showerheads are self-cleaning and deliver low volumes of water at high pressure with minimal water temperature loss. Consequently, this initiative eliminated the use of approximately 12 million gallons per year of potable water and generation of approximately 12 million gallons of sanitary wastewater, reduced the use of fossil fuels used to heat the eliminated hot water use, supported DOE s water conservation efforts and goals, and resulted in a cost avoidance of approximately $35 thousand per year.

2 Steam Trap Replacement Initiative The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) recognized an energy saving opportunity in replacing steam traps across the lab and elected to implement this project through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC). This project improved energy efficiency and reduced water use and wastewater generation reduction. Through DOE s ORNL ESPC with Johnson Controls, 1,606 steam traps located in 1,297 locations were repaired or replaced. The traps are located in the steam distribution network and at Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Materials, fittings, labor and supervision for the timely completion of the steam trap replacement effort were provided, and schedule 80 fittings were used to re-pipe steam traps only when necessary. Existing strainers, isolation valves, check valves and fittings in good repair were reused. Thermostatic steam traps were repaired with new capsules and covers. Traps that were not repaired were replaced with a new thermostatic trap. Mechanical traps located inside buildings were replaced with equivalent float and thermostatic or inverted bucket products. Mechanical and thermostatic traps located outside buildings or in steam pits on high pressure distribution lines were replaced with a standardized high-pressure steam trap. Where three Air- Handling Units (AHUs) with multiple steam coils were being serviced by a single steam trap, piping was repiped to provide one trap for each unit to more efficiently remove condensate from the coils and to prevent a freezing hazard. Steam traps located on outside distribution lines and in pits were replaced with inverted bucket traps with integral strainers. Standardization of all high pressure distribution traps allows for a more manageable preventative maintenance program in the future. Before Old Style Steam Trap Being Replaced After New Style Steam Trap Being Installed Consequently, this initiative: reduced the water consumption and discharged wastewater reduced air emissions reduced natural gas and fuel oil use reduced operational costs. Example Steam Trap Replacement Location

3 Water Leaks Eliminated Using Targeted Repairs While water is not a scarce resource at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), it is none the less a valued resource that should not be wasted. The reduction of water use and wastewater generation has been a priority for the lab for several years with new and growing initiatives added each year. One fiscal year (FY) 2009 initiative was a two-prong effort to address low hanging fruit and increase awareness of fix leaks large and small. First, Utilities brought in a subcontractor with special equipment to detect leaks. Based on this work, Utilities created a prioritized list of twenty-two leaks and is systematically working to eliminate them. For instance, an underground potable water leak contributing to in-leakage to the sanitary field line was repaired in February This repair did not end in-leakage to the sanitary system but did cut it in half with the other half being attributed to high ground water in-leaking into the sanitary sewer. This potable water leak was estimated by the leak detection subcontractor to be about 50,000 gallons per day based on noise. During FY 2009, Utilities repaired a total of four leaks saving 42.2 million gallons of potable water per year. Second, ORNL sponsored a Fix-A-Leak Week in March. Facilities and Operations funded pipefitters to fix any and all leaks reported by ORNL personnel including sinks and toilets. While this effort pales in comparison to other water conservation initiatives at ORNL, it directly increases personnel awareness concerning water leaks both at work and at home, thereby providing a very important secondary benefit. Eliminated Potable Water Leak Finally, this initiative: improved personnel water conservation awareness and safety related to water leaks eliminated the use of 42.2 million gallons per year of potable water resulted in a cost avoidance of approximately $55.7 thousand.

4 Physics Division s Process Water Flow Reduction Initiative The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Physics Division identified and piloted a project to reduce the use and discharge of cooling water to the ORNL storm water system from approximately 65 pieces of equipment in Buildings 6000 and 6000B, which in total use and discharge about 150 gallons of water per minute (gpm) or 78 million gallons per year (gpy). Specifically, the Physics Division targeted the cooling water streams from the cryopump compressors, diffusion pumps, and other pieces of equipment. Physics personnel initially had a Facilities and Operations (F&O) pipefitter measure the actual process water flow on a cryopump compressor, which was 2 gallons per minute (gpm). The compressor only requires a minimum of 0.5 gpm of cooling water flow. Therefore, Physics personnel initiated a plan to install needle values in the inlet water lines to limit the flow to 1 gpm. There are approximately 50 of these cryopump compressor units throughout the facility. Once installed, the water usage and resulting discharge will be reduced by 50 gpm or 26 million gallons per year. To date, 5 flow-limiting values have been installed as part of a pilot reducing the flow by 5 gpm or more than 2 million gallons per year. Example Cryopump Compressor The Physics personnel did not end their cooling water examination with cryopump compressors but also examined two 32 diffusion pumps which each require 3 gpm of cooling water; one 20 diffusion pump, which requires 1.5 gpm of cooling water; and five Kinney pumps which each require 1.5 to 4 gpm. Further examination will be required, but based on initial estimates, adding needle valves to the inlet lines for each of these pumps could save approximately another 25 gpm. If further examination validated this preliminary estimate, an additional 13 million gallons per year could be saved with this effort. If all identified water use and discharge reduction options were realized, a reduction in flow of up to 75 gpm could be realized with an approximate 50 percent reduction in this facility s flow to the dechlorinator located on this building s discharge to the storm water system. The dechlorinator uses about 100 gallons of sodium bisulfite per week. Example Needle Valve Consequently, this initiative: is one of the Physics Division s 2010 Environmental Management System objectives and targets and will be implemented as the remaining items are funded. reduced the use of sodium bisulfite in FY 2009 with the potential of reducing future usage by up to 2,600 gallons per year. reduced the use of potable water and ultimate discharge of cooling water by more than 2 million gpy in FY 2009 with the potential to reduce a total of 39 million gallons per year. resulted in an estimated cost avoidance of approximately $2 thousand dollars in FY 2009 with the potential for a total reduction of more than $58 thousand per year.

5 Biological Sciences UV Dechlorinator Project The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Biological and Environmental Sciences Directorate (BESD) identified a project in which the activated-carbon water dechlorination system that had been supporting Building 1504 could be eliminated. Dechlorination is necessary to support the fish tanks in the aquatic research area, but the existing system produced significant amounts of waste. Wastewater was being generated by the discharge from the fish tanks and routine activated carbon backwashes, and 3000 lb of carbon was being changed out each year and disposed of in the on-site industrial landfill, resulting in significant downtime. BESD personnel examined the requirements of their aquatic research area and the available technology and, based on their evaluation, they selected a new ultraviolet (UV) dechlorinator. It would require an initial investment of $250,000 for equipment and installation but would also replace the activated-carbon system and thus would eliminate the associated downtime and waste. In May 2009, with ORNL funding assistance, BESD procured, installed, and started operating the new system. Eliminated the Activated Carbon Dechlorinator System Installed a UV Dechlorinator System Consequently, this BESD initiative: obtained a new UV system, one that employs Hg lamps that can be sent back to the manufacturer for recycling rather than being sent to a landfill for disposal improved safety by eliminating the need to change out the activated carbon eliminated the procurement of 3000 lb (1,300 kg) per year of activated carbon and its ultimate disposal in the on-site industrial landfill eliminated downtime and the cost of labor for the annual changeout of the activated carbon and the routine backwash operations reduced water use and discharge because the new system has built-in features to restrict the volume of water to 35 gpm and typically operates at 22 gpm or 6.8 million gallons per year realized a cost avoidance of approximately $12,000 per year.

6 Resource Conservation Awareness 2008 and 2009 Earth Day Celebration As highlighted in April 2008 and May 2009 issues of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Reporter, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory s (ORNL) 2008 and 2009 Earth Day celebrations were held in April. In 2008 the celebration included a talk by Jeff Christian on the Near-Zero Energy Homes project, an alternative vehicle transportation show (i.e., hybrids, biofueled models, motorcycles, bicycles) and a tour of the Conference Center pond. Earth Day 2009 theme was Water and Energy: Living Local. The Earth Day Committee planned several activities to help employees understand our collective ORNL impact on our watershed and East Tennessee, and to provide alternatives for protecting and conserving our natural resources. The featured speaker was Mike Sale of Sentech, Inc who spoke on "Energy, Water, Sustainability, and Responsibility". The pond was the center of activity for last year s Earth Day, featuring the release of several indigenous fish and turtle species, including gar and sliders. It s hard to say how the gar took to the pond, but some of the sliders and painted turtles emerged on the first warm days of this spring, sunning themselves on the log structures placed for them in the pond. The release anticipated a Lab program to reestablish native fish species in White Oak Creek. ORNL has been reintroducing stripetail and snubnose darters, rock bass, striped shiners, bluntnose minnows and northern hog suckers back into the stream. The species died out when water quality was affected during Cold War years, and even though water quality has vastly improved since then, thanks to pollution prevention efforts and riparian zone management, barriers downstream have prevented the fish from reentering the creek. So the Environmental Sciences Division effort is helping them out. With any luck, the fish will reestablish their role in White Oak Creek s original ecosystem.

7 Resource Conservation Awareness 2008 and 2009 Earth Day Celebration In 2009, water resource conservation continued to be emphasized during ORNL s Earth Day celebration. The theme for Earth Day 2009 was Water and Energy: Living Local. The Earth Day Committee planned several activities to help employees understand our collective ORNL impact on the watershed and East Tennessee, and to provide alternatives for protecting and conserving natural resources. The featured speaker was Mike Sale of Sentech, Inc. who spoke on "Energy, Water, Sustainability, and Responsibility". Earth Day awareness and activities included the use of posters, displays, tours, and speakers. The topics included How ORNL Affects Clean Water, Macroinvertebrate Recovery in White Oak Creek, Life of a Freshwater Stream, ORNL Research on Better Salmon Migration through Hydroelectric Power Facilities, Wetland Enhancement Research and What Native Grasses Look Like, Why Salamanders Need Rainy Season Wetlands, Mercury in the Aquatic Ecosystem on the Oak Ridge Reservation, a video that was produced by WBIR on work being done in the ORNL Aquatics Lab, Pollution Prevention and Recycling, Energy Conservation, Alternative Transportation Show, Pledge Tree, Green Living, Plastic Bag Recycle, Aluminum Can Tab Recycle and a Tour of the East Campus Pond and Macroinvertebrate Collection Demonstration. Additionally, the day before Earth Day 2009, Facilities and Operations completed a riparian zone trash removal effort along a section of creek. The trash from this collection was displayed in clear plastic bags at a site along the East Campus Pond walking tour for Earth Day. ORNL Staff also gave two water resource awareness presentations at the Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy in FY 2009.

8 Resource Conservation Awareness Community Outreach ORNL reaches out to the community with educational community outreach activities including through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) activities. One FY 2008 and FY 2009 example is the Stream Profiles and Habitat Assessment Project completed over eight days as part of the ARC/ORNL 2008 and 2009 Summer Math-Science-Technology Institute for students and teachers ( and As stated on the ARC homepage, the Stream Profiles and Habitat Assessment involved surveying stream profiles and assessing riparian and within-stream habitat at various locations over about a 1-km reach of White Oak Creek (WOC). WOC is a part of the Clinch River system: it originates on Chestnut Ridge near the Spallation Neutron Source facility and has three small tributaries within the main ORNL area and one tributary from the south. WOC receives discharges from several cooling systems, storm water runoff from the industrial area, and effluents from a sewage treatment plant and a process waste treatment plant. The riparian zone for the reach of WOC of interest in this project ranges from minimally influenced by industrial activity to highly disturbed. Cross-stream profiles were made at multiple locations. This information was evaluated for downstream trends. A standard procedure for characterizing stream macroinvertebrates was used to define parameters that affect stream community composition and function at multiple locations. The initial parameters included bank stability, width of riparian vegetated zone, species of native versus invasive origin, sediment deposition, channel alteration, bends in the channel, and variety in flow regime and substrates. These factors were rated at each stream cross-section sampling site. Historical monitoring shows that although significant improvements in biological conditions in White Oak Creek have occurred since 1987, the macroinvertebrate community suggests some residual ecological impairment. ORNL hypothesizes that improving the physical state of the riparian zones along ORNL streams may improve water quality. This ARC project contributed baseline data for assessing future improvements.

9 Steam Plant Biomass-fueled Boiler Project At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), steam has been produced at the Central Energy Plant (CEP) Building 2519, located on the southwest corner of ORNL, and has been safely and dependably distributed at a pressure of 250 psig throughout the ORNL campus for more than 60 years. CEP s Boilers 1 through 4 are marine type steam boilers, originally designed for WWII Liberty Ships, were originally commissioned in 1947, have undergone three conversions, and are past their useful life. During the last conversion, the boilers were derated from 50,000 lbs/hr to 25,000 lbs/hr each, due to the age and condition of the boilers. Boilers 5 and 6 were commissioned in 1961 and 1998, respectively, to meet the growing ORNL campus steam demands. Rather than simply replace Boilers 1 through 4 with new traditional boilers, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and ORNL recognized this situation as a multi-faceted opportunity and elected to construct a Biomass Gasification Steam Plant (BGSP) through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) project. In addition to providing its primary mission of supplying reliable steam for the entire ORNL campus, the BGSP will augment applied renewable energy research at the newly constructed Bioenergy Science Center. The BGSP will operate efficiently, reducing emissions and eliminating fossilfuel consumption (e.g. natural gas and fuel oil). Maintenance and repair savings will also be provided by replacing the aged boilers. This project is constructing the BGSP in a new wing to the southern side of Building 2519 and is being fully integrated into the existing CEP Operation and Maintenance (O&M) facilities to continue providing reliable steam service to the ORNL campus. The BGSP will produce 60,000 lbs/hr of 150 psig saturated steam, which will be sufficient to provide the base load capacity in combination with additional improvements such as hot stand-by upgrades (including mud drum heaters and fan and pump motor Variable Frequency Drives [VFDs]) installed for Boilers 5 and 6 to allow the BGSP to be fully dispatched year round. The new BGSP will use a hogged bark/wood renewable fuel source, available from a variety of surrounding sources such as land clearers, sawmills, loggers, secondary producers, transfer stations, pallet recyclers, and mulch manufacturers. Delivery of Boiler for Biomass Gasification Stem Plant Consequently, this initiative: combined with the Cleaver-Brooks super boiler to be located in Melton Valley, will reduce the ORNL physical plant's fossil fuel consumption by 70 percent. will reduce 730 thousand tons of carbon dioxide and water use by 12 million gallons per year in combination with replacement of steam traps has a projected cost of $60 million with an annual cost savings of $4.5 million.

10 Closed-loop Chiller System Implementation Reduces Once-Through Cooling Water Usage in the Chemical Sciences Division The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) UT-Battelle Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) created a fiscal year (FY) 2006 plan to reduce environmental impact caused by CSD research activities. One area identified in this plan was the use of once-through cooling water. CSD uses more than 2 million gallons per year of process water for once-through cooling purposes. In FY 2006, one of CSD s objectives/targets is to reduce this usage by approximately 188,000 gallons per year resulting in about an 8 percent reduction in once-through cooling water usage. To meet this objective/target, CSD identified three laboratories in which they committed to implement closedloop chillers to replace once-through cooling water. New Closed-loop Chilled Water Systems Consequently, in FY 2006, this implemented CSD source reduction initiative: improved operational efficiency reduced water usage and costs and return of sink to operation reduced waste water generation (approximately 188,000 gallons per year) avoided costs of approximately $2,000 from reduced water usage and management of waste water eliminated piping that reduced the opportunity for leaks. The implementation of the closed-loop chilled water systems in these three laboratories eliminated three once-through cooling water uses and the associated discharged water. This initiative reduced the cost of the water and reduced waste water generation, resulting in more efficient operations and cost savings. This initiative also has a downstream benefit of reducing the amount of waste water requiring treatment at ORNL. The one-time equipment and installation cost for these three chilled water systems was approximately $7,500. Example of Laboratory Equipment Using Chilled Water

11 Additional Closed-loop Chiller System Implementation Reduces Once-Through Cooling Water Usage in the Chemical Sciences Division The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) UT-Battelle Chemical Sciences Division (CSD) created a fiscal year (FY) 2006 plan to reduce environmental impact caused by CSD research activities including the use of once-through cooling water. CSD used more than 2 million gallons per year of process water for once-through cooling purposes. In FY 2006, by implementing closed-loop chillers, CSD successfully met its objectives/ targets by reducing this usage by approximately 188,000 gallons per year resulting in about an 8 percent reduction in once-through cooling water usage. New Closed-loop Chilled Water Systems Consequently, in FY 2007, this implemented CSD source reduction initiative: improved operational efficiency reduced water usage and costs reduced waste water generation (approximately 2.7 million gallons per year) avoided costs of approximately $27,000 from reduced water usage and management of waste water eliminated piping that reduced the opportunity for leaks. In FY 2007, CSD established a new objective and target to reduce its once-through water usage by an additional 100,000 gallons per year resulting in about a 5 percent reduction in once-through cooling water usage. CSD built upon its FY 2006 success and purchased and installed additional closed-loop chilled water systems to replace once-through cooling water used in 3 laboratories. The implementation of the additional closed-loop chilled water systems in 2 of these laboratories eliminated 102,000 gallons of once-through cooling water uses and the associated discharged water. The third system was installed on an operation that was being re-established. In this case, the chiller saved an estimated 2.6 million gallons of water annually. This initiative reduced the cost of the water and reduced waste water generation, resulting in more efficient operations and cost savings. This initiative also has a downstream benefit of reducing the amount of waste water requiring treatment at ORNL. The one-time equipment and installation cost for these 3 chilled water systems was approximately $30,000. Example of Laboratory Equipment Using Chilled Water

12 Cooling Water Elimination Initiative The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Nonreactor Nuclear Facilities Division (NNFD) identified a project to eliminate the discharge of cooling water to the ORNL Storm Water System as part of its 2008 Environmental Management System objectives and targets. Specifically, NNFD examined its activities and identified the cooling water streams from the vacuum pumps located in the basements of buildings 4501 and The cooling water discharge was estimated to be approximately 5 million gallons per year. Sumps utilized during this discharge process have been shown to contain legacy mercury compounds. NNFD examined various options and selected rerouting the discharges of cooling water to a process drain system in combination with reducing this stream s flow from a continuous discharge to discharges necessitated by the actual operation of the pumps. The reduction in volume of cooling water discharge was estimated to be at least 1.6 million gallons annually, an approximate 32 percent reduction. The modifications impacting the 4501 vacuum pump cooling water discharge were finished in December The modifications to the 4505 vacuum pump cooling water discharge were completed in September Vacuum Pump Example Consequently, this initiative: reduced the use of approximately 1.6 million gallons per year of potable water A flow meter was installed on the new discharge line as part of this overall effort. It shows that the average current flow is about million gallons per year, which correlates well with the expected reduced water usage of approximately 1.6 million gallons per year. This project eliminated the release of 5 million gallons of water and the associated significant release of mercury to the environment with White Oak Creek now complying with Tennessee mercury water quality criteria. New (Black) Line, and Old (White/ Silver) Line reduced the generation of approximately 1.6 million gallons per year of cooling water waste reduced the release of legacy mercury to the environment resulted in an estimated annual cost avoidance of 16,000 dollars. Flow Meter

13 Steam Plant Water Reduction Initiative The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Utilities Division identified the reduction of regulated wastewater discharge from the Steam Plant as part of its fiscal year (FY) 2008 Environmental Management System objectives and targets. The Steam Plant modified its activities in an effort to improve the boiler water cycle from 19.7 to an average between 25 and 30. This effort consisted of converting the phosphate-based boiler water treatment system to a polymer-based system. In addition to providing energy and water savings, this conversion also decreased the impact on the environment, increased the level of operational safety, and increased the operational life of the boilers. At the end of FY 2008, the average boiler water cycles achieved were 36.6, thereby exceeding the goal. This water cycle range resulted in a regulated liquid discharge reduction of approximately 1.9 million gallons and a permitted air emission reduction of approximately 4,800 pounds. Before Phosphate-based Water Treatment System After Polymer-based Water Treatment System Consequently, this initiative: reduced the use of approximately 1,974,909 gallons of water consumption per year reduced the generation of approximately 1,974,909 gallons per year of discharged wastewater per year reduced a total of 4,801 lb of regulated air emissions (256 lb SO 2, 145 lb PM, 1,540 lb CO, 100 lb VOC, 2,760 lb NO x ) saved 18,678 Decatherms of natural gas and 3,446 gallons of fuel oil resulted in an estimated annual cost avoidance of $193,028. Boiler No. 5