Achieving Sustained Compliance in Waste-to-Energy Facility

Poor ESP performance created challenges for maintaining consistent emissions compliance. Since the repairs needed were extensive, and shutdown time would not allow for all work to be completed, a phased plan was put in place. The results were consistent compliance, sustained over time.

Analysis, Optimized Maintenance Spending, Renewed Performance

Despite consistent maintenance and operational efforts, the precipitator's performance was limiting load. Neundorfer completed an operational review and inspection, putting together a prioritized plan that allowed the plant to optimize the maintenance spend for the next outage. And they got the performance back.

Baghouse Integration Dramatically Reduces O&M Costs

A 1,500 MW Southeastern U.S. coal-fired power plant was able to improve the effectiveness of their fly ash evacuation systems and reduce the costs of operation and maintenance by an expected 50% through improved, integrated instrumentation.

Cement Plant Gains Consistent Operations

A Midwestern cement plant needed to balance cost, outage time, and performance gains in order to make the best use of short outages to address the weak links in the air pollution control equipment. The result was a plan for incremental projects that would achieve the greatest performance and reliability gains with the lowest overall capital investment.

Creative Approach, Thoughtful Analysis Saves Two Coal Plants

When the plant's initial assessment indicated MATS compliance would require high-cost upgrades, the future of two plants was uncertain. By modeling improvements over the entire process, Neundorfer identified a low-cost compliance program that would ensure these plants continue to meet their operational goals long into the future.

Focus on Operational Flexibility Reduced Derates, Improves Capacity

As the hopper evacuation system struggled to keep up with the collection profile of the unit, nightly derates were required to maintain operations. With improve performance and ash collection profiles, the plant was able to increase capacity, run consistently at high load, and save on maintenance costs.

Holistic Troubleshooting Helps Resolve Baghouse Cleaning Issues

The most obvious fix turned out not to be the best one when Neundorfer helped a utility resolve baghouse cleaning issues that were limiting its ability to run at full load. Use of a multi-phase planning process and holistic troubleshooting approach yielded an innovative solution that exceeded expectations.

Justifying Controls with Opacity-Driven Energy Optimization

At a paper mill in New England, a long-delayed controls upgrade project was cost-justified within eight months of completion. The improved performance and energy savings from an ESP controls project saved the mill an average of $8,000 per month.

Keys to Sustained Performance Improvements

A Midwestern utility had a problem: precipitator performance was sub-par, resulting in reduced power generation and undesirable opacity levels. Called in as a consultant, Neundorfer helped the utility identify causes and fix the problem through internal ESP modifications and upgrades to the flue gas conditioning and hopper evacuation systems.

Low Emitter Status Achieved with Low-Cost Effort

A Midwest power plant called on Neundorfer to use its analytical skills, field experience and modeling capabilities to provide a low-cost/high-value solution that will allow them to achieve LEE (Low Emissions Emitter) status while forgoing the need for expensive monitoring equipment and a quarterly testing protocol.

Maintaining Operations after Equipment Damage

When an industrial steam generator experienced a major process upset and damaged their electrostatic precipitator (ESP), they could not shut down to make the necessary repairs. Neundorfer was able to optimize the performance of the precipitator which allowed the plant to find the production point that would allow the equipment to stay in compliance until the regularly scheduled shutdown.

Meeting NESHAP Rules Through Collaboration and Analysis

Recently a cement plant customer was able to celebrate a huge "win" as a result of a collaborative strategy with Neundorfer. Following implementation, emissions levels tested at 70% below the new limit, filling the customer with a new-found confidence in their operations and helping them meet new NESHAP rules.

Optimizing SO3 Systems in Multiple-Unit Plants

Installing separate SO3 flue gas conditioning systems on two units at Duke Energy's Beckjord Power Plant fixed ongoing struggles to maintain acceptable stack emission levels. Neundorfer provided one of the SO3 systems, and helped Duke Energy save money by refurbishing a system for the other unit.

Paper Mill Gains Operational Flexibility While Reducing Emissions

A paper company in Wisconsin was contemplating expensive precipitator modifications to reduce emission levels. Through modeling we discovered the same result could be achieved for much, much less by making relatively simple gas flow distribution changes.

Reliable, More Effective Granular Sulfur Feeder

When Duke Energy's Allen Steam Station started upgrades to the granular sulfur feed system for three of its units, the utility partnered with Neundorfer to reduce emissions and improve reliability.

Results-Driven Decisions, Remarkable Results

When a metal processing plant experienced a major interruption, Neundorfer's team pulled out all the stops to assess the situation, perform a thorough analysis, and create an action plan that would get the plant back on line in only a few days while improving the reliability and performance of the unit.

Rising from the Ashes

Following a kiln outage in early 1997, a fire destroyed four precipitators at Holnam Cement in Clarksville, Missouri. Within two days, Neundorfer and Holnam had a plan for replacing ESP components. Eighteen weeks after the fire, the rebuild was complete.

Smart Use of Data Improves Diagnostics, Optimizes Performance

Chronic operating issues and costly technical support was plaguing a southern paper mill. There had to be a better way. By analyzing data and using modeling to generate insights into performance-based maintenance and operational strategies, Neundorfer engineers were able to identify effective resolutions without leaving the office.

SmartAsh Case Study

A large power generation plant needed to improve its fly ash evacuation system and turned to Neundorfer. The system, serving 20 hoppers on three separate precipitators, was upgraded without requiring an outage.

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Upgrading Precipitator Controls Quickly Improves Performance

Neundorfer helped Reliant Energy's Cheswick station improve consistency and overall precipitator performance by installing upgraded controls and Precipitator Optimization System (POS) software.

Waste-to-Energy Upgrades Yield Dramatic Improvements

When Ecomaine replaced precipitator power controls and rapping controls with new technology from Neundorfer, the intent was to ensure consistent compliance with heavy-metal emission limits, and hopefully save some energy. After installation, the plant was able to get significantly more power into the ESP, and far exceeded its goals of improving collection efficiency.