Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Technical Upgrades topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Engineer details A2O process, digital twin and capacity increases for Bartlett Bay plant
Summary
Hoyle Tanner engineer described upgrades including a biological A2O process, new clarifiers, UV building, a digital twin platform (Hubgrade) and measures to raise peak flow capacity from ~3.75M to 5.7M gallons per day; staff projected material O&M savings.
At the informational hearing, Hoyle Tanner lead engineer Kirsten DiPietro outlined the technical elements of the Bartlett Bay upgrade, citing a permitted capacity of 1,250,000 gallons per day and designing peak‑flow capacity to increase from 3,750,000 to 5,700,000 gallons per day to withstand recent storm events.
DiPietro described a switch to an A2O biological process that can provide enhanced biological phosphorus removal and operator flexibility through "swing zones" that can be aerated or un‑aerated depending on whether phosphorus or nitrogen removal is prioritized. "An A2O process is set up to give the operator flexibility to optimize based on phosphorus removal or nitrogen removal," she said.
Staff also described plans to implement a cloud‑based digital performance platform (referred to by DiPietro as a 'digital twin' called Hubgrade, proprietary to Veolia) that will use real‑time sensors (dissolved oxygen, phosphate analyzers, nitrogen analyzers, pH, temperature) and predictive algorithms to pace chemical feed and optimize aeration and energy use. DiPietro said the platform and energy measures are expected to yield annual operational savings (digital platform ~$22,800; solar ~$21,000; chemical cost reductions ~$135,000) and reduce natural gas consumption, with a 500 CCF backup supply noted for boilers.
The upgrade also replaces a corroded steel sludge tank with new concrete storage tanks to reduce daily truck trips to the Airport Parkway solids handling facility and address operational problems caused by grit and screenings passing through the current headworks.
