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PO Box 399
3615 Hwy 216
Brookwood, AL 35444
Water Treatment
Optimization at a Power Plant
Client Overview
A 200 MW coal-fired power station located in the southeastern United States operated a conventional water treatment system for boiler makeup and cooling tower supply. The system had experienced frequent chemical overfeed events, inconsistent water quality, and operator fatigue from complex dosing routines. ENG Resources was engaged to evaluate the full treatment train and implement a process improvement process.
Initial Assessment and Baseline
ENG Resources deployed a cross-functional audit team consisting of process engineers,
chemists, instrumentation specialists, and Kaizen consultants. The audit revealed issues including redundant chemical use, poor mixing zones, inconsistent dilution practices, and lack of feedback controls.
Parameter
Baseline
Target
Clarifier effluent turbidity
3.8 NTU
<1.0 NTU
Polymer feed rate
4.5 ppm
<2.5 ppm
Sludge volume index (SVI)
160 mL/g
<100 mL/g
Operator rounds
14 per shift
<7 per shift
Engineering and Equipment Modifications
Key improvements included repair and installation of specific designed in-line static mixers, automated dilution manifolds, and recirculation loops for consistent mixing and blending. Instrumentation upgrades introduced turbidity sensors, flow-paced chemical feeds, and VFD-controlled pumps for accuracy.
Chemistry Optimization
ENG Resources’ chemists selected a complex coagulant polymer blend and an optimized polishing polymer. These changes led to cleaner solids formation, 40% lower dosage rates, and higher compaction leading to 30% less sludge volume.
Process & Operational Ease-of-Use
Process simplification included integrated treatment skids, standardized SOPs, and visual control boards. Process efficiency operator training programs reduced the shift time spent on circuit, improved operator ownership, and enhanced safety.
Measured Results
Metric
Before
After
% Improvement
Clarifier Effluent Turbidity
3.8 NTU
0.7 NTU
82%
Polymer Feed Rate
4.5 ppm
2.1 ppm
53%
Sludge Volume Index
160 mL/g
95 mL/g
41%
Operator Time per Shift
3.5 hrs
1.5 hrs
57%
Chemical Cost Savings
-
$87,000/yr
-
Downstream and Plant-Wide Impact
Cooling tower blowdown frequency was reduced by 11%. Boiler resin life increased by 9%,
and wastewater sludge volume decreased by one press cycle per day. Overall discharge
quality improved, lowering COD by 9 mg/L.
Key Takeaways & ROI
Proper mixing zone design and chemistry optimization achieved the largest process gains.
Operator retraining through process improvement sustained results. Annual savings exceed $100,000 with a project payback period under nine months.
Future Opportunities
ENG Resources is replicating this optimization model at a combined-cycle gas plant and
exploring AI-driven dosing control based on real-time turbidity and flow feedback.