Overview

The Nebraska Legislature created the Metropolitan Utilities District (M.U.D.) in 1913 as a political subdivision of the State to provide water and natural gas to the metropolitan Omaha area. In addition to being the fifth largest public gas utility in the United States, the M.U.D. provides drinking water to approximately 200,000 customer-owners in Omaha, Bellevue, Bennington, Carter Lake, LaVista, Ralston, Waterloo and the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District (which supplies water to Fort Calhoun).

Water Treatment Facility

Thirty-five years ago, in anticipation of their future water requirements, M.U.D. began planning for the eventual construction of a third water treatment plant. In 1992, M.U.D. began buying land about five miles north of the confluence of the Platte and Elkhorn rivers that would provide access to a productive aquifer and high quality water. Known as the Platte West Project, this $352 million facility is scheduled for completion during 2008. This new state-of-the art plant will meet the growing water demands of the metro Omaha area for the next 50 to 60 years.

The project includes a well field, raw water main, water treatment plant (WTP) and finished water mains. In addition to these required infrastructure improvements, the project is incorporating state of the art security features which may serve as a model for other utilities. Located at 216th and Q streets in Douglas County, the water treatment plant will be as long as three football fields and cover a total of 630,511 square feet.

M.U.D. will rely on 42 wells to supply water, with 26 wells located on 1,190 acres in Saunders County and 16 wells on 1,040 acres in Douglas County.

The well field will be connected to the water treatment plant via a nearly four-mile-long pipeline, parts of which are under the Platte and Elkhorn rivers. Two sections of the pipeline, both 48 inches in diameter, are under the Platte. A 72-inch diameter pipeline is buried under the Elkhorn. Both eventually connect in Douglas County. The project is designed to boost the district's pumping capacity by 100 million gallons per day.

Variable speed Morris Series 7100 Type EC and MF pumps in HBB configuration were chosen for the treatment plant's Finished Water Transfer and Backwash Supply applications. The high quality, rugged design and heavy-duty construction features of the Morris Pumps will help to assure reliable service and minimal maintenance expense over the lifetime of the facility.

Pump Details and Additional Photos
Click here to see Project Profile (PDF)

Trace Laboratories, Inc., an internationally accredited, independent test laboratory, has expanded its analytical capabilities to include full service drinking water, wastewater, and well water sampling and testing. With the acquisition of Cassell Testing, Maryland's premier drinking water service provider, Trace now offers a full range of EPA methods covering all aspects of drinking and wastewater analysis. In addition to laboratory services, Trace also provides full service sampling capabilities by a team of Maryland certified samplers.

Trace Laboratories, Inc. maintains a Drinking Water Laboratory Certification issued through the Maryland Department of the Environment. The certificate encompasses chemical and microbiological analysis. Our clients are composed of private industries, municipalities, builders, realtors, and consumers. Trace's environmental team of analysts and samplers are at your service to meet your water testing needs.

Learn about our capabilities in Microbiology and Chemical testing, visit our website by clicking on link on the right, or e mail us with your inquiries

NSF International has been testing bottled water products for compliance with federal guidelines for many years. The NSF Bottled Water Certification Program is an annual, voluntary certification process that includes both extensive product evaluations as well as on-site audits of bottling facilities.

Their testing program provides for annual unannounced plant inspections covering every aspect of a bottler's operation, from the source of the water, through the disinfection and treatment process, and including the container closure process. We also perform extensive product testing for over 160 chemical, inorganic, radiological, and microbiological contaminants.

Res-Kem Corp. designs and manufactures custom activated carbon adsorption equipment the adsorption of synthetic and volatile organics (VOC), large color molecules, chlorine removal and/or taste and odor from city water and well water supplies.

Activated Carbon Choices Res-Kem offers a wide variety of activated carbon choices that cover most adsoption processes. Res-Kem is a master distributor for:

• Calgon Activated Carbon
• Jacobi
• Norit
• Res-Karb

Our engineers will incorporate the best carbon for your application.

Quality Tank Construction

All standard Res-Kem industrial water filters include pressure tanks constructed of high quality welded steel designed for 100 psi working pressure and tested for 150 psi. Standard pressure tanks are equipped with inlet and outlet connections, top mounted loading port (either handhole or manhole), and a side filter media removal fitting. Due to the corrosive nature of carbon, all tanks are epoxy lined. Stainless steel or Fiberglass pressure tanks are available for custom industrial water filters.

Underdrains

The Res-Kem hub and lateral distribution system is designed to utilize the entire bed area during all flow rates. The entire industrial water filter system is constructed of PVC with schedule 80 laterals ensuring maximum corrosion protection and strength.

Valves

To answer a need for truly trouble-free, labor saving, automated equipment; Res-Kem engineers designed the ultimate industrial water filter using a "Nest" of diaphragm valves. The angular design, high lift, and large seat opening of these hydraulically operated valves provide a minimum restriction to flow and reduction of turbulence. They are controlled by a "Stager" to backwash the filter and return it to service without any manual attention.

Smaller Activated Carbon Filters are available with top-mounted Fleck or Autotrol valves.

Timer/Controller

The standard method of control for automatic water filters is accomplished through the use of a heavy-duty stager with an integral clock timer with manual override feature should backwashing be required at times other than at its pre-determined time. PLC Controls are available as well.

New European regulations governing the measurement of oil-in-water, plus a 15% hydrocarbon emission reduction target and Hydrocarbon Trading have all heightened the importance of monitoring oil concentration levels in water. As a result, US instrument manufacturer, Wilks Enterprise, Inc., and their UK representative – Quantitech, Ltd. - have reported a rapid growth in demand for the InfraCal portable TOG/TPH Analyzers.

The Oil Pollution Prevention and Control (OPPC) Regulations prohibit the discharge of oil into the sea unless it is in accordance with the schedule conditions of a permit issued to cover the discharge. In support of OPPC, the UK DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) has provided industry with technical guidance on suitable methods for the sampling and analysis of produced water and other samples containing hydrocarbons.

The determination of oil in produced water has been traditionally carried out using a standard reference method based on solvent extraction followed by Infrared analysis. However, the solvent Freon 113 is no longer permitted (Montreal Protocol) and there have been health and safety concerns with its replacement, Tetrachloroethylene, so there has been a drive to develop and adopt a new reference oil-in-water analysis method by both the authorities and the offshore industry. As a result, an OSPAR modified version of the ISO 9377-2 GC-FID method (Gas Chromatography and Flame Ionization Detection) has been adopted as the reference method and this became effective January 1, 2007.

Since GC-FID analysis is generally done in a laboratory and not onsite, the DTI guidelines permit the use of other methods that have a crude oil specific validation against the GC-FID. As a result, many operators have chosen the InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzer for use at their facilities because it is a portable device providing faster results at a much lower cost.

The InfraCal Analyzer is a portable instrument, marketed and sold exclusively in the UK by Quantitech Ltd, for the measurement of total hydrocarbons (both soluble and dispersed). A typical analysis takes just 10-15 minutes including the extraction process.

Sarah McGillivray, Operational Chemist for CETCO Oilfield in the UK, says "We use an InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzer on every job that we undertake including produced water treatment, well interventions or acid stimulations. We use the InfraCal Analyzer in each of these applications in order to determine the oil in water content of the treated fluids. This analysis allows the operator of our equipment to fully optimize the equipment and also to determine the point at which our consumable media has been exhausted. One of the key advantages of onsite analysis is that it enables the facility to demonstrate successful treatment quickly and easily. Also, without an InfraCal Analyzer, we would not be permitted to treat contaminated produced water and dispose of it directly overboard."

R.U.M. Consultancy, also in the UK, provides analytical services including mass spectrometry for organics and, commenting on the monitoring regulations, their Richard Morrison says "The InfraCal TOG/TPH Analyzer is now the main portable device for the measurement of oil in water; it is robust, easy to use and most people are familiar with it. We also provide the instrument validation service that is required under the new regulations. In summary, I believe that the new monitoring guidelines will help protect the environment without imposing a heavy cost burden."

Infrared heaters transmit large amounts of energy in a short time and at high efficiency. The wavelength of the infrared radiation has a crucial effect on the effectiveness of the heating process. Infrared heaters, which are optimally matched to the materials to be heated, provide energy savings of up to 50%. Heraeus infrared heating technology offers significant advantages: heat exactly where it is needed, with the optimum wavelength for the product and in line with the process.

High heating efficiency and rapid cool down make the medium wave carbon IR heater from Heraeus the only medium-wave IR heater to offer you shortwave response times. Suitable for all medium-wave applications, this heater also offers the capability to match temperatures to the optimum absorption wavelength for each application. Together, these features eliminate overheating and contamination of sensitive substrates.

With the greatest power output in the Medium Wave range, Carbon Infrared heaters provide:

* Maximum efficiency in heating and drying processes, rapid drying, minimum material stress and high energy saving

* Instant response of infrared radiation for the heating process.

The Carbon High Power Technology is unique, as it offers medium wave radiation at high power with rapid response times. Medium wave radiation is highly efficient for drying processes and, with carbon emitters, energy savings of up to 50 % can be achieved compared with short wave infrared lamps.

The Carbon high power IR heater is a new development in infrared heaters – especially for high power. It achieves a maximum power density of 120 watts/in2, the highest power ever applied with medium wave Quartz heaters in industrial processes.

A particular large portion of medium wave radiation is absorbed in water, solvents and plastics and converted into heat. This allows significant benefits: carbon IR heaters dry printing inks, with less stress for the paper because the radiation acts more intensively on the ink. The high power IR heater increases print drying speed and reduces drying time. It also heats plastics in a targeted manner, with less heating of the surrounding environment.

Various types of infrared heaters have different maximum output at different wavelengths – Halogen infrared lamps at 1 µm, Carbon heaters at about 2.5 µm. Therefore at 3 µm the High Power Carbon IR heater provides three times the irradiance of a Halogen infrared lamp.

Only that part of the spectrum which covers the absorption curve of water is effective for the drying process – not the whole infrared radiation. The infrared radiation of the Carbon infrared heater is almost ideally matched to the absorption spectrum of water. In comparison, only a small fraction of short wave radiation covers the absorption curve. In other words, the greater part of the energy of short wave infrared radiation is wasted.

The result is: A short wave emitter at the same power density supplies less than 50 % of the power of a carbon emitter in drying processes. For example, at an irradiation of 120 watts/in2, the effective power density of a carbon emitter is around 28 watts/m2; that of a short wave emitter is around 14 watts/in2.

Technical Data:

* Peak wavelength 2.4 µm

* Filament temperature 950°C

* Round tube diameter 12 mm/19 mm

* Linear power density 110 watts/in.

* Maximum power density 120 watts/in2

* Gold reflector

* Standard, custom and OEM models available

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The Carbon Twin: A New Generation

The new generation of proven Heraeus twin tube infrared heaters is the Carbon Twin. Its maximum power density is twice that of conventional twin tube infrared heaters, perfect for fast drying of water-based inks and coatings, and economical processing of plastics and glass.

Twin tube carbon infrared heater can be easily retrofitted into existing infrared systems. They replace the existing IR heaters, improve the system and decrease the running costs.

In the medium wave range, Heraeus offers tailor-made twin tube IR heaters or carbon round tube IR heater of especially high efficiency. New is the unique combination of both of these technologies, which allows important synergy effects.

Common to both types of infrared heaters is the medium wave spectrum. Many materials absorb infrared especially in this region of the spectrum. The use of infrared heaters therefore contributes to the accelerated drying of water and other solvents and to economical processing of plastics and glass.

The proven twin tube IR heater technology bring their high stability to the carbon twin, as well as a significantly increased radiation density. In addition, they offer the possibility of manufacture in a range of models and the IR heaters can be connected to conventional standard power supplies.

The carbon infrared heater technology contributes to the high power density of the carbon twin. Carbon IR heaters have twice the maximum power density of conventional medium wave twin tube emitters. In addition, carbon emitters have fast heat-up and cool-down times and can be switched on and off in seconds.

* medium wave, 1200 °C, peak wavelength 2 µm

* max. power density 95 watts/in2 (carbon round tube 65 W/in2, medium wave twin tube 30 W/in2) * linear power density 180 W/in.

* switch on and off times of only 1 or 2 seconds

* conventional voltages

* twin tube format 33 x 14 mm

* lengths up to 120 inches

* gold plated

* one- or two-sided connection * Standard, custom and OEM models available