Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | NIA_WWU_016 | |
| Title | Treatment & Re-use of Gasholder Sludge | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Chemistry) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Environmental dimensions) 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Project Contact No email address given Wales and West Utilities |
|
| Award Type | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Funding Source | Ofgem | |
| Start Date | 01 May 2014 | |
| End Date | 01 November 2015 | |
| Duration | 18 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £248,973 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Energy | |
| Region | Wales | |
| Programme | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (100.000%) |
| Web Site | http://www.smarternetworks.org/project/NIA_WWU_016 |
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| Objectives | To have a cost efficient, sustainable solution for the management of gasholder sludge. Demonstration that the technologies used within the scope of the project, work effectively both from the perspective of cost reduction and that they meet the regulatory requirements of the Environment Agency and the principals of the CL:AIRE Code of Practice to deliver a sustainable solution. | |
| Abstract | Wales & West Utilities have undertaken extensive gasholder demolition throughout the period 2008-2013, with a further programme of 8 gasholders to be demolished in the next 2 years. Every time a gasholder is demolished, hazardous sludge from the base of the tank that has built up over the life of the storage asset (up to 130 years old) has to be collected and sent off-site for disposal, or more commonly to an incineration facility, due to the significant concentration of contaminants. This traditional approach to managing gasholder sludge is both disproportionately expensive and carbon intensive. A development trial was undertaken on sludge from gasholder demolition undertaken in the previous price control period. The first treatment stage involved the centrifuging of sludge to remove the water content. The second stage involved setting up of bioremediation piles using the caked sludge to test a variety of additives to reduce the hydrocarbon content. The final stage of treatment involved the chemical stabilisation and solidification of the bio-treated sludge to reduce the leachability of residual contaminant constituents. The trial scale project has been completed and paves the way for a full-scale innovation demonstration project to treat sludge from multiple gasholder sites. The treated sludge from the demonstration project is to be re-used as backfill within the least environmentally sensitive below ground tank. The re-use of sludge avoids disposal/incineration and reduces the required volume of imported aggregate backfill. The full scale demonstration project will be undertaken using the CL:AIRE (Contaminated Land: Applications in Real Environments) “Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice” to demonstrate that the sludge is not a waste and that there is both a certainty of reuse (gasholder tank backfill requirements) and suitability for use (chemically and physically). The project is supported by UK leading representatives on behalf of industry (the author of the Code of Practice) and the Environment Agency that this project can be carried out as a hub and cluster of receiving, treatment and donor sites.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
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| Added to Database | 17/12/18 | |
