DUBLIN, Ireland, Jan. 16, 2009 -- Cover technology specialists Power Plastics recently won the contract to complete a unique odor control design, build and install project at the Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Works in Dublin Bay.
The brief was to cover 12 lamella tanks -- and key to the Company's success was providing easy access for maintenance whilst creating a safe working environment for the workforce.
The winning proposal was based around a rigid curved framework mounted to each tank's perimeter creating 12 segmented bays into which pre-stressed PVC coated panels are inserted. The frame is a modular construction in aluminum, custom-fitted to allow the skimmer to operate on the tank's surface and to accommodate pipework for a new air scrubber system.
The panels were created from pre-stressed PVC coated with PVDF lacquer. Each has a keder edging on two sides which allow it to slide into grooves in the aluminum frame.
Power Plastics incorporated walkways and hand railings into the design -- the railings being supported by plasma-cut struts - and created room for them by arcing the roof frame away towards the structure's center.
Removing one or more of the panels is a two-man operation performed entirely from the safety of the walkways. As a result, inspection, maintenance and cleaning with high-pressure hoses can all take place within the demands of current legislation, including the 'working in confined spaces' rules.
Lift-up aluminum panels at the weir end allow waste to be hosed away and a gable end for each tank is removable which means the skimmer bridge can be hauled out completely and dealt with on safe ground.
One of the benefits of the modular nature of the system is that installation took place without the need for a crane on-site. It was, therefore, a faster process than traditional covers would demand -- unaffected by wind and weather constraints -- and gave significant cost-savings.
At the time of going to press, Power Plastics have two similar installations of their unique design underway.
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