April 2016

Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?

Dividends of Performance-Based Polymer ProcurementKeller Schnier, PE

Asheville, NC

Acknowledgements

Maggie Macomber, PE – Charlotte WaterJackie Jarrell, PE – Charlotte WaterDavid Wagoner, PE – CDM Smith

Presentation Take Aways

Key steps in the polymer selection program Importance of:

• Proper polymer selection• Planning the process• Qualified participation• Maintaining control of the process

Polymer selection determination• Lowest cost polymer = best value?• Relationship between performance and overall cost

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Importance of Proper Polymer Selection

Cost Control• Equipment• Operations• Polymer - type• Biosolids - end use/disposal

Quantity • Dewatering performance

Quality • Handling• Odors

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Polymer Selection Goal

Produce the best biosolids product for the lowest cost• Best product fits your program needs• Lowest Cost

‒ Polymer cost (selection and usage based)‒ Operations and maintenance cost (operator and equipment)‒ Reuse/disposal cost (performance based)

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Polymer Selection – Step-Wise Approach

Step 1 – Consider 3rd Party Project/Program manager Step 2 – Develop Customized Approach

• Baseline criteria development and desired results• Establish ground rules and polymer selection criteria• Testing plan and schedule• Vendor Solicitation/selection

Step 3 - Conduct Testing• Selected vendors• Bench-scale testing• Full-scale testing• Performance data development/handling

Step 4 - Bid document/Polymer Selection

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Step 1: 3rd Party Project Manager

Administers Polymer Trial program Time – coordination - responsiveness Manage the process and the vendors Single point of contact Multiple plants create challenges

• Uniformity and consistency

Control of all data

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Step 2: Customized Approach

Baseline criteria development• Historical performance• Equipment capacities

Establish ground rules and polymer selection criteria

Detailed testing plan and schedule

Vendor selection • Advertise details • Request submission of Notification of Interest• Pre-submission meeting• Selection of vendors for Trials

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Establishing Baseline Criteria

Goal - Set boundaries/criteria for equipment operation, polymer use and required performance

System review - conditions and limitations• Polymer mixing• Feed concentrations• Feed capacity/ranges

Dewatering system performance and information• Capacity of dewatering equipment• Historic performance data• Special concerns

‒ Odors‒ Fecal coliform reactivation or regrowth

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Plant Information and Data Summary Sheets

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Facility Name

Type of Device

Make/Model - Attach Specification

Number of units operational

Dewatering Feed, gpm

Current Daily average flow rate per unit 320

Operating Range Min/Max per unit 250 / 390

Dewatering Feed Solids, % solids

Average 2.7

Minimum 2.3

Maximum 3.3

Dewatered Solids, % Solids

Desired 22

Historical 18.5

Lower Limit 18

Filtrate/ Centrate/Supernatant Solids, mg/L TSS

Desired 100

Historical 150

Upper Limit 500

Operating schedule

days of the week 5

hours/day 24

Number of units normally operated 1

Polymer storage/mix/feed

NSF Standard 60 Certification required No

Dedicated to thickening or combined with dewatering Combined

Polymer delivery - drum, tote, bulk Bulk

Polymer mixing system type - batch, continuous Batch, DW/TK Combo

Batch tank mixer type

Mix tank volume & batches per day4500 g X 3/13 M-F &

1.5 S-S

Make-up water source; plant or potable Potable

Polymer feed system type Prog. Cavity Pump

Feed capacity range, gpm 10-35 gpm

Maximum polymer feed concentration 1.00%

Active polymer content, % 41

Neat Polymer Usage per day / year (gal) 310 / 80,600

Neat Polymer per batch (gal)

Current Polymer mix feed conc, % 0.70%

Polymer feed rate, gpm

Current Average 30

Design Min/Max 0 / 35

Maximum Polymer dosage to achieve cake solids and centrate/filtrate/supernatant specified, lb total polymer/dry ton solids 60

Cake Solids

Filtrate/Centrate Solids

Max. Polymer Dosage

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SUBJECT: SOLICITATION OF INTEREST FOR POLYMER SUPPLY CONTRACT To Whom It May Concern: The ________is currently contacting polymer manufacturers that may be interested in supplying polymer for a twelve (12) month period. The polymer will be used in the sludge thickening and dewatering processes at the following facilities ______. Prequalification testing of polymer products will begin in _______. Interested Manufacturers are required to provide a Notification of Interest to:

Notifications will be accepted until ___________. All information listed in the Applicant Qualification must be submitted in the Notification. Incomplete or partial submittal of information will not be accepted. A prequalification testing protocol, containing manufacturer qualifications, existing feed equipment description, polymer type specification, sludge characteristics, and evaluation criteria, is attached to this letter for reference. Please read the prequalification testing protocols very carefully. The polymer supplied shall be suitable as a conditioner for:

• anaerobically digested sludge prior to centrifuge or belt filter press dewatering, • water treatment plant alum sludge prior to gravity thickening followed by belt filter press

dewatering and • secondary sludge centrifuge and gravity belt thickening prior to anaerobic digestion.

The polymer supplied by the manufacturer shall be an anionic or cationic emulsion type. No gel, dry or liquid polymers will be accepted. The polymer shall be compatible with the City's existing equipment and treatment scheme and cause no impacts to effluent quality. The prequalification testing process includes: Bench-scale Laboratory Jar Testing: All manufacturers who express an interest will be given an appointment between ______________ to perform jar tests to screen their polymers. Each manufacturer may prequalify more than one product, but only one polymer will be chosen for full scale testing. Designated plant staff (or the city's representative) will be available to assist with jar testing in accordance with the polymer testing protocol. Full-scale Performance Testing: Manufacturers submitting products for full-scale testing will be given eight (8) to ten (10) hour appointments to demonstrate performance. Full-scale testing will be conducted during the months of ________________________. Manufacturers shall provide sufficient quantity of polymer to perform the full-scale tests using plant polymer feed systems on the designated thickening and/or dewatering equipment at no cost to the City. Minimum acceptable performance conditions are provided in the attached information. Manufacturers whose polymers have proven to be effective and acceptable based on achieving the minimum acceptable performance requirements during the full-scale performance tests will be invited to offer a sealed bid.

Prequalification

Minimum acceptable performance conditions

Bench-Scale & Full-Scale

Testing

Control the Number of VendorsSeek Strong Technical Experience

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Manufacturer

ISO 9001

MSDS

Service ResponseReferences

Sufficient Capacity

Other Key Items in the Solicitation

Full-Scale testing and sampling details• Procedural approaches• Performance data development

Polymer Performance Evaluation Calculations• Calculations to be used

Full transparency • Avoid questions/contested

conditions later

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Full-Scale Test and Sampling Details

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1. Full-scale testing will be allowed by appointment only.

2. A meeting will be held individually with each manufacturer before initiation of full-scale testing to review the goals, conditions, and responsibilities for the testing.

3. A maximum of two (2) people from the polymer manufacturer will be allowed on-site during the test.

4. A minimum of eight (8) hours, and a maximum of ten (10) hours per day of testing. Under no circumstances shall tests be continued past 5:30 P.M.

5. Minimum of five (5) acceptable polymer dosages with at least 30 minutes of run time per dosage.

6. Maximum of eight (8) acceptable polymer dosages with at least 30 minutes of run time per dosage.

7. Five (5) defined doses (minimum requirements) to be run as close as possible to:

a. Lowest possible dosage (lbs/dry ton) to achieve performance goals, the next higher integer dosage (lbs/dry ton), and three (3) more dosages in 2 to 5 lbs/dry ton increments (total of 5 dosages);

b. Each of the defined doses will be run twice for a maximum of ten (10) sample sets, and a maximum of sixteen (16) sample sets.

8. Average of the five (5) best acceptable sample sets will be used for evaluation

9. Plant personnel will collect and composite samples for the 30 min run period for each dosage.

a. The first sample shall be collected 10 minutes after thickening/dewatering device startup;

b. Thereafter samples shall be collected every 10 minutes (3 samples in 30 minutes).

10. Plant personnel will analyze samples and split samples will be analyzed by CMUs state certified laboratory.

Polymer Performance Evaluation Criteria

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Solids Feed Rate, SF, (lb/d)

SF = 8.34 x QF x CF

Where: QF = sludge feed rate (gpm) CF = sludge feed concentration (mg/L)

Polymer Feed Rate, SP, (lb/d)

Sp = 8.34 x QP x CP Where:

QP = polymer feed rate (gpm) CP = polymer feed concentration (mg/L)

Polymer Feed Concentration (Neat), CP, (mg/L) CP = 120,090 x M / (VP+ VW)

Where:

M =Mass of neat polymer per test batch (lbs) VP =Volume of polymer per test batch (gallon) VW = Volume of water per test batch (gallon)

Polymer Usage, PU, (lb polymer/dry ton) PU = SP / (SF/2,000)

Solids Recovery, R (%)

R =100 x C x (F-B)/(F x (C-B)) Where: C =Total cake solids (%) F =Sludge feed solids (%) B =Centrate solids (%)

Example Polymer Performance Calculation

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Biosolids Production (avg): 10 dry ton/day (from polymer trials) Land Application Costs: $15/wet ton (current contract rate) Polymer Dose (avg): 20 lb/dry ton (from polymer trials) Polymer cost: $1.00/lb (from polymer bid) Dewatered Cake Solids (avg): 20% solids (from polymer trials) % recovery (avg): 98% (from polymer trials) Polymer cost per day = 5 dt/d x 20 lb/dt x $1.00/lb / 0.98 recovery = $102.04/day Land Application Costs = 5 dt/d x $15/wt / 0.20 % solids = $375/day Total Cost = $102.04 + $375 = $477.04/day

Selection of Qualified Vendors

Pre-submittal meeting with interested Vendors Receive and review Letters of Interest Select 3 to 4 most qualified vendors

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Step 3: Conduct Testing

Facility tours with Vendors • Equipment review• Polymer measurement, mixing, and feed rate/control arrangements• Q&A

Refine Testing Schedule Bench-Scale Testing Full-Scale Testing

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Bench-Scale Testing

Conducted at plant site - lab setting• Vendor conducts, Owner/PM observes • One vendor at a time

Sludge samples provided by Owner Owner keeps samples of polymers being considered for full-

scale trials Vendor chooses polymer to advance to full-scale trial

• Projects and presents dosage rates for full-scale testing‒ lb polymer/dry ton of solids‒ Must fall within acceptable dosage range criteria

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Full-Scale Testing

Set dewatering machine operating conditions• Based on equipment operation ranges ~ mid range• Test all polymers under same conditions – level playing field

Sample collection, control and testing – by Owner• Microwave % solids analyzing unit

Data management by Project Manager Performance criteria – pass/fail and range

limitations• Maximum allowed polymer dosage • Minimum solids capture % or max TSS levels• Minimum/maximum cake solids

Performance data finalization

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Step 4: Vender Bid Price Submittal and Polymer Selection Facility: WWTP Address: ITB 269-0131-010

Manufacturer Product Price Per Pound A NC 101 $ 0.96 B K290FLX $ 1.185 C 8846FS $ 1.11 D SE 757 $ 0.84

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Vendor A

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$0.96

$127.46

Vendor D

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$0.84

$128.57

Performance Conditions + Polymer Price = Lowest Cost Outcome

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Based on performance conditions, Vendor D could have won the contract with a bid of $0.81/lb or lower

Performance data provides documentation of the expected performance….once selected polymer is used

Summary

All polymer is not created equal• Purchasing polymer based on $/lb polymer alone risky

Polymer Trials can:• Provide competitive, performance based polymer selection• Qualify polymer vendors with technical expertise • Set clear instructions and guidelines• Control the process

‒ Trials protocol, sampling, testing, selection criteria• Develop performance data for each polymer

‒ Consistent testing conditions for all• Apply bid price to performance conditions for lowest cost outcome

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Questions

schnierkw@cdmsmith.com

Are You Getting Your Money’s Worth?AcknowledgementsPresentation Take AwaysImportance of Proper Polymer SelectionPolymer Selection GoalPolymer Selection – Step-Wise ApproachStep 1: 3rd Party Project ManagerStep 2: Customized ApproachEstablishing Baseline CriteriaPlant Information and Data Summary SheetsSlide Number 11Control the Number of Vendors�Seek Strong Technical ExperienceOther Key Items in the SolicitationFull-Scale Test and Sampling DetailsPolymer Performance Evaluation CriteriaExample Polymer Performance CalculationSelection of Qualified VendorsStep 3: Conduct TestingBench-Scale TestingFull-Scale TestingStep 4: Vender Bid Price Submittal and Polymer SelectionVendor AVendor DPerformance Conditions + Polymer Price = Lowest Cost OutcomeSummaryQuestions