October 03, 2018

Find out how B&W uses fluidized-bed boilers to turn waste sludge into revenue in this episode of Ask the Expert.

Video Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction and Jim's experience

0:44 - How do I turn waste into a revenue?

1:12 - Which industries do this now?

1:40 - What about other industries such as meat processing plants?

2:30 - What are some options and benefits of a bubbling fluidized-bed?

3:49 - Next steps

Transcription:

Matthew Winklestine: Hi I’m Matthew Winklestine on Ask the Expert with Jim Dessellem. Today Jim and I are going to discuss how to turn your waste sludge into a revenue stream.

Jim, before we get into that, why don’t you tell us a little about your history?

Jim Desellem: I’ve been with B&W for 30+ years. I got involved in the solution, which is fluidized-beds, in the mid-90s doing engineering startups. Around 2005, during a startup, I was invited into our technology group to be the director of all our R&D efforts, which has primarily been with the waste fuels, and to further our enhancements and technology.

MW: I would say that definitely makes you an expert. Welcome to the segment.

JD: Thank you.

MW: So now to get into a little bit more of the details – how do I turn my waste into a revenue stream?

JD: The simplest way is to turn it into steam and electricity. These are both commodities that are needed in a plant and a facility. If we can take something that is discarded and that you are paying to discard and turn it into energy in a form that you use daily, that’s a win-win.

"If we can take something that is discarded and that you are paying to discard and turn it into energy in a form that you use daily, that’s a win-win."

MW: Have other customers done that before and what industries currently do that now?

JD: The leading industry that had done that would be Pulp and Paper. Huge amounts of sludge having to be landfilled, so they probably lead this effort with the fluid-bed. And we have many years and many units and all that experience of how to process their sludges and turn that back into the steam and electricity they use in their processes.

MW: What about other industries? For instance, a meat packing plant?

JD: Very interesting one. That has just been a recent development where the paunch [abdomen or stomach] is a waste byproduct of meat processing is currently being landfilled. It has come to light as being an expense – a very big expense being a biohazard.

So, we took a look at the chemical analysis of that and compared that with our extensive database and found out that that waste stream is very similar in nature to an agricultural waste. Which there is experience in burning that in a fluid-bed.

So, this fuel has the potential of being a fluidized-bed fuel which would go from a cost to a net asset by producing steam and electricity with it.

MW: What else would be beneficial about having a fluidized-bed and what if I don’t currently have a fluidized-bed but I have a waste stream that I need to take care of?

JD: The benefit is fuel flexibility. It’s a very flexible technology that allows your fuels and your consistencies and different sources of fuels to be available. If you don’t have a fluidized-bed, there are many options beyond the normal new-build/green-field approach.

The fluid-bed is easily retrofittable to not only a B&W boiler, but our competitors' boilers, and in many different styles.

Half of our fleet are retrofits to competitors' boilers that are out there today and are running very well. So, this opens up options that if you have a boiler/an asset, we can evaluate and see if it can be easily retrofittable for a fluid-bed.

The other option, we’ve worked with many owners who don’t have an asset, but they have purchased an asset, (the building, the environmental equipment, and all the accessories) they’ll move that to their facility, and while it’s there, we will refurbish the boiler, add a fluid-bed, refurbish the environmental equipment, and they basically have a brand-new facility at used-price costs. Which definitely improves the ROI.

MW: And we’ve done that in the past?

JD: At several locations.

"The fluid-bed is easily retrofittable to not only a B&W boiler, but our competitors' boilers, and in many different styles."

MW: And we’ve done that in the past?

JD: At several locations.

MW: So, if I’m in an industrial facility and I’m wondering, “What am I doing with this waste sludge?” What’s the right step?

JD: Contact B&W. Reach out to your sales representative, your field service, or reach out to us on the computer at babcock.com. Start with us. And let us start with your fuels. We have thousands of biomass fuels in our database and chances are, we can match your fuel and tell you what your options are.

MW: Well, Jim, I know I’ve enjoyed the time here and I appreciate you enlightening our customers about fluidized-bed boilers. Thanks for being the expert.

JD: Thank you for having me.

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About B&W

Babcock & Wilcox is a global leader in energy and environmental technologies and services for the power, industrial and renewable markets. With headquarters in Barberton, Ohio, USA, B&W companies employ approximately 4,000 people worldwide. We have been transforming our world for over 150 years.