References
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US Navy case study 1
ESI was tasked by NSWCCD to develop an industrial process to allow shipyards to chemically clean surface ship soil collection piping systems. Differences in ship sizes, in drainage systems (gravity vented and vacuum non-vented), in plumbing arrangements, and in types of sewage collection plants was somewhat overwhelming.
This, coupled with difficulties associated with controlling the process to assure effective scale removal without excessively corroding the piping system imposed major obstacles to this development. Frequent transfers of information and ideas, trade offs of alternatives and mutual decision making efforts between ESI and NSWCCD personnel were required to overcome these obstacles. Through this joint undertaking, innovative procedures and associated hardware were identified to achieve an efficient and safe soil piping systems’ chemical cleaning process.
The end result was an approved Uniform Industrial Process Instruction (UIPI 5281-450) for use by all Navy shipyards. A follow-on draft military standard was prepared jointly by ESI and NSWCCD for use by commercial shipyards and contractors. Removing the scale once it has already formed is one issue, preventing it from forming is another.
US Navy case study 2
ESI was tasked by NSWCCD to come up with a specification to deal with the latter issue. The constraints imposed by the Navy community, i.e., the specification must be performance based and could not require shipboard testing, again required frequent communications between ESI and NSWCCD personnel.
The interaction between personnel with shipboard experience, especially with onboard sewage systems and the soil drain piping itself, was essential. NSWCCD and ESI individuals fulfilled this need. Together they identified critical design and verification requirements and in some cases created suitable verification tests.
The end result was the recently approved military specification (MIL-PRF-32217) entitled “Scale Prevention in Sewage Collection, Holding and Transfer (CHT) and Vacuum CHT (VCHT) Piping Systems for Use on Naval Surface Ships”.
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General Experience
Messrs Raupuk and Sharkins of ESI have worked together for more than 21 years, accumulating experience in support of shipboard pollution abatement systems.
We have interacted extensively with the US Navy, US Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command (MSC), several commercial concerns (both domestic and abroad), and foreign government activities.
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ESI's talents are well demonstrated by the following illustrations of our capabilities relevant to the proposed technology development:
Developed the performance specification (MIL-PRF-32217) for shipboard soil drain scale prevention products and systems.
The specification covered necessary safety and health, design, test and evaluation, verification, and acceptance criteria requirements. This effort included reviewing and resolving all comments by commercial concerns, naval shipyards, NSWCCD and other government agencies.
Developed a novel procedure and implemented it by chemically cleaning the soil system piping on several ships equipped with collection, holding, and transfer (CHT) gravity soil system piping as well as vacuum CHT (VCHT) soil system piping.
Vessels ranged from small commercial yachts to Navy aircraft carriers. Our chemical cleanings were performed safely, efficiently and with minimal impacts on ships mission and forces. We often worked around ongoing shipboard activities and other contractors’ efforts (unlike many others) allowing the cleaning efforts to proceed timely and cost effectively.
Surveyed, described and compared all alternative wastewater vacuum systems and components manufactured both within and outside the U.S. Recommendations were made to NSWCCD to facilitate selection of vacuum generating equipment for future ship designs.
Surveyed and identified alternate sanitary fixture flushometers to those currently being used on Navy ships.
Developed a Uniform Industrial Process Instruction (UIPI 5281-450) as well as a draft DOD Standard Practice (MIL-STD) for Chemical Cleaning of Soil System Piping on US Navy Surface Ships. Also, reviewed and provided recommendations to update the Navy’s Standard Work Template for this chemical cleaning.
Designed and managed the assembly and installation of a neutralization system to treat highly acidic flue gases emitted from the medical waste incinerator installed at Andrews Air Force Base.
This system employed a wastewater-powered eductor and permitted continued use of the incinerator in lieu of costly other alternatives to process the hospital medical wastes.
Updated/prepared Commercial Item Descriptions (CID) for vacuum water closets, vacuum interface valves, liquid level sensors and a vacuum leak detection device.
Updated/prepared numerous technical and ILS documents supporting shipboard environmental protection systems including technical manuals, technical reports, engineering drawings, engineering change proposals, troubleshooting guides, maintenance packages, procurement specifications, operating procedures, parts lists, training guides, and certification checklists.
Designed and assembled wastewater treatment and support equipment including a seawater-powered eductor, sewage aspirator, automatic urinal flushometer, urinal vacuum interface valve, sewage vacuum system training modules, control panels, etc.