INNOVATION July-August 2013

Ningbo Wanhua Mononitrobenzene Plant The environmental footprint of global mononitrobenzene (MNB) production has benefited from the commercialization of NORAM’s adiabatic nitration process, and has continued to be minimized as each new plant incorporates ongoing process improvements from NORAM. The latest plant to come on-line marks the first implementation of a new NORAM MNB product purification technology, which,

along with other key process improvements, significantly reduces effluent treatment costs at certain sites. The NORAM technology package included the design, proprietary equipment, and commissioning services for the facility located in Daxie, Zhejiang, China. The plant is capable of producing over 250,000 MTPY of MNB, used to make aniline in the Ningbo Wanhua MDI complex. Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes (Ningbo Wanhua’s parent company) is China’s largest MDI producer. NORAM is providing the same technology and package for two further MNB plants at the new Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes complex, Yantai, Shandong, China.

Treatment of Wood Waste Landfill Leachate The site of a former wood waste landfill on Vancouver Island was leaching concentrations of dissolved sulphides over 50 times greater than the BC Water Quality Guidelines into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Keystone Environmental was retained to identify the optimal treatment of these seeps. Two engineered wetlands were designed and constructed to mitigate these impacts. The collaboration between engineering and biology staff identified a sustainable approach using phytoremediation, pH neutralization, and aeration to reduce the sulphides concentrations. The wetlands also enhance the environment by providing additional habitat and preserving salvaged native plants. Keystone Environmental met the project objectives and the property received a Certificate of Compliance from the BC Ministry of Environment.

Seller: Western Forest Products. Purchaser: Capital Regional District. Prime consultant: Keystone Environmental (Christina Chan, P.Eng.; Dr. Francisco A. Perelló, P.Eng.; Michael Geraghty, P.Geo., PMP; Jim Armstrong, R.P.Bio.). Prime Contractor: Sumas Remediation Services.

Glenmore Landfill Administration Building (G-LAB) The G-LAB project provides space for admin and laboratory testing at the Glenmore Landfill in Kelowna, BC. The project incorporates composting toilets, solar panels, a high performance façade and an HVAC system that is designed to operate with ultra-low carbon emissions. The make-up air unit is supplied with air drawn through the buried earth tube system that takes advantage of the temperature difference between the air and the underground for thermal tempering. The depth of pipes on this particular project means that the active tempering of make-up air should only be required for peak days through the year. This low-tech system will be monitored extensively to show how the performance—energy, temperature and air quality—is controlled throughout the year.

Owners: The City of Kelowna. Engineers: Integral Group (MEP). Architects: CEI Architec- ture. Controls: Care Systems.

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