Perdue Foods Wastewater Pretreatment System Upgrade – DAF Cell No. 1

Key Accomplishments

Johnston Construction Company

• Installed the Owner-furnished Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) system and coordinated all structural, mechanical, electrical and process connections necessary to place the system into operation.
• Installed a DAF system designed for approximately:
• 2,200 GPM DAF peak-flow capacity.
• Installed and integrated the complete DAF package, including the flocculator, solids skimming/removal system, two 30-HP recycle air-dissolving pumps, air-control panel, electrical-control panel, compressed-air system and DAF sludge-storage tank.
• Coordinated installation of the approximately 30.25-foot-long by 9.25-foot-wide by 16-foot-tall stainless-steel DAF system and associated elevated access infrastructure.
• Constructed the new DAF support and walkway structure necessary to support equipment access, operation and maintenance.
• Enclosed and modified the existing truck-bay structure to accommodate the new pretreatment equipment.
• Modified the existing truck-bay floor slab for installation of the new process systems.
• Constructed a new truck-bay concrete pad.
• Constructed the new truck-bay roof structure associated with the facility modifications.
• Performed concrete and structural work necessary to support the new DAF system, chemical storage and process equipment.
• Coordinated installation of structural steel framing required for equipment supports, access walkways and building modifications.

Concrete Services Division

• Performed concrete forming, placement, finishing, curing, reinforcement placement, and associated concrete work supporting construction of the new DAF Cell No. 1 wastewater pretreatment system.
• Completed concrete work for the new truck bay, including foundations, piers, slab, curb, and speed bump, together with modifications to existing truck bay concrete.
• Performed concrete construction associated with DAF floor beams, trench drain improvements, truck bay floor repairs, sludge pump pad, and door stop within the existing building.
• Constructed the concrete components of the chemical tank containment system, including the sump slab, containment slab, and walls.
• Provided concrete work for the electrical panel shed-roof area, including column footings added to the project scope.
• Coordinated concrete operations with Johnston Construction Company, other trades, concrete pumping activities, equipment requirements, reinforcement work, embedded items, anchor bolts, waterstop, and required concrete testing.
• Performed the work within an active Perdue Foods wastewater facility, where construction sequencing had to maintain access and avoid interference with the existing DAF Cell No. 2 and sludge dewatering operations.
• The concrete work required close coordination because Perdue Foods continued occupying and operating adjacent areas throughout construction. Project requirements specifically called for maintaining access to the existing building and avoiding interference with DAF Cell No. 2 and the sludge dewatering belt filter press, including maintaining the owner's ability to load dewatered sludge trucks. Construction therefore had to be phased and coordinated around ongoing wastewater treatment operations.
• Concrete placement was performed under project requirements governing reinforcement, forms, embedded items, finishing, curing, and field quality control. The specifications required inspection of reinforcement prior to concrete placement, specified concrete curing requirements, and provided for field testing of concrete to verify compliance with the contract documents.
• The Project Was Completed On 31st December, 2020

B & R Electrical Contractors

• Performed electrical construction supporting installation of a new Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) Cell No. 1 Pretreatment System within Perdue Foods’ existing wastewater treatment facility. The overall upgrade incorporated the DAF system, sludge storage, compressed air, chemical-feed equipment, sludge pumping, and modifications to the raw wastewater pumping system.
• Installed the electrical distribution infrastructure required for the upgrade, including conduit, conductors, boxes, supports, panelboards, transformers, safety switches, manual starters, and associated electrical equipment. The project specifications defined the electrical system around power, lighting, panelboards, conduit, conductors, and controls.
• Installed JCC-furnished switchgear and lighting equipment while providing the associated field wiring, conduit, terminations, and supporting electrical infrastructure required for the completed installation.
• Completed electrical power terminations serving pumps, motors, tank heaters, instant-hot equipment, and other process equipment furnished and installed by other trades.
• Installed heat-tracing electrical work supporting the project's process and plumbing systems. Heat tracing was specifically included within the project technical specifications under Section 22 05 33.
• Furnished and installed audible and visual alarm controls associated with the upgraded treatment process and coordinated electrical work with process control requirements.
• Supported a wastewater pretreatment system designed around a new DAF package that included an electrical control panel, flocculator system, air compressor, and DAF sludge storage tank. The DAF system was designed for an average flow of 1,250 GPM, with a stated peak DAF capacity of 2,200 GPM.
• Coordinated electrical installation with significant structural and process improvements, including modification and enclosure of the existing truck bay, truck bay floor modifications, a new truck bay pad and roof structure, above- and below-grade piping, new chemical-feed equipment, chemical containment, and new sludge pumps.
• Performed electrical work within an active operating wastewater facility, where Perdue Foods continued using adjacent areas throughout construction. Work sequencing was required to maintain access to the existing DAF Cell No. 2 and sludge-dewatering belt filter press.
• Coordinated electrical activities around facility operations and utility requirements, with project specifications requiring staged construction and measures to prevent accidental interruption of existing utility services.
• Supported project turnover through required electrical submittals, O&M documentation, startup services, and coordination with Johnston Construction Company and other project trades.
• The Perdue Foods Wastewater Pretreatment System Upgrade was undertaken at Perdue Foods’ Georgetown, Delaware facility to construct a new DAF Cell No. 1 Pretreatment System. Reid Engineering Company, Inc. prepared the project specifications, which describe a comprehensive wastewater-treatment upgrade centered on installation of the new DAF system inside the truck bay of an existing building.
• The specifications required a complete project electrical system incorporating power and lighting, conductors, conduit, panelboards, electrical equipment, and control-system work. Required electrical equipment submittals included lighting and distribution panelboards, lighting fixtures, wiring devices, conduit and fittings, wire, safety switches, fuses, starters, and control stations.
• A significant project challenge was completing these improvements while maintaining Perdue Foods' existing wastewater-treatment operations. The Owner continued occupying adjacent portions of the building throughout construction, and the specifications required continued access to the existing DAF Cell No. 2 and sludge-dewatering belt filter press. Construction had to be staged and coordinated so dewatered-sludge truck loading and other plant operations could continue while new systems were installed.