Regulatory and public pressures on municipal biosolids programs have increased diversification of both treatment and use options in recent years. Heat drying and pelletization are excellent choices for municipalities seeking to develop a secure, long term beneficial use outlet for all or a portion of its biosolids.
The drying technologies offered by Synagro are gaining increased popularity in the U.S. because they:
- Eliminate pathogens and sterilize the final product
- Convert biosolids into a marketable product (fertilizer or fuel)
- Significantly reduce volume and weight
- Preserve valuable nutrients in biosolids for recycling
- Eliminate concerns over odor or emissions and are environmentally friendly
- Require a small footprint
- Use a variety of fuels and heat sources, including waste heat from engines, boilers, kilns, power facilities and others.
Why Partner with Synagro?
“Experience”... That one word can sum up the reasons biosolids generators across the U.S. have chosen to partner with Synagro for delivery of their heat drying and pelletization projects. Need more than a single word? Well, the results of Synagro’s experience can be detailed in a few other key words that summarize the benefits that we offer our customers – Value, Performance, Safety, Expediency, and Guaranteed to name a few.
- Value – Cost is a significant part of our customer’s decision making process. Synagro can lower capital costs by providing redundancies through our other biosolids management outlets and lower operating and maintenance costs through proprietary modifications that extend equipment life and increase reliability.
- Performance – There are risks associated with the delivery of heat drying and pelletization projects, including technology, design/construction, start-up, and cost risks (e.g. errors in estimating capital and operating costs). Most generators will implement a major biosolids processing project once in twenty or more years, if it is done correctly. Synagro has been responsible for the design, construction, start-up, performance testing, operation and product marketing associated with dozens of heat drying and other Class A biosolids processing facilities. Our experience mitigates project risks for our customers.
- Safety – Our first priority is to ensure that our work can be performed safely. We have design parameters and operating protocol established over many years to ensure that objective is met.
- Expediency – The DBO and DBOO project deliver methods typically used by Synagro lead to quicker, more efficiently delivered projects.
- Guaranteed – Performance guarantees that last the life of the contract ensure that our customers capture the benefits outlined above. We are able to guarantee costs and performance including product marketing, odor control, fuel efficiency, and other important operating criteria.
Synagro has experience operating six different biosolids drying and/or pelletization technologies and currently manages over 350 dry tons of municipal biosolids per day through our thermal drying and pelletization processes. We have ongoing drying and pelletization projects with municipalities including Baltimore, MD; Hagerstown, MD; New York, NY; Pinellas County, FL; Sacramento, CA and Honolulu, HI.
Approach to Drying Projects
- Technology Selection – Facility size, desired product end-market, site specific criteria, the fuel/heat source for drying, customer preferences, and other factors go into deciding what drying technology is most appropriate for a specific project – Synagro makes these evaluations or can help guide our customers through their own decision making process.
- Strategic Partnerships – Synagro has formed a strategic partnership with Andritz-Ruthner, Inc., the world’s premier manufacturer and supplier of biosolids heat drying systems. As appropriate for each project, we will also use other drying technology suppliers.
- Premier Project Teams – Synagro uses premier local and national design and construction firms as project partners.
How Does Synagro Deliver Projects?
Once considered “alternative” project delivery methods, design-build-operate (DBO) and design-build-own-operate (DBOO) are now approaching industry-standard status. The specialized expertise offered by Synagro in DBO and DBOO projects results in reduced capital and operating costs, improved safety, quicker and more efficient delivery and other benefits. Synagro will also contract operate existing facilities or even buy your facility for cash and operate it for you.
Learn more about our drying and pelletizing processes by calling 800.370.0035 for a representative, or by e-mailing info@synagro.com.
