3M – Prairie du Chien2013 SHWEC Internship

Kara Klubertanz

Outline

•Sustainability Background (3P)•Project Objectives•Water Reduction

▫Process A▫Process B

•Discharge Investigation•Site Wide Water Management

Pollution Prevention Pays (3P)

•Pollution Prevention Pays (3P) program in 1975. ▫Goal - eliminate or reduce sources of

pollution in 3M products and processes

•10,000 3p projects since 1975. ▫Prevented > 3.8 billion lbs of pollution ▫Saved > $1.7 billion in their first year.

Project Objectives

•Assess water management for potential reuse or reduction▫Noncontact and contact cooling water

Main focus Process A Process B

Water Reduction• Background

▫Two processes Process A

Extrudes resin to form very thin nylon or polyester fibers

Process B Extrudes resin to form

vinyl or Nylon/polyester webbing material

▫Significant opportunity to improve water management

Process A

Process A

•Current water usage▫Extruder

10 GPM▫Quench Tanks

1 tank = 6 GPM All 8 tanks = 48 GPM Each tank vol.= 45 Gal.

▫Orient Tank Volume = 278 Gal.

Gal/yr Ft3/yr

Extruder 2,764,800 369,654

Quench Tanks

13,271,040

1,744,338

Orient Tank

26,688 3,568

Total 16,062,528

2,117,560

Process A

•Suggestion▫Reduce flow rate in Quench Tanks by 15%▫Decrease each Quench Tank volume by 1/3

Evaluate tank design

Process A

•Water Reduced▫2,003,136 gal/yr

•CO2 Emission Reduction▫6.016 Tons CO2/yr

•Cost Savings▫$10,867/yr

Process A•Potential future projects

▫Automatic valves▫Reuse Quench Tank discharge to supply

Orient Tank

Process B

Process B

•Current water usage▫Extruders

44 GPM▫Quench Tank

6-12 GPM Temperature

dependent 435 gallon tank

Gal/yr Ft3/yr

Extruders 12,165,120

1,626,477

Quench Tank

1,658,880- 3,317,760

221,792- 443,585

Total 13,824,000-

15,482,880

1,848,269-2,070,062

Process B

•Replace non-contact cooling water with an Air Cooled Oil Cooler▫Cools oil in extruders

•Implement in 4.5” extruder

Process B – Heat Exchanger

•Water Reduction▫6,082,560 gal/yr

•CO2 Emission Reduction▫ 16.843 tons CO2/yr

•Average Cost Savings▫$10, 540/yr

Discharge Investigation•Problem

▫2Q water bill increased•Research Highlights

▫Discharge Monitoring Reports

▫Production Schedules Inconsistent with

chart recorder▫Maintenance

Preparing Fire Water Tanks for inspection

Discharge Investigation

•Conclusion▫Meter

Possible obstruction or mechanical upset▫Evaluate data more frequently▫Cost Savings

$43,181

Site Wide Water Management

•Accurately meter & evaluate usage•Improve as products and operations

expand

Thank you to all 3M-PdC employees and to SHWEC

Special thanks toDavid Liebl and Mary

Prisby