Technology Center

Technology Center - Facility Overview

Location

InEnTec's Technology Center is located just off State Highway 240, within the Port of Benton Industrial Park near the Richland Airport. This location allows for easy access to major transportation corridors, including Interstates 82, 84 and 90 for vehicular traffic, the Tri-City Railroad Company's Richland spur (TCRY interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad for long-distance rail haul) and the Pasco Airport (FAA code PSC) which is served by Alaska, American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. The street and mailing address, phone and fax number and
an email address for the Technology Center is:

InEnTec Inc.

1935 Butler Loop

Richland, WA 99354

Phone: 509-946-5700

Facility Overview

The Technology Center serves as a demonstration, research, and development facility. Located on the premises is an engineering-scale Plasma Enhanced Melter® (PEM®) system with a processing capacity ranging from approximately 10 to 50 lb/hr, depending on the characteristics of the material processed. InEnTec uses this system to develop and test improvements and upgrades to the PEM technology, as well as to perform treatability studies on new feed materials for customers. Typically, testing is performed with surrogate feedstock materials, but when possible, actual waste materials are utilized.

The Engineering-Scale PEM is a scaled version of InEnTec’s commercial-scale PEM system design and incorporates all of the important features of the larger systems; the key difference is the smaller processing capacity. In the PEM, heterogeneous feed material containing organic and inorganic materials are processed at high temperature (in excess of 1200°C [2192°F]). Figure 1 details a typical flow-sheet for the PEM configuration. A Pre-gasifier vessel can be installed upstream of the PEM vessel to demonstrate InEnTec’s patented integration of two of the most efficient gasification technologies; thereby maximizing the gasification efficiency of organic material while optimizing operational throughput. The pre-gasifier is a downdraft gasifier and can also be demonstrated independent of the PEM depending upon the needs of the customer and characteristics of the waste material to
be processed.

Figure 1 - Typical PEM Configuration

This facility has successfully demonstrated the capability to process more than 75 unique solid, liquid,
and gaseous feed materials including, but not limited biomass; municipal, commercial, and industrial
non-hazardous waste and byproducts; surrogate medical and pharmaceutical waste streams; end of life automobile recycling streams such as tires and both light and heavy fraction auto shredder residues; hazardous waste streams; electronic waste; and non-recyclable plastics.

In addition to testing feedstocks in the PEM system, the Technology Center is reconfigurable to conduct other engineering and development programs such as integration of downstream syngas derivative technologies.

Facility Data

The Technology Center is comprised of a 50' x 75' building sitting on a 1+ acre lot. A portion of the building is dedicated to offices and conference space, with the balance used for shop (with a wide array of tools and equipment to support customer projects) and processing activities. The overall space available for non-PEM testing activities is approximately 22' x 24' with storage available in the yard (materials will need to be in weather-tight containers). Ceiling height is 16' average, with 20' to
the roof peak. Utilities include:

Water; fresh, potable
Nitrogen (on-site liquid tank and evaporator)
Electrical Power; panel space and breakers available for client equipment
Compressed Air
4,000 lb capacity forklift
In-line gas analytical instrumentation to monitor process line gas streams including H2, CO, CO2, O2, and CH4.

Building has upstairs offices, conference room, and adaptable space for hosting third party technologies which can be integrated into the overall process for extended duration testing and demonstrations. The facility is also equipped with additional laboratory facilities including a high temperature furnace to support customer tests. InEnTec’s engineering group can also be leveraged to support customer design, testing, and flow sheet development.

Tech Center Staff

Facility Manager – Chemical Engineer, 15 years’ experience
Analytical Systems Specialist – PhD Chemical Engineer, 25 years’ experience
Systems Technicians – 3-20 years’ experience, various certifications
Corporate Support – Chemical engineers with experience ranging from 14-30 years and specialties included but not limited to glass chemistry, techno-economic analysis, controls systems, processing engineering and optimization.

Images of InEnTec's Technology Center

Regulatory Documentation

InEnTec's Technology Center is permitted and approved to host a variety of testing and demonstration activities. Below is a list of the various permits and regulatory determinations that have been issued or granted for activities at the facility. Additional permits or determinations may be required for new development and testing programs. InEnTec has resources to assist with or undertake the application process for such permits and determinations.

InEnTec has prepared and been granted the following regulatory driven documents (agencies who administer these programs are shown parenthetically):

Notice of Construction and Application for Approval (Benton County Clean
Air Authority – BCCAA) Granted June 14, 1996 #NOC 960612
Washington State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) Environmental Checklist (City of Richland) Submitted March 25, 1996
Determination of Non-Significance (No EIS required) (City of Richland)
Granted May 21,1996 # EA 15-96
RCRA Site ID Number – WAH000009027 (Washington Department of
Ecology/Environmental Protection Agency)
Notification of PCB Activity to perform research and development activities pertaining to PCB disposal - EPA ID# WAW100000033 (Environmental Protection Agency)
Limited Solid Waste Transfer Station Permit, BFHD 06-19TS; Issued April 2006 (Benton-Franklin Health District)
Operations Plan for Solid Waste Handling; December 2005
Closure Plan for Limited Transfer Station; April 2007 (updated March 2010)

InEnTec occasionally performs treatability tests with hazardous waste under the treatability exclusions of WAC 173-303-071(3)(s), Dangerous Waste Regulations. When these types of treatability tests are performed, InEnTec notifies the Department of Ecology of its’ intentions to perform such a test per the applicable regulations. As part of InEnTec’s compliance with these regulations, it will prepare
all necessary reports and comply with any necessary record keeping. Furthermore, InEnTec will not accept any dangerous or hazardous regulated waste until all notifications and permissions for such activities are in place. Finally, InEnTec is cognizant that secondary streams, such as scrubber blow down water, scrubber
filter solids, glass product, and metal product, could be classified as dangerous waste, and is prepared to manage these waste streams in full compliance with
WAC 173-303. All such secondary waste materials are designated to determine
their waste classification, and required management protocols.