Abstract
To reduce the impact of offensive odors in the Muña reservoir and the pumping Station in Colombia, Enel Green Power (here after the Seeker) is looking for solutions to reduce offensive odor emissions due to some gases (e.g. H2S). According to the Environmental Management Plan, a quarterly periodicity is established in the measurement of odors, in which the results must be presented in the respective environmental compliance reports on an annual basis.
- deadline extended -
Description
SCENARIO
In Colombia, Enel Green Power, through its subsidiary Emgesa, manages the El Paraíso and La Guaca hydroelectric plants that make up the Pagua chain. These run-of-river hydroelectric plants capture the waters of the Bogotá River from the Muña reservoir, which comes from the city of Bogotá, with a large amount of waste that produces polluting gases, mainly Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), which is a gas with a very offensive smell.
To fill the reservoir, a pumping station increased the water level of the Bogotá river towards the Reservoir, in order to have a reliable flow for the operation of the Guaca and Paraisohydroelectric power plants
Reported odor emission rates at different points of the reservoir range from 8.0 to 52.5 (µg/m3)
BACKGROUND
El Paraíso and La Guaca hydroelectric plants make up the Pagua chain. These run-of-river hydroelectric plants capture the waters of the Bogotá River from the Muña reservoir, which contain polluting gases, mainly Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), which is a gas with a very offensive smell. (See figure 1 of Annex 1 )
MUÑA RESERVOIR
Located between the municipalities of Soacha and Sibaté, with a maximum water elevation of 2569.5 meters above sea level.
| Location | 26 km south west of Bogotá |
| Source | water from the Bogota river |
| Área | 950 Ha |
| Useful volume | 12,64 Hm3 |
| Total Volume: | 25,80 Hm3 |
MUÑA PUMPING STATION
It consists of three pumping stations, Muña I, Muña II and Muña III located on the banks of the Bogotá River. The objective of the stations is to raise the volumes of water from the Bogotá River in the Alicachín ponds towards the Muña reservoir in order to have a reliable flow of water for the operation.
MEASUREMENT OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE EMISSION, APPLYING THE METHODS OF ANALYTICAL AND SENSORIAL EVALUATION
The following table shows the values found for the measured emission factors in the two most important points, Alicachin Floodgates and Reservoir discharge (see figure 2,3 and 4 of Annex 1)
| Location |
Concentration ug/m3 |
H2S at Exhibithion time of 1 hour |
H2S at Exhibithion time of 24 hours |
| ug/m3 |
Limit (30 ug/m3) (ug/m3) |
Limit (7 ug/m3) (ug/m3) |
|
| Reservoir discharge | 3,1 | 19,6 | 8,0 |
| Alicachín Floodgates | 8,4 | 52,5 | 21,6 |
It is observed that the highest emission point was "Alcachin floodgate", it is at this point, where greater turbulence of the waters is generated when allowing the opening of the floodgates, suddenly increasing the speed of the water at this point, that promotes a greater volatilization of the compounds that form the odorous substances.
According to the Environmental Management Plan of the plant, a odors measurement with quarterly periodicity is established, whose results must be presented in the respective environmental compliance reports on an annual basis.
THE CHALLENGE
Enel Green Power is looking for solutions that can be applied to existing facilities to control the emissions of offensive odors and, possibly, evaluating their effectiveness through an exercise of on-site application and direct measurement. These solutions could be, for example, chemical substances.
Any proposed solution should address the following Solution Requirements:
1. The proposed solution should demonstrate quantitatively compliance with the parameters shown below, by means of a real application exercise on site and its direct measurement (before and after its application).
| Pollutant | Maximum permissible levels (ug/m3) | Exhibithion time |
| Hydrogen sulfide H2S | 30 | 1 hour |
| 7 | 24 hours |
2. The proposed method must be economically viable.
3. The proposed method should include the description of social impact on the local stakeholders (in qualitative and/or quantitative manner), clearly identifying the benefits the solution can bring to the local territory.
The proposed solution should offer to Enel Green Power “freedom to practice”.
Challenge rules
All proposers are invited to read carefully the challenge and the regulation of this contest before to submit a solution. By submitting a solution they automatically accept the Regulations other than the Terms of Usage of this platform.
- deadline extended -
What happens next?
An Enel Green Power technical panel will evaluate your proposal and might contact you to gather additional information.
- Your innovative proposal will be evaluated based on technical parameters, economic and business impact for Enel Green Power. The presentation of the proposal will also be evaluated.
- At the end of the assessment, you will receive feedback.
- In case of success, an Enel Green Power contact person will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps.