2008 09 september

be alert not alarmed
early warning tool for sulphur dioxide
alcoa anglesea
2008
environment report
september
ANGLESEA ENVIRONMENT REPORT SEPTEMBER 2008
air
Air Monitoring
Stack Monitors
Average
Maximum
Opacity g/m3 10-minute average
0.071
0.165
Stack SO2 kg/min 1-hour average Licence limit 100kg/min
58.80
69.36
SO2 1 hour ppb
Average
Maximum
Community Centre
2
110
Primary School
6
147
Mt Ingoldsby
<1
33
Scout Camp
6
140
Camp Wilkin
2
179
Camp Road
7
152
Ambient Monitors
Ambient Monitors
SO2 Maximum 1 hour averages (ppb)
Date
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Community Centre 1 1 0 1 36 1 1 0 0 52 86 86 10 5 110 1 13 52 20 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0
Primary School
98 2
1
3 114 1
0
0
0
55 113 76 83 7 141 -
49 78 62 14 -
-
-
-
55 147 3
Mt Ingoldsby
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
7
1
0
0
Scout Camp
8
22 1
4
2
50 60 0
1
10 1
56 12 - 138 57 8
2 104 82 - 140114 58 1
49 5
Camp Wilkin
29 0
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
72 4
6
80 24 5
0 179 0
Camp Road
152 1
1
3
51 2
1
0
0
32 51 141150 37 109 0
EPA Air Quality Objective
200
Alcoa Local Standard
170
0
0
12 0
14 0
0
0
0
0
1
5
66 2
3
17 0
-
-
47 9 107 1
-
0
14 1
7
0
1
0
0
33 0
0
1
77 111 6
41 0
0
76
0
0
0
6
ANGLESEA ENVIRONMENT REPORT SEPTEMBER 2008
water
Water Storage
Barwon Water storage levels for the Geelong system at 31.1% capacity. Stage 4 winter water restrictions
with allowance for limited residential garden watering have been extended until November 1, 2008.
Water Discharge
ML
September
Total
Ashponds (SP1)
132
1247
Mine (SP4)
0
0.12
Water Monitoring
SP1
SP4
SP3
24/09/2008
Ashpond
Mine
Final
EPA limit
Lab Result
EPA limit
Lab Result
EPA limit
Lab Result
pH
4-10
9.1
3-9
no
5-9
7.5
Susp. Solids
100
5
100
discharge
30
<4
Colour
50
4
50
at
50
4
Aluminium
10.00
0.15
10
time
5.50
0.06
Iron
10.00
0.30
20
of
4.00
< 0.04
Zinc
0.40
< 0.01
2.0
sampling
0.30
0.01
WATER WATER USAGE PER MONTH (ML)
Date
JAN
FEB MAR APR
MAY JUNE JULY AUG
SEPT OCT
Town Water
1.4
0.9
0.9
2.2
1.0
0.9
1.7
2.2
1.0
12.2
Bore Water
279
304
305
254
292
265
252
196
272
2419
Mine Water
53
24
45
26
45
44
69
51
41
408
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
3 0 0 .0
3000
2 5 0 .0
2500
2 0 0 .0
2000
1 5 0 .0
1500
1 0 0 .0
1000
5 0 .0
0 .0
500
0
ANGLESEA ENVIRONMENT REPORT SEPTEMBER 2008
early warning tool for so2
Anglesea’s approach to sulphur dioxide (SO2) has taken the next step with best practise technology to
ensure the emissions from the station comply with the Victorian Environmental Policy for Air. Back in 2004,
Anglesea developed the load reduction protocol; a tool requiring the control room operators to reduce the
station load, thereby reducing the emissions from the stack when elevated ground level concentrations
(GLCs) were detected at any of the six ambient sulphur dioxide monitoring stations. Until August last year,
only half of the stations were equipped with telemetry back to the control room. Over time, this tool has been
progressively improved with more stringent alarms in place, and telemetry installed on all ambient stations,
enabling real time data to be fed back to the station. This has significantly reduced peak SO2 ambient
concentrations, and year to date Anglesea is complying with the Policy, with zero exceedances.
Earlier this year the consultants from ENVIRON were commissioned by Alcoa to implement the fully
automated Early Warning (EW) tool to ensure that ambient SO2 concentrations do not exceed Alcoa’s internal
target of 170 ppb. This limit is a lower target to comply with, and hence a bigger challenge, than the Victorian
limit of 200 parts per billion averaged over a 1 hour period. It’s only when an hourly reading over 200 ppb is
recorded that a non compliance is noted. Previously ENVIRON have rolled out similar technology with
Kalgoorlie Gold Mine to reduce the ground level impact of their sulphur dioxide emissions on the surrounding
townships. A trial was conducted earlier in the year using five years of historical data to identify the critical
weather conditions that contribute to elevated GLCs. The most problematic periods of the year are those of
over Winter and early Spring months, when strong northerly winds are typically experienced.
The Early Warning tool comprises a predictive and reactive system, and can be considered more
sophisticated than the current load reduction system, which is purely a reactive tool. The reactive facet to
the EW tool is based on a series of alarms being generated if the ambient concentrations exceed nominated
trigger values, similar to our Load Reduction Protocol. However, the predictive system is based on the use of
a forecast model to predict the meteorological conditions that have the potential to give rise to peak SO2
concentrations. The predictive tool will also indicate when to increase load again. ENVIRON have developed
the algorithms specifically adapted for the Anglesea conditions and terrain, with the existing PI software
already employed in the control process recently being upgraded in order to accommodate the EW tool.
Once the implementation has been completed, two new screens will be established in the control room to
help the operators interpret the incoming data and alarms. Anglesea is also seeking to establish another
meteorological station north of the station, which will provide up wind information to further enhance the EW
tool. Potential sites are currently being reviewed for suitability
The focus on sulphur dioxide year to date is reflected with our progress of complying with the policy, and no
exceedances of the 200 ppb experienced in over 12 months!
PLANTS OF THE ANGLESEA HEATH
BLUE SQUILL or BLUE STARS (Chamaescilla corymbosa)
Chamaescilla
Chamaescilla...from the Greek, khamai meaning dwarf or on
the ground, and skilla which is the classic name for the seaonion Urginea maritima
corymbosa
corymbosa...full of corymbs, flat topped flower heads
Size:
Habitat:
Form:
Foliage:
Flowers:
Did you know?
7-20m H x 10-20m W
red gum woodland, damp and valley sclerophyll
forests and grassy low open forest
tiny perennial herb
few basal, dull green, narrow grass-like leaves
to 15cm long, often smaller, lying flat on the
ground
open terminal clusters of 1 - 10 bright blue
flowers to 15mm wide, individual flowers only last
one day
August to November
plants die back to tuberous rootstock in dry
weather, these tubers were harvested for food by
the Aboriginals
BLUE SQUILL
ANGLESEA ENVIRONMENT REPORT SEPTEMBER 2008
LAND
RAINFALL (mm)
Month
JAN
FEB MAR APR
MAY JUNE JULY AUG
SEPT OCT
2008 Rainfall
19.8
35.8 15.2
17.3
32.5 43.8
75.8
61.6
40.0
341.8
1968-2007 Average
44.5
42.7 41.1
52.5
61.0 59.9
62.2
65.3
67.7
496.8
NOV
DEC
TOTAL
100
7 00.00
90
6 00.00
80
5 00.00
70
60
4 00.00
50
3 00.00
40
30
2 00.00
20
1 00.00
10
0 .0 0
0
WATER
TOWN WATER USE (ML)
FEB
MAR APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG SEP
Process
23.9
12.8
1 0 . 9 1.3
0.8
0.8
2.1
0.8
0.8
1.5
2.0
0.8
Amenity
11.6
1.5
1.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
2000 2007 2008 JAN
0.1
OCT
NOV
DEC
4 0 .0
3 5 .0
2 .0
3 0 .0
1 .5
2 5 .0
2 0 .0
1 .0
1 5 .0
1 0 .0
0 .5
5 .0
0 .0
0 .0
2 0 0 0
2 0 0 7
2 0 0 8
JA N
F E B
M A R
A P R
M A Y
JU N
JU L
A U G
S E P
O C T
N O V
D E C
AIR
GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) TOTAL (Mt) & GHG EMISSION EFFICENCY (t/MWh)
GHG Mt
‹ GHG
t/MWh
1990
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
1.42
1.23
1.27
1.50
1.45
1.47
1.31
1.49
1.40
1.40
1.34
1.24
1.19
1.21
1.21
1.20
1.21
1.20
1.18
1.20
2
1600000
1 .8
1400000
1 .6
1 .4
1 .2
1200000
1000000
1
800000
0 .8
600000
0 .6
400000
0 .4
0 .2
0
200000
0
ANGLESEA ENVIRONMENT REPORT SEPTEMBER 2008
environmental improvement
Environmental Management Targets
September
2008 YTD
Forecast
2008 Target
Reportable Environmental Incidents
0
0
0
0
Monthly EHS ASAT Audit Completion (%)
100
100
100
90
Air Emission Targets
September
2008 YTD
Forecast
2008 Target
Ambient SO2 ( no. readings > 200ppb)
0
0
0
0
Stack SO2 (no. hrs > 100kg/min)
0
0
0
0
SO2 Load Reductions (lost MWh)
6241
17120
22827
N/A
GHG Efficiency (t CO2 e/MWh)
1.21
1.20
1.20
1.20
Opacity (10 min av > 0.25g/m normal operation)
0
0
0
0
Water Targets
September
2008 YTD
Forecast
2008 Target
Town Water (ML)
1.0
12.2
16.8
14.2
Bore Water (ML)
272
2419
3225
2370
Waste Targets
September
2008 YTD
Forecast
2008 Target
Waste to Landfill (t)
0.0
4.5
6.0
8.0
Solid Prescribed Waste to Landfill (t)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
3
Mine Rehabilitation Targets
2008 YTD
2008 Target
2008 Area to Clear (ha)
0.0
0.0
2008 Area to Rehabilitate (ha)
0.0
0.0
2007 Mine Rehabilitation Species Richness (%)
N/A
100
OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR EMPLOYEE
Luke, what has been your role in the development of the
Early Warning System?
I’ve been involved in the interface with the Honeywell Control
System and the PI System. I also played a part in getting the
additional telemetry for the on SO2 monitoring stations up and
running. These feed in reactive data to the Early Warning
System, which are then coupled with predictive forecasting data.
The SO2 telemetry system will now also include a weather
station to the North of the power station.
How does this System benefit the Power Station?
The Early Warning System will provide additional information for
the control room operators to better manage our SO2 emissions
and, in turn, ground level concentrations in Anglesea.
When will the Project be completed?
The development of this System has been going for two months
and it is intended that it will be completed by November. Of
course, if opportunities to improve the system become apparent
further changes can always be made.
How has the Project been challenging?
Because this is new technology for Alcoa Anglesea, the design
of the system itself has been challenging, particularly the
modelling and implementing the software in our unique situation.
...LUKE WEBB