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GRAND CONCEPTOR AWARD
Genifuel Hydrothermal Processing Pilot System, Greenwood Village, Colo.
Engineer: Merrick & Company
Genifuel Corporation obtained the license from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for its technology to
transform a mixture of 20 percent algae and 80 percent water into bio-crude oil and natural gas. The lab-
oratory had proven their technology at a lab scale and Genifuel was seeking to scale the system up to a
pilot plant scale to process one wet ton per day of the feed. To assist in the scale up and commissioning,
Genifuel chose Merrick & Company to provide lump sum turnkey services that included engineering, cost
estimating, procurement, fabrication/assembly oversight and commissioning. The scale of the pilot system
was significantly larger than the lab scale demonstration. As a first-of-its-kind application, Merrick &
Company designed skids and specified a combination of standard vendor equipment and custom-designed
equipment. Merrick & Company’s use of 3-D modeling ensured that the fully equipped skids would fit into
standard shipping containers that can be easily shipped around the world. The bio-crude oil can be refined
by conventional processes into finished fuels such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, while the methane gas
can be used to produce renewable electricity.This system supports the US Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 by providing renewable fuel from algae and ultimately reducing America’s dependence on
petroleum based fuels. The project was completely engineered, assembled, fabricated and commissioned
in Colorado.
ACEC Colorado member firms and their
clients, together with judges and industry
representatives, attended ACEC Colorado’s
2017 Engineering Excellence Awards
which was held Nov. 7 at The Brown
Palace Hotel and Spa in downtown
Denver. Projects showcased inspired
engineering and the individuals behind the
innovations that are changing our world.
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Williams Monaco Wastewater Treatment Plant BNR Upgrades, Henderson, Colo.
Engineer: Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company Inc.
Currently the largest water and sanitation district in Colorado, the South Adams CountyWater and Sanitation
District needed to undergo an expansion and upgrade to its wastewater treatment plant to meet demand
and address effluent permitting changes. Burns &McDonnell Engineering Company Inc. assisted the district
at all stages of the project, including planning a holistic design approach, permitting and construction
observation. The new Williams Monaco facility incorporates some of the latest technologies in treatment,
improving both process control and energy efficiency – and the project team had the challenge of keeping
the plant running and in compliance while the new facility was constructed in nearly the same footprint as
the existing plant. While this project is a retrofit, the final layout and design appear as if the facility is
completely new, and the overall project was extremely cost-effective due to the reuse of infrastructure.
The project improved energy efficiency and operator and public safety, reduced water usage, came in nearly
$80,000 under budget and was completed three months ahead of schedule.
Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility, Parker, Colo.
Engineer: Dewberry
The Parker Water & Sanitation District serves approximately 50,000 customers within a 43-square mile
service area. Growing demand combined with and drought conditions have resulted in steadily declining
groundwater levels over the past three decades. To address this challenge, the district began a multi-phase
plan in 1985 to a build infrastructure to capture, store, treat and distribute water from renewable sources
by 2015. The plan included development of the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, the new Cherry Creek diversion
pump station and the Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility, which is the first of its kind in the US and one
of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the world. Dewberry provided design and construction phase
services for the new water purification facility that now successfully treats raw water that includes surface
runoff, groundwater, alluvial well water and reclaimed wastewater. Utilizing Actiflo Turbo, Actiflo Carb and
Ceramic membrane Filter technology, this groundbreaking project is on the forefront of emerging water
treatment, which allows the District to move away frommining nonrenewable groundwater resources and
toward the sustainable practice of reusing treated wastewater and other renewable water resources.
ACEC Colorado
2016-17 President
Elizabeth Stolfus, PE
As the impressive work of Colorado’s engineering community is acknowledged,
we commend the great work of the professionals who are responding to the needs
of society with solutions that work in peace and harmony with the world’s
resources. Colorado’s engineers actively engage their complex competencies to
resolve major infrastructure challenges and support the visions of owners who are
bringing new opportunities to communities. The ACEC Colorado Engineering
Excellence Awards celebrate unique and innovative applications; future value
to the engineering profession; perception by the public; social, economic, and
sustainable development considerations; complexity; and successful fulfillment of
client/owner needs, including schedule and budget.
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Page 26 — COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL — December 7-December 20, 2016