Layfield Environmental Services
Inc of Santee, California recently fabricated and installed a 70’ by
200’ reinforced polypropylene floating cover system for the Northview
Dairy in Ontario, California, a 1,200-head dairy farm.
Layfield Environmental Services Inc of Santee, California recently fabricated and installed a 70’ by 200’ reinforced polypropylene floating cover system for the Northview Dairy in Ontario, California, a 1,200-head dairy farm.
The cover system forms part of a test facility for the Dairy Milk Producers Council in Chino, California under the direction of Nathan Deboom, who is working with the University of California in Riverside.
The purpose is to provide a test base for monitoring and assessment of the effectiveness of covered dairy waste lagoons to reduce odor, emissions, and other air quality emissions concerns. Average gas production was estimated at 10 scfm from the covered portion of the facility.
Research is being done to determine the viability of producing carbon credits from the burning of the waste gases generated from the anaerobic digestion process. The carbon credits generated could be sold, creating revenues to offset the initial capital and ongoing costs.
In addition to Layfield, other key project stakeholders included Roy Sharp, Sharp Energy Inc of Tulare, California, and Tetra Tech, Inc of Pasadena, California, who provided operational experience, design and engineering services. Layfield’s construction group based out of Santee, California successfully installed the project in one day.
The floating cover was designed as part of a methane gas collection system and was pre-fabricated in Layfield’s Hollister, California fabrication facility. It was produced from 45 mil reinforced polypropylene. This material was chosen as a result of its excellent durability, chemical and UV resistance. The section of the lagoon covered represented 25 percent of the total lagoon surface area. The cover was designed with baffles to separate and control gas escapement from the covered area. Low resistance gas channels and large plenum collection capabilities were designed and built into the cover to aid in efficient gas extraction.
Floating cover systems are increasingly being used throughout North America by livestock producers for manure management applications. Benefits can include emission reduction, odor control, waste reduction, renewable energy production, the potential for carbon credits, and a positive contribution to the reduction in global warming.
Layfield/CW Neal have been involved in the development of these systems for over 15 years and are considered an industry leading designer and producer of floating cover systems.
www.layfieldgroup.com
