Koch, John

John has over 50 years of varied experience in planning, design, construction, commissioning and trouble shooting of water and wastewater facilities in the United Stated. He is a Senior Project Manager and Vice President for HDR for over half his career and is a Board Certified Environmental Engineer by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

Titles from this speaker

10+ Pump Vibration Issues Examined Along with Their Solutions

Abstract

Vibration in mechanical equipment, and especially pumps, is not new or a recent discovery. However, the damage caused by vibration is being recognized and documented more often. Vibration has been brought to the forefront as more facilities are doing condition assessments and determining the root cause of non-performing or marginally performing equipment. Coupled with the technical expertise of engineers trained in the finite-element, modal analysis, and vibration field curriculums plus the sophistication of vibration instruments and equipment, vibration is being recognized in many cases as the root cause and/or symptom of frequent maintenance and equipment rebuilds. Variable-frequency drives have been used in the wastewater industry since the 1980s; however, the implications on pump vibration and natural frequency have been extensively recognized only in the last 15 to 20 years. Several vibration issues are reviewed in this paper.

SpeakerKoch, John

Presentation time

13:00:00

13:20:00

Session time

13:00:00

14:00:00

SessionManaging Equipment and Facilities

Session number613

TopicAsset Management, Utility Management and Leadership

Author(s)

J. KochA. EricksonC. AllabenM. HutsonJ. CantwellM. Butterfield

Author(s)J. Koch1; A. Erickson2; C. Allaben3; M. Hutson3; J. Cantwell4; M. Butterfield5;

Author affiliation(s)HDR Engineering, WA1; HDR Engineering Inc, SD2; HDR, WA3; HDR Engineering Inc, TX4; HDR, IA5

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2020

DOI10.2175/193864718825157561

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count9

Description: Condition Assessment for Operators and Maintenance Personnel: Level 1 and 2 Made...

Condition Assessment for Operators and Maintenance Personnel: Level 1 and 2 Made Easy

Abstract

Long-term capital planning budgets for utilities are more credible when defensible data are available to support the needs. A well planned and executed condition assessment program is one of the tools to support long-term planning and replacement budgets. Condition assessments do not need to be overly complicated or obtrusive to be an effective planning tool. Following some simple fundamental procedures and documentation of their observations, operations and maintenance staff can start the implementation of an in-house condition assessment program. Gathering of data on all the equipment is the easy first step but it also can initiate and enhance the communication and interaction of the operations, maintenance, engineering, and purchasing staff working toward a common goal.

SpeakerKoch, John

Presentation time

13:30:00

13:50:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:10:00

SessionVertical Asset Management: Big to Small

Session number411

TopicAsset Management, Facility Operations and Maintenance, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Utility Management and Leadership

Author(s)

J. KochA. StaplesL. Meschke

Author(s)J. Koch1; A. Staples1; L. Meschke1;

Author affiliation(s)HDR Engineering, WA1

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2020

DOI10.2175/193864718825157421

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count14

Unique Approach to Inline Fermentation Stabilizes Biological Phosphorus Removal

Abstract

Many facilities do not have consistent or sufficient volatile fatty acids (VFA) available in the influent wastewater to facilitate efficient and effective biological phosphorus removal. The lack of influent VFA content has driven facilities to modify plant operations, taking advantage of influent carbon to generate their own VFA to ensure consistent biological phosphorus removal to maintain low effluent phosphorus concentrations. An intermittent mixing strategy with gentle pulses of compressed gas allows for VFA generation and transport to facilitate more stable effluent phosphorus. This paper reviews two water resource recovery facilities that recently upgraded their traditional anaerobic selectors to include inline fermentation with an intermittent mixing strategy to produce VFA for improved biological phosphorus removal. One plant increased phosphorus removal efficiency from 85% to 95%, while the other plant saw consistently lower effluent total phosphorus below 0.2 mg/L.

This paper was presented at WEFTEC 2023.

SpeakerArmenta, Maxwell

Presentation time

15:50:00

16:10:00

Session time

15:30:00

17:00:00

SessionExtracting Carbon for Nutrient Removal

Session locationRoom S403a - Level 4

TopicFacility Operations and Maintenance, Intermediate Level, Municipal Wastewater Treatment Design, Nutrients

Author(s)