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MacArthur Airport Glycol Pre-Treatment & Collection System

Long Island, New York

Glycol Collection System

Owner:

Long Island MacArthur Airport

Engineer:

L.K. McLean Associates & Eryou Engineering

Contractor:

LoDuca Associates Inc. & Lipsky Enterprises

Installation:

October 2011

Technical Description:

  • Product: DuroMaxx® Steel Reinforced Polyethylene (SRPE) with EF Joints (30 psi)
  • 384 LF of 84" dia. and 432 LF of 96" dia.
  • 35, 739 CF of volume storage

The “clean-airplane” concept was derived by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 121.629, which states “No person may take off an aircraft when frost, ice or snow is adhering to the wings, control surfaces, propellers, engine inlets, or other critical surfaces of the aircraft or when the takeoff would not be in compliance with paragraph ( c ) of this section.”

Safe winter operations require special procedures by airline maintenance, engineering and flight operations. As part of those procedures, a deicing solution is often used that will remove accumulated frost, ice or snow from an airplane. These fluids must be transported, stored and handled properly to be effective. While airplane deicing requirements have made air travel in winter months safer, there are new regulations arising as the environmental impacts of the practice have come under regulatory scrutiny. One of the key chemicals used in the deicing process is glycol – a potentially harmful chemical if discharged into the environment. Therefore, it is critical that the resulting, contaminated runoff from the tarmac also be properly stored and treated prior to discharge or off site disposal.

In response to these concerns, the MacArthur Airport in Long Island, New York, was in need of an efficient and cost-effective solution to properly store stormwater contaminated with deicing fluid prior to being treated. MacArthur Airport worked closely with N.D. Eryou, PhD, PE - Consulting Engineer to select an optimum collection, storage and treatment system. They wanted a storage solution that would have a smaller footprint and allow them to maximize their available land space for continued use as runway and taxiways. Ultimately, they selected a solution by Contech Engineered Solutions LLC which utilized DuroMaxx® steel reinforced polyethylene (SRPE) tanks. This system would serve as an underground storage chamber from which the runoff would be pumped to a treatment system constructed above. The complete system consisted of 384 LF of 84-inch diameter pipe and 432 LF of 96-inch diameter pipe resulting in 35,739 CF storage volume. DuroMaxx is a reinforced polyethylene pipe with a smooth waterway wall and exterior profile that is reinforced with high strength galvanized steel ribs. While DuroMaxx provides a completely structural solution, it is also lightweight and installation was quick, which meant less expense and fewer dewatering issues – a pleasant surprise to both the airport and the contractor. Given the sensitivity of the chemicals being stored here, it was also crucial that the joints be leak-free. The DuroMaxx system was design with connections that would be ElectorFusion (EF) welded and banded joints for a true symbiotic connection. The system can be put through either an air test or vacuum test to ensure that joints are properly sealed.

Additionally, since the DuroMaxx SRPE pipe has fewer joints to assemble on-site, installation schedules were favorable. And with its smaller footprint than alternative systems, the DuroMaxx SRPE pipe offered easier constructability and room for future expansion.

The design engineer, Dennis Eryou recently stated, "DuroMaxx exceeded the design requirements, was easy to install and has been in successful operation for the last two years."

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Technical Description:

  • Product: DuroMaxx® Steel Reinforced Polyethylene (SRPE) with EF Joints (30 psi)
  • 384 LF of 84" dia. and 432 LF of 96" dia.
  • 35, 739 CF of volume storage
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