Esco Engineering
Esco Engineering is a small, privately-owned engineering company, located in Kingsville, Ontario, approximately 30 miles SE of Windsor/Detroit.
Our staff of 6-7 engineers, technicians and drafters has expertise in: chemical and process engineering, plant layout, piping design, corrosion-resistant equipment (FRP, plastics, exotic metals), electrical and instrumentation, vessel design, and industrial ventilation.
Esco uses the most modern tools and techniques in design: computer aided design of process equipment, computer modelling of processes, computer stress analyses for equipment and piping, and computer fluid flow analyses.
All Esco drawings are prepared on CAD - using AutoCAD. Drawings are produced on ink jet or pen plotters, which can generate up to E-size vellums, or mylars in any format - Esco or customer-specified.
Esco uses the Algor finite element analysis system for stress analysis of new designs, and the Algor fluid flow finite element analysis system for modelling of flow distribution.
Esco's Areas of Expertise:
Esco specializes in these engineering fields: Pickling of steel, stainless steel, copper, titanium; pickling prior to galvanising; design of countercurrent rinse systems for low water consumption; effluent-free pickling systems - fume exhaust systems for corrosive gases; treatment of pickling line effluents for compliance with regulations; design of corrosion-resistant equipment; design of steel mill piping systems; design of mass transfer equipment, especially plate-type scrubbers having once-through, low volume water flow; feasibility studies for all types of processes; chemical process engineering.
What Esco Has Done:
Here are a few examples of how Esco's engineering has saved money and improved operations for our customers: A copper rod pickler was faced with having to treat 60 gal/min of effluent from a new pickling operation, at a potential capital cost of $1,000,000; in addition, there was no space available for a waste treatment plant. Esco engineering process modifications for less than one tenth the cost of the waste treatment plant, completely eliminated all effluent and recovered over $50,000/yr of copper values! An Esco study of pickling operations in a major steel mill revealed that nearly half the pickle acid was being wasted. An Esco study of titanium pickling operations identified simple changes that resulted in a substantial reduction in waste volume and treatment plant cost. Esco designed and supplied the necessary equipment, and the expected load reduction was achieved. An Esco plate-type scrubber installed on a hydrochloric acid tower pickler reduced acid losses by over $100,000/yr. An Esco study in a major alloy steel mill's pickling operation resulted in a reduction in wastewater flow requiring treatment from 600 to 75 gal/min, and saved 60% of the cost of the waste treatment plant. In another plant owned by the same company, Esco designed rinse/brush systems and scrubbers reduced the volume of effluent generated by two pickle lines from 1200 to 120 gal/min, and substantially reduced the investment needed for the wastewater treatment plant. An Esco study in a wire mill resulted in a reduction in effluent requiring treatment from nearly 3000 to 60 gal/min. An Esco computer analysis of a continuous steel pickle line showed that all the benefits of closed heating coils could be obtained by using them in just one of the tubs - thereby saving the cost of installing heaters in the other three tubs. An Esco innovation in closed circuit cooling system design eliminated the need for cooling water treatment in two wire mills. Esco designed two rectangular FRP tanks using finite element stress analysis to optimise material thickness. Although one fabricator would not build the tanks because they were 'too flimsy', another fabricator did build them, and they are now in service without any problems.
Esco'S Pickling Expertise:
Esco personnel have been actively engaged in the design, improvement and evaluation of all types of pickle lines for over 20 years. We have experience in all types of pickling - batch rod coil or strip, continuous strip, continuous strand or Loopro - and all the main pickling acids: sulfuric, hydrochloric, and nitric/HF.
We are primarily an engineering company, and every pickle line is designed for the specific application. There are no 'standard designs'. Nevertheless, we use proven equipment and technology, based on our experience.
Pollution control is built into our pickle lines. In many cases, we can design an effluent-free system; if this is not possible, the volume of effluent is minimised by use of fume scrubbers with very low water consumption, countercurrent rinses, and water re-use and recycle.
We are experienced in operations. All designs involve a careful consideration of operating needs, to ensure that the system requires a minimum of labour and maintenance. Equipment is selected for long life and minimum maintenance, rather than low first cost.
We are particularly knowledgeable about HCl pickling, and have a unique scrubber system for HCl fumes. We understand the extremely corrosive nature of HCl, and how to protect the plant and equipment by proper material selection and fume control.
We also have a new concept for batch HCl pickling. It is 'closed pickling', and applies the technology of high speed strip pickling to batch rod coil. Essentially, the rod coils are placed in a closed tank, and the acid and rinse waters are sprayed onto the steel in an automatic cycle. The advantages of this approach are: You can use much higher acid temperatures and concentrations than with open tanks; this speeds up pickling; Very small fume control requirements save substantial capital costs, and reduce effluent generation; Lower overall cost than open tank system, yet retains the flexibility of batch pickling.
Esco'S Pollution Control Expertise:
Pollution control is an increasingly important consideration for all processes in these environmentally aware times. Esco has been solving pollution control problems for many years, and has extensive experience in removing acid fumes, dusts, and corrosive chemicals from the air, and acids and heavy metals from water.
The Esco approach to pollution control is: Minimise waste generation by modifying the process; recycle where possible; recover where possible; treat only the bare minimum of final waste.
Esco has designed several zero-effluent processes, and was also the original developer of the low water consumption plate type fume scrubber for hydrochloric acid pickling.
Esco Services: Studies: These involve evaluation of existing or proposed processes, with recommendations for improvements, cost savings or methods of reducing or recycling effluents. Preliminary concept drawings or sketches are provided, and each recommendation is accompanied by a cost estimate
and economic evaluation.
A feature of Esco studies is that the cost estimates are supported by our firm quotes for execution of work that is in our area of expertise.
Engineering Design: We can do detailed engineering for plant layout, piping, ducting, material handling, support structures, vessel design, instrumentation and controls, electrical schematics, connections diagrams and conduit layout (including bills of materials and specifications). Equipment specifications, procurement assistance and bid evaluations may also be included. Projects up to $4 million capital have been executed on this basis. We are also experienced at retrofit and plant modification work, including obtaining field measurements, and designing for minimum interruption of production schedules.
Design and Supply: This covers the design and supply of our proprietary equipment and processes, or of process systems based on our special knowledge. Esco designs and supplies all necessary equipment, piping and controls, complete with detailed installation drawings, installation specifications,
operating and maintenance instructions and start-up assistance. Operator training can also be provided.
Company Details
Year Established:
1978
Total Sales ($CDN):
$200,000 - $500,000
Number of Employees:
8
Company Information
J.N. Stone
Title:
Chief Engineer / President
Telephone:
(519) 733-3122
Fax:
(519) 733-6094
Email:
Click Here
Paul Stone
Title:
Project Manager
Telephone:
(519) 733-3122
Fax:
(519) 733-6094
Email:
Click Here
Peter Blokker
Title:
Project Manager
Telephone:
(519) 733-3122
Fax:
(519) 733-6094
Email:
Click Here
Neil Stone
Title:
Manager
Telephone:
(519) 733-3122
Fax:
(519) 733-6094
Email:
Click Here
Products
Environmental Products And Services
Water Conservation Equipment.
Pickle lines usually generate large volumes of dilute acidic waste from rinsing and fume scrubbing, and this waste needs treating to adjust pH and remove heavy metals. Costs can be minimized by reducing the amount of water requiring treatment, before installing a waste treatment plant.
Pickle line effluent volumes can be reduced by 90% or more by: using Esco low volume plate type scrubbers, installing water-efficient Esco counter-current rinsing systems, and by using closed pickle tank heaters. Some batch pickling operations can be made completely effluent free.
These methods of water conservation have been applied to all types of pickling - batch and continuous, carbon steel, stainless steel, copper or titanium. In one stainless steel line, total effluent was reduced from 1200 USgal/min (270 m3/h) to 120 USgal/min (27 m3/h), and similar results have been obtained on other lines.
Plate Type Scrubber.
The majority of pickle line fume scrubbers are packed towers. These have several disadvantages, including: high water flow requirements, generation of large volume of dilute effluent, maintenance of water circulating pump, replacement needs, and packing plug ups.
By using an Esco plate type scrubber, these problems are avoided. These scrubbers use a low volume of water (0.1-0.3 USg/mcf, 15-50 litre/1000 m3), once through, require no recirculating pump and have no packing to plug. The only maintenance required is washing out once yearly.
The once through water flow often results in recovery of a concentrated acid, if the acid load in the air is high enough. In one scrubber, on a hydrochloric tower pickler, acid of 15% strength was obtained from the base of the scrubber. For conventional strip picklers, acid of 2-4% concentration has been recovered; this acid can be returned to the pickle tanks, instead of requiring treament and disposal.
Services
Environmental Consultant - Consulting
Pollution control systems associated with metal pickling. Fume
exhaust systems, spent acid recovery and treatment, fume scrubber
design, especially for HCl and wasterwater treatment systems.
Environmental Consultant - Engineering Design/Specifications
Environmental Consultant - Plant Retrofits(design)
Environmental Consultant - Waste Treatment
Environmental Consultant - Waste Reduction And Recycling
Environmental Consultant - Air Quality-outdoor Air
Environmental Consultant - Industry-chemicals
Environmental Consultant - Industry-metal Products
Environmental Consultant - Industrial Wastewater/Sludge
Environmental Consultant - Air Quality-smokestack Emissions