Challenge

Located on the shores of the Delaware River, Salem Generating Station is situated in an environmentally sensitive area. The Delaware Estuary contains approximately 200,000 acres of salt-water marshes fed by numerous rivers and streams. When their operating license came up for renewal, the state of New Jersey required the Public Service Electric & Gas Company to modify their circulating water traveling screens for better fish handling at the Salem Generating Station.

The company’s main goals were to:
1. Improve the survival of impinged fish.
2. Increase the debris handling capability during peak loads.

Solution

Having designed upgrades and retrofits for numerous similar situations, Siemens Water Technologies was ready to provide an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly intake screening upgrade for the Salem Station.

Changes Implemented

• Screens were removed, disassembled, inspected, modified, and upgraded to better than new condition.
• Replaced original stainless baskets with state-of-the-art, lightweight, non-metallic fish handling baskets which provide a refined hydrodynamic flow pattern increasing fish survival rate.
• Installed new drive units to increase travel speeds from 17.5 to 35 feet per minute; improving debris removal.
• Upgraded the spray units, improving both fish transfer and debris removal.

Results

Fish losses were greatly reduced and debris handling capabilities were increased during peak loads.