Fisher Tank Co. began in 1948 as a tank repair company, serving the refineries and oil companies in the northeastern United States. Post World War II, industry was burgeoning, and with that growth came an unprecedented need for oil and fuel production and storage. Fisher Tank quickly became known for expertise in building, maintaining and repairing “flat bottomed” field erected welded steel tanks — the workhorses of the modern industrial era.
Now a leader in above ground tanks for many different industries, Fisher is also contributing to today’s power generation landscape. As standards for power plant emissions have changed and evolved, the coal-fired segment of our power generation system has changed as well. Today’s “clean coal” plants have systems in place to ensure the vapors the plants release have minimal negative impact on the environment.
A key element of “clean coal” technology is scrubbing, or cleaning, the plant’s emissions. There are various types of scrubber systems, but all involve putting the vapor stream emitted by the power plant in contact with chemicals that remove and/or neutralize the environmentally harmful substances in those vapors.
Scrubber systems require field erected welded steel tanks — for storing water, wastewater and the lime “slurry” mix required for wet scrubber systems. The key component of many scrubber systems is the vessel in which the cleaning of the vapors takes place. Whether it is called a scrubber, an absorber or some other proprietary term, it’s a highly specialized piece of equipment designed and fabricated to very precise specifications and then erected on site. Whatever technology the power generation plant is employing for emissions control, this vessel is the lynchpin of the system. When the plant’s vapors leave the specialized vessel and are emitted from the stack, they’re safe for the environment.
The Prairie State Energy Campus is a new clean coal power plant that produces power for 2.5 million homes a day. It’s identified by Prairie State Energy as “an important step in helping to create a sustainable and secure energy future for this country. It utilizes domestic coal resources and deploys clean generation technologies to produce electricity in a more efficient and environmentally friendly manner.” Fisher designed, fabricated and built a total of 19 tanks and two absorber vessels for this monumental clean coal project.
Fisher also played a role in Duke Energy’s massive “Cliffside Modernization Project” in North Carolina. According to Duke Energy, “Cliffside Unit 6 [has] among the strictest, most effective air emission controls available to protect public health and the environment.” The four-year project “ensures Duke Energy will continue to meet our customers’ need for clean, affordable and reliable electricity in the future,” and moves Duke toward a carbon neutral designation by 2018. Fisher Tank provided engineering, fabrication and construction for seven tanks for the modernization project.
From the 1940s industrial boom to today’s power generation revolution, Fisher Tank Co. serves industry with advanced technical capabilities, equipment and unsurpassed tank know-how.
For more information, visit www.FisherTank.com or call (610) 494-7200.
