5,000lb CDU at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

PRI-BIO recently built and delivered a 5,000 lb Caustic Digester Unit (CDU) to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. The CDU will replace the incinerator used for the disposal of animal carcasses and wastes.

At the start of the project, PRI and the Project Team performed a design review of the project building plans and the digester system being supplied by another company.

The design drawings and information supplied by the other digester company had several errors and other issues reflecting a design that was not well thought-out.

With potentially significant cost overruns to the building construction and schedule delays, PRI worked with The Project Team to find solutions that would minimize the impact of the building design changes.

With PRI's engineering and manufacturing experience of over 25 years, a design approach and solutions were presented that dealt with the issues and avoided costly delays and building rework.

PRI's resources and capabilities for the design, manufacturing and supplier of alkaline hydrolysis tissue digester technology are unmatched in the industry. Every customer is assured to receive a system that is designed to meet the specific needs and desires for their facility operations.

Our fully staffed engineering department can efficiently execute unique design features to meet the confines or constraints of site space allocation and utility needs.

In contrast to other suppliers in this industry, PRI does not rely on third parties for design and supply of major components and systems. Our fully integrated in-house approach to every project ensures:

• The best design for your facility derived from PRI's in-house know-how with heat transfer applications and material handling systems experience.
• Seamless coordination and installation with site construction contractors. Professional engineering drawings, documentation and data that avoids costly field correction of errors, rework and other issues that lead to cost overruns.
• Competitive Pricing without compromises in quality and durability.
• Unique alkaline hydrolysis process expertise exclusively through PRI by the original pathology and organic chemistry experts recognized as the inventors of the modern tissue digester technology.
• Participation of biosafety and regulatory experts to support every customer with compliance issues.

Originally the project had anticipated the supply of a tissue digester system from another company. However PRI was selected because of its know-how and experience in engineered systems supply, broad engineering capabilities, proven project execution abilities, in-house manufacturing resources, (including ASME vessels, UL certified panels and controls system design and programming), and organizational experience.

Upon delivery to the Cornell site, the site construction team first unloaded the CDU piping skid and easily moved it into the building.

CDU piping skid easily slid into position.

The importance of correct and quality engineering drawings and close coordination between system suppliers and site constructors is essential to avoid costly delays and unanticipated field correction on any project. PRI's experience on over 2700 projects makes a complicated task look like a simple routine event.

The building was constructed leaving openings and provisions to allow the CDU piping to roll into place and rigging of the CDU vessel through the top of the building structure. Steel and concrete flooring were designed and installed based on the dimensions and clearances provided by PRI for the CDU system.

The CDU vessel was lifted over the structure and lowered into the floor opening to sit on the support base and piping skid designed and fabricated supplied by PRI.

The CDU Vessel was set in place on the piping skid.
PRI's precision engineering allowed a perfect fit.

The mechanical contractor on the Project Team was very pleased with PRI's performance on the project as evidence by the following letter:

The Caustic Digester Unit liquefies and sterilizes solid waste material for safe discharge.