Municipal solid waste (MSW) to ethanol facility

The Challenge

Masada possesses technology for conversion of cellulose and other organic material found in municipal solid waste (MSW) to simple sugars via a concentrated acid hydrolysis process. The sugars are then fermented to ethanol. Masada needed to determine an economically viable commercial scale continuous process.

The Solution

Harris Group worked with Masada to coordinate pilot trials and equipment supplier trials and to develop the process and an EPC technical package. Harris Group managed the pilot trials at the Tennessee Valley Authority R&D facility in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and other laboratory and vendor testing.

Beyond the trials, Harris Group also developed the piping and instrumentation diagrams, general arrangement drawings, and other engineering documents for the process. Harris Group assembled vendor packages for bidding and cost estimating and participated in the development of the financial pro forma. In addition, Harris Group provided permitting support and acted as the technical interface for answering questions and providing process information to local governments, environmental agencies, investors, and due diligence engineers.

The Benefits

Harris Group provided a broad range of Owner’s Engineering and Program Management services to Masada – acting as an advocate for the owner in areas beyond what would be considered standard engineering services. With a viable process established and Harris Group’s intimate knowledge of all aspects of the project, Masada may confidently move forward at the Middletown site and other locations.