NAS Whidbey Island – AFFF Containment System
Town:
State:
Product:
Application:
Oak Harbor
WA
AFFF Wastewater Containment System
Wastewater
Job Type:
Sub Type
Engineer:
Contractor:
Military
Fire Suppression Wastewater
AECOM
RQ CONSTRUCTION
Project Information:
The Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), located 90 miles north of Seattle, is the largest naval aviation installation in the Pacific Northwest. It is also one of the four naval installations forming the Navy Region Northwest. The Air Station was commissioned in 1942 as a base for seaplane patrol operations, rocket firing training, torpedo overhaul, and both recruit and petty officer training. Currently, the base is a home to all US Navy electronic attack squadrons operating the EA-6B Prowler and EA-18G Growler.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) released a Request for Proposal for a firm fixed price, design-build (DB) stand-alone contract for the construction of P-256 EA-18G Maintenance Hangar. The general scope of the requirement was for the DB construction of 56,000 SF maintenance hangar in support of the EA-18G Growler aircraft. The facility will provide high-bay space for aircraft maintenance, maintenance shops, and open bay warehouse for aircraft equipment, and administrative spaces. The hangar facility construction will
include a steel framing system, concrete exterior walls with metal cladding, concrete/steel composite deck, and metal roof. This project includes Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) fire suppression system with collection trenches, and storage tanks for containment of the AFFF wastewater.
RQ Construction, a privately held design-build firm located in Carlsbad, California, was awarded the contract including the installation of a AFFF system. With the base's island location, high-water table and corrosive coastal atmosphere were part of the design challenge. The design team, who include AECOM, reached out to ParkUSA to develop a AFFF wastewater system to meet these conditions.
The FoamTrooper UBD provides an ideal solution. The FoamTrooper enables treatment, diversion, storage, and management of fire foam suppression wastewater system, all integrated into a single unit. The buried UBD is designed as a shallow 7-foot unit to avoid the water table of the island. Two 14,500-gallon above-ground wastewater storage tanks on skids allow for relocation if needed and are treated with an epoxy coating for protection from the corrosive coastal atmosphere. The UBD and wastewater tanks were built to fit on standard flatbed trailers for lower freight costs.
How it works:
The floor drain system in the area protected by fire suppression system features a sloped floor that drains or trench drain. All fluids that hit the hanger floor, drain into the trench drain. Piping connects the trench drain to the Foam Trooper UBD consists of a diverter valve system, oil water separator, and lift station. The diverter valve assembly has one incoming pipe and two exiting pipes; one directed to the sanitary sewer (normal condition), and another pipe directed to the containment tank (alarm condition). The diverter valve system includes an automatic control system that will allow the central fire alarm system to activate the diverter valve. The control system will provide valve position status and automatic and manual control.
Upon the activation of the fire suppression system, a signal is sent to the AFFF management panel. The diverter valve changes position and diverts wastewater flow from the oil-water separator to the pump station compartment. The pump system transfers the wastewater to the above ground containment tanks where all the fluids are safely detained.
The AFFF management system also monitors water levels to prevent tank overfilling. The containment tanks safely store PFOS / PFAS contaminated wastewater until proper disposal according to prevailing environmental regulations.
