Wastewater Engineer

Kevin Olmstead, Ph.D., P.E.

**** ******* **. ***** ** 44301 330-***-****

***************@*****.*** www.linkedin.com/in/kevinolmstead76

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Engineering University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Master of Science, Chemical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

LICENSURE

Professional Engineer, State of Michigan No. 37217

EXPERIENCED IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS

Mathematical Modeling

Process Engineering, Chemistry and Biology

Mentoring

Process Analysis

Statistical Analysis

Cost Reduction

Troubleshooting

Project Management

Mistake Proofing

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Process Analysis

Analyzed numerous processes for removing nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from wastewater streams with the goal of preparing material for a two-volume manual for US EPA. Result: the exhaustive list of treatment technologies made for an excellent resource for engineers, regulated dischargers, and other stakeholders.

System Analysis

Analyzed odor removal technologies for the sludge handling operation in a 46 MGD wastewater treatment plant. Result: determined that a technology that was promising was not effective, leading to installation of a different technology and success in recovering the costs from the company selling the ineffective technology.

System Modeling

Created a model of heat transfer in a gas transmission pipeline to determine the amount of moisture condensation in the pipe, with the goal of determining where water removal should be done. Result: the numerical implementation of the mathematical model was precise and allowed rational design of the pipe system.

Regulation Analysis

Analyzed proposed new regulations for ammonia in wastewater discharges by using the EPA formulas to estimate conditions for different plants. Result: showed that that EPA communications of their proposed regulation needlessly scared dischargers, because most plants would not need to do additional treatment to meet requirements at most receiving water conditions, rather than the extreme conditions the EPA used in their proposal. Prepared other regulatory reports as well.

Written Communications

Co-authored two-volume manual on nutrient removal for the US EPA. Result: manual including description of treatment processes, cost analysis, and assessment of case studies of nutrient removal from around the country.

Oral Communications

Prepared Powerpoint presentations for me and others to present at conferences. Result: presentations on various topics that were well-received and understandable, following rules for not trying to put too much information on single slides.

Management and Leadership

District 28 Governor (SE Michigan, NW Ohio, and SW Ontario, Canada) for Toastmasters International. Result: District was deemed Distinguished for achievements in increasing membership and attaining educational goals.

EXPERIENCE

Contract Senior Staff Engineer, Jones Petrie Rafinski, South Bend, IN 2019

Process analysis, project management, engineering and in-house information resource for membrane, biological, and physico-chemical water and waste treatment processes.

Contract Senior Engineer, H2O Systems, Saskatchewan, Canada (Home Office) 2017-2018

Process analysis and information resource for membrane, biological, and physico-chemical water and waste treatment processes in a design-build engineering firm working primarily with industrial clients.

Preparation of marketing and design documents with calculations and modeling as needed.

Contract Laboratory Manager, Colorcoat, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 2016-2017

Establishing and maintaining laboratory for sample testing in industrial coatings.

Independent Contractor, Akron, OH 2014-2018

Continued work with Tetra Tech and others, including

-Reviewed and analyzed discharge requirements for nitrogenous compounds, mercury compounds, ammonia, 1,4-dioxane, phenolics, and 1-bromopropane, among others.

-Provided reports, graphs, and assessments for clients and other stakeholders. Studied requirements for SDS, including both domestic and other countries.

-SDS development and review for various chemical company clients.

-Categorization of rubber patents for chemical technologies and enhanced tire properties

-Prepared forms for clients to obtain government funding for ethanolic fuel dispenser installation

-Engineering services for various clients

-Prepared various reports and white papers for clients

Training in math, writing, and sciences

Tetra Tech, Ann Arbor MI 1992-2013

Senior Project Engineer

Regulations

-Local Limits Calculations, various cities

Set limits for industrial discharges to municipal plants, based on the plant's ability to remove the substance in question and the amount of the pollutant the plant was permitted to discharge to its receiving waters. Calculations carried out for both conventional pollutants (e.g., BOD and TKN) and toxic pollutants (e.g., arsenic and mercury).

-Cost Assessment of Proposed Regulation, U.S. EPA

Determined the cost effects of proposed new regulations for effluents from livestock slaughter operations, particularly with regard to nitrogen and BOD. Found that many surveyed plants were actually already meeting the tighter requirements or could easily shift with minimal costs. Used cost estimation software.

-Municipal Biosolids Incineration, Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority, MI

Project engineer and expert regarding regulatory and technical aspects of biosolids incineration, including continuous hydrocarbon monitoring requirements, by-product formation, and agency requirements for 46 MGD facility.

-Great Lakes Initiative, Michigan Municipalities,

Project engineer, expert, and layman interpreter for Michigan municipalities of the 1990's Water Quality Guidance for the Great Lakes System, a regulation that created uniform water quality regulations in all Great Lakes States.

-Municipal Sludge, various cities

Project engineer assisting cities with compliance with 40 CFR 503 regulations for handing municipal biosolids (wastewater treatment plant sludge) disposal via land application, incineration, landfill, or other methods. Issues in these regulations include permit applications, processes for sludge disposal, and incinerator emissions. Plant sizes ranged from 5 MGD to 1 BGD.

International

-Wastewater Modeling and Design for India, Japan International Cooperation Agency

Used CAPDETWorks and other software packages for mass balance analysis, preliminary design, and cost estimation for municipal secondary treatment projects for Bhubaneswar and Cuttack in the State of Orissa and Amritsar in the State of Punjab. Plant sizes were of the order of 10-15 MGD.

-Wastewater Process Design for U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, US Army COE

Led process sizing and component specification for package wastewater treatment plant (roughly 0.5 MGD).

Wastewater Treatment Analysis and Design

-Mathematical Modeling, Various Clients

Used CAPDETWorks, BioWin, and GPS-X software packages as well as spreadsheets and other tools for mass balance analysis, preliminary design, cost estimation, and performance evaluation. Clients included U.S. EPA and the State of Washington.

-Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems, Ypslianti Community Utilities Authority, Michigan

Analysis of systems in a wastewater treatment facility, including automated dissolved oxygen determination, automated sludge blanket monitoring, and odor control

-Wastewater Process Design, Various Clients

Led process selection, sizing, and component specification for municipal wastewater treatment systems

-Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems, Various Clients

Process work for industries including meat processing, paper production, agriculture, and automotive

-Energy Analysis for Wastewater Treatment, Various Clients

Detailed assessment of energy usage in wastewater treatment plants to determine where savings could be made. Examples of savings included installation of more energy-efficient aerators or pumps, or turning aerators off for extended periods (thereby reducing sludge formation and power use). Cities include Ypsilanti, MI and Tampa, FL

-Manual Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Co-author of Municipal Nutrient Removal Technologies Reference Document, US EPA, EPA-832-R-08-006, 2008.

Physiochemical Treatment Processes

-Process Chemistry and Engineering, Various Clients

Treatability analysis of selected wastewater components to optimize treatment systems, including activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange, membrane processes, filtration, and aeration/stripping.

-Activated Carbon Adsorption, Graduate Student Work, University of Michigan

Extensive expertise with activated carbon adsorption through dissertation work on "Microbial Interference with Adsorption of Targeted Organic Contaminants by Granular Activated Carbon."

Biological Treatment Processes

-Biological Treatability Studies, Various Clients

Conducted studies on the degradation of selected recalcitrant wastewater components, to determine bioavailability and/or fate. Compounds of interest included 1,4-dioxane for a membrane systems manufacturer and soluble organic nitrogen compounds for a tobacco processor

-Membrane Bioreactor Process, Marathon Oil Co, Catlettsburg, KY

Directed pilot testing of membrane biological reactor system for treating wastewater from an oil barge cleaning operation

-Membrane Bioreactor Process, Delta Airlines, Atlanta, GA

Directed pilot testing of membrane biological reactor system for wastewater from an airplane maintenance operation.

-Membrane Bioreactor Fact Sheet, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Developed fact sheet on membrane biological reactors

-Industrial Process Modeling, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Consultant on model for estimating costs for installing additional biological treatment steps in support of new categorical regulations for the meat and poultry processing industry

-Anaerobic Processes and Anaerobic Digestion

Troubleshooting municipal biological phosphorus removal system to assure generation of sufficient organic acids to support growth.

Troubleshooting anaerobic digesters for several municipal clients.

Sizing anaerobic digesters for several municipal and farming clients

Worked with client company with novel centrifugal system for separating solids from anaerobic digester effluent

-In-Situ Remediation, Various Clients

Consultant for several projects exploring in-situ processes for contaminated groundwater

-Munitions, United States Navy

Project Engineer for a study regarding use of a soil slurry bioreactor to treat soil containing TNT and related compounds. Work primarily focused on reviewing the literature regarding microbial degradation of these compounds and devising a set of experiments to demonstrate the technology. A similar literature review was done in a consultative role for a project for the U.S. Army, examining waste treatment at a munitions manufacturing plant.

Management

-Water and Sewer Rate Studies, Various Clients

Developed Excel spreadsheet application “SmartRate,” which allows engineers and municipal officials to concisely examine costs and revenues of water and sewer operations, with the goal of generating a rate structure that sufficiently funds the utility without overcharging users. Directly applied SmartRate to City of Milan, MI; Williamston, MI; Meridian Township, MI; Bay City, MI. SmartRate has been used for numerous other U.S. communities

-Source Detection, Various Clients

Utilized systematic approach to determining where toxic substances were intermittently entering a city's wastewater collection system, possibly in violation of local regulations. Such substances could result in a city being in violation of their NPDES permit. Applied to mercury and cyanide source detection in several Michigan communities.

Plant Experience

-Water/Wastewater treatment - Tobacco Processing

-Food/Beverage Processing - Meat Processing

-Steel Manufacturing - Polymer/Plastic Production

-Paper Manufacturing - Chemical Production

Unit Operation Experience

-Filtration - Ion Exchange

-Adsorption - Membrane Processes

-Absorption - Reactors (All configurations)

-Distillation - Biological Systems and Separations

Project List

-Wastewater plant expansion design (Going from 28 to 46 MGD)

-Air pollution control system permitting (46 MGD)

-Multi-stage air pollution control system design (46 MGD)

-Presentations on dioxins in incineration

-Odor control analysis for WWTP (46 MGD)

-Biological and physical-chemical treatability of tobacco processing wastewater for recalcitrant nitrogen compounds

-Biological and physical-chemical treatability oily wastewaters with membrane system (0.5 MGD)

-Manual of treatment technologies for nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal

-Analysis of data from meat processors to aid development of regulations

-Analysis and comments on “Great Lakes Initiative”

-Detection of intermittent sources of mercury to sewer system

-Development of local limits and industrial pretreatment programs

-Analysis and cost estimation of alternative wastewater treatment designs

-Creation of spreadsheet package for determining water and sewer rates

-Energy conservation at wastewater treatment plants (5-50 MGD)

-Reduction of electroplating wastes

-Permits and recommendations for municipal wastewater treatment biosolids disposal

-Bench and pilot scale testing and analysis for water and waste treatment

-Treatment system biology and chemistry

University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI 1994-2000

Assistant Professor

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering

Established program in Environmental Engineering

Taught undergraduate and graduate courses in civil and environmental engineering, chemical engineering, and computer programming

Advised undergraduate students and mentored graduate students

Created courses in water/wastewater treatment, environmental chemistry, environmental unit operations, environmental microbiology, hazardous waste treatment, solid waste treatment, energy conservation, and environmental remediation.

Research work with the USEPA-sponsored Center of Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 1992-2002

Lecturer

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Undergraduate engineering course on numerical methods

Undergraduate introduction to environmental engineering

Engineering graduate course on physicochemical processes for water and wastewater treatment.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 1989-1992

Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Conducted research and supervised graduate student work on activated carbon adsorption phenomena and the use of biological activated carbon for groundwork remediation.

Responsibilities also included special project work in the USEPA/Michigan Department of Natural Resources sponsored Hazardous Substance Research Center at the University of Michigan.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 1983-1989

Research/Teaching Associate

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Conducted laboratory research and computer modeling (mainframe, PC, and Macintosh) for dissertation.

Devised and graded homework problems and exams for courses in numerical methods and environmental microbiology.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 1981-1983

Research/Teaching Associate and Student

Chemical Engineering

Designed an industrial-scale process for purification of an enzyme to be used in a novel medical device. Project report was eventually used in a process design by a company producing such devices.

Preparation of laboratory exercises for a course in biochemical engineering

General preparatory work for a seminar course in biological separations

Chemical Engineering Practice School, summer 1982: research on control of distillation process and on silicone rubber development at General Electric silicone rubber plant in Waterford, NY, and on characterization of a grease-iron scale mixture at Bethlehem Steel plant in Bethlehem, PA.

OTHER: Distinguished Toastmaster, Tau Beta Pi, Chi Epsilon, Sigma Xi

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Bennett, G.F. and Olmstead, K.P. “Micro-Organisms Get to Work”, Chemistry in Britain, 133-137, 1992

Carter, M.C., Weber, W.J., Jr,, and Olmstead, K.P. “Effect of Background Dissolved Organic Matter on TCE Adsorption by GAC”, Journal AWWA, 8:81-91, 1992.

Kang, S.J., Daukss, P.R., Allbaugh, T.A., Olmstead, K.P., et.al. “Fluidized Bed Incineration Design and Permitting at the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant”, Water Practice, 1(1), 1-7, April 2007.

Kang, S. J., Olmstead, K.P., and Allbaugh, T.A. “Four Steps to Energy Self-Sufficiency”, Water Environment and Technology, 22(12), 46-49, December 2010.

Kang, S.J., Olmstead, K.P., Nobinger T., et. al. “Time vs. Space: Two Successful Biological Nutrient Removal Strategies”, Proc WEFTEC 2006.

Kang, S.J., Allbaugh, T.A., Reynhout, J.W., Erickson,T.L., Olmstead, K.P., et. al. “Selection of an Ultraviolet Disinfection System for a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant”, Water Sci Tech, 50(7), 163-169, 2004.

Kang, S J, Olmstead, K.P., Schraa, O, et.al. “Activated Anaerobic Digestion with a Membrane Filtration System”, Proc. WEFTEC 2011.

Kang S.J., Olmstead, K.P., Takacs, K. “The Practical Limits of Phosphorous Removal: How Low can you Reliably Go?”, Proc. Water Environment Fed, Nutrient Removal, 14601469, 2007

Olmstead, K.P. and Weber, W.J., Jr. “Statistical Analysis of Mass-Transfer Parameters for Sorption Processes and Models. Environ Sci. Technol, 24(11), 1693, 1990.

Olmstead, K.P. and Weber, W.J., Jr. “Interactions Between Microorganisms and Activated Carbon in Water and Waste Treatment Operations”. Chem Eng Communications, 108: 113-121. 1991.

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