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TechBriefs is a quarterly, two-color newsletter featuring articles devoted to the exploration of engineering issues. It expands on these issues from both an analytical and scientific approach. Articles are written by Burns & McDonnell experts in the field, frequently in collaboration with clients and knowledgeable academic authorities.

Mailed to more than 12,000 readers, TechBriefs is geared to engineers, architects, production managers, owners, and company and government administrators that constitute the engineering community at large. Fill out our online subscription form.

TechBriefs 2010 No. 1
Creating a Manmade Wetland
Plant backwash water provides hydrology. 
EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule
How it affects your facility. 

TechBriefs 2009 No. 4
Boosting Power Output - Cool!
Options for inlet cooling in gas turbine installations. 
Concentrating Solar Trough Modeling: Calculating Efficiency
Method incorporates technological improvements in an exciting area of renewable energy development. 

TechBriefs 2009 No. 3
Flexible Power
Alternative generation sources for the changing power market. 
Wastewater Treatment Challenge
New requirements for cruise ships in Alaskan waters. 

TechBriefs 2009 No. 2
A Different Approach for Removing Nitrate
Biological pre-treatment in a drinking water application. 
MILCON Transformation: Setting a New Standard
Creating army aviation standards and standard hangar designs for the future. 

TechBriefs 2009 No. 1
Improved Efficiency for Aging Wastewater Plant
Upgrades boost capacity and lower costs. 
Small Concerns: Nanoscale Materials
Research suggests tiny particles may present hazard. 

TechBriefs 2008 No. 4
TechBriefs 2008 No. 4
Implementing Smart Grid Communications
Managing mountains of data opens up new challenges for electric utilities. 
Pilot Study: Enhanced Anaerobic Bioremediation
Vegetable oil-based amendment proves effective at former dry cleaning facility site. 

TechBriefs 2008 No. 3
TechBriefs 2008 No. 3
Building Information Models (BIM)
Envisioning a future where BIM brings value to all stages of the design/construction process. 
Smart Grid: Driven by Sustainability
Utilities must define what it means, sort through political, technical challenges. 
Thinking Long-Term
Procuring the most economical aeration blower system for your wastewater treatment facility. 
Wind-Induced Harmonic Resonance: Considerations for Light Pole Design
Design factors reduce probability of weld damage or failure. 

TechBriefs 2008 No. 2
TechBriefs 2008 No. 2
Building Commissioning
Validation process for facility planning, ownership enhances performance. 
Controlling Airborne Substances: A Marriage of Art and Engineering
Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for dust collection hood design in industrial settings. 
Using a Design Professional in Planning Your Metal Finishing Facility Project
Weigh risks, rewards in deciding to hire or forgo assistance. 

TechBriefs 2008 No. 1
TechBriefs 2008 No. 1
Installing an Innovative, Trenchless Containment System at an MGP Site
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane proves compatible with coal tar dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) for use at a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site. 
Is Your Facility Attacking Your Electronic Devices?
A brief look at zinc whiskers. 
Reducing the Summer Peak
High energy costs, new techniques make evaporative cooling worth another look. 

TechBriefs 2007 No. 4
TechBriefs 2007 No. 4
Building Security Rating Program
Measuring protection from threats against industry best practices. 
Electric Reliability Standards
Utilities addressing compliance with mandatory NERC rules. 
Physical Security of Water Facilities
Vulnerability assessments quantify risks, but funding for implementation lags. 
Securing Chemical Facilities
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) establish requirements based on risk levels. 

TechBriefs 2007 No. 3
TechBriefs 2007 No. 3
Maximizing LEED, Minimizing Your Building's Energy Footprint
A changing business climate signals a new era for sustainable design and construction. 
PowerIowa Black Start
Successful planning prepares plant to recover from system blackouts. 
System Delivery for Instrumentation, Process Control and Operator Interface
Municipal water, wastewater projects benefit from early planning. 

TechBriefs 2007 No. 2
TechBriefs 2007 No. 2
Building Information Models
Using a shared knowledge resource to map a facility’s life cycle. 
Built-In Control
Thorough planning of a food plant expansion or retrofit increases predictability in cost and schedule. 
Understanding the ‘AAI Standard’ for Environmental Assessments
Moving toward a standard for inquiry. 

TechBriefs 2007 No. 1
TechBriefs 2007 No. 1
Antiterrorism Design for Buildings
Industry develops a standard for blast-resistant design, with emphasis on explosive devices. 
EPA Eases SPCC Regulations
Amendments change rules for oil-filled operation equipment, facilities with lower oil capacities. 
GIS-Based Software Enables Accurate Accident Analysis
Collision maps reflect spatial orientation of roads. 

TechBriefs 2006 No. 4
Tech Briefs 2006 No. 4
Antiterrorism Design for Buildings
Federal government agencies provide guidance on structural features. 
Efficiency Through Technology
Process controls advancements generate gains in water treatment operations. 
Farewell to Foreign Objects
Well-planned program helps eliminate sources of debris from your aviation facility. 

TechBriefs 2006 No. 3
Tech Briefs 2006 No. 3
Cure for Media Facilities Decisions
Charrettes make capital spending plans less painful. 
Energy Savings, Economic Viability
Biogas utilization system demonstrates effectiveness of smaller “green” projects. 
Mechanical Integrity Inspections for Ammonia Refrigeration Systems
Keys for establishing protocols at food industry facilities. 

TechBriefs 2006 No. 2
Tech Briefs 2006 No. 2
Demystifying Forecasting Methods
Data analysis puts utilities in position to predict growth more accurately. 
Improving Drinking Water Quality
Microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes increasingly meet cost and quality demands. 
Underground Challenges
Connecticut bulk transmission project tackles design, construction issues unique to buried lines. 

Tech Briefs 2006 No. 1
Tech Briefs 2006 No. 1
Hardware Upgrades in the Field
Ensuring the success of a pilot deployment. 
Maintaining Refrigeration Equipment
Using a service contractor does not relieve owners from environmental obligations. 
Mitigating Archaeological Finds
High Savery Creek reservoir presents opportunities for alternative methods. 

Tech Briefs 2005 No. 4
TechBriefs 2005, No. 4
Clean Coal
Creating new incentives for utilities. 
Electrical Reliability Standards
Establishing mandatory rules for the power grid. 
Energy Efficiency
New directives for federal facilities. 
Energy Policy Act of 2005
The Burns & McDonnell perspective: What it could mean for you. 
First Steps
Combined heat and power technology and the Energy Policy Act. 
Refining Industry Impacts
Changes in permitting rules, fuel blends and tax incentives top list. 
Relieving the Impasse
Improving the permitting process. 
Renewable Fuels Standard
Mandated use to hit 7.5 billion gallons by 2012; incentives focus on new sources. 

Tech Briefs 2005 No. 3
TechBriefs 2005, No. 3
Cooling Tower Water Flow Balancing
Adjusting pumps to maximize efficiency. 
Data Conservation in Transmission Line Design
How one utility is translating design data directly into asset management software. 
Obtaining Kosher Certification
The engineering implications for food processing. 

Tech Briefs 2005 No. 2
TechBriefs 2005, No. 2
Beef Industry Cabinet Design
Optimizing food safety using new technology. 
Clock Ticking on Oil Spill Control Revisions
Developing compliance plans by 2006. 
Implementing Section 316(b)
Rules and compliance strategies for existing midwestern power plants. 

Tech Briefs 2005 No. 1
TechBriefs 2005, No. 1
Estimating System Leak Rates
Using spreadsheet models to measure pressure loss. 
Paint Hangar Design
Meeting the proposed HexCr worker exposure standard. 
The Data Sentry
Sharing information through collaboration sites. 

Tech Briefs 2004 No. 4
TechBriefs 2004, No. 4
Burns & McDonnell CHP System Screening Tool
Evaluating multiple site variables. 
Environmental Permitting for Wind Energy Projects
Achieving NEPA compliance. 
Is Your Wastewater Biogas System Covered by PSM?
Minimizing risks of chemical accidents. 

TechBriefs 2004 No. 3
TechBriefs 2004, No. 3
Proof Testing of Reinforced Concrete Bridges
A useful way to provide load rating. 
Reliability Improvement
Solving problems in steam and condensate systems. 
Using Internet Technology for Source Water Assessments
Creating an automated tool. 

Tech Briefs 2004 No. 2
TechBriefs 2004, No. 2
Long-Term Remedial Solutions at Pre-Subtitle D Landfills
Understanding the big picture for future generations. 
Power System Analysis in GIS
A new tool for interfacing with geographic information. 
Real-Time Compliance and Monitoring
Using distributed data systems. 

Tech Briefs 2004 No. 1
TechBriefs 2004, No. 1
Design Data
Making it work for you. 
Reliability: Beyond the Numbers
Using key performance measures. 
Water Treatment Comparison for Two Boilers
Techniques for supercritical and subcritical units. 

Tech Briefs 2003 No. 4
TechBriefs 2003, No. 4
Design and Construction of Liquid-Tight Concrete Structures
Improving performance. 
Direct Buried Utility Piping
A new level of cooperation. 
Taking the Heat
Nitrogen oxide (NOx) removal in high exhaust gas temperatures. 

TechBriefs 2003 No. 3
TechBriefs 2003 No. 3
Alternate Regulatory Low-Flow Calculation
Reflecting managed flows in the lower Missouri River. 
Going Underground
A growing reality for transmission line routing. 
Natural Gas Price Drivers
Issues of supply and demand. 

TechBriefs 2003, No. 2
TechBriefs 2003, No. 2
Predicting Sound Levels Near a Proposed Coal-Fired Power Plant
A study for the Thoroughbred Energy Center. 
Using New Technology in the Facility Equipment Audit Process
Updating data-collection techniques. 
Vehicle Barrier Design
Determining degrees of effectiveness. 

TechBriefs 2003, No. 1
TechBriefs 2003, No. 1
Aircraft Hangar Superstructures
Identifying selection criteria. 
Facility Response Plans
Determining a facility’s need for an FRP. 
Wetland Mitigation Sites
Integration into an urban landscape. 

TechBriefs 2002, No. 4
TechBriefs 2002, No. 4
Groundwater Remediation Via Chemical Oxidation
Using permanganate to treat chlorinated solvents in groundwater. 
Low-Cost, High-Impact Free Product Recovery
Using MEME at fuel system leak sites. 

TechBriefs 2002, No. 3
TechBriefs 2002, No. 3
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
A Look at EPAct-compliant options. 
Bond Feasibility Study
Long-range analysis can reap significant benefits. 
Facility and Community Tornado Shelters
Evaluating existing areas to be used as shelters. 

TechBriefs 2002, No. 2
TechBriefs 2002, No. 2
Plant Energy Optimization
Using real-time and historical tools to reduce energy use. 
Protective Structural Design
Part two: avoiding progressive collapse. 
The Use of Flyash in Mine Stabilization
A cost-effective method of domeout repair. 

TechBriefs 2002, No. 1
TechBriefs 2002, No. 1
Protective Structural Design
Resisting blast loads. 
Utility Planning
Factoring uncertainty in economic analyses. 

TechBriefs 2001, No. 4
TechBriefs 2001, No. 4
Loading of Power Transformers
Reducing costs without affecting reliability. 
Municipal Utilities and Distributed Generation
A project solution. 
Navigating a Turbulent Energy Marketplace
New choices in central plant design. 

TechBriefs 2001, No. 3
TechBriefs 2001, No. 3
Aircraft Parking
Three fundamental methods. 
The Rankine Cycle
Workhorse of the coal-fired utility industry. 
Thermal Plume Modeling
A tool for regulatory compliance. 

TechBriefs 2001, No. 2
TechBriefs 2001, No. 2
Advanced Treatment for Groundwater
Treating low-quality groundwater for municipal use. 
Food Allergens
The engineer’s perspective. 
Governmental Funding Research
Seeking funding assistance: methods and sources. 

TechBriefs 2001, No. 1
TechBriefs 2001, No. 1
Pneumatic Conveying
Design and optimization fundamentals. 
Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings
Advantages and disadvantages. 
Rubblization
A cost-effective alternative for pavement rehabilitation. 

TechBriefs 2000, No. 4
TechBriefs 2000, No. 4
Highway/Railroad Grade Crossing Studies
Improving safety through information technology. 
Overall System Analysis
A cost-effective method of solving process plant inefficiencies. 
Project Web Sites
Enhancing security and keeping track of ongoing work. 

TechBriefs 2000, No. 3
TechBriefs 2000, No. 3
Six-Phase Soil Heating
An effective method to remediate LNAPL and DNAPL contaminated sites. 
Efficient Well Design
Applying good engineering practices. 
A Better Way to Unload Chlorine Cars
Ensuring safe transfer of hazardous materials. 

TechBriefs 2000, No. 2
TechBriefs 2000, No. 2
Carbon Fiber Post-Strengthening of Concrete Structures
An alternative to steel retrofits. 
Computer Modeling
Assessing impacts of shadows in an urban setting. 
Odor Abatement Studies
Selecting remediation options. 

Tech Briefs 2000 No. 1
TechBriefs 2000, No. 1
Jet Fuel Quality
Flying clean and dry. 
Process Control Instrumentation Wiring
Grounding and protection issues. 
The Many Facets of Internet Security
Taking adequate steps before you ‘go live’. 

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