Portfolio


Walker Engineering has the experience you’re looking for

Our engineering and design teams have a core knowledge set based on an extensive industrial design and project management background. Vast experience and expertise are available for a wide range of projects, some of which are outlined below.


Notable projects completed

GREENFIELD PLANT UTILITY AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEM DESIGN — CANADA

Design of greenfield plant utilities system and refrigeration plant including incoming plant water supply, water storage tanks, natural gas, bulk chemical delivery, air compressors, all piping and distribution systems, and sanitation system. Refrigeration plant design of 2,200 TR single stage ammonia system at -30° F.

MULTI-EFFECT PROCESS EVAPORATOR DESIGN — IDAHO

Vessel review and design for multi-effect process evaporators. Stainless steel pressure vessels were tower type, heights to 65 feet, 50 PSI to full vacuum with internal welded pack plate heat exchangers, 650,000 pounds flooded weight.

LIME KILN, BUNKER AND BUILDING DESIGN — IDAHO

Design modifications for a German 220 foot vertical tower type lime kiln. Design of multi-level kiln building to house heavy equipment (slaker, graders, aging tanks, pumps, etc). Design of single shell, dual hopper storage bunker capable of simultaneously holding 600 tons of limestone and 70 tons of coke. Bunker design included equipment supports interior to shell for grading, weighing and conveying equipment as well as level detection system. Material handling system (conveyor, transfer points, grading, etc.) design to get material from approximately 750 feet away into the bunker. 36” diameter stainless steel carbon dioxide vacuum piping reinforcement and support design.

GREENFIELD REFRIGERATION PLANT — SOUTH DAKOTA

Design of greenfield ammonia refrigeration plant including screw compressors, evaporative condensers, water and brine heat exchangers, ammonia pumped recirculator, liquid subcooler, finished product cooler, combined high pressure receiver and thermosiphon vessel, controls and safety system. Refrigeration system capacity of 1,150 TR at 20° F.

NATURAL GAS GATHERING COMPRESSOR MODIFICATION — WYOMING

Civil/Structural Engineering design for a liquid natural gas gathering upgrade and compressor facility modification. Multiple 20″ gas lines from the well heads at the gas-gathering field were routed above and below grade to the compressor facility. Analysis and design included dynamic loading and analysis for frequency response for vibration resistance due to varying gas line pressures and compressor surge loading. Design work included: thrust block designs, bridge crossings, intercooler and aftercooler structures, vent stack foundations, pump foundations, compressor mat, inlet separator foundation, elevated slug catcher support and foundation, multiple cooler and coalescer foundations, filter foundations and all intermediate piping support racks and piers. Dynamic analysis and evaluation of building and equipment foundations.

AIR CURTAIN FOR PILE DRIVING — WASHINGTON

Design of an air curtain system as required by the Spokane County Department of Public Works for pile driving in the Spokane River without killing fish. Design bubble ring (toroidal pressure vessel), piping and air compressor skid including filtration and oil removal satisfactory for direct air injection into protected water.

SEISMIC ANALYSIS — IDAHO

Performed Civil/Structural Engineering analysis for the investigation of the structural integrity of electrical and chemical equipment including cable trays, conduit runs, double containment piping, and trapeze type strut hangers in the Semiconductor Fab facility. All seismic restraints of transmission and distribution of chemicals and electricity (i.e., controls, instrumentation, and communications) were evaluated throughout the facility as per contract including clean areas in both the fab and sub-fab areas.

REFRIGERATION PLANT EXPANSION — IDAHO

Design of ammonia refrigeration plant expansion including new screw compressors, evaporative condensers, water and glycol heat exchangers, finished product cooler, building, structural platforms, electrical power, control and emergency alarms. System capacity of 2,600 TR at 24° F.

RAFFEXT EVAPORATOR FOUNDATION DESIGN — IDAHO

Design of the Raffext Evaporator process structure including mat foundation, building, equipment supports and foundations.

TOROIDAL PRESSURE VESSEL DESIGN — IDAHO

Toroidal pressure vessel design for fractal chromatographic separation of sugar from molasses including manual and computer aided design.

UTILITIES AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEM DESIGN — ARIZONA

Piping design for retort system, process plate and frame heat exchangers, process and utility piping, refrigeration plant modification, steam line pipe stress thermal analysis, wastewater system modification, ozone injection system design, and sanitation system design.

“CATCRACKER”, CRACK TOWER STRUCT. ANALYSIS — WYOMING

Civil/Structural Engineering analysis for the investigation of the proposed changes in the existing catcracker process configuration. Phase one involved extensive finite element analysis to determine if the existing structure was adequate to support the changes and additional loading. Phase 2 was to propose reinforcements for members that were inadequate and to design additional steel framing where necessary for equipment/process modifications.

OSHA PSM TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE AUDITS — IDAHO, WASHINGTON, SOUTH DAKOTA, NORTH DAKOTA, ARIZONA

Work with multiple clients to ensure that their ammonia refrigeration systems meet the technical requirements of the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) program. This includes review of ventilation systems, drawings, safety relief systems, valve tagging, code compliance, safety systems, pressure vessel documentation, etc.

CHILLER FREE COOLING SYSTEM — ARIZONA

Retrofit a malfunctioning “free cooling” system (inoperative for the prior ten years) which utilizes a cooling tower to generate chilled water. Modify the existing system to allow use of the free cooling system – thereby allowing the facility to capitalize on the equipment already installed, i.e. use the free cooling system and gain the benefits it was originally installed for.

60,000 SQ. FT. COOLER — IDAHO

Ammonia refrigeration system design for a 60,000 square foot product cooler including seismic analysis/bracing design of components and piping. Analyze existing refrigeration system to verify adequate capacity. Specify equipment, update existing drawing set, write control loops. Cooler capacity is 315 TR at 34 F.

GRAIN GRADING EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT/HOPPER MODIFICAITONS — IDAHO

Design of new hopper cone for steel cone/concrete shell grain bin. Design and specification of product conveying chutes, vibratory screen grader supports/mounting, new grain splitter box, slide gates, etc. Provide site support during construction and startup.

FREEZER EXPANSION — IDAHO

Retrofit existing reciprocating compressors from high stage to low stage service. Design included repiping compressors, addition of a new intercooler with liquid subcooling coil, suction accumulator, pumped recirculator, liquid transfer unit, pumps, evaporators, piping, controls, underfloor warming system, etc. Freezer capacity of 80 TR at -10 F.

ENGINEERING SUPPORT — IDAHO

Provide mechanical and process engineering support for a large malting facility including failure analysis, corrective actions, material handling, new buildings, building expansions, steam systems, equipment supports, etc.

THERMOSIPHON PRECOOL — IDAHO

Design of ammonia thermosiphon precool system to remove front end product heat without the use of compressor horsepower. Precool capacity of 196 TR at 85 F. This resulted in a total reduction of approximately 200 horsepower, thereby significantly reducing the operating cost of the process.

PH BALANCING SYSTEM — IDAHO

Sizing and component specification for anhydrous ammonia piping, valves and control components for wastewater pH balancing system at a semiconductor manufacturing facility.

PLANT UTILITIES DESIGN — CALIFORNIA

Mechanical design of plant utility system which included boiler room, condensate return system, superheater, mechanical vapor recompression, sanitary air compressors and dryers, process load evaluation, code/insurance review and pipe stress analysis for utilities and process. Provided services during construction and start-up support.

Notable Clients

  • Abbott Nutrition
  • Amalgamated Research, Inc.
  • The Amalgamated Sugar Company
  • Barclay Mechanical Inc.
  • CH2M Hill
  • ConAgra
  • Davisco Foods Intl.
  • Excel Fabrication
  • Glanbia Foods
  • Great Western Malting
  • Grupo Modello
  • Guy Nielsen Company
  • Harcon, Inc.
  • Heinz
  • Idaho Forrest Group
  • J.R. Simplot Co.
  • Lamb Weston
  • Melaleuca
  • McCain Foods
  • ON Semiconductor