Constantly striving to provide the optimal pollution control, this Midwestern Utility opted to retrofit a new flue gas desulphurization system with a new chimney. Design work for the project began in December 2003 and crews entered the field in August 2004. Pullman Power was awarded the project to provide the chimney design and construction of the environmentally-friendly solution.

Several design solutions were evaluated for the project. The first strategy specified a top-hung liner support system that would have added a level of support and an expansion joint to the structure. Instead of this approach, the owner selected a solution that provided support right above the breeching that eliminated the expansion joint and minimized the stresses in the breeching area. This approach was selected because it was the most cost-effective solution for meeting the owner's goals.

The project involved the installation of a C-276 high nickel alloy clad (roll bonded) liner. The liner was erected by bringing the prerolled plate rings into the chimney at the base in sections. Approximately 10-foot tall liner sections (cans) were welded together at the base. Carbon steel stiffeners were welded to the completed cans and 2 inches of insulation was installed on the exterior prior to adjoining the sections and lifting with the use of hydraulic jacks. The rainhood was constructed using solid C-276 plate.

One of the challenges of this project was that this work had to be conducted within the confines of the existing plant while the plant was in operation. The project utilized 230 tons of reinforcing steel and 2,700 cubic yards of concrete. The chimney is nominally 620 feet tall with a 25-foot interior diameter alloy steel liner.