Energy Generation Conference 2010 Recap: Neundorfer Baghouse Workshop and Exhibit Hall Booth

 

Three of Neundorfer's toughest team members--baghouse expert Jim Parsons, account manager Brian Malloy and manager of stories Mae Kowalke--braved sub-0 temperatures last month to attend the Energy Generation Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. 

"The last time I recall being that cold was circa 1998, attending the First Night New Year's celebration in Burlington, Vermont," recounts Mae, describing the wind chill just walking from the airport to the car.

 

Neundorfer's three musketeers arrived in Bismarck late afternoon of January 25 and, like most other folks who attended the event, checked into the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, minutes away from the Bismarck Civic Center where EGC is held each year. The next morning, Jim presented his signature baghouse workshop in the Oak Room at the Civic Center, assisted by Brian. Mae served as official record-keeper.

 

Nine people attended the workshop, most from Montana Dakota Utilities' Heskett Station or Basin Electric Power's Antelope Valley Station. One attendee made it through a vehicle pileup on the highway while traveling to EGC. Feedback from workshop participants was overwhelmingly positive. 

"This workshop was well worth my time," said Dennis Thorfinnson, Plant Engineer at Basin Electric's Dry Fork Station, summing up the general consensus among attendees.

 

"The biggest takeways I hope attendees learned during this workshop include why over-cleaning baghouses is worse then under-cleaning, why pre-coart is vital to breaking in new fabric filter bags, and why air-to-cloth ratio is important when sizing a baghouse," Jim says. 

 

Brian adds that Neundorfer offers training on subjects othat than baghouses, too:  "We're experts with precipitators. baghouses and other air pollution control equipment.  I'm happy to chat anytime with folks who are interested in a customized workshop."

 

Tuesday evening, Jim, Brian and Mae set up the Neundorfer booth in EGC's exhibit hall.  The booth featured, among other attractions, two 6-foot tal cutout figures representing 'Tator Man and Baghouse Lady. 

 

In the exhibit hall Wednesday and Thursday, visitors to Neundorfer's booth got to choose among a variety of branded freebies, including pocket notebooks, LED keychain lights and hard hat stickers. One of the hottest items: desktop cell phone holders in the shape of small, foldable beach chairs.

 

"People couldn't figure the chairs out at first," Brian recalls. "But once we demonstrated how they work, these giveaways disappeared fast." 

 

More than a dozen people also took Mae's bribe and posed for a photo behind the cutouts.

 

"If you wanted one of our nifty, knitted ski hats, you had to pose for a photo," Mae says. Those who did risk their dignity were rewarded not only with a hat, but also a 4x6 glossy printed right at the booth and handed out in a classy black desktop frame.

 

Of course, running a booth at the event wasn't just about giveaways and photo ops. It was also a key networking opportunity.

 

"For me, the most valuable part of having a booth at EGC was being able to meet a bunch of customers it would normally have taken me a week and a half to visit," Brian says.

 

Neundorfer's success in Bismarck was a team effort that included excellent support from EGC staff.

 

"Our workshop and booth went off without a hitch thanks to Duane Miller from Basin Electric-Antelope Valley, who was a big help facilitating logistics in his role as a conference committee member," Jim says.

 

Mae adds: "Throughout the pre-conference planning process, coordinator Alison Zarr was a valuable resource. She responded quickly and cheerfully to all my logistical questions, big and small."

 

Want to contact the Neundorfer team members mentioned in this newsletter?  Here are the details:

 Jim Parsons, Senior Engineering Consultant, jimp@neundorfer.com, (816) 828-5557

Mae Kowalke, Manager of Stories, maek@neundorfer.com, (440) 283-0317

Brian Malloy, Field Application Manager, brianm@neundorfer.com, (440) 796-2844

 

 

Neundorfer is first and foremost a consulting organization serving power utilities and process-based heavy industry. Our goal is the same as yours: improve air pollution control and reduce energy consumption using electrostatic precipitators and fabric filters (baghouses). Learn more about our services and training events: visit www.neundorfer.com or call (440) 942-8990.