RDF Storage Building (Ames, Iowa)

 storage, waste

Building to store refuse derived fuel prior to burning in the Ames Municipal Power Plant.
Fuel is delivered at south end by pneumatic tubes onto a large moving floor, much like a conveyor belt, and is slowly fed into other tubes to deliver fuel to power plant as needed.
Originally, fuel was stored on a turntable housed in a round bell-shaped building. The former design was flawed in that the first-in RDF would sit in center of turntable for a very long time, and get rancid. By changing to a moving floor, first-in-first-out system, the stored fuel has more consistency and less problem with fowling due to damaged fuel. Evidence of the former storage building can be seen from the circular foundation under the rectangular building.