Search results for "Environmental Biotechnology"
showing 10 items of 568 documents
Mathematical modelling of greenhouse gas emissions from membrane bioreactors: A comprehensive comparison of two mathematical models.
2018
Abstract This paper compares two mathematical models (Model I and Model II) to predict greenhouse gases emission from a University Cape Town (UCT) – membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant. Model I considers N 2 O production only during denitrification. Model II takes into account the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) formation pathways for N 2 O. Both models were calibrated adopting real data. Model comparison was performed in terms of (i) sensitivity analysis (ii) best fit and (iii) model prediction uncertainty. On average 6% of factors of Model I and 9% of Model II resulted to be important. In terms of best fit, Model II had a better capability of reproducing the measured data. The average effici…
The effect of the solids and hydraulic retention time on moving bed membrane bioreactor performance
2018
Abstract The aim of the present paper was to investigate the effect of solids (SRT) and hydraulic (HRT) retention time on Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) University of Cape Town (UCT) membrane Bioreactor (MBR). In particular, three different pairs of SRT and HRT values were analysed, namely, Phase I 56 d/30 h, Phase II 31 d/15 h and Phase III 7 d/13 h. The short-term effect of these three SRT/HRT conditions was assessed by analysing several system performance indicators: organic carbon and biological nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) removal, biomass respiratory activity, activated sludge filtration properties and membrane fouling. The results showed that the decrease of SRT/…
Efficiency of a digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) method for monitoring the surface velocity of hyper-concentrated flows
2018
Digital particle image velocimetry records high resolution images and allows the identification of the position of points in different time instants. This paper explores the efficiency of the digital image-technique for remote monitoring of surface velocity and discharge measurement in hyper-concentrated flow by the way of laboratory experiment. One of the challenges in the application of the image-technique is the evaluation of the error in estimating surface velocity. The error quantification is complex because it depends on many factors characterizing either the experimental conditions or/and the processing algorithm. In the present work, attention is devoted to the estimation error due …
Flow resistance law under equilibrium bed-load transport conditions
2018
Abstract The uniform flow resistance equation, in the form due to Manning or Darcy-Weisbach, is often applied to determine the stage-discharge relationship of a river cross-section. The application of this equation, namely the slope-area method, allows to indirectly measure by water level readings the corresponding river discharge. In this paper, a recently deduced flow resistance equation for open channel flow was tested during conditions of equilibrium bed-load transport. First the flow resistance equation was determined by dimensional analysis and applying the condition of incomplete self-similarity for the flow velocity profile. Then the analysis was developed by the following steps: (i…
Testing the USLE-M family of models at the Sparacia experimental site in south Italy
2017
The modified Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE-M) was empirically deduced by a statistical analysis of the original data set of soil loss measurements used to derive the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The USLE-M, including the effect of runoffin the event rainfall-runofferosivity factor, is characterized by a better capacity to predict event soil loss. At first, in this paper, using the soil erosion representative variables of USLE-M and the reference condition adopted in the USLE, the dimensional analysis and the self-similarity theory are applied to theoretically deduce a multiplicative equation similar to the USLE-M. Then using the database of the Sparacia experimental site, the a…
Assessing flow resistance in gravel bed channels by dimensional analysis and self-similarity
2018
Abstract In this paper a new flow resistance equation for open channel flow, based on the integration of a power velocity profile, was tested for gravel bed channels. First this flow resistance equation, theoretically deduced by dimensional analysis and incomplete self-similarity condition, was reported. Then a relationship between the Γ function of the velocity profile, the channel slope and the Froude number was calibrated by the available laboratory measurements of flow velocity, water depth and bed slope carried out in 416 flume experimental runs with a gravel bed. Then the relationship for estimating Γ function and the theoretical resistance equation was tested by 83 independent flume …
Evaluating the Effects of Sediment Transport on Pipe Flow Resistance
2021
In this paper, the applicability of a theoretical flow resistance law to sediment-laden flow in pipes is tested. At first, the incomplete self-similarity (ISS) theory is applied to deduce the velocity profile and the corresponding flow resistance law. Then the available database of measurements carried out by clear water and sediment-laden flows with sediments having a quasi-uniform sediment size and three different values of the mean particle diameter Dm (0.88 mm, 0.41 mm and 0.30 mm) are used to calibrate the Γ parameter of the power-velocity profile. The fitting of the measured local velocity to the power distribution demonstrates that (i) for clear flow the exponent δ can be estimated b…
New Theoretical Solution of Stage-Discharge Relationship for Slit Weirs
2018
In this paper, the flow-process of a slit weir was analyzed on the basis of a theorem of dimensional analysis and incomplete selfsimilarity theory. The theoretically deduced stage-discharge formula then was calibrated using experimental data obtained for a ratio between the weir and the channel width, ranging from 0.05 to 0.25. The deduced stage-discharge relationship allowed measuring discharge values characterized by errors that, for 98% of the measured values, were less than or equal to 5%. The performance of the proposed theoreticalstage-discharge formula also was improved by introducing the Reynolds number (for 98.5% of the measured values the error was less than or equal to 5%, and th…
Durable Rural Development Through the 2014 - 2020 National Rural Development Program
2018
Abstract Rural Development Policy is a priority for the E.U., as half of the Union’s population lives in rural areas. This policy is focused on society’s durable development, under all its aspects: economic, social, cultural, and so on. The challenges which rural areas of member states face must be addressed, while at the same time applying European norms and standards for rural development. After Romania became a part of the E.U., rural areas here were supported through several national rural development programs, so as to create a durable and sustainable rural economy. Major changes are required to achieve this kind of development, such as replacing old agricultural structures, modernizin…
Widening the applicability of AnMBR for urban wastewater treatment through PDMS membranes for dissolved methane capture: Effect of temperature and hy…
2021
[EN] AnMBR technology is a promising alternative to achieve future energy-efficiency and environmental-friendly urban wastewater (UWW) treatment. However, the large amount of dissolved methane lost in the effluent represents a potential high environmental impact that hinder the feasibility of this technology for full-scale applications. The use of degassing membranes (DM) to capture the dissolved methane from AnMBR effluents can be considered as an interesting alternative to solve this problem although further research is required to assess the suitability of this emerging technology. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of operating temperature and hydrodynamics on the capture of…