Sustainable Building Engineering

Stoichiometry and kinetic of chemical reactions. Reaction order and its determination by integral and differential methods. Influence of temperature on the reaction rate. Principles of Mass balance representation. (10h) Ideal reactors. Ideal isotherm reactors (batch, CFSTR, PFR). Analysis of the response of CFSTR and PFR under dynamic and steady-state conditions, to step and pulse input signals for different reaction orders. Analysis of in-series CFSTRs and PFRs. Effect of the recycle on PFR and CFSTR. Comparisons of efficiency and conversion rate. Variable volume reactors: Equalization (principles of operation, function and volume determination) and Sequencing Batch Reactors. (mass balance representation) (20h) Characterization parameters of environmental compartments. Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Application of Thomas and differential methods. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). Nitrogen. Phosphorous. Solids. (10h) Biochemical kinetics. Microbial species characterization. Metabolism classification. Bacterial growth. Biochemical kinetic equations. Michaelis-Menten equation. Rate and specific rate of growth. Monod equation. Substrate and microorganism mass balances to suspended biomass CFSTR with and without sludge return, and with sludge waste from the reactor and the sludge return line. Average sludge age. Minimum sludge age. Hydraulic residence time. Organic and volumetric loading factors. Oxygen requirements. Substrate and microorganism mass balances to suspended biomass PFR with sludge return and sludge waste. Substrate and microorganism mass balances to suspended biomass SBR. Comparison of biological processes in CFSTR, PFR and SBR. Sludge Volume Index. Organic and volumetric loading factor. Nitrification process. (30h) Unit operations. Settlement of type I, II, III and IV. Solid Flux theory. Adsorption. Ion exchange. (20h)

The student must already possess the knowledge of chemistry, biology, mathematics, physics and hydraulic engineering.

Recorded lessons and pdf slides of the course available on the Google classroom webpage. L. D. Benefield, J. F. Judkins, B. L., Weand, Process chemistry for water and wastewater treatment, Prentice Hall, Inc., USA.

The course consists of both theory lessons and numerical exercise lessons.

Attendance at the classes is not mandatory although strongly recommended.

The final evaluation is carried out based two tests, one written and one oral, with the final grade calculated as the average of the grades obtained at the two tests. The written test consists of 2-4 exercises on topics of the study program and of the same type as those solved during the course. The oral test can be afforded only by the students who have reached a minimum mark of 18/30 in the written test, and consists of one or more questions on topics of the study program.

J. E. Bailey, D. Ollis, Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals, McGraw-Hill, Inc., USA. L. D. Benefield, J. F. Judkins, B. L., Weand, Process chemistry for water and wastewater treatment, Prentice Hall, Inc., USA. R. E. Treybal, Mass transfer operations, McGraw-Hill, Inc., USA.

The course consists of both theory lessons and numerical exercise lessons.