ENVL/ENVG 536 - Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes Laboratory                                                           Fall 2002

2002-04 Catalog Description:        

536. Water and Wastewater Treatment Process Laboratory.  Laboratory experiments involving the study of drinking water treatment processes including coagulation and flocculation, settling, filtration and over-all pilot plant design and operation.  Also includes a lab on activated sludge treatment of wastewater and a treatment plant field trip.  Fall.  (Cr.2) 

Corequisite: ENVL 506.

Text: none.

Goal: The goal of  lab is to demonstrate to students the basic processes involved in the treatment of water and waste water and to help them become familiar with the methods used to analyze treatment process efficiency.

Objectives:

1.        Understand the fundamental scientific, mathematic, and engineering principals         that govern the unit processes used to treat drinking water and wastewater.

2.        Provide hands-on experience in the analyses of water and wastewater treatment processes.

3.        Be able to function in teams to solve engineering problems that are relevant to water and wastewater treatment.

4.        Be able to apply established engineering techniques, data analysis, experimental design and critical thinking to the study of water and wastewater unit operations. 

PREREQUISITES BY TOPIC:

1.             Environmental engineering principles                     

2.             Environmental Fluid Mechanics

3.             Environmental Chemistry

4.             Environmental Microbiology

  Syllabus

TEXTBOOK:                       None                     

COORDINATOR:               Dr. Robert R. Sharp, Associate Professor of  Environmental Engineering

Prerequisites:      

1.        Environmental chemistry

2.        Fluid mechanics

3.        Mass balances

4.        Nutrient cycles

5.        Microbiological growth and kinetics  

Topics:

1.        Tour of Ridgewood water treatment plant (one 3-hour class).

2.        Wastewater treatment plant. Tour of Yonkers Wastewater Treatment Plant (one 3-hour classes)

3.        Residence time distributions and treatment efficiency and Pilot Plant Demonstration: Students are introduced to the water treatment pilot plant and are shown a demonstration  on how the pilot plant works.  The students conduct a dye-tracer test and analyze the three flocculation basins as CFSTRs in series. The concepts behind each unit process arre discussed and measurements were made to demonstrate its effectiveness (turbidity and particle counts).   The purpose of the lab and demonstration is to show the students how the ideal reactor concepts, mass balances  and theories learned in class are applied.        Report was required.  (two 3-hour classes)

4.        Determination of critical coagulant dose: Jar tests were used to determine both the type and concentration of coagulant that best treatment of the pilot plant raw water.  The lab involved the operation  of the pilot plant, the use of the Phippsburg jar test device, the particle counter, pH meter, and photo spectrometer.  Lab report was required. (one 4-hour class)

5.        Evaluation of pilot plant performance: settling efficiency, filtration, and backwash. The efficiency of each pilot plant unit process was evaluated, including the effective backwash rate.  Measurement of  the physical and chemical parameters of the pilot plant were taken.  Theoretical efficiencies for each units and the pilot plant as a whole were determined and compared to the actual data collected form the plant.  \From these comparisons, explanation for discrepancies between theoretical and actual efficiencies were developed. Lab report was mandatory (two 3-hour classes).

6.        Activated Sludge Analysis - Perform an analysis on a bench scale activated sludge systems.   Includes BODs, CODs, Solids, Microscopy and solids balance, and nutrients.  Report required.  (two - 3-hour classes).

  Computer Usage: Students used advanced spreadsheet methods and word processing.  The use of  MathCad was        encouraged, but not mandatory.

  Computer Usage:

Excel / Word / MathCa

Laboratory Experience:

This is the lab course for ENVL 506.

Relationship to Environmental Engineering Program:

This course is required for students in the Env. Engr. Program.  It teaches them the basic process (microbial, chemical and physical) and design principles of water and wastewater treatment using hands on laboratory methods and field trips.  The course also teaches students standard methods for evaluating individual processes (jar tests, dye tracer tests, respirometry, BOD, cell counts, etc.) and how design and process operation are related.   The students are required to analyze their laboratory data, compare operational data to design criteria, and ijnn some cases develop their own studies to determine process efficiency. The students apply much of the knowledge they have gained in previous courses and in the co-current lecture course ENVL 506.  In many of the labs the students work in groups.

  Outcome Criteria Addressed:        

(1) Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering (ABET –a)

(4) Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems (ABET-e)

(6) Knowledge and understanding of basic water and wastewater treatment processes and their application

Assessment Tools:                  

Lab reports and class participation. 

Professional ABET category content as estimated by the faculty member who prepared this course description:

Engineering Science:   0.5 credit (50%)

Engineering Design:    0.5 credit (50%

Prepared by the Course Coordinator:    

Dr. Robert Sharp, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering………….………February 2002