Physicochemical Processes in Environmental Engineering

Course Description

This comprehensive course on Physicochemical Processes in Environmental Engineering offers an in-depth exploration of fundamental principles and applications crucial for environmental engineers and professionals in related fields. The course is structured into three modules, covering transport phenomena, reactor theory, physical separation processes, and non-microbially-mediated transformations. While the primary focus is on water treatment applications, the principles taught are widely applicable to air pollution dynamics, flow through porous media, and transformations of non-aqueous media.

What students will learn from the course:

  • Fundamental transport phenomena (advection, diffusion, dispersion)
  • Dynamics of interphase transport processes
  • Reaction kinetics and fundamental reactor models
  • Residence time distribution functions and reactor simulation methods
  • Physical separation processes, including gravity-based separations and centrifugation
  • Coagulation/flocculation principles and behavior
  • Filtration theory and applications
  • Adsorption and ion exchange equilibria and dynamics
  • Chemical disinfection kinetics and process behavior
  • Principles of photochemistry and photochemical reactors
  • UV disinfection kinetics
  • Gas-liquid equilibria and transfer dynamics

Pre-requisites or skills necessary to complete the course:

While no specific prerequisites are listed, students should have a strong foundation in basic chemistry, physics, and mathematics. Familiarity with environmental engineering concepts would be beneficial but is not required.

What the course will cover:

  • Contemporary environmental problems and process categories
  • Mass balances and transport phenomena fundamentals
  • Interphase transport and reaction kinetics
  • Basic reactor models and residence time distribution functions
  • Reactor simulation methods
  • Solid-fluid separation processes
  • Gravity-based separation and centrifugation
  • Coagulation and flocculation principles
  • Filtration theory and applications
  • Adsorption and ion exchange processes
  • Chemical disinfection methods and kinetics
  • Photochemistry and UV disinfection
  • Gas-liquid transfer and air stripping

Who this course is for:

This course is ideal for environmental engineering students, professionals in the water treatment industry, and engineers from other disciplines seeking to expand their knowledge of physicochemical processes. It is also valuable for researchers and scientists working on environmental remediation, water quality management, and related fields.

How learners can use these skills in the real world:

  1. Designing and optimizing water treatment plants
  2. Developing innovative solutions for air pollution control
  3. Improving industrial processes that involve separation and transformation of materials
  4. Conducting environmental impact assessments and remediation projects
  5. Advancing research in environmental engineering and related fields
  6. Enhancing the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems
  7. Developing new technologies for water purification and reuse
  8. Addressing challenges in food processing and preservation
  9. Improving air quality management strategies
  10. Optimizing chemical processes in various industries

Syllabus:

The course spans 16 weeks, covering the following topics:

Week 1: Introduction to environmental problems, process categories, mass balances, and transport phenomena Week 2: Interphase transport, reaction kinetics Weeks 3-4: Basic reactor models, residence time distribution functions Week 5: Reactor simulation methods, introduction to solid-fluid separation processes Week 6: Gravity-based separation, ideal settling tank model, centrifuges Weeks 7-8: Coagulation/flocculation, filtration Week 9: Advanced filtration concepts Week 10: Adsorption Week 11: Ion exchange, deionization, introduction to disinfection Weeks 12-13: Disinfection processes, including halogen chemistry and kinetics Weeks 14-15: Photochemistry and UV disinfection Week 16: Gas-liquid transfer and air stripping

This comprehensive course equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle complex environmental challenges using advanced physicochemical processes, making it an invaluable asset for those pursuing careers in environmental engineering and related fields.