EA4527/2017-18

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN SESSION 2017-18

EA4527
Degree Examination in EA4527 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Thursday 3 May 2018 2.00 – 5.00pm

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING

(i) You must not have in your possession any material other than that expressly permitted in the rules
appropriate to this examination. Where this is permitted, such material must not be amended,
annotated or modified in any way.

(ii) You must not have in your possession any material that could be determined as giving you an
advantage in the examination.

(iii) You must not attempt to communicate with any candidate during the exam, either orally or by
passing written material, or by showing material to another candidate, nor must you attempt to
view another candidate’s work.

(iv) You must not take to your examination desk any electronic devices such as mobile phones or other
“smart” devices. The only exception to this rule is an approved calculator.

Failure to comply with the above will be regarded as cheating and may lead to disciplinary action as
indicated in the Academic Quality Handbook.

Notes: (i) Candidates ARE permitted to use an approved calculator

(ii) Candidates ARE NOT permitted to use Engineering Mathematics Handbook

(iii) Candidates ARE NOT permitted to use GREEN or RED pen in their exam booklet.

(iv) Data sheets are attached to the paper.

Attempts ALL questions

Each question is worth 20 marks.

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Question 1

a) Explain in your own words what ‘critical point’ is and why it is of interest in the study of rivers and
streams’ water quality.
[5 marks]

b) A river travelling at a velocity of 6 km/day has a dissolved-oxygen content of 4 mg/L and an

ultimate BOD of 19 mg/L at distance x = 0 km, that is, immediately downstream of a waste
discharge. The waste has a BOD decay coefficient kd of 0.3 day-1 (measured at 20°C). The stream has
a reaeration rate coefficient kr of 0.5 day-1 (measured at 20°C) and the temperature of the water is
of 25°C. Calculate:
(b.1) The initial dissolved-oxygen deficit
[3 marks]
(b.2) The location of the critical point, in time (days) and distance (km)
[6 marks]
(b.3.) The oxygen deficit at the critical point
[3 marks]

(b.4.) The dissolved-oxygen concentration at the critical point

[3 marks]

Question 2

a) A wastewater treatment plant will receive a flow of 35,000 m3/day. Calculate the surface area (in
m2), diameter (in m), volume (in m3), and hydraulic retention time (in h) of a 3 m deep circular,
primary clarifier that would remove 50 percent of suspended solids. Assume the surface overflow
rate (SOR) used for the design is 60 m3/ (m2 ∙day).
[10 marks]

b) In the winter, a stream has a flow of 10 m3/s and receives discharge from a pipe that contains
road runoff. The pipe has a flow of 5 m3/s. The stream's chloride concentration just upstream of the
pipe's discharge is 12 mg/L, and the runoff pipe's discharge has a chloride concentration of 40 mg/L.
Chloride is a conservative substance.

(b.1) Does wintertime salt usage on the road elevate the downstream chloride concentration
above 20 mg/L?
[5 marks]

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(b.2) What is the maximum daily mass of chloride (metric ton/day) that can be discharged
through the road runoff pipe without exceeding the water quality standard (chloride
concentration below 20 mg/l)?.

Note 1 metric ton = 106 g

[5 marks]

Question 3

a) A storage tank containing methane (CH4) is located 1,500 m from a residential area. Estimate the
amount of methane gas per unit of time (in kg/s) that must be instantaneously released at ground
level to produce a maximum concentration at the boundary of the residential area equal to 90 ppm.
Assume the atmospheric stability class that will provide the worst case conditions, and that the wind
speed velocity is 2 m/s. Use Table 3 (provided in the formulae and tables sheet) to determine the
dispersion coefficients.
Molar masses: C = 12, H = 1.
[12 marks]

b) In the study of the chemical composition of solid wastes, the proximate analysis plays a key role.
List the main chemical properties that can be studied from the proximate analysis of a solid waste
sample.
[8 marks]

Question 4

a) A rectangular tank, with length-width ratio of 3, is to treat 59,500 m3/day of raw water (no
coagulation is required). It should remove all particles greater than 0.06 mm with particle density of
1,100 kg/m3. The tank should be 5 m deep. If Stokes’ law is fully applicable, determine:

(a.1.) detention time

[5 marks]

(a.2.) volume of the tank.

[10 marks]

Assume water density is 1,000 kg/m3 and dynamics viscosity (µ) =10-3 kg/(m∙s).

b) Explain biological nitrification and denitrification either by words or with reactions.

[5 marks]

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Question 5

a) Define porosity by using the relevant mathematical expression(s), indicate the different types of
porosity, and in your own words explain the importance of the type of porosity in hydrogeological
studies.
[6 marks]

b) Calculate the particle density (in kg/m3) of a soil sample which bulk density is 1.85 g/cm3 and
porosity is 30%.
[5 marks]

c) Define what is meant as aquifer, and identify the types of aquifers depicted in Figure 1 by
writing their names in the captions a), b) and c).

Water level Water level Water level

Aquiclude
Aquifer

Aquitard

Aquifer Aquifer Aquifer

Aquiclude Aquiclude Aquiclude

a)
b) c)

Figure 1. Types of aquifers

[9 marks]

END OF EXAM PAPER

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FORMULA AND TABLES

BOD:
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t
𝑦𝑦
y= = L𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵(
1 −𝑡𝑡 = )
t − 𝑒𝑒 −𝐾𝐾1 𝑡𝑡 )
e −𝐿𝐿K01(1 ⇒   =
1
+
K12 / 3
t ⇒ x = A + Bt
 y ( K1 L0 )1/ 3
o
6 L01/ 3
1/ 3
t 1 K12 / 3 B 1
where: x =   , A= , B= ⇒ K1 = 6 and L0 =
 y ( K1 L0 ) 1/ 3
6 L01/ 3 A 6 A2 B

DO Sag Curve:

(e− kd t − e− kr t ) + Da e− kr t , when kd= kr : D = ( kd tLa + Da )e− k d t

kd La
D=
kr − k d
v
kd ,20 = K1 + η , kd = kd ,20θ T − 20 where θ=1.135 for T∈(4-20oC), θ=1.056 for T∈(20-30oC)
H
3.9v 0.5
kr, 20 = , k r = k r ,20θ T − 20 where θ=1.024
H 1.5

DLt / dt = -k Lt

kT = k 20θ (T − 20 ) , where θ = 1.047 for 20 ˚C < T < 30 ˚C; θ = 1.35 for 4 ˚C < T < 20 ˚C

1 k  k − kd  
The critical point: t c = ln  r 1 − Da r  ,
kr − k d  k d  k d La  

1  Da 
when kd= kr t c = 1 − 
kd  La 
Table 1. Equilibrium concentrations of dissolved oxygen (mg/l) as a function of temperature
Temperature oC DOs (mg/l) Temperature oC DOs (mg/l)
9 11.59 20 9.17
10 11.33 21 8.99
11 11.08 22 8.83
12 10.83 23 8.68
13 10.60 24 8.53
14 10.37 25 8.38
15 10.15 26 8.22
16 9.95 27 8.07
17 9.74 28 7.92
18 9.54 29 7.77
19 9.35 30 7.63

Enrichment ratio
0.3
Ero = + 1.08
% soil organic matter

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Potency factor: po = % soil organic matter × Ero

Efficiency of BOD removal from a filter

100%
EFF =
W
1 + 0.44
VF
where:

W = BOD loading [kg/day],

3
V = volume of filter [m ],
1+ R
F = number of effective passes: F =
(1 + 0.1R) 2
R = is recirculation ratio

1 Pa = 1 N/m2

G=(P/μV)1/2

Modified Dulong formula: E =337 C + 1428 (H - O/8) + 9 S

The concentration of an air pollutant at any point P(x,y,z) located downwind from a point of
release:

  y  
2
 1  z 2
Q 1
C( x , y , z ) = exp −    exp −   
2π u σ y σ z  2σy    2  σ z  
 
Corrections:
A) Average wind velocity:

a
 z 
U z = U 10  
 z10 

B) Emission concentration at average times different than 10 minutes:

0.1.65
 10 
C t = C10  
 t 

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Table 2. Holland stability function and averaged exponent values for every atmospheric stability
class
Atmospheric Stability Class Stability Avg. Values of dT/dz
Stability Function, Exponent, in ˚C/m
Ks a
Very Unstable A 1.2 0.141 -1.9
Unstable B 1.2 0.176 -1.9 to -1.7
Slightly unstable C 1.1 0.174 -1.7 to -1.5
Neutral D 1.0 0.209 -1.5 to -0.5
Slightly stable E 0.9 0.277 -0.5 to 1.5
Stable F 0.8 0.414 1.5 to 4.0

Plume height above the source:

vs D   Ts − Ta 
∆h = 1.5 +  2.68 × 10 −5 p D 
u   Ts 

Table 3. Recommended Equations for Pasquill-Gifford Dispersion Coefficients for Puff

Dispersion (the downwind distance x has units of meters)

Pasquill-Gifford
Stability class σy (m) σz (m)
A 0.18 x0.92 0.60 x0.75
B 0.14 x0.92 0.53 x0.73
C 0.10 x0.92 0.34 x0.71
D 0.06 x0.92 0.15 x0.70
E 0.04 x0.92 0.10 x0.65
F 0.02 x0.89 0.05 x0.61
A-F are defined in Table 2

Sotkes’ Law:

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Turner’s standard deviation of horizontal plume concentration, σy, based on the Pasquill classes

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Turner’s standard deviation of vertical plume concentration, σz, based on the Pasquill classes

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Tables of Error Function

X ERF X ERF X ERF X ERF X ERF X ERF
0.01 0.0113 0.51 0.5292 1.01 0.8468 1.51 0.9673 2.01 0.9955 2.51 0.9996
0.02 0.0226 0.52 0.5379 1.02 0.8508 1.52 0.9684 2.02 0.9957 2.52 0.9996
0.03 0.0338 0.53 0.5465 1.03 0.8548 1.53 0.9695 2.03 0.9959 2.53 0.9997
0.04 0.0451 0.54 0.5549 1.04 0.8586 1.54 0.9706 2.04 0.9961 2.54 0.9997
0.05 0.0564 0.55 0.5633 1.05 0.8624 1.55 0.9716 2.05 0.9963 2.55 0.9997
0.06 0.0676 0.56 0.5716 1.06 0.8661 1.56 0.9726 2.06 0.9964 2.56 0.9997
0.07 0.0789 0.57 0.5798 1.07 0.8698 1.57 0.9736 2.07 0.9966 2.57 0.9997
0.08 0.0901 0.58 0.5879 1.08 0.8733 1.58 0.9745 2.08 0.9967 2.58 0.9997
0.09 0.1013 0.59 0.5959 1.09 0.8768 1.59 0.9755 2.09 0.9969 2.59 0.9998
0.10 0.1125 0.60 0.6039 1.10 0.8802 1.60 0.9763 2.10 0.9970 2.60 0.9998
0.11 0.1236 0.61 0.6117 1.11 0.8835 1.61 0.9772 2.11 0.9972 2.61 0.9998
0.12 0.1348 0.62 0.6194 1.12 0.8868 1.62 0.9780 2.12 0.9973 2.62 0.9998
0.13 0.1459 0.63 0.6270 1.13 0.8900 1.63 0.9788 2.13 0.9974 2.63 0.9998
0.14 0.1569 0.64 0.6346 1.14 0.8931 1.64 0.9796 2.14 0.9975 2.64 0.9998
0.15 0.1680 0.65 0.6420 1.15 0.8961 1.65 0.9804 2.15 0.9976 2.65 0.9998
0.16 0.1790 0.66 0.6494 1.16 0.8991 1.66 0.9811 2.16 0.9977 2.66 0.9998
0.17 0.1900 0.67 0.6566 1.17 0.9020 1.67 0.9818 2.17 0.9979 2.67 0.9998
0.18 0.2009 0.68 0.6638 1.18 0.9048 1.68 0.9825 2.18 0.9980 2.68 0.9998
0.19 0.2118 0.69 0.6708 1.19 0.9076 1.69 0.9832 2.19 0.9980 2.69 0.9999
0.20 0.2227 0.70 0.6778 1.20 0.9103 1.70 0.9838 2.20 0.9981 2.70 0.9999
0.21 0.2335 0.71 0.6847 1.21 0.9130 1.71 0.9844 2.21 0.9982 2.71 0.9999
0.22 0.2443 0.72 0.6914 1.22 0.9155 1.72 0.9850 2.22 0.9983 2.72 0.9999
0.23 0.2550 0.73 0.6981 1.23 0.9181 1.73 0.9856 2.23 0.9984 2.73 0.9999
0.24 0.2657 0.74 0.7047 1.24 0.9205 1.74 0.9861 2.24 0.9985 2.74 0.9999
0.25 0.2763 0.75 0.7112 1.25 0.9229 1.75 0.9867 2.25 0.9985 2.75 0.9999
0.26 0.2869 0.76 0.7175 1.26 0.9252 1.76 0.9872 2.26 0.9986 2.76 0.9999
0.27 0.2974 0.77 0.7238 1.27 0.9275 1.77 0.9877 2.27 0.9987 2.77 0.9999
0.28 0.3079 0.78 0.7300 1.28 0.9297 1.78 0.9882 2.28 0.9987 2.78 0.9999
0.29 0.3183 0.79 0.7361 1.29 0.9319 1.79 0.9886 2.29 0.9988 2.79 0.9999
0.30 0.3286 0.80 0.7421 1.30 0.9340 1.80 0.9891 2.30 0.9989 2.80 0.9999
0.31 0.3389 0.81 0.7480 1.31 0.9361 1.81 0.9895 2.31 0.9989 2.81 0.9999
0.32 0.3491 0.82 0.7538 1.32 0.9381 1.82 0.9899 2.32 0.9990 2.82 0.9999
0.33 0.3593 0.83 0.7595 1.33 0.9400 1.83 0.9903 2.33 0.9990 2.83 0.9999
0.34 0.3694 0.84 0.7651 1.34 0.9419 1.84 0.9907 2.34 0.9991 2.84 0.9999
0.35 0.3794 0.85 0.7707 1.35 0.9438 1.85 0.9911 2.35 0.9991 2.85 0.9999
0.36 0.3893 0.86 0.7761 1.36 0.9456 1.86 0.9915 2.36 0.9992 2.86 0.9999
0.37 0.3992 0.87 0.7814 1.37 0.9473 1.87 0.9918 2.37 0.9992 2.87 1.0000
0.38 0.4090 0.88 0.7867 1.38 0.9490 1.88 0.9922 2.38 0.9992 2.88 1.0000
0.39 0.4187 0.89 0.7918 1.39 0.9507 1.89 0.9925 2.39 0.9993 2.89 1.0000
0.40 0.4284 0.90 0.7969 1.40 0.9523 1.90 0.9928 2.40 0.9993 2.90 1.0000
0.41 0.4380 0.91 0.8019 1.41 0.9539 1.91 0.9931 2.41 0.9993 2.91 1.0000
0.42 0.4475 0.92 0.8068 1.42 0.9554 1.92 0.9934 2.42 0.9994 2.92 1.0000
0.43 0.4569 0.93 0.8116 1.43 0.9569 1.93 0.9937 2.43 0.9994 2.93 1.0000
0.44 0.4662 0.94 0.8163 1.44 0.9583 1.94 0.9939 2.44 0.9994 2.94 1.0000
0.45 0.4755 0.95 0.8209 1.45 0.9597 1.95 0.9942 2.45 0.9995 2.95 1.0000
0.46 0.4847 0.96 0.8254 1.46 0.9611 1.96 0.9944 2.46 0.9995 2.96 1.0000
0.47 0.4937 0.97 0.8299 1.47 0.9624 1.97 0.9947 2.47 0.9995 2.97 1.0000
0.48 0.5027 0.98 0.8342 1.48 0.9637 1.98 0.9949 2.48 0.9995 2.98 1.0000
0.49 0.5117 0.99 0.8385 1.49 0.9649 1.99 0.9951 2.49 0.9996 2.99 1.0000
0.50 0.5205 1.00 0.8427 1.50 0.9661 2.00 0.9953 2.50 0.9996 3.00 1.0000

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