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Sample Exam

This document appears to be the instructions and questions for a final exam in a course on physical principles of environmental engineering. The exam contains 4 questions covering various topics related to diffusion, mass transfer, reaction kinetics, and modeling approaches for problems involving dissolved oxygen, BOD, toxic contaminants and emissions. Students are instructed to answer all questions in the 3 hour exam period. They are allowed to use a handheld calculator and one sheet of paper for equations. The questions involve calculations related to evaporation rates, concentration profiles, flux equations, reactor sizing, and identification of appropriate modeling approaches for different environmental scenarios.

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84 views4 pages

Sample Exam

This document appears to be the instructions and questions for a final exam in a course on physical principles of environmental engineering. The exam contains 4 questions covering various topics related to diffusion, mass transfer, reaction kinetics, and modeling approaches for problems involving dissolved oxygen, BOD, toxic contaminants and emissions. Students are instructed to answer all questions in the 3 hour exam period. They are allowed to use a handheld calculator and one sheet of paper for equations. The questions involve calculations related to evaporation rates, concentration profiles, flux equations, reactor sizing, and identification of appropriate modeling approaches for different environmental scenarios.

Uploaded by

smagh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING

CBE9350- PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

FINAL EXAMINATION – December 12, 2016

TIME: 3 Hours

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

1. This examination paper contains FOUR (4) questions and comprises THREE (3)
printed pages.

2. Answer all questions.

3. Approved models of hand held calculators are allowed.

5. The symbols have their usual meaning.

6. Only one A4 paper containing equations on both sides is allowed.


-2- CBE9350

Question 1

A sphere of naphthalene having a radius of 2.0 mm is suspended in a large volume of


still air at 318 K and 1.01325 x 10 5 Pa (1atm). The surface temperature of the
naphthalene can be assumed to be at 318 K and its vapor pressure at 318 K is 0.555
mm Hg. The DAB of naphthalene in air at 318 K is 6.92 x 10 -6 m2/s; R= 8314
m3.Pa/kg mol.K. Calculate the rate of evaporation of naphthalene from the surface.
Assume the radius of differential element over which mass balance is conducted is
infinite with respect to 2 mm. (12
marks)

Draw the qualitative concentration profiles for i) a drug injected in a vein, (ii) tooth
decay. (4
marks)

Discuss the profiles of diffusion flux and concentration of the diffusing species in the
following cases:
a) Diffusion through a membrane
b) Diffusion through a thin film
c) Diffusion with homogeneous first-order reaction (9 marks)

Question 2
(a) In a tubular bioreactor, oxygen is consumed in a biofilm developed at the pipe
wall. Develop a mass balance model to calculate oxygen concentration in the
reactor. The pipe diameter of the reactor is 5 cm, and the velocity of flow is 2
m/s. If the reactor is 5 m long, calculate the exit concentration of oxygen from
the reactor if the inlet concentration is 8 mg/L.

Following data are given:


2akc
Sh   0.0096 Re 0.913 Sc 0.346
DAB
Diffusivity of oxygen in water: 2.2 x10-5 cm2/s
Kinematic viscosity of water: 0.01 cm2/s (10
marks)

If the velocity of water is decreased by 50%, what will be the effect on oxygen
concentration? In order to use a mass-transfer correlation, what are the factors to
consider? (5
marks)

(b) For oxygen dissolving from ambient air to surface water, write the flux equation
using two-film theory. In this case, which resistance will be greater? Where is
the interface concentration and how do you measure it? (10
marks)

Question 3
-3- CBE9350

(a) Short questions (6 marks)


i) What are the differences and similarities between diffusion and dispersion?
ii) What are Taylor and hydrodynamic dispersions?
iii) Describe the physical significance of Peclet, Sherwood, and Biot numbers?

(b) A 100 m3 reservoir is built to treat combined sewer outflow to remove an organic
compound using ferrate as an oxidant with an oxidation rate constant of 0.05 min -1.
The flow rate to the tank is 10 m3/s. If you are required to remove 95% of the
compound, is this volume good enough? If not what can be done to improve the
performance? (9
marks)

(c)A city is seeking a waiver from the federal government to permit its partially
treated wastewater into a river. However, a species of bass population in the river
requires a minimum of 3 mg/L of dissolved oxygen to survive. Given the following
information, estimate the minimum downstream dissolved oxygen to determine
whether or not the city should be compelled to upgrade the treatment system: (10
marks)

Wastewater discharge (steady-state) =0.5 m3/s


River flow (steady-state) = 9 m3/s
Average cross-sectional river area= 20 m2
DO in the wastewater = 0.2 mg/l
DO in the upstream river = 8 mg/L
Saturation DO in the river at 20 0C = 9 mg/l
BOD in wastewater = 80 mg/L
BOD in the upstream river = 0.1 mg/L
BOD decay constant =0.2/d
Reaeration constant at =0.4/d

Question 4

Identify the modeling approach for the following problems (do not solve) (25 marks).
(i) Dissolved oxygen in a goldfish bowl assuming fish consumes oxygen directly,
fish excreta exert BOD, and interfacial mass transfer of DO.
(ii) Assessment of a toxic waste spill due to secret dumping of a volatile toxic
material in a lake in a windy night.
(iii) Phase partitioning of hydrophobic organic contaminants in surface waters.
(iv) Toxic gas emission from landfills.
(v)Transport of hydrophobic contaminants in ground water.
(vi) Dry and wet deposition of mercury emitted from an incineration plant assuming
mercury adsorbs on particulates.
-4- CBE9350

END OF PAPER

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