A COMPUTER SIMULATION PROGRAM FOR OPTIMIZING CONJUNCTIVE OPERATION OF DESALTING PLANTS1

ABSTRACT .Desalting plants can provide a means of firming up erratic natural supplies when properly operated in conjunction with existing water supply reservoir systems. Since the natural inflow is variable, the choice of when to run the desalting plant is difficult. If the plant is turned on too late, a shortage may result; or if the plant runs too long, costly water may be wasted. A computer program is described that can help water planners find an optimal operating rule, i.e., a policy that tells when to turn the plant on and off to meet a given demand. Criteria for defining the firm water yield of the system (with and without desalting) are first defined. The logic of the program is then described. The program, written in FORTRAN IV, successively simulates operation of the given size reservoir-desalting plant system under control of various operating rules and selects the optimal rule as the one which produces the required firm water yield at the least unit cost. The optimal plant size and the staging of construction can also be studied by making a series of computations. Applications of the Operating Rule Program to water systems in California, Utah and New York are described. The studies show that, compared with base load operation, substantial savings are possible if optimum intermittent conjunctive operation of the desalting plant is followed.     

PERFORMANCE VARIATIONS OF COD AND NITROGEN REMOVAL BY VEGETATED SUBMERGED BED WETLANDS1

ABSTRACT: Vegetated submerged bed wetlands can supplement treatment of onsite wastewater systems. This study evaluated vegetation, media, and seasonal impacts on system performance in six meso scale rock plant filters with and without narrow leaf cattails (Typha augustifolia). Daily chemical oxygen demand (COD) reductions in planted cells averaged 85 percent and weekly total nitrogen (TN) reductions averaged 50 percent. Planted cells had 17 percent greater COD reduction and 76 percent greater TN reduction than unplanted cells, both significant differences. Media type affected COD reduction, particularly in unplanted cells. COD treatment in planted cells was highest for fine crushed limestone (87±13 percent) and least variable for coarse river gravel (85±11 percent). No significant difference in TN reduction was observed for different media types (48 to 51 percent range). Seasonal influences on treatment included a significant decrease during late fall and early spring and a significant increase with temperature. After a step increase in organic loading, treatment efficiency decreased sharply but returned to prior levels after an adaptation period of about one month. Planted cells not only exhibited higher treatment efficiency but also had a retarded organic matter breakthrough, appearing after three to seven times the period for a bromide tracer. This supports a hypothesis that retardation of contaminant movement through the treatment cells results in enhanced removal. These results support the use of rock plant filters, but demonstrate the need to account for performance variations in system design. (KEY TERMS: constructed wetlands; seasonal effects; subsurface flow; Typha augustifolia; onsite wastewater treatment; water quality.)     

BATCH REACTOR UNVEGETATED WETLAND PERFORMANCE IN TREATING DAIRY WASTEWATER1

ABSTRACT: Wetlands that treat holding pond effluent can be designed to utilize the pond storage capacity to allow flexibility in system management. Management of a wetland as a sequencing batch reactor can simplify operation and control detention times, but little performance data on such systems are available. The objective of this study was to evaluate the batch reactor wetland concept by quantifying removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended sediments (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium (NH₄), nitrate (NO₃), total phosphorus (TP), and orthophosphate (PO₄) and by assessing the suitability of first‐order kinetics. Weekly samples were collected following batch loadings of wetland cells with high concentration or low concentration dairy holding pond wastewater during both fall and spring seasons. During three‐week batch periods without plants, overall mass removal averaged 54 percent for COD, 58 percent for TSS, 90 percent for TN, 72 percent for NH₄, ‐54 percent for NO₃, 38 percent for TP, and ‐8 percent for PO₄. Best fit, first‐order kinetic rate constant (k) and background concentration (C*) for COD varied by season, with k = 0.024/d and C*= 0 mg/l in fall and k = 0.056/d and C*= 200 mg/l in spring. Ammonium exhibited a consistent C*= 0 mg/l but had variable rate constants of k = 0.121/d for low concentration treatments and k = 0.079/d for high concentration treatments. Using first‐order kinetics was also appropriate for TN, with k = 0.061/d and C*= 0 mg/l for all loadings and seasons, but was not consistently appropriate for TP or PO₄. These results support the use of first‐order kinetics to describe treatment in batch reactor wastewater treatment wetlands without vegetation, perhaps during the establishment phase or in open water zones of vegetated wetlands. Further work is needed to assess the effects of vegetation.     

含油污水回用处理新工艺研究

研究了一种处理回用含油污水的新工艺,二期炼油污水深度处理中试研究表明,以炼油企业二级处理达标排放污水为处理对象,在使用该工艺处理水量为0.5m3/h、水力停留时间为1.49h 以及污水中COD、氨氮、石油类的浓度变化分别为44.07～102.13 mg/L、28.37～50.01 mg/L、4.10～6.77 mg/L时,平均去除率分别达到94%、96.1%、91.9%,其排出水质符合循环水补充水的水质要求。对该工艺进行了5.5h抗冲击实验,结果表明其抗冲击能力优良。     

USE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MUNICIPAL WATER RESTRICTIONS DURING DROUGHT IN COLORADO1

ABSTRACT: Drought conditions in the summer of 2002 prompted several cities along Colorado's Front Range to enact restrictions on outdoor water use, focusing primarily on limiting the frequency of lawn watering. The different approaches utilized by eight water providers were tracked to determine the level of water savings achieved, measured as a comparison of 2002 usage to 2000 to 2001 average usage, and also based on a statistical estimate of 2002 “expected use” that accounts for the impact of drought conditions on demand. Mandatory restrictions were shown to be an effective tool for drought coping. During periods of mandatory restrictions, savings measured in expected use per capita ranged from 18 to 56 percent, compared to just 4 to 12 percent savings during periods of voluntary restrictions. As anticipated, providers with the most stringent restrictions achieved the greatest savings.     

DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING FOR OPTIMAL CAPACITY EXPANSION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS1

ABSTRACT: A dynamic programming procedure for the planning and operation of a wastewater treatment plant over a long period of time is presented. In order to meet increased demands for wastewater treatment in the future, the expansion of existing plants must be considered. Dynamic programming is employed to determine the optimal schedule of expansion at each plant, simultaneously determining an optimal operating policy (treatment level). The optimal schedule of expansion at each plant depends on the following: (1) the shape of the projected wastewater demand function; (2) the interest rate used; (3) the locations and capacities of the facilities available; and (4) the rates of increase of the costs of construction, labor, chemicals, and electric power. An example illustrating the use of the procedure is presented.     

THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF DUAL PURPOSE NUCLEAR DESALINATION OF GROUND WATER1

ABSTRACT: The economic feasibility of a large scale dual purpose (desalting water and power production) facility were evaluated. Although a site in the Tularosa basin of southern New Mexico was chosen as a case study for this analysis, it is believed that the approach and consequential results would be applicable to alternative sites in the Southwest. The basic project evaluated included: a) a ground water well field; b) a dual purpose, nuclear, desalination plant; c) a mineral recovery plant; and d) a reservoir for recreation and irrigation storage. Principle project outputs included electrical power, minerals, recreation, and water for either irrigated agricultural production or export to an adjoining river basin. Two alternative project designs were developed for detailed analysis. The first alternative encompassed all major project components. The results, in discounted net values used to assess the feasibility of the project, were essentially negative; that is, values were less than zero for full scale development. The net benefits ranged from $-986.57 million at a 5 percent discount rate, to $-1,137.528 million at a discount rate of 10 percent. In the second alternative, exportation of the desalted water from the Tularosa basin to two adjacent rivers was analyzed with somewhat better net benefits, ranging from $-382,527 million to $-478,612 million at the 5 and 10 percent discount rates.     

CO2 capture from coal-fired power plants based on sodium carbonate slurry; a systems feasibility and sensitivity study

In this work the feasibility of a CO₂ capture system based on sodium carbonate–bicarbonate slurry and its integration with a power plant is studied. The results are compared to monoethanolamine (MEA)-based capture systems. Condensing power plant and combined heat and power plant with CO₂ capture is modelled to study the feasibility of combined heat and power plant for CO₂ capture.Environmental friendly sodium carbonate would be an interesting chemical for CO₂ capture. Sodium carbonate absorbs CO₂ forming sodium bicarbonate. The low solubility of sodium bicarbonate is a weak point for the sodium carbonate based liquid systems since it limits the total concentration of carbonate. In this study the formation of solid bicarbonate is allowed, thus forming slurry, which can increase the capacity of the solvent. With this the energy requirement of stripping of the solvent could potentially be around 3.22 MJ/kg of captured CO₂ which is significantly lower than with MEA based systems which typically have energy consumption around 3.8 MJ/kg of captured CO₂.Combined heat and power plants seem to be attractive for CO₂ capture because of the high total energy efficiency of the plants. In a condensing power plant the CO₂ capture decreases directly the electricity production whereas in a combined heat and power plant the loss can be divided between district heat and electricity according to demand.     

Barriers and enablers to climate change adaptation in hierarchical governance systems: the case of Vietnam

Governments fulfil important roles in increasing the adaptive capacity of local communities to respond to climate change impacts, particularly in developing countries. Existing studies on how governments enable and constrain the ways in which local level communities learn and build their adaptive capacity, however, generally adopt network or market-oriented types of governance. However, the most vulnerable regions to climate change impact in the world are generally governed through hierarchical policy systems. This research aims to understand how the hierarchical policy system in Vietnam creates enables and/or constrains the policy capacity of policy actors to contribute to effective climate change adaptation. We conducted interviews (n?=?26) with key actors at multiple levels of government. Our findings show the importance of clear legal institutions, available financing for implementing policies, and the training of governmental staff, particularly at district and commune levels where the policy capacities are generally too low to deal with climate change impacts. We conclude that any efforts to support local actors (i.e. smallholder farmers) should include investments in policy capacity to ensure uptake and upscaling of adaptation actions more broadly.     

Integration of post-combustion capture and storage into a pulverized coal-fired power plant

Post-combustion CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) presents a promising strategy to capture, compress, transport and store CO₂ from a high volume–low pressure flue gas stream emitted from a fossil fuel-fired power plant. This work undertakes the simulation of CO₂ capture and compression integration into an 800 MW_e supercritical coal-fired power plant using chemical process simulators. The focus is not only on the simulation of full load of flue gas stream into the CO₂ capture and compression, but also, on the impact of a partial load. The result reveals that the energy penalty of a low capture efficiency, for example, at 50% capture efficiency with 10% flue gas load is higher than for 90% flue gas load at the equivalent capture efficiency by about 440 kWh_e/tonne CO₂. The study also addresses the effect of CO₂ capture performance by different coal ranks. It is found that lignite pulverized coal (PC)-fired power plant has a higher energy requirement than subbituminous and bituminous PC-fired power plants by 40.1 and 98.6 MW_e, respectively. In addition to the investigation of energy requirement, other significant parameters including energy penalty, plant efficiency, amine flow rate and extracted steam flow rate, are also presented. The study reveals that operating at partial load, for example at half load with 90% CO₂ capture efficiency, as compared with full load, reduces the energy penalty, plant efficiency drop, amine flow rate and extracted steam flow rate by 9.9%, 24.4%, 50.0% and 49.9%, respectively. In addition, the effect of steam extracted from different locations from a series of steam turbine with the objective to achieve the lowest possible energy penalty is evaluated. The simulation shows that a low extracted steam pressure from a series of steam turbines, for example at 300 kPa, minimizes the energy penalty by up to 25.3%.     

CAPACITY EXPANSION PLANNING MODEL FOR WASTE WATER TREATMENT AND I/I CONTROL1

ABSTRACT: A dynamic programming model is presented for planning the optimal capacity expansion sequence of waste water treatment plants servicing sewerage systems with infiltration/inflow. The model employs a nonlinear deterministic demand function for waste water treatment plant capacity. Model output provides the optimal timing, size, and sequence for treatment plant capacity expansion projects and infiltration/inflow removal projects. An example problem is presented and solved.     

丛枝菌根真菌对鸢尾的促进作用研究

为高效利用水陆两栖植物鸢尾修复污染水体,本研究通过测定不同的丛枝菌根真菌（AMF）与鸢尾构建共生体系的生长指标、土壤理化性质及植物光合作用指标,探讨不同AMF对水生植物鸢尾的促进作用。结果表明：AMF对鸢尾的促进作用主要体现在地上及地下两部分,其中地下部分通过利用其庞大的菌丝网络吸收土壤中的营养物质,进而促进了鸢尾的生长,其中对比无菌剂侵染的空白植物,摩西球囊霉作用的鸢尾对氮元素的吸收率提高71.75％,磷元素的吸收率提高8.36％,而根内球囊霉作用的鸢尾对氮元素的吸收率提高42.55％,磷元素的吸收率提高9.5％;而地上部分则是通过加强叶片气孔导度的开启来调控植物净光合速率与蒸腾速率之间的平衡,进而提高了鸢尾的最优水资源利用率,加快植物的新陈代谢,最终促进植物的生长发育。其中对于鸢尾光合作用的调节摩西球囊霉的促进效果显著好于（P＜0.05）根内球囊霉。     

Analysis of the role of waste minimisation clubs in reducing industrial water demand in the UK

As a result of the UK Government's waste policy, which increasingly encourages sustainable development, and the realisation that water in the UK cannot be treated as an unlimited resource, there is growing interest in reducing the demand for water by industry. A series of industrial waste minimisation clubs have been set up within the country. This paper identifies the effectiveness of these clubs in reducing the demand for water. An overview of some of the clubs show how there is a major discrepancy between potential and implemented water savings, whilst a more detailed analysis of three specific examples show how water demand and cost to the company can be reduced, with the project paying for itself within around 1 year. It appears that companies are able to reduce water consumption by approximately 30%. If this level of saving was taken up by the entire industrial sector in England and Wales, water consumption could be reduced by approximately 1500 Ml/day. This reduction would be more significant in regions of lower rainfall, for example East Anglia and Southeast England.     

THE EFFECTWENESS OF PRICING AS A STAND-ALONE WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM1

ABSTRACT: Economic theory clearly indicates that the use of increasing rate structures will reduce the demand for water and produce monetary incentives for consumers to conserve. One problem with estimating the effectiveness of using rate structures as a conservation program is that they are usually accompanied by other conservation efforts. Thus, it is difficult to determine the effectiveness of any one conservation component. This paper examines the effectiveness of increasing rate structures in a situation where no other conservation program was introduced. The paper uses customer data from the Spalding County (Georgia) Water Authority where an increasing rate structure replaced a descending rate structure in January 1991. Since the imposition of the increasing rate structure, the number of customers has increased 21 percent while total water demand has gone up only 15 percent and per customer water use has declined 5 percent. The daily water use per connection has declined from 243 gallons in 1990 to 231 in 1993, and monthly use has gone from 7,381 gallons to 7,028 per connection over the same period. Statistical tests indicate that water consumption during the two periods was significantly different while weather factors were not.     

制冷压缩机生产废水处理工程改造实例

某制冷压缩机生产废水处理工程改造项目采用"物化除磷+生物降解+深度处理"组合工艺,处理后的出水达到《城市污水再生利用—城市杂用水水质》(GB/T18920-2002)要求。实践证明,该改造工程具有处理工艺先进、技术参数合理、自动化程度高、系统运行稳定、抗冲击负荷能力强等特点。     

CONJUNCTIVE SURFACE AND GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE JAKARTA REGION,INDONESIA1

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the degree of economic inefficiency of the current institutional arrangements for surface and ground water management in meeting urban water demand in the Jakarta region. A numerical model of integrated surface and ground water management is developed using GAMS (General Algebraic Modelling System) software. The model maximizes the net present value of social benefits from piped water and ground water consumption across all users over time from 1999 to 2025. Four policy scenarios are examined: the status quo, the social planner's solution, and two ground water pumping quota scenarios: an aggregate ground water pumping quota and a partial quota applied to commercial and industrial users. Three variations in each policy scenario are considered: investment in water infrastructure of the Jakarta water enterprise (PAM Jaya), water demand growth, and discount rates. The status quo, depending on the investment option, the growth of water demand, and the discount rate, results in a 7.4 to 47.8 percent loss in economic efficiency relative to the social planner's solution. The partial quota is the most feasible, applicable, and manageable scenario. The optimal investment option could increase the volume of piped water supply and reduce the cost of water production. The volume of water delivery could increase by up to 156 percent, but it implies only a 35 percent increase in the surface raw water demands above the current level. However, it does not significantly reduce cumulative ground water extraction over the time period considered.     

Investigating the quantitative and qualitative status of effluent in the wastewater treatment plant in Iran Central Iron Ore

The aim of present study was to investigate the quality of the produced effluent from different units of the Iran Central Iron Ore in Bafq city and comparison of effluent with the standards. This study presents the physicochemical and biological parameters data of effluent of three Sequencing batch reactors (SBR) with a capacity of 160 m³?d^?1. Most common parameters include pH, total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), heavy metals, and total coliforms and fecal coliforms as biological indicators. Then, for each SBR system, the average of each parameter was determined, and results were compared with the standard recommended by the Iranian Environmental Protection Agency. Based on the results, some of the parameters, including BOD₅, COD, and TSS in the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, are higher than the permitted amount for discharge to the surface water. Considering the BOD₅, COD, and TSS concentration in WWTPs, the treated wastewater is only suitable for agricultural and irrigation use. Therefore, wastewater produced by Iran Central Iron Ore Co. will need additional treatment to achieve standard quality of water before discharge in surface water and adsorbent well.     

PHOSPHORUS ASSIMILATION IN A STREAM SYSTEM OF THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE BASIN1

ABSTRACT: The ability to predict how streams and wetlands retain phosphorus (P) is critical to the management of watersheds that contribute nutrients to adjacent aquatic systems such as lakes. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the P assimilatory capacity of a stream (Otter Creek) in the Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Basin located north of Lake Okeechobee, Florida. Dominant soils in this basin are sandy Spodosols; landuse is primarily dairy farms and beef cattle pastures. Estimates of P assimilation show that sediments assimilate approximately 5 percent of the P load. Phosphorus assimilation rates in the stream were estimated using first-order relationships based on the total P concentration of the water column as a function of distance from the primary source. This method assumes minimal lateral inputs. Stream lengths required for one turnover in P assimilation were estimated to be in the range of 3–16 km. Laboratory studies using intact sediment cores indicated a P assimilation rate of 0.025 m day^?1, and equilibrium P concentration of 0.16 ± 0.03 mg L^?1 in the water column. Dissolved P concentration gradients in the sediments showed upward flux of P at water column P concentration of <0.16 mg L^?1. Approximately 56–77 percent of the P assimilated in the above-ground vegetation during active growth was released or translocated within six months of senesence, suggesting short-term storage in above-ground vegetation. Bottom sediments and recalcitrant detrital plant tissue provide for long-term P assimilation in the creek. Although stream sediments have the potential to adsorb P, high flow rate and low contact period between water and sediment limits this process.     

DESIGN OF DESALTING PLANTS FOR CONJUNCTIVE OPERATION1

ABSTRACT The selection of an evaporator design must reflect the balancing of captial cost (primarily in heat exchanger surface and vessels) against operating cost (primarily steam cost) to achieve minimum cost. In a conjunctive plant the tendency is to select a low-capital cost, high-operating cost plant. In addition, it is advantageous to use a high-capacity plant which needs to be operated much less of the time than a plant which is sized just at the needed rate. For example, in the study of a possible system to satisfy a future increase of 450 MGD in water supply to New York Qty, a plant of 750 MGD capacity was selected as optimum. This plant, of the advanced VTE-MSF process type, would have a performance ratio of 9 lb product/1000 Btu as compared to 10-13 normally used for base-loaded plants. Steam would be supplied by a multi-unit dual-purpose nuclear power plant. The most economical type of energy supply would be “interruptible”; the steam would be used by a low pressure turbine to generate electricity during periods of peak electrical demand but would be available to the desalting plant at other times. The low pressure turbine would be available as spinning reserve during desalting plant operation. It is estimated that the desalting plant would have a load factor of 27 per cent over its life.