Techno-economic evaluation of a chromic wastewater treatment plant proposal

As estações de tratamento de águas residuais são sistemas que, se operados corretamente, podem ajudar a saúde da indústria e do meio ambiente. No presente trabalho, foi realizada a avaliação técnico-econômica de uma proposta de estação de tratamento de efluentes de cromo com capacidade de processamento de 9 t de efluente por lote, a fim de determinar seus principais parâmetros de rentabilidade, utilizando o simulador SuperPro Designer® v. 10. Cerca de 6.959,90 L/lote de água tratada são gerados, enquanto um investimento de capital total de US $3.549 milhões e um capital fixo direto de US$ 3.222 milhões são necessários. O item que mais influencia nos custos operacionais anuais é o dos custos dependentes da instalação (US $345.000/ano) enquanto o reagente que mais influencia nos custos anuais de consumo de materiais é o cloreto férrico (US$ 56.805/ano). Houve um custo unitário de processamento de US $0,22/kg, um lucro líquido anual de US$ 486.000 e um retorno sobre o investimento de 22,16%. Os valores obtidos a partir dos indicadores Valor Presente Líquido (US $3.361.000), Taxa Interna de Retorno (29,61$ 3,549 millones y un capital fijo directo de USD $3,222 millones. La partida que más influencia presenta en los costos anuales de operación es la de costos dependientes de la instalación (USD$ 345 000/año) mientras que el reactivo que más influye en los costos anuales por concepto de consumo de materiales es el cloruro férrico (USD $56 805/año). Se obtuvo un costo unitario de procesamiento de USD$ 0,22/kg, unas ganancias netas anuales de USD $486 000 y un Retorno de la Inversión de 22,16$ 3 361 000), Tasa Interna de Retorno (29,61 %) y Periodo de Recuperación de la Inversión (4,51 años) permiten establecer que la propuesta es rentable bajo las condiciones económicas actuales de Cuba.Wastewater treatment plants are systems that, if properly operated, can help the health of industry and the environment. In the present work, the techno-economic evaluation of a proposed chromic wastewater treatment plant with a processing capacity of 9 t of wastewater per batch was carried out, in order to determine its main profitability parameters, using SuperPro Designer® simulator v. 10. Around 6,959.90 L/batch of treated water are generated, while a total capital investment of USD $3,549 million and a direct fixed capital of USD$ 3,222 million are required. The item that most influences the annual operating costs is the facility-dependent costs (USD $345,000/year) while the reagent that most influences the material consumption annual costs is ferric chloride (USD$ 56,805/year). It was obtained a unit processing cost of USD $0.22/kg, an annual net profit of USD$ 486,000 and a return on investment of 22.16%. The values ​​obtained for the indicators Net Present Value (USD $ 3,361,000), Internal Rate of Return (29.61%) and Payback Time (4.51 years) allow establishing that the proposal is profitable under the current economic conditions of Cuba

Obtaining vegetable extracts by different extraction methods : experimental study and process simulation

Orientador: M. Angela de A. MeirelesDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de AlimentosResumo: Neste trabalho é apresentado um estudo comparativo do custo de manufatura para diferentes técnicas de extração: extração com solventes a baixa pressão (LPSE: Low Pressure Solvent Extraction) em taque agitado e percolação, e extração supercrítica (SFE: Supercritical Fluid Extraction). As estimativas dos custos para os processos de extração LPSE por agitação e percolação foram realizadas por meio do simulador de processos SuperPro DesignerÒ. Foi realizado um estudo experimental para a obtenção, por extração supercrítica, de polifenóis de folhas de pitanga (Eugenia uniflora). Para o estudo do aumento de escala, assumiu-se que os parâmetros em escala laboratorial: rendimento da extração, tempo e a relação entre a massa de alimentação e solvente, são mantidos constantes para o equipamento em escala industrial. Assim, as estimativas foram realizadas tendo como base dados de literatura para a matriz vegetal macela (Achyrocline satureioides). Os estudos foram realizados para extratores de 50 L, 100 L e 300 L. Os custos de manufatura para LPSE em taque agitado e percolação foram: US$877,21/kg; US$ 698,73/kg; US$573,34/kg e US$ 814,46/kg; US$567,86/kg; US$ 384,00/kg, respectivamente em extratores de 50 L, 100 L e 300 L. Notou-se a influência dos parâmetros tempo e rendimento no custo dos extratos. Posteriormente, um estudo do custo do extrato através do processo SFE para mesma matriz vegetal foi realizado. Porém, para SFE o custo do extrato foi estimado através do parâmetro tCER, tempo em que aproximadamente 70 % do leito de extração é esgotado, sendo esta uma boa estimativa para o menor tempo de ciclo. O custo de manufatura do extrato obtido por SFE foi US$585,49/kg. Uma avaliação comparativa entre os três processos foi realizada e, dentre os principais custos obtidos: de investimento inicial, matéria-prima e utilidades, notou-se que o custo de investimento não é predominante na formação do custo de manufatura. O custo de matéria-prima para alguns dos tamanhos de extratores representou o fator preponderante. Posteriormente à esta etapa, foi realizado o estudo da cinética do processo de extração supercrítica para obtenção do extrato de folhas da pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) a partir de dados otimizados da literatura; este estudo foi realizado em coluna de extração de 300 mL. Utilizou-se temperatura e pressão de 333,15 K e 60 MPa sob diferentes condições de vazão a fim de estudar o comportamento cinético da extração em relação ao rendimento e à presença de compostos voláteis. Ainda foram realizadas análises para identificação dos compostos por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) e cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM). O estudo do aumento de escala foi realizado usando-se uma unidade piloto equipada com dois extratores de 5 L contendo 3 separadores (S1, S2 e S3); como referência foi empregado o ensaio cinético realizado para folhas de pitanga na coluna de 300 mL. Seguindo o critério de aumento de escala em que se mantém constante a proporção entre a massa de solvente e a massa de matéria-prima, o aumento de escala foi de 17 vezes. Para os experimentos foram selecionadas as seguintes condições de operação para os três separadores S1, S2 e S3: 10 MPa/333,15 K; 7 MPa/303,15 K e 3 MPa /313,15 K, respectivamente. Quatro pontos selecionados da cinética de extração em coluna de 300 Ml foram então reproduzidos. O custo do extrato foi estimado utilizando o simulador SuperPro DesignerÒ obtendo-se um custo do manufatura de US$ 449,89/kgAbstract: In this work a comparative study of the cost of manufacturing (COM) for different extraction techniques is presented: low pressure solvent extraction (LPSE) in agitation and percolation, and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The COM estimation was carried using the processes simulator SuperPro Designer®; agitation and percolation LPSE processes were developed in the simulator. An experimental study to obtain poliphenols by supercritical fluid extraction from leaves of pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) was also performed. For the scale-up study it was assumed that the parameters for the laboratorial scale SFE unit: yield of extraction, time and ratio between the feed mass and solvent mass are kept constant for the equipment in industrial scale. The estimations were carried using literature information for the vegetable matrix macela (Achyrocline satureioides). The studies were done for extraction vessels of 50 L, 100 L and 300 L. The COM for LPSE agitation and percolation processes were: US$877.21/kg; US$ 698.73/kg; US$573.34/kg and US$ 814.46/kg; US$567.86/kg; US$ 384.00/kg, respectively for extractors of 50 L, 100 L and 300 L. It was observed the influence of time and yield parameters on the COM. Later, a study of SFE process COM for the same vegetable matrix was done. For SFE the COM was estimated using the tCER parameter as cycle time, where approximately 70% of extraction bed is exhausted, being this a good estimation. The COM of extract obtained by SFE was US$585.49/kg. A comparative evaluation between the tree processes was carried out, and among the major costs factors: investment, raw material and utilities, it was observed that the investment cost is not predominant in the COM of the extracts. The raw material cost certain vessel sizes represented the major cost factor. After this step, a study of the SFE kinetics for leaves of pitanga (Eugenia uniflora) was carried out. The operating conditions were selected from optimized data from literature; this study was done in a 300 mL column vessel. It was utilized temperatures and pressure of 333.15 K and 60 MPa under different flow rates in order to study the kinetic behavior of the overall extraction curve and the presence of volatile compounds. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were used for identification of the compounds present in the extract. The scale-up study was carried out using a pilot unit equipped with two extractor of 5L vessel containing 3 separators vessels (S1, S2 and S3); as reference the kinetic assay for pitanga leaves in 300 mL column vessel was used. According to the scaleup criterion that the ratio between solvent mass and raw material mass is kept constant, the scale-up was of 17 times. For the experiment the following operation condition for the three separators S1, S2 and S3 were selected: 10 MPa/333.15 K; 7 MPa/303.15 K and 3 MPa /313.15 K, respectively. Four points selected from kinetic experiment in 300 mL column vessel were reproduced. The extract COM was estimated using simulator SuperPro DesignerÒ (US$ 449,89/kg)MestradoMestre em Engenharia de Alimento

The Use of Risk Analysis Techniques to Determine the Probability of Producing Non-Compliant Drinking Water: Focusing on Dual Media Rapid Gravity Filtration

The main goal of a drinking water treatment plant is to provide safe drinking water for its consumers. Historically, this was accomplished through monitoring the influent and effluent water quality to ensure that the water quality met a set of guidelines and regulations. However, as the limitations of relying on compliance monitoring become more evident, water utilities and drinking water treatment plants are beginning to utilize risk management frameworks to help provide safe drinking water and to mitigate potential risks. Applying a risk management framework requires an evaluation of potential risks. This systematic evaluation can be performed through using risk analysis methods. The overall goal of this research is to analyze and evaluate risk analysis methodologies that are used in a variety of engineering fields, select two risk analysis methods, and use them to evaluate the probability of producing non-compliant drinking water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. The risk analysis methodologies that were used in this research were the consequence frequency assessment and computer modelling combined with probabilistic risk analysis. Both of the risk analysis methodologies were able to determine the probability of producing non-compliant water from a rapid gravity filtration unit with respect to turbidity. However, these methodologies were found to provide different numerical results with respect to each other. The consequence frequency assessment methodology was found to be easier to implement; however, the consequence frequency assessment was only able to be performed on one parameter at a time. Computer modelling and probabilistic risk analysis enabled the inclusion of multiple parameters which provided a more comprehensive understanding of the filtration unit. The primary conclusion from this research is that the risk analysis methods, as they are described in this thesis, are not sufficient to use directly on a rapid gravity filtration unit without further modification. Furthermore, although the risk analysis methods provided some guidance, these methods should only be used as a part of a complete risk management process

Transporation Energy

This Transportation Energy Project is comprised of four unique tasks which work within the railroad industry to provide solutions in various areas of energy conservation. These tasks addressed: energy reducing yard related decision issues; alternate fuels; energy education, and energy storage for railroad applications. The NIU Engineering and Technology research team examined these areas and provided current solutions which can be used to both provide important reduction in energy usage and system efficiency in the given industry. This project also sought a mode in which rural and long-distance education could be provided. The information developed in each of the project tasks can be applied to all of the rail companies to assist in developing efficiencies

Challenges for engineering students working with authentic complex problems

Engineers are important participants in solving societal, environmental and technical problems. However, due to an increasing complexity in relation to these problems new interdisciplinary competences are needed in engineering. Instead of students working with monodisciplinary problems, a situation where students work with authentic complex problems in interdisciplinary teams together with a company may scaffold development of new competences. The question is: What are the challenges for students structuring the work on authentic interdisciplinary problems? This study explores a three-day event where 7 students from Aalborg University (AAU) from four different faculties and one student from University College North Denmark (UCN), (6th-10th semester), worked in two groups at a large Danish company, solving authentic complex problems. The event was structured as a Hackathon where the students for three days worked with problem identification, problem analysis and finalizing with a pitch competition presenting their findings. During the event the students had workshops to support the work and they had the opportunity to use employees from the company as facilitators. It was an extracurricular activity during the summer holiday season. The methodology used for data collection was qualitative both in terms of observations and participants’ reflection reports. The students were observed during the whole event. Findings from this part of a larger study indicated, that students experience inability to transfer and transform project competences from their previous disciplinary experiences to an interdisciplinary setting

Exploring the practical use of a collaborative robot for academic purposes

This article presents a set of experiences related to the setup and exploration of potential educational uses of a collaborative robot (cobot). The basic principles that have guided the work carried out have been three. First and foremost, study of all the functionalities offered by the robot and exploration of its potential academic uses both in subjects focused on industrial robotics and in subjects of related disciplines (automation, communications, computer vision). Second, achieve the total integration of the cobot at the laboratory, seeking not only independent uses of it but also seeking for applications (laboratory practices) in which the cobot interacts with some of the other devices already existing at the laboratory (other industrial robots and a flexible manufacturing system). Third, reuse of some available components and minimization of the number and associated cost of required new components. The experiences, carried out following a project-based learning methodology under the framework of bachelor and master subjects and thesis, have focused on the integration of mechanical, electronic and programming aspects in new design solutions (end effector, cooperative workspace, artificial vision system integration) and case studies (advanced task programming, cybersecure communication, remote access). These experiences have consolidated the students' acquisition of skills in the transition to professional life by having the close collaboration of the university faculty with the experts of the robotics company.Postprint (published version