Western University

Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

CBE 9350 - Physical Principles of Environmental Engineering

Problems on Natural Environment and Treatment Technologies-2021

1. A wastewater CSTR of 50 m3 volume operates on an irreversible first-order reaction

basis, with rate constant 0.2 day-1. If the efficiency is 95%, determine the maximum flow
rate through the reactor. If the efficiency acceptable is 90%, what is the optimum flow
rate?

Solution:

C 1 1 C0
For first−order reactions∈CSTR we have : =
C 0 1+ kτ
❑ τ=
⇒ k C( −1 )
When efficiency is 95 % :C=( 1−0.95 ) C 0=0.05 C 0
1 C0 1 1 20−1
❑ τ=
⇒ (
0.2 day 0.05 C 0
−1
−1 =) (
0.2 0.05
−1 = )
0.2
=95 days

V 50 m3 m3
Q= ❑ Q= =0.526 =21.93 L /hr
τ ⇒ 95 days day
When efficiency is 90 % :C=( 1−0.90 ) C 0=0.10 C 0
1 C0 1 1 10−1
❑ τ=
⇒ (
0.2 day 0.10 C 0
−1
−1 =) (
0.2 0.10
−1 = )
0.2
=45 days

V 50 m3 m3
Q= ❑ Q= 1.111 =46.29 L/ hr
τ ⇒ 45 days day

2. A 100 m3 reservoir is built to treat combined sewer outflow to remove an organic

compound 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, what will be the residence
time in the reservoir, and how do you achieve that? Do the analysis based on both mixed
and plug flow reactors. Which one is better?
If instead of one mixed flow reactor, 2 mixed flow reactors of equal volume are used,
what is the percent saving in volume for same 95% overall removal?

Solution:
 When efficiency is 95 % :C=( 1−0.95 ) C 0=0.05 C 0
For first−order reactions∈Completely Mixed Flow Reactor ( CMFR ) we have :
C 1 1 C0
=
C0 1+kτ ⇒
❑τ =
k C ( −1 )
1 C0 1 1 20−1
❑ τ=
⇒ 0.05 min−1(0.05C 0
−1 =
0.05 )
0.05
−1 =( 0.05
=380 min )
V m3 60 s
Q= ❑ V =Q× τ=10
τ ⇒ s
×380 min ×
1 min (
=228000 m3 )
Therefore the given volume of 100 m 3 is too low for the reservoir assuming
CMFR∧it should be redesigned ¿ achieve 95 % removal of the organic
compound .
For first−order reactions∈Plug Flow Reactor ( PFR ) we have :
C −1 C
C0
=e−kτ ❑ τ=
⇒ k
ln
C0( )
0.05C 0
❑ τ=
⇒
−1
0.05 min−1
ln ( C0
=
−1
0.05)ln ( 0.05 )=¿
−2.99573
−0.05
=59.91 min ¿

V m3 60 s
Q=
τ
❑ V =Q× τ=10
⇒ s
×59.91 min×
1 min
=35946 m3 ( )
Again the given volume of 100 m 3 is too low for the reservoir assuming PFR
¿ it should be redesigned ¿ achieve 95 % removal of the organic compound .
However , PFR is better than CMFR as its required volume is muchlower .
C2 C1 C2 1 2
For two mixed flow reactors∈series we have : =
C 0 C0 C 1
= ( )( ) ( )
1+ kτ
0.05 C0 1 2
1
❑
⇒ C0
=(1+ 0.05 τ )
❑ √ 0.05=
⇒
❑ τ=69.44 min
1+0.05 τ ⇒
V m3 60 s
Q= ❑ V =Q× τ=10
τ ⇒ s
×69.44 min ×
1 min
=41664 m 3 ( )
228000 m 3−41664 m 3
❑ Percent Saving∈Volume= ×100=81.72 %
⇒ 228000 m3

3. Just below the point where a continuous discharge of pollution mixes with a river, the
BOD is 10.9 mg/L and DO is 7.6 mg/L. The river and waste mixture has a temperature of
20°C, a deoxygenation constant of 0.20/day, an average flow speed of 0.30 m/s, and an
average depth of 3.0 m.
a) Find the time and distance downstream at which the oxygen deficit is a maximum.
b) Find the minimum value of DO.
 Solution:

3.9 U´1/ 2
a ¿ Reaeration rate constant ( K 2 ) ¿O ' Connor∧Dobbins Eq. : K 2=
H3/2
3.9 ×(0.30)1/ 2
❑ K2= 3/ 2
=0.4111day −1
⇒ (3.0)
Disolved oxygen deficit at t =t 0 : D0=DO sat
20
−DO❑0 =9.1−7.6=1.5 mg/ L
o

The time required ¿ achieve minimum disolved oxygen ¿

D0 ( K 2−K 1 )
oxygen deficit ¿ is given by : t c =
1
K 2−K 1 [ (
K
ln 2 1−
K1 K 1 L0 )]
1.5 × ( 0.4111−0.20 )
❑t c=
⇒
1
0.4111−0.20
ln [
0.4111
0.20
1− (
0.20 ×10.9 )]
=2.67 days

The distance downstream at which the DO is minimum : x c =U × t c

m 24 hr 60 min 60 s
❑ x c =0.3
⇒ s
×2.67 days ×
1 day (×
1 hr
×
1 min )
=69198.2 m=69.198 km

K
b ¿ The maximum disolved oxygen deficit is given by : D c = 1 L 0 e− K t 1 c

K2
0.20
❑ D c= × 10.9× e−0.2 ×2.67=3.1mg/ L
⇒ 0.4111
We also know : D c =DO sat sat
20
−DO min ❑ DO min =DO20
o −D c =9.1−3.1=6.0 mg/ L
o
⇒

4. An effluent of 1.05 m3/s at a temperature of 25.5oC and a BOD concentration of 28 mg/l

is discharged to a nearby stream. The stream flow is 7 m3/s with a temperature of 24oC
and BOD of 3.6 mg/l. The stream is 90% saturated with oxygen. Determine the minimum
DO in the stream and the distance in the stream where the minimum DO occurs.
Following data are given:
DO in the effluent = 1.8 mg/l
Saturation DO in the river at 24oC = 8.5 mg/l
Deoxygenation constant at 20oC = 0.50/day
Reaeration constant at 20oC = 0.27/day
Temperature coefficient (θ) = 1.047
Stream velocity = 0.365 m/s

Solution:

Stream velocity = 0.365 m/s

Disolved oxygen ∈the river just before mixing at 24 o C : DOr =0.9 DO24 sat
o

mg
❑ DO r=0.9× 8.5 mg/l=7.65
⇒ l
balance
Overall mass point of mixing of river ( r ) ∧effluent ( e ) :
the
3 3 m3
Q r +Q e=Q ❑ Q=7 m / s+1.05 m /s=8.05
⇒ s
( L)
Mass balance for BOD point of mixing :Qr BODr +Q e BOD e =Q L0
the
Q r BODr +Q e BOD e
❑ L0 = =¿ ¿
⇒ Q
g mg
❑ L0 =6.782 3 =6.782
⇒ m l
DO
Mass balance for point of mixing :Q r DO r +Q e DO e =Q DO 0
the
Qr DOr +Q e DOe
❑ DO 0= =¿ ¿
⇒ Q
g mg
❑ DO 0=6.887 3 =6.887
⇒ m l
We assume that the temperature of streamdoes not change after mixing .
mg
Disolved oxygen deficit at t=t 0 : D0=DO sat −DO❑0 =8.5−6.887=1.613
o
24
l
o o

Deoxygenationrate constant ( K 1) for T =24 o C : K 24 20 ( 24−20 )

1 =K 1 θ
o

❑ K 24 ( 24−20 )
1 =0.50 × ( 1.047 ) ❑ K 1=0.600 day−1
⇒ ⇒
o o

Reaeration rate constant ( K 2 ) for T =24 o C : K 24 20 ( 24 −20 )

2 =K 2 θ
o

❑ K 24 ( 24−20 )
2 =0.27 × ( 1.047 ) ❑ K 2 =0.324 day−1
⇒ ⇒

The time required ¿ achieve minimum disolved oxygen ( DOmin )∨maximum

D0 ( K 2−K 1 )
disolved oxygen deficit ( Dc )is given by :t c =
1
K 2−K 1
K
ln 2 1−
K1 [ ( K 1 L0 )]
1.613× ( 0.324−0.600 )
❑t c=
⇒
1
0.324−0.600
ln [ (
0.324
0.600
1−
0.600 ×6.782
=1.856 days )]
The distance downstream at which the DO is minimum : x c =U × t c
m 24 hr 60 min 60 s
❑ x c =0.365
⇒ s
×1.856 days × (
1 day
×
1hr
×
1 min )
=58543.0 m=58.543 km

K
The maximum disolved oxygen deficit is given by : D c = 1 L0 e− K t 1 c

K2
0.6 mg
❑ D c= ×6.782 × e−0.6 ×1.856=4.124
⇒ 0.324 l
 mg
We also know : D c =DO sat −DO min ❑ DOmin =DO sat
o −D c =8.5−4.124=4.375
o
24 ⇒ 24
l

5. Trichloroethylene (TCE), a suspected carcinogen, is often found at low concentration in

industrial waste waters, which is removed by air stripping. A wetted-wall column is used
to study the stripping of TCE from water to air at 293 K and 1 atm pressure. The column
inner diameter (a) is 4 cm, and the height (z) is 2 m. The volumetric air flow rate is 2000
cm3/s, and the volumetric water flow rate is 50 cm3/s. Estimate the overall liquid phase
mass transfer coefficient for TCE across the liquid and gas film, assuming water loss
through evaporation is negligible.
Data: Henry’s constant for TCE = 3.05×104 atm·m3/kg mole
Diffusivity of TCE in air = 8.08×10-6 m2/s at 293 K and 1 atm.
Diffusivity of TCE in water = 8.9×10 -10 m2/s at 293 K and 1 atm Density of air = 1.19 kg/m 3
Density of water = 1000 kg/m3
Viscosity of air = 1.84×10-5 kg/(m·s)
Viscosity of water = 9.93×10-4 kg/(m·s)

The mass transfer correlations applicable to the system are:

k c a p B .lm 0.83 0.44
. =0.023 ℜ Sc
D AB P

2 3 1 /6
kL z 0.5 ρ L g z
D AB
=0.433 ℜ Sc0.4
( μ2L )
For dilute system

Hint: for dilute system, p B,lm/P = 1. Which phase is controlling the mass transfer?
6. In a wetted-wall tower, an air-H2S mixture is flowing by a film of water which is flowing
as a thin film down a vertical plate. The H2S is being absorbed from the air to the water at
a total pressure of 1.50 atm (abs) and 30oC. The value of kc of 9.567×10-4 m/s has been
predicted for the gas-phase mass-transfer coefficient. At a given point the mole fraction
of H2S in the liquid at the liquid-gas interface is 2.0×10 -5 and pA of H2S in the gas is 0.05
atm. The Henry’s law equilibrium relation is pA(atm) = 609 xA (mole fraction in liquid).
Calculate the rate of absorption of H2S.