CE 759 Water Quality Modeling

Homework 2

1. (5 pts) Starting with the stormwater retention pond problem we solved in class, add in a term to
account for heterotrophic drawdown of oxygen. Assume the rate of oxygen degradation is 0.0035 1/s.

a) Plot the concentration of oxygen vs time for the case with generation only.
 Concentration of oxygen VS time
9

concentration in mg/L 8
7
C gen
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
time in minutes

b) On the same graph, plot the concentration vs time for the case with generation and
degradation.

Concentration of oxygen VS time

9
8
concentration in mg/L

7
C deg and gen C gen
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
time in minutes

c) Now assume that the heterotrophic drawdown term, rd, is sinusoidal over a 24 hour period
with a maximum rate coefficient of 0.0035 1/s and a minimum of 0. Draw the resulting C(t) on
the same plot you used for parts a and b. Note you do not have to solve this mathematically! If
you choose to solve mathematically, (optional) start with the differential equation and complete
a new integration.
 kd (/min) over 24 hours
0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
 10

9
C sinusoidal deg with const gen
8
C gen
7
C deg and gen
concentration in mg/L

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
time in minutes

Concentration VS Time
10
9
8
Concentration in mg/L

7
C sinusoidal C gen C deg and gen
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
time in minutes

d) Summarize in words the results from the figure regarding the relative importance of inflow
concentration, aeration rate and degradation rate. If one of the design goals for a stormwater
retention pond was to support fish, what recommendations if any, would you make?
 10
Concentration of oxygen VS time
9
concentration in mg/L

8
7 C deg and gen C gen
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
time in minutes

2. (5 pts) An experiment was conducted in a laboratory at T = 20 oC to characterize the rate of a chemical

reaction. Measured concentrations and time of measurement are given below:

Time (hr) 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 60
C (mg/L) 7.92 6.25 5.02 3.93 3.32 2.52 2.08 1.65 1.25 0.94 0.62

a) Is this a zero-, first-, or second-order reaction? Justify your answer.

b) What it the value of the rate constant? Include units in your answer.
 concentration VS time
9
8
7
6
y = 10.138e-0.046x
5 R² = 0.9991

4
3
2
1
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

3. (5 pts) In a well-mixed lake the initial concentration of a reactant of interest is 7.92 mg/L and  =
1.106 +/- 0.008. let k20 be 0.040 1/s.
a) Determine the temperature adjusted rate coefficient, kT for T = 24 oC, T = 14 oC and T = 4 oC.
What can you conclude about the effect of temperature on reaction rate?

b) Plot C versus t with error bands.

 9

Average at 24 deg C Average at 14 deg C

8 Average at 4 deg C

6
Concentration in mg/L

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time in seconds

c) Accounting for the error in the estimate of , how long would you have to sample in order to
ensure you covered the same range in concentrations as given in problem 2?
7.95
7.8
7.65
7.5 Average at 24 deg C Average at 14 deg C
7.35
7.2
7.05 Average at 4 deg C
6.9
6.75
6.6
6.45
6.3
6.15
6
5.85
5.7
5.55
5.4
5.25
5.1
4.95
4.8
4.65
4.5
4.35
4.2
4.05
3.9
3.75
3.6
3.45
3.3
3.15
3
2.85
2.7
2.55
2.4
2.25
2.1
1.95
1.8
1.65
1.5
1.35
1.2
1.05
0.9
0.75
0.6
0.45
0.3
0.15
0
0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 180 195 210 225 240 255 270 285 300 315 330 345 360 375 390 405 420
Time in seconds

4. (5 pts) Read the paper by Kapoor et al., 1998. Estimate the rate constant from his experiment using
the data provided in Figure 1 in the paper. Provide units. Compare your estimate to his estimate – are
they close? What does he conclude about the effect of fluid motion on bimolecular reactions?
 Concentration (M) VS time (s)
0.0003

0.00025

0.0002

0.00015

0.0001

0.00005

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
 40000
y = 363.03x + 2753.4
35000 R² = 0.9646

30000
1/concentration M-1
25000

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
time in second

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LcK9BIjodo