The Dr. Robert W. Okey Scholarship

WEAU SCHOLARSHIP

Due by October 23, 2009

Two scholarships will be provided to students enrolled in environmental programs either in engineering or an applicable area of science or technology. Each grant will be for $1500 and both would be offered on a year-to-year basis.

The grants will be as follows:

  1. One grant for lower division students (F, S, J)
  2. One for seniors and graduate students.

The criteria for entering are as follows:

Undergraduate grant:

  1. Son or daughter of a WEAU member or a member themselves.
  2. Response to undergraduate essay question.
  3. Be enrolled for at least 9 credit hours.

Senior or graduate grant:

  1. Be recommended by a WEAU member.
  2. Response to graduate essay question.
  3. Be enrolled for at least 6 credit hours of graduate or upper division classes.

There are four topics to be addressed in the 2009 scholarship competition two for advanced students and two for undergraduates. Choose a topic from the list of questions that correspond to the specific grant for which you are applying. Undergraduate students may choose any of the four topics. The essay must be viewed as an engineering report, be fully documented and properly referenced.

  1. Each essay must include a clear statement of the problem and the proposed solutions that answer each question. 
  2. Care must be given to provide the source of special or unusual aspects of your solution
  3. A full list of sources must be included in a reference section.

 

Topic 1.0 for advanced students

ENERGY ISSUES AT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

It has been estimated that energy use for wastewater treatment plants represent 30-40% of local governments' total energy use, the cost of which is 2nd only to salaries of personnel. (1)     Furthermore, drinking water and wastewater services in the U.S. account for nearly 45 million tons of greenhouse gases (ghg) emissions annually.

  • Please discuss the major energy using processes, stating any process assumptions, i.e., use of primary clarifiers, solids handling methods, level of treatment, etc., for:
    • A 5.0 mgd extended aeration activated sludge wastewater treatment plant.
    • A 5.0 mgd membrane bioreactor plant.
    • A 50.0 mgd conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plant
  • Provide concept level computational estimates of power kilowatts (KW) and annual energy kilowatt-hours (KWH) requirements for the plants listed above.  Assuming a Salt Lake City location, estimate natural gas delivery and consumption (in decatherms) for the three plants. 
  • List the key assumptions underlying your calculations ( total pump lifts, pump efficiencies, oxygen requirements, transfer rates, blower efficiencies, outside air temperatures, etc.) and provide references for "typical" values.
  • Discuss comparative carbon footprint issues between the processes and plant sizes.  Offer alternative energy efficiency improvements which may be appropriate for each plant.

    • (1)      http://www.epa.gov/cleanrgy/documents/webcasts/waterwastewater.pdf

     

 Topic 2.0 for advanced students

You are the designer of a 12 mgd membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant located in a community of 110,000 people.   The city is located in an agricultural state which relies on irrigation from groundwater to supplement the approximate 15 inches of precipitation received each year.  Primary crops grown are alfalfa, corn and wheat.  The growing season extends from April 1 through October 30 each year.  Many of the farmers in the area are purchasing industrially produced fertilizer to augment nutrient needs of their crops.  The plant is located about 12 miles from the county landfill. 

Provide concept level computed estimates of biosolids production from the plant.  Discuss residuals management strategies you would consider to maximize the beneficial use of the treated effluent and the biosolids produced from the facility.   Consider comparative carbon footprint impacts related to alternative reuse strategies. Provide your process assumptions for solids stabilization and handling, i.e., type of digestion if used, dewatering method, etc. 

Topic 1.0 for undergraduate students:

Water reuse is a reality now and will be increasing in the future simply because population growth in many arid areas has depleted available fresh sources, both surface and subsurface. Noting this fact as a reality, how much of  the supplies now in use can be replaced by recycled water. Consider all major uses, irrigation use, potable supplies, industrial supplies, stand by supplies for fire or other general non-potable uses. Where would you start and what uses could not be replaced by recycled water, if any?

Topic 2.0 for undergraduate students:

 Concerning conventional activated sludge treatment, discuss in detail the following aspects of this treatment method.

  1. What are minimum dissolved oxygen levels and why?
  2. How do oxygen demands vary for BOD removal and for nitrification?
  3. How safe is a good effluent as a source of recycled water? 
  4. What further treatment may be required to produce recycled water that could be used on an area where unrestricted public access would be allowed?

 

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