• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.345-353
• /
• 2022

A wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is a major gateway for the engineered nano-particles (ENPs) entering the water bodies. However existing studies have reported that many WWTPs exceed the No Observed Effective Concentration (NOEC) for ENPs in the effluent and thus they need to be designed or operated to more effectively control ENPs. Understanding and predicting ENPs behaviors in the unit and \the whole process of a WWTP should be the key first step to develop strategies for controlling ENPs using a WWTP. This study aims to provide a modeling tool for predicting behaviors and removal efficiencies of ENPs in a WWTP associated with process characteristics and major operating conditions. In the developed model, four unit processes for water treatment (primary clarifier, bioreactor, secondary clarifier, and tertiary treatment unit) were considered. Additionally the model simulates the sludge treatment system as a single process that integrates multiple unit processes including thickeners, digesters, and dewatering units. The simulated ENP was nano-sized TiO₂, (nano-TiO₂) assuming that its behavior in a WWTP is dominated by the attachment with suspendid solids (SS), while dissolution and transformation are insignificant. The attachment mechanism of nano-TiO₂ to SS was incorporated into the model equations using the apparent solid-liquid partition coefficient (Kd) under the equilibrium assumption between solid and liquid phase, and a steady state condition of nano-TiO₂ was assumed. Furthermore, an MS Excel-based user interface was developed to provide user-friendly environment for the nano-TiO₂ removal efficiency calculations. Using the developed model, a preliminary simulation was conducted to examine how the solid retention time (SRT), a major operating variable affects the removal efficiency of nano-TiO₂ particles in a WWTP.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
• /
• v.55 no.12
• /
• pp.1041-1052
• /
• 2022

This study is to estimate the optimal ecological flow and analysis the spatial distribution of fish habitat for Andong dam downstream reach (4,565.7 km²) using PHABSIM (Physical Habiat Simulation System) and River2D. To establish habitat models, the cross-section informations and hydraulic input data were collected uisng the Nakdong river basic plan report. The establishment range of PHABSIM was set up about 410.0 m from Gudam streamflow gauging station (GD) and about 6.0 km including GD for River2D. To select representative fish species and construct HSI (Habitat Suitability Index), the fish survey was performed at Pungji bridge where showed well the physical characteristics of target stream located downstream of GD. As a result of the fish survey, Zacco platypus was showed highly relative abundance resulting in selecting as the representative fish species, and HSI was constructed using physical habitat characteristics of the Zacco platypus. The optimal range of HSI was 0.3~0.5 m/s at the velocity suitability index, 0.4~0.6 m at the depth suitability index, and the substrate was sand to fine gravel. As a result of estimating the optimal ecological flow by applying HSI to PHABSIM, the optimal ecological flow for target stream was 20.0 m³/sec. As a result of analysis two-dimensional spatial analysis of fish habitat using River2D, WUA (Weighted Usable Area) was estimated 107,392.0 m²/1000 m under the ecological flow condition and it showed the fish habitat was secured throughout the target stream compared with Q₃₅₅ condition.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
• /
• v.51 no.3
• /
• pp.153-165
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study is to propose effective scenarios for green areas in apartment complexes that can improve the connection between green spaces considering wind flow, thermal comfort, and mitigation of the urban heat island effect. The study site was an apartment complex in Godeok-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, Korea. The site selection was based on comparing temperatures and discomfort index data collected from June to August 2020. Initially, the thermal and wind environment of the current site was analyzed. Based on the findings, three scenarios were proposed, taking into account both green patches and corridor elements: Scenario 1 (green patch), Scenario 2 (green corridor), and Scenario 3 (green patch & corridor). Subsequently, each scenario's wind speed, wind flow, and thermal comfort were analyzed using ENVI-met to compare their effectiveness in mitigating the urban heat island effect. The study results demonstrated that green patches contributed to increased wind speed and improved wind flow, leading to a reduction of 31..20% in the predicted mean vote (PMV) and 68.59% in the predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PET). On the other hand, green corridors facilitated the connection of wind paths and further increased wind speed compared to green patches. They proved to be more effective than green patches in mitigating the urban heat island, resulting in a reduction of 92.47% in PMV and 90.14% in PET. The combination of green patches and green corridors demonstrated the greatest increase in wind speed and strong connectivity within the apartment complex, resulting in a reduction of 95.75% in PMV and 95.35% in PET. However, patches in narrow areas were found to be more effective in improving thermal comfort than green corridors. Therefore, to effectively mitigate the urban heat island effect, enhancing green areas by incorporating green corridors in conjunction with green patches is recommended. This study can serve as fundamental data for planning green areas to mitigate future urban heat island effects in apartment complexes. Additionally, it can be considered a method to improve urban resilience in response to the challenges posed by the urban heat island effect.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2024

Fishing net waste (FNW) constitutes over half of all marine plastic waste and is a major contributor to the degradation of marine ecosystems. While current treatment options for FNW include incineration, landfilling, and mechanical recycling, these methods often result in low-value products and pollutant emissions. Importantly, FNWs, comprised of plastic polymers, can be converted into valuable resources like syngas and pyrolysis oil through pyrolysis. Thus, this study presents a process for generating high-purity hydrogen (H₂) by catalytically pyrolyzing FNW in a CO₂ environment. The proposed process comprises of three stages: First, the pretreated FNW undergoes Ni/SiO₂ catalytic pyrolysis under CO₂ conditions to produce syngas and pyrolysis oil. Second, the produced pyrolysis oil is incinerated and repurposed as an energy source for the pyrolysis reaction. Lastly, the syngas is transformed into high-purity H₂ via the Water-Gas-Shift (WGS) reaction and Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA). This study compares the results of the proposed process with those of traditional pyrolysis conducted under N₂ conditions. Simulation results show that pyrolyzing 500 kg/h of FNW produced 2.933 kmol/h of high-purity H₂ under N₂ conditions and 3.605 kmol/h of high-purity H₂ under CO₂ conditions. Furthermore, pyrolysis under CO₂ conditions improved CO production, increasing H₂ output. Additionally, the CO₂ emissions were reduced by 89.8% compared to N₂ conditions due to the capture and utilization of CO₂ released during the process. Therefore, the proposed process under CO₂ conditions can efficiently recycle FNW and generate eco-friendly hydrogen product.