Environmental Engineering Research Articles

MATHEMATICAL MODEL AND NUMERICAL METHODS OF FILTRATION PROCESSES OF LIQUID SOLUTIONS

Filtration processes of liquid solutions are fundamental in many natural and industrial applications, such as environmental protection, chemical engineering, water purification, and petroleum extraction. This article develops a mathematical model for describing filtration processes and explores various numerical methods for solving the governing equations. The model is based on Darcy’s law, continuity equation, and constitutive relations of liquid solutions in porous media. Numerical methods, including finite difference, finite element, and finite volume approaches, are discussed with applications to various filtration scenarios. We also provide analysis of the stability, convergence, and efficiency of these methods.

Exploration of Teaching Reform in Environmental Protection Equipment and Engineering Design Course under the Background of New Engineering

Exploration of Teaching Reform in Environmental Protection Equipment and Engineering Design Course under the Background of New Engineering

Preface

Introduction Under the patronage of H.E. Prof. Mahad Said Ali Baawain, Minister of Labour, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) - Suhar, Oman, has hosted the Second International Conference on Environmental Science and Engineering for Sustainable Development (ESESD 2024) on March 6th and 7th, 2024, continuing the event’s successful first iteration, which was held in March 2022. The conference provided an excellent forum for exchanging knowledge and findings in the theory, methodology, and applications among academicians, industry professionals, researchers, and students, who have presented their latest research outcomes, as well as solidifying networks. Prominently, the attendees have discussed how to use scientific ideas and cutting-edge technology to explore potential novel, sustainable solutions to pressing environmental problems and to foster new partnerships in various fields include, but not exclusive to: Carbon Neutrality, Pollution and Carbon Emission Management, Renewable Energy, Circular economy, Applications of Nanotechnology to Serve Environmental Issues, Materials Science and its Applications for Sustainability, Engineering Design to Serve Sustainability Purposes, AI and IoT Applications in Environment and Sustainable Development, Biological and Environmental Sciences in Sustainable Development, Human Behaviour and Societal Influences on Environmental Sustainability. The conference was organized in hybrid modes of both physical and virtual via online, in a way that enabled a broad spectrum of participation from more than 8 countries and different regions of the Sultanate of Oman. 146 abstracts were submitted to the conference. 71 abstracts were accepted for oral presentation in addition to 25 accepted for poster presentation, cf. the figures below. Furthermore, the conference privileged to have informative five plenary lectures, and three invited Speeches in its programme, as detailed below. List of Figures, Conference Programme, Conference Committee and Sponsors are available in this Pdf.

Detecting small-scale landslides along electrical lines using robust satellite-based techniques

Robust Satellite Technique (RST) was applied to detect small-scale landslides along electrical lines in Sicily, Italy. To this end, electrical poles were selected as targets within the study area. The methodology, implemented in Google Earth Engine (GEE) environment, exploits the Copernicus Sentinel-2 platform to identify anomalous land cover variation, in terms of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), possibly related to small displacements affecting electric poles. Since the applied methodology is based on land cover change, dense vegetation plays an important role in detecting small-scale landslides. Therefore, we targeted months with the highest vegetation density, such as February, March, and April from 2016–2023. The results obtained reveal that out of the five targeted electrical poles, four of them exhibited anomalies > 2-sigma indicating significant changes in land cover possibly related to local ground movement as confirmed by aerial photos collected in the period 2015–2023. Our findings reveal anomalies of −2.17 and −2.36 on 7/17/2017 and 9/05/2017 for pole 1. For pole 2, the results show an anomaly of −2.02 on 8/11/2018. The results also indicate anomalies of −4.40 and −2.99 on 7/09/2021 and 9/27/2022 for pole 3. For pole 4, the findings show an anomaly of −3.10 on 1/18/2019.

Remote sensing monitoring of ecological environment quality in mining areas under the perspective of ecological engineering

Remote sensing monitoring of ecological environment quality in mining areas under the perspective of ecological engineering

Examining the influence of sintering temperatures on the efficiency of 3D-printed natural zeolite for methylene blue dye adsorption

Additive manufacturing technology, with its potential for improved material efficiency, cost reduction, and capability to fabricate complex structures, is increasingly being leveraged in environmental engineering applications. This study harnesses this technology for fabricating natural zeolite adsorbents using an extrusion-based 3D printer, examining the influence of different sintering temperatures (300, 600, 900, and 1200 °C) on the adsorbents' properties. The study finds that samples sintered at 300 °C disintegrated in water, while those at 1200 °C underwent melting, changing their shape. Focus was then shifted to samples sintered at 600 °C (3D-Ze-600) and 900 °C (3D-Ze-900), with the former displaying a remarkable methylene blue (MB) adsorption efficiency of 82.5%, significantly higher than the latter's 20.1%. This disparity in adsorption performance is closely linked to the difference in porosity; the 600 °C samples exhibited a notably higher apparent porosity, which was instrumental in their enhanced adsorption capability. In contrast, the 900 °C samples, despite their lower porosity, showed diminished adsorption efficiency. XRD analysis further revealed that the superior performance of the 600 °C samples could be attributed to their preserved crystalline structure, which was altered in the 900 °C samples. These findings highlight the critical role of sintering temperature in determining the structural and functional properties of 3D-printed zeolites, demonstrating their potential as efficient adsorbents in wastewater treatment and offering valuable insights for optimizing the fabrication process for environmental applications.

A Study on the Implementation Path of the Blended Teaching Model in Geological Hazards Investigation and Evaluation

Geological Hazards Investigation and Evaluation is the core course of Environmental Geological Engineering, aiming to cultivate skilled talents with solid theoretical knowledge and excellent practical skills. At present, the course faces several issues, including a teaching environment disconnected from real-world work scenarios, course content that deviates from job-related tasks, a lack of digital teaching resources, and reliance on a single teaching method, leading to students’ poor feedback from employers. Based on the concept of outcome-based education, the course team of Geological Hazards Investigation and Evaluation establishes a “five-step double-rotation” blended teaching model with the help of a Small Private Online Course platform. The program is designed to improve the teaching environment and expand the digitalized teaching resources in order to improve students’ learning motivation, enhance learning effectiveness, and cultivate skillful talents who meet employers’ satisfaction.

Hydraulic Design Concept of 6.60MLD Water Treatment Plant

Abstract: The design and construction of a 6.6 million liters per day (MLD) water treatment plant (WTP) in Belpada Village, Odisha, aim to meet the increasing water demand while ensuring public health through effective water treatment processes. The plant, which sources raw water from the Tel River, follows a well-structured treatment process that includes aeration, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. This journal outlines the hydraulic design, treatment schemes, and structural components of the WTP. Design calculations, based on CPHEEO standards, are also discussed, focusing on the hydraulic detention times, surface loading, filtration rates, and sludge management techniques.The design of water treatment plants (WTPs) plays a crucial role in delivering safe drinking water, especially in areas with high population density and industrial growth. The 6.6 MLD WTP designed for Belpada Village in Balangir District draws water from Tel River and utilizes a cascade aeration system for the removal of contaminants. This paper discusses the hydraulic and process design, focusing on flow rates, detention times, and surface loading parameters that meet the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) standards.

Fault Diagnosis of Pumped Storage Units—A Novel Data-Model Hybrid-Driven Strategy

Pumped storage units serve as a crucial support for power systems to adapt to large-scale and high-proportion renewable energy sources by providing a stable and flexible energy supply. However, due to the coupling effects of electric power load demands and the complex multi-source factors within the water–mechanical–electrical system, the interrelationship between unit parameters becomes more intricate, posing significant threats to the operational reliability and health status of the units. The complexity of fault diagnosis is further aggravated by the intricate and varied nature of fault characteristics, as well as the challenges in signal extraction under conditions of strong electromagnetic interference and high noise levels. To address these issues, this paper proposes a novel data-model hybrid-driven strategy that analyzes vibration signals to achieve rapid and accurate fault diagnosis of the units. Firstly, the spectral kurtosis theory is employed to enhance the traditional empirical mode decomposition, achieving optimal decomposition and noise reduction effects for vibration signals. Secondly, the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) obtained from the decomposition are reconstructed, and the entropy values of effective IMFs are calculated as fault feature vectors. Subsequently, the CNN-LSTM model is utilized for fault diagnosis. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method are verified through actual operational data from pumped storage units in a specific region. Through analysis, the fault diagnosis accuracy of the method proposed in this paper can be maintained above 95%, demonstrating robustness in complex engineering environments and effectively ensuring the safe and stable operation of pumped storage units.

Generative Artificial Intelligence: A New Engine for Advancing Environmental Science and Engineering.

Generative Artificial Intelligence: A New Engine for Advancing Environmental Science and Engineering.

Analysis of the Teaching Reform Path for Environmental Engineering Technology Majors in Higher Vocational Education Based on the “1+X” Certificate

In the context of building an innovative country, the country has put forward higher requirements for talent cultivation in vocational colleges. Vocational colleges should continuously explore and improve talent cultivation work to meet these requirements while cultivating more professional and practical talents for the country and society. This article takes the Environmental Engineering Technology major as an example. Integrating the concept of “1+X” certificate into environmental engineering technology teaching can better construct the curriculum system of the Environmental Engineering Technology major, make the curriculum structure more scientific, complete and standardized, and help students understand the connection between certificates and education from multiple perspectives, thereby achieving effective reform of the curriculum of the Environmental Engineering Technology major. Based on this, the article will elaborate on the concept and significance of the “1+X” certificate and analyze in detail the teaching system construction ideas of the environmental engineering technology major courses in higher vocational education under the background of the “1+X” certificate. Studying the shortcomings in the current development of environmental engineering technology education in higher vocational education in China and proposing improvement measures for the environmental engineering technology major courses in higher vocational education to address existing problems will provide certain references and assistance for the subsequent reform of environmental engineering teaching in higher vocational education in China.

Assessment of dust emissions and their controlling factors on the Hoh Xil, north-central part of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau

Dust emissions can lead to a series of environmental hazards and are thus a global concern. However, due to the difficulties of dust source identification, there are still great uncertainties in the calculation of dust yield on a global scale. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau presents some challenges for understanding the region's calculation of the global dust budget. To address these issues, the Hoh Xil Plateau, a typical dust source on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, was selected as the study area for analyzing dust emission processes and associated influencing factors via a robust model. The results showed that dust emissions on the Hoh Xil Plateau occurred mainly in spring and winter. The wide distribution of bare land and sandy land on the Hoh Xil Plateau is the main reason for the high dust emissions. Wind speed is the dominant factor influencing annual dust emission, while precipitation and temperature were negatively correlated with the dust emission. The recession of expansive lakes in the region resulted in an increase in sandy lake-shores, which induced a potential increase in dust emissions. In addition, the effects of human activities on dust emissions were evident. Positive and negative effects on dust emission changes coexisted on the Hoh Xil Plateau and depended on the development of the county-level economy and the implementation of ecological engineering measures. We believe that this study will clarify the dust yield of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and provide valuable information for understanding the driving factors that cause variations in aeolian processes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

An investigation of rheological properties and sustainability of various 3D printing concrete mixtures with alternative binders and rheological modifiers

This study assessed the performance of eco-friendly 3D printable mixtures prepared with various wastes such as fly ash (FA), granulated blast furnace slag, and marble dust. Additionally, the study investigated the impact of a viscosity-modifying agent (VMA) and silica fume (SF) on the mixtures’ rheological and mechanical characteristics. The influence of different wastes and VMAs on the fresh and hardened properties of printable mixes was investigated. Besides, the extrudability and buildability properties of the mixtures were evaluated with a manual extrusion device. The sustainability assessment was conducted using embodied CO2 and embodied energy index, integrating both the mixtures’ environmental implications and engineering characteristics. Experimental outcomes indicated that the inclusion of SF led to enhancements in the fresh properties of the 3D printable mixes. The VMA mixes exhibited significantly higher static yield strength than mixes incorporating SF. Considering printability and sustainability, the FA-SF mixture was identified as the optimal one.

Research ArticleJournal of Advanced Research in Civil and Environmental Engineering (ISSN: 2393-8307)Copyright (c) 2024: Advanced Research PublicationsJournal of Advanced Research in Civil and Environmental EngineeringVolume 11, Print Issue 2 - 2024, Pg. No. 1-4Peer Reviewed JournalINFOABSTRACTCorresponding Author:Rakesh P, wDepartment of Civil Engineering National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore, India.E-mail Id: rakeshpallath002@gmail.comOrcid Id: https://orcid.org/ 0009-0002-2479-4792How to cite this article: Rakesh

Research ArticleJournal of Advanced Research in Civil and Environmental Engineering (ISSN: 2393-8307)Copyright (c) 2024: Advanced Research PublicationsJournal of Advanced Research in Civil and Environmental EngineeringVolume 11, Print Issue 2 - 2024, Pg. No. 1-4Peer Reviewed JournalINFOABSTRACTCorresponding Author:Rakesh P, wDepartment of Civil Engineering National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore, India.E-mail Id: rakeshpallath002@gmail.comOrcid Id: https://orcid.org/ 0009-0002-2479-4792How to cite this article: Rakesh

Brazilian bentonite/MgO composites for adsorption of cationic and anionic dyes.

Industrial effluents, especially those containing dyes, have become the main cause of contamination of water resources. In this context, Brazilian bentonite/MgO composites, with excellent adsorptive properties, were prepared and investigated for their effectiveness in removing cationic and anionic dyes from aqueous solutions. The new adsorbents were obtained using Brazilian bentonites and MgO using the mechanochemical method followed by heat treatment (at 700°C for 4h). Different characterization techniques were used for the chemical, mineralogical, thermal, surface, and morphological analysis of the raw clays and the composites. The experimental adsorption isotherms were quantified under different conditions of initial concentration, contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, and temperature variation to interpret the adsorption mechanism of the crystal violet (CV) and Congo red (CR) dyes. The modeling results were obtained from the empirical Sips equation and Pseudo Second Order (PSO) kinetics, indicating that the adsorption of molecules is a heterogeneous phenomenon that occurs in a monolayer on the surface (ns > 1), with the adsorption rate determined by chemisorption. The composites showed the best removal efficiency performance compared to the raw bentonites, with an increase of 12% for the CV dye and 46% for the CR dye. In addition, the qmax values obtained were 423.02mg/g and 479.86mg/g (AM01). This research underscores the potential of Brazilian bentonite/MgO composites as a promising solution for the removal of cationic and anionic dyes from water, offering hope for future applications in the field of environmental engineering and materials science.

Leveraging Deep Learning For Enhancing Sustainability In Environmental Engineering: Recent Advances In Zero-Emission Technologies And Integration Of Alternative Energies

Leveraging Deep Learning For Enhancing Sustainability In Environmental Engineering: Recent Advances In Zero-Emission Technologies And Integration Of Alternative Energies

Investigating the Biotic and Abiotic Drivers of Body Size Disparity in Communities of Non‐Volant Terrestrial Mammals

ABSTRACTAimThe species that compose local communities possess unique sets of functional and ecological traits that can be used as indicators of biotic and abiotic variation across space and time. Body size is a particularly relevant trait because species with different body sizes typically have different life history strategies and occupy distinct niches. Here we used the body sizes of non‐volant (i.e., non‐flying) terrestrial mammals to quantify and compare the body size disparity of mammal communities across the globe.LocationGlobal.Time PeriodPresent.Major Taxa StudiedNon‐volant terrestrial mammals.MethodsWe used IUCN range maps of 3982 terrestrial mammals to identify 1876 communities. We then combined diet data with data on climate, elevation and anthropogenic pressures to evaluate these variables' relative importance on the observed body size dispersion of these communities and its deviation from a null model.ResultsDispersion for these communities is significantly greater than expected in 54% of communities and significantly less than expected in 30% of communities. The number of very large species, continent, range sizes, diet disparity and annual temperature collectively explain > 50% of the variation in observed dispersion, whereas continent, the number of very large species, and precipitation collectively explain > 30% of the deviation from the null model.Main ConclusionsClimate and elevation have minimal predictive power, suggesting that biotic factors may be more important for explaining community body size distributions. However, continent is consistently a strong predictor of dispersion, likely due to it capturing the combined effects of climate, size‐selective human‐induced extinctions and more. Overall, our results are consistent with several plausible explanations, including, but not limited to, competitive exclusion, unequal distribution of resources, within‐community environmental heterogeneity, habitat filtering and ecosystem engineering. Further work focusing on other confounding variables, at finer spatial scales and/or within more causal frameworks is required to better understand the driver(s) of these patterns.

Using an interactive simulation tool of national energy and climate policy planning to explore environmental policy options from the perspectives of different interest groups

AbstractTo reach the Paris Agreement goals, European governments have defined national contributions to the EU binding climate goals and have developed national climate and energy plans for 2021–2030 (NECPs). NECPs are detailed strategies in which governments can flexibly emphasize specific sectors, technologies and national energy policy choices. Every country has built its own energy modelling capacity for forecasting purposes. In most countries, this national modelling relies on optimization tools such as Markal or TIMES. For Latvia's energy sector, a system dynamics (SD) model was built to complement the TIMES model. The SD model deals with an integrated energy system, including the primary energy supply and transformation sector; energy distribution and storage system; and energy demand sectors (residential, tertiary, public, industry and transportation). Sectoral policies are presented in the Stella Architect interface. This study demonstrates how the interactive simulation tool was used in the Environmental Engineering Master level course ‘Environmental Policy and Economics’ as an experiential learning approach. The student assignment involved applying this tool to develop and analyse the energy transition policy package for one of four ideological interest groups: deep greens, bright greens, light greens and greys. Students had to assume a role and adopt its perspective by applying their border‐crossing competence and reflecting on selected policy mixes for that ideology. Various transition pathways, based on different ideologies, illustrate the possibilities for application. Results show that students were successful in fulfilling the assignment.

Optimum ultrasonication duration for effective antimicrobial activity of Ti3C2-MXene

The characteristics of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted remarkable attention, particularly in the fields of environmental engineering, sciences and medicine. This study was focused on Ti3C2Tx-MXene, a novel 2D nanomaterial known for its antibacterial efficacy against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Our investigation has represented the initial exploration of the primary antifungal capabilities of Ti3C2Tx-MXene nanosheets, with variations in lateral size induced by ultrasonication time. The Ti3C2-MXene, characterized by negative surface potential, was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter cloacae and fungal strains of Candida albicans. Ultrasonication was employed without the use of any chemical intercalant for delamination, separation, and exfoliation. The optimal ultrasonication duration was determined, revealing the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 8 μl/mL and 4 μl/mL against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, as observed through the broth dilution test. The antifungal activity against Candida albicans has been assessed using the well diffusion method, revealing a substantial zone of inhibition measuring 14 mm. The demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy of ultrasonicated MXene sheets has shown a huge potential for serving as an effective anti-biofouling material.

Visual framing during crisis: a 10-year systematic review

PurposeThis paper presents a 10-year systematic review of research on the visual framing of crises to identify the priorities, theories applied and trends in the scholarship of visual framing during crises. The gaps are analyzed to provide evidence-based recommendations for advancing future research.Design/methodology/approachA total of 269 articles published in 156 peer-reviewed communication journals between January 2014 to December 2023 were reviewed. Data were analyzed using open and axial qualitative coding. A codebook was developed for the quantitative coding and data were analyzed in SPSS descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to answer the research questions.FindingsThe proportion of visual framing of crises has remained the same in the last 10 years – there is significantly more research on the visual framing of non-crises. Overall, research on the visual framing of crises is largely exploratory/descriptive and could benefit from a research agenda that is more theory driven. Additionally, there is a skewed focus for research on North America compared to other regions, and for political communication and climate compared to other themes. Environmental sciences and engineering are the most widely investigated journal fields, while disaster is the most common typology studied when looking at the visual framing of crises.Research limitations/implicationsThe systematic literature review has some limitations – most particularly that the sample was drawn from a single publisher, which may not be exhaustive enough to represent the full population of articles in the field of visual communication. However, it is a systematic review of the publications that are officially aligned with three of the major communication organizations – the International Communication Association, National Communication Association and World Communication Association. However, future research considering the inclusion of an additional publishers, like Emerald, would further enrich scholarship in visual framing during crises. Second, manual coding of the articles could present potential differences in analysis and interpretation by other researchers. Despite the limitations, the study also provides some important insights into the present and future of the visual framing of crises.Practical implicationsAddressing gaps in the internationalization of visual crisis communication would expand studies for visual framing among underrepresented communities such as populations with low reading literacy, gender minorities and displaced communities and inform visual framing strategies for government and relevant institutions as primary information disseminators during crises.Social implicationsAddressing the gaps identified in this systematic literature review on the visual framing of crises is important for extending theory in this relatively nascent field and guiding crisis visual framing strategies to mitigate uncertainty and panic, threats to stakeholder relationships, social vulnerabilities and the visual framing of stakeholder-centric crisis responses.Originality/valueBased on available literature, this is the first systematic literature review investigating the use of all types of visuals used during all crisis typologies, reflecting the ubiquity of crises and the increased focus on the use of visuals in crisis communication in the last decade.