Technology and Its Impact on the Environment Course Description Fall 2011

Chemical Engineering 357 Unique number 15085 Professor Cyril Durrenberger (471-4706) CPE 3.462 PRC, Building 133, 1.320A cdurrenberger@mail.utexas.edu

Class Hours TTh 2:00 pm 3:30 pm CPE 2.220 Office hours at CPE 3.462 Tuesday 1:00 pm -1:50 pm Thursday 1:00 pm -1:50 pm Other times by appointment Catalog Data: Sources and fates of environmental pollutants; environmental quality standards--their measurement and regulation; and pollution control design procedures. Textbooks: None. Course materials will be posted on the class web site: www.utexas.edu/research/ceer/che357 Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills Students Should Have Entering This Course: 1. 2. 3. Set-up and solve steady-state mass and energy balances (ChE 317) Basic concepts in general chemistry, chemical reaction rate equations (Ch 301) Knowledge of reaction rate processes (Ch 353)

Course Objectives This course will use transport phenomena, reaction engineering and other chemical engineering principles to evaluate the fate on multimedia environmental systems of emissions associated with technological activities. Topics to be considered will be: (1) microscale analyses, which examine local pollutant dispersion using single media analysis methods with a focus on air pollution examples; (2) mesoscale analyses focusing on multimedia transport of pollutants between air, water and soil and (3) macroscale material and energy flow analyses using tools of life cycle assessment. Case studies will be used to illustrate all of the analysis methods (microscale, mesoscale and macroscale) and projects will be assigned using each of these analysis tools. Knowledge, Abilities, and Skills Students Should Gain From This Course: 1. 2. 3. An understanding of important issues related to the impact on the environment of pollution from technological activities. Ability to calculate emissions from sources of air pollution Ability to set up and run simple Lagrangian (Gaussian) models and interpret the results for analysis of the fate of air pollutants

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6. . Impact on Subsequent Courses in Curriculum: This course is a senior/graduate elective and therefore does not impact additional courses in the curriculum. Topics I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Grading 15% Homework (homework will not be graded, but in class quizzes and short problems will be given, based on homework problems; lowest grade will be dropped. No make ups will be given if a quiz is missed Final exam Three projects approximate report length will be 12-15 pages plus appendicies (15% each), individual oral presentations will be required for the first project (5%) Final exam will be Monday, Dec 12 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic adjustments for qualified students with disabilities. For more information contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4241 TDD, or the College of Engineering Director of Students with Disabilities at 471-4382. Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. For further information, please visit the Student judicial Services web site at www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs/. Development of simple life cycle assessments Development of complex multimedia box models and their application for analysis of the environmental fate of pollutants in air, water, and soil. Description of air, water, and soil pollutants from technological activities, their sources, their effects on the environment their control and regulation. Development of simple Lagrangian (Gaussian) models and their application for analysis of the environmental fate of air pollutants Development of Eulerian grid models and their application for analysis of the environmental fate of air pollutants. Case Studies

Ability to interpret results from application of complex Eulerian grid models for analysis of the fate of air pollutants Ability to set up and run multimedia models and interpret the results for analysis of the fate of pollutants on multimedia environmental systems Ability to perform a simple life cycle assessment

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