AIR POLLUTION AND TREATMENT
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
The course requires the well-established knowledge of basic elements of inorganic and organic chemistry, mathematics, physics and safety.
There is one final exam, which verifies the acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills through the performance in an oral test lasting about 30 minutes.
The oral exam can be held in two different ways, chosen by the student: 1) classic oral exam, 2) presentation of a project or a scientific article. In the first case, the student will be asked 2 or 3 questions relating to all the modules discussed during the course. Students will be asked to expose generical and specific topics inherent to all the subjects analyzed during the course, in addition to reflections on practical aspects of the topics addressed. With the second option, the student can expose his own project or an article from scientific literature concerning the topics of the course. The project / article must be approved by the teacher at least 2 weeks before taking the oral exam. This will be followed by a question on a topic covered during the course.
Independently from the option chosen, the following aspects will be evaluated: 1) ability to fully present a topic (or part of a topic) covered in the course; 2) ability to reply concisely and precisely to a specific request; 3) ability to use the knowledge and skills acquired in order to analyze equipment not covered in the course.
In the overall evaluation of the oral exam, in the first case, each question has the same weight (with reference to an evaluation out of thirty: 8/30). In the second case, the project/article will be evaluated with a score with reference out of thirty: 16/30. The following question will be evaluated with reference to an evaluation out of thirty: 8/30. To complete the evaluation, 6/30 are attributed to the language properties (use of correct terminology and ability to formulate precise, logical and grammatically correct sentences).
Air quality is a key factor for both the well-being of citizens and the protection of the environment.
The aim of the course is to provide students a detailed knowledge of both the basic phenomenology of the dispersion of pollutants into the atmosphere (following both the normal exercise of industrial activities and accidents) and the techniques for reducing the concentrations of pollutants in the air streams discharged into the environment. It is also foreseen a critical review of relevant historical accidents involving pollutants dispersion.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
a) use suitable mathematical models (point source) capable of providing a rough estimate (in terms of concentrations at the generic receptor) of the magnitude of any release into the atmosphere;
b) describe, size and verify the main equipment suitable for the treatment of polluted air streams that will then be emitted into the atmosphere.
Module 1: Modeling of the dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere
Duration: 12 hours - Lectures
Introduction to the concept of dispersion of pollutants in the atmosphere; dispersion of neutral, light and heavy gases into the atmosphere; classification of releases (continuous / instantaneous); the structure of the ARPA/APPA network to measure airborne pollutants in Italy; threshold limits described by D.Lgs 155/2010; phenomenology of the dispersion of a gas in the atmosphere; the effect of atmospheric turbulence on the rate of the transport phenomena of matter, energy and momentum; the concept of atmospheric stability and the Pasquill classes; trend of wind speed with altitude; Gaussian models for continuous and instantaneous emissions (correlations and simulations using codes developed in Matlab environment); the influence of the mediation time on the measured and experimental concentration value; the effect of the size of a finite source; estimation of inertial and gravitational effects; the influence of both the orography of the terrain and the presence of obstacles on the dispersions.
Module 2: Reconstruction of accidental events and simulations
Duration: 8 hours - Frontal Lessons
Reconstruction and simulation of accidents: the cases of Seveso and Bhopal; use of the ALOHA software; use of DispSim software and comparisons with other simulators.
Module 3: Illustration of the operating principle of industrial equipment for air purification
Duration: 18 hours - Lectures
Equipment for the treatment of polluted air.
Study of the dynamics of polluting particles in air and fluids. Stokes flow regime, friction factor, definition, and derivation of the settling velocity of microscopic particles. Introduction to air purification systems and gaseous streams circulating in a process plant. Separation efficiencies, equipment classification. Qualitative and quantitative description, as well as the operating principles, including demonstrations of the definition of separating efficiency with simplified formulae of the main purification equipment for polluted gaseous streams: settling chambers, cyclones, electrostatic precipitators, bag filters.
Module 4: Evaluation of dispersions with simple models and problems of sizing and verification of air treatment equipment (theoretical exercises are foreseen)
Duration: 12 hours - Frontal Lessons
Practical examples involving the application of the numerical methods proposed for airborne pollutants dispersion. Verification of compliance of concentration thresholds imposed by Legislative Decree 155/2010. Verification and sizing of polluted air treatment devices, with particular attention to the relationship between particle size and separation efficiency (for heterogeneous mixtures).
The course will be carried out using lectures in which, in addition to the normal teaching activity, abundant use of multimedia films will be made in order to facilitate the learning of all the concepts related to: 1) the operation of the industrial equipment; 2) the dynamics of all the processes analyzed; 3) the possible accident scenarios investigated; 4) practical aspects with respect to the application of theoretical models.
The teacher receives on appointment. It is possible to book an appointment by sending an email to: marco.barozzi@uninsubria.it.