2015-2016 学年第二学期《Research Paper and Methodology》

课程论文

学生姓名：Dexter
教师姓名：Pedro Pastrano
学 院：城市建设与环境工程学院
专 业：环境工程
学 号：xxxxxxxx

中国﹒重庆 重庆大学 外国语学院

二〇一六年 五月
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Abstract

As one of the numerous branches of Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics mainly studies the
condition of rest and movement of fluid itself, as well as the interaction along with
flowing regularity between fluid and solid boundary when relative motions occurred.
Furthermore, Fluid Mechanics emphasizes the practical application in engineering.
On the other hand, as a significant professional foundation course of Environmental
Engineering, Fluid Mechanics is of extreme essentiality, not to mention the extensive
utilization in the field of Environmental Science and Engineering. Consequently, this
paper primarily discusses the utilization of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental
Engineering. By the same token, this thesis specifically studies from Waste Water
Treatment Engineering as well as Air Pollution Control Engineering. In the meantime,
this paper expounds the improvements of current pollution treatment techniques in
addition to the simulation of diversified Fluid Mechanics processes adopting
FLUENT from CFD.

Key words: Fluid Mechanics, Environmental Engineering, Waste Water Treatment

Engineering, Air Pollution Control Engineering, FLUENT simulation
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Outline

Abstract....................................................................................................................................... 1

1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 3

2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 5

2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 History of Fluid Mechanics .............................................................................................. 5
2.3 Basic Knowledge of Environmental Engineering ........................................................... 6
2.4 Functions and Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Engineering ........ 6
2.5 Terminologies..................................................................................................................... 7
2.6 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 7
2.7 Further Thinking .............................................................................................................. 7

3. Historical Evolution ....................................................................................................... 9

4. Fluid Mechanics and Environmental Engineering ................................... 10

4.1 Brief Introduction to Environmental Engineering....................................................... 10
4.2 Function of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Engineering ..................................... 10

5. Specific Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental

Engineering ............................................................................................................................. 12
5.1 Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Waste Water Treatment Engineering ................ 12
5.11 Multiphase Fluidized Bed Reactor .......................................................................... 12
5.12 Bubble-Up Loop Membrane Bioreactor ................................................................. 13
5.2 Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Air Pollution Control Engineering..................... 14
5.21 Numerical Simulation of Hazardous Gas Dispersion around Buildings in Urban
Environment .................................................................................................................... 14
5.22 Study of Indoor Air Characteristics and Distribution of Pollutant Concentration
with the utilization of CFD ............................................................................................. 15

6. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 17

References ................................................................................................................................ 19
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Dexter (Lu Zhenshi)

Professor Pedro Pastrano
English 611
31 May 2016

The Application of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental

Engineering

1. Introduction

From the start of Environmental Engineering, to the current upsurge of environmental

protection, Fluid Mechanics has been a professional fundamental course for students
of Environmental Engineering all the time; in the meanwhile, it is of great
significance for the major. Generally speaking, Fluid Mechanics mainly studies the
condition of rest and movement of fluid itself, the interaction as well as flowing
regularity between fluid and the solid boundary when relative movements occurred
(Long and Cai 1).

From another point of view, in terms of the application, in the overwhelming majority
of cases, Fluid Mechanics plays an extremely important role in the field of
Environmental Science and Engineering, not to mention the rapidly increasing
extensive exploitation. For instance, in waste water treatment, solid waste pollution
prevention as well as air pollution control, the utilization of Fluid Mechanics is
strongly required. For one thing, the development of oxidation ditches in sewage
treatment plants, new methods of flue gas desulfurization along with indoor air
pollutant detection all depend on new application of Fluid Mechanics. As a
consequence, it is of great significance for students together with scholars of
Environmental Engineering to thoroughly research the basic principles of Fluid
Mechanics in order to lay a solid foundation for further study, in addition, for the
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development of environmental protection technology.

Accordingly, this paper argues the relationship between Fluid Mechanics and
Environmental Engineering. In the meantime, the thesis introduces a series of the
most representative current applications of Fluid Mechanics. Last but not least, this
paper studies latest frontier of the application of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental
Engineering.
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2. Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

Nowadays with the rapid development of economics, thereupon the environmental

problems grow worse. Hence it is strongly required to further study Fluid Mechanics
in order to improve the existing environmental protection methods to solve the
environmental problems. Generally speaking, Fluid Mechanics mainly studies the
condition of rest and movement of fluid itself, the interaction as well as flowing
regularity between fluid and the solid boundary when relative movements occurred
(Long and Cai 1). As an illustration, fundamental applications such as the study of
orifice and pipe nozzle flow have been extensively adopted in the design of
environmental protection equipment (Qi et al. 112-13). On the other hand, the latest
scientific frontier, newly adopted applications like multiphase fluidized bed reactor as
well as bubble-up loop membrane bioreactor (Li and Wang 869-74) demonstrate an
extraordinarily promising future application in Environmental Engineering. Therefore,
this research studies the fundamental knowledge regarding Fluid Mechanics;
meanwhile illustrates the general concept of Environmental Engineering; most
importantly, emphasizes the application of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental
Engineering.

2.2 History of Fluid Mechanics

According to the time sequence, Fluid Mechanics researches emerged since early
times, both in China and Europe. For instance, in approximately 700 BC, Guan Zhong
had summarized river management along with canal construction experience,
including quantitative design theories of waterways and dams, the interaction between
rivers and watercourses, etc. Later on, the principle of buoyancy, stability of floating
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body along with other fluid balance theories founded by Archimedes laid the
foundation for hydrostatics. After 17th century, other contributions were made for the
theoretical basis of Fluid Mechanics by Sir Isaac Newton, Henri Pitot, Jean Le Rond
d'Alembert, etc. Later on, the proposal of Eulerian Equation accompanied with
Bernoulli Equation was the milestone of Fluid Mechanics to officially become a
sub-discipline of Mechanics (Zhou 71-75). Since modern times, there began to
emerge inter-disciplines between Fluid Mechanics and other disciplines; the most
compelling evidences are physic-chemical hydrodynamics, hydro-magnetics, etc.
Henceforward, due to the constant development of electronic computers, software
such as FLUENT allow previous complicated questions to be accurately calculated
with precise numerical.

2.3 Basic Knowledge of Environmental Engineering

Generally speaking, Environmental Engineering is the branch of engineering

concerned with the application of scientific and engineering principles for the
prevention in addition to treatment of environmental pollution, as well as the
improvement of environmental quality. The primary research area of Environmental
Engineering covers waste water, exhaust gas, solid waste, noise, radioactive
contaminant, etc. Moreover, Environmental Engineering studies Environmental
Systems Engineering, Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Economics,
Environmental Monitoring Techniques et al (Drotarova and Blistanova 1050-54).

2.4 Functions and Applications of Fluid Mechanics in

Environmental Engineering

In terms of functions, Fluid Mechanics shares quite a few origins with Environmental
Engineering, for instance, the optimization design of compressed pipe networks, the
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study of two-phase/three-phase fluid, air floatation, hydraulic drops, etc. Hence, in

short, those mentioned above have contributed preeminent promotion to the
development of Environmental Engineering (Qi et al. 112-13). It is thus obvious that
Fluid Mechanics functions as the cornerstone course for the major of Environmental
Engineering.

2.5 Terminologies

BOD: Biochemical Oxygen Demand

TOC: Total Organic Carbon
ALR: Air-lift Loop Reactor
MBR: Membrane Bioreactor
CFD: Computational Fluid Dynamics
GIS: Geographic Information System
FLUENT: an extensively applied commercial CFD software package on the
international, which enjoys 60% of the market share in the United States of America

2.6 Methodology

The researcher utilizes various massive databases to collect bibliographies regarding

Fluid Mechanics and Environmental Engineering. When researching, the researcher
utilizes key words such as “Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Engineering”,
“Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Engineering”, etc.

2.7 Further Thinking

In general, the application of Fluid Mechanics is extremely vital in pollution

abatement as well as prevention, which are two major missions of Environmental
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Engineering. As a consequence, Fluid Mechanics deserves to be studied and

researched thoroughly by environmental engineers due to the significance of Fluid
Mechanics in Environmental Engineering. Under those circumstances, environmental
engineers would be capable of improving environmental protection methods to better
treat the environmental pollution. Hence, the latest frontier of Fluid Mechanics has
essential influence on environmental protection undertaking.
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3. Historical Evolution

From a historical perspective, Fluid Mechanics is an academic discipline founded

from the long-term struggle between human beings and the nature, in the meantime
developed gradually over a long period of production practice of agriculture as well as
industry. As an illustration, the universally renowned Dujiangyan Irrigation System
built during Qin Dynasty near Chengdu, the large-scale water and sewer pipelines as
well as the aqueducts constructed in those metropolises of ancient Rome are all
excellent examples demonstrating the application of the fundamental principles of
Fluid Mechanics.

On the other hand, according to the time sequence, the principle of buoyancy, stability
of floating body along with other fluid balance theories founded by Archimedes laid
the foundation for hydrostatics. After 17th century, other contributions were made for
the theoretical basis of Fluid Mechanics by Sir Isaac Newton, Henri Pitot, Jean Le
Rond d'Alembert, etc. Later on, the proposal of Eulerian Equation accompanied with
Bernoulli Equation was the milestone of Fluid Mechanics to officially become a
sub-discipline of Mechanics (Zhou 71-75).

Later on, since modern times, there began to emerge inter-disciplines between Fluid
Mechanics and other disciplines; the most compelling evidences are physic-chemical
hydrodynamics, hydro-magnetics, etc. Henceforward, due to the constant
development of electronic computers, software such as FLUENT have made previous
complicated questions possible to be accurately calculated with precise numerical.
 Dexter 10

4. Fluid Mechanics and Environmental Engineering

4.1 Brief Introduction to Environmental Engineering

Generally speaking, Environmental Engineering is the branch of engineering

concerned with the application of scientific and engineering principles for the
prevention in addition to treatment of environmental pollution, as well as the
improvement of environmental quality.

To be specific, during the process of nature reformation by humans, the living

environment that people depend on for existence has also been extremely polluted.
Particularly since the 1950s, with the rapid development of science and technology,
not to mention the incredible improvement of productivity, urban population has been
sharply growing. Consequently, the catastrophic damage caused by humans to the
natural environment is trending to be increasingly violent, henceforth Environment
Engineering emerged in response to the time and conditions required.

In conclusion, the primary research area of Environmental Engineering covers waste

water, exhaust gas, solid waste, noise, radioactive contaminant, etc. Moreover,
Environmental Engineering studies Environmental Systems Engineering,
Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Economics, Environmental
Monitoring Techniques et al.

4.2 Function of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Engineering

As one of the basic subjects, Fluid Mechanics has direct influence on multitudinous
majors such as Aerospace & Aviation, Hydraulics, Energy Sciences, Machinery,
Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science & Engineering, etc.
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Naturally, Fluid Mechanics shares quite a few origins with Environmental

Engineering, for instance, the optimization design of compressed pipe networks, the
study of two-phase/three-phase fluid, air floatation, hydraulic drops, etc. In short, all
those mentioned above have contributed preeminent promotion to the development of
Environmental Engineering (Qi et al. 112-13).

In this regard, specifically speaking, the study of orifice and pipe nozzle flow has
essential utilization in the design and modification of reactors as well as transmission
& distribution components in massive environmental protection equipment,
meanwhile allows the communication connecting the equipment with chemical plants,
civil structures, water control projects, etc. Furthermore, in terms of large-scale
environment, researches concerning pollutant dispersion in rivers and lakes,
groundwater pollution, seawater encroachment, red tide, water bloom along with
other environmental issues, the concepts of flow field and filament line take the
main-staying effect.

Hence it is thus obvious that Fluid Mechanics functions as the cornerstone course for
Environmental Engineering. In other words, the effects of Fluid Mechanics in the
design of sewage pipe networks, flue gas pipelines, building structures as well as
control and simulation of groundwater pollutant are definitely irreplaceable compared
to other disciplines.
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5. Specific Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental

Engineering

5.1 Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Waste Water Treatment

Engineering

5.11 Multiphase Fluidized Bed Reactor

In the overwhelming majority of cases, the phases of fluid are defined and divided by
the condensed states of the corresponding working conditions of the fluid. That is,
multiphase flow means three or more condensed fluid mediums existing in one fluid
system, in the meanwhile covering a relatively large phase interface area with obvious
interface chemical characteristics, also demonstrating a comparatively varying fluid
system other than the dynamics pattern in single-phase fluid (Wu 16). At present, the
current study of multiphase flow substantially refers to gas-liquid-solid three phase
flow in content.

As of now, multiphase fluidized bed reactors have been broadly utilized in Waste
Water Treatment of Environmental Engineering. For one thing, the process of aerobic
biological wastewater applying multiphase fluidized bed reactors has been extensively
adopted in waste water treatment. On the other hand, the BOD removal efficiency of
activated carbon fluidized bed surpasses the traditional biological processing.
Activated carbon fluidized bed is a category of multiphase fluidized bed reactor
utilizing activated carbon as the solid phase. Hence, the absorption function along
with the catalytic action of the surface function groups in activated carbon allow the
acceleration of the oxidation decomposition process of organic matters. W. J. Weber
researches the physiochemical process of waste water treatment in absorption towers
of bed reactors adopting granulate activated carbon, showing that the removal amount
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of BOD and TOC is extremely higher than those of non-activated carbon utilization
bed reactors (Weber Jr. et al 11-19).

In conclusion, compared with the traditional activated sludge method, multiphase

fluidized bed reactors have much more biomass, thus the processing load and
efficiency both surpass the traditional method.

5.12 Bubble-Up Loop Membrane Bioreactor

With the purpose for the improvement of effluent characteristics in addition to the
process efficiency of the traditional activated sludge method in waste water treatment,
scholars, researchers as well as scientists have conducted various beneficial attempts,
among which the Air-lift Loop Reactor (ALR) (Yang et al. 37-41) and Membrane
Bioreactor (MBR) (Visvanathan et al. 1-48) have gained universally attention.
Whereas Bubble-Up Loop Membrane Bioreactor is exactly the combination of those
two mentioned above, imbedding the membrane module into ALR, applying the
circular flow of gas-liquid two phase fluid inside ALR to oscillate and scour the
membrane surface, in order to mitigate the pollution on the membrane; in the
meantime, sealing the reactors with operation mode of permeation under pressure,
controlling the pressure inside the reactor with the regulating valve in compressed air
excretion lines to provide the differential pressure of the separation of the membranes
(Li and Wang 869-74). Inside the bioreactor, circular gas-liquid two phase flow would
be formed under the bubbling along with the interaction of gas-liquid two phase. To
sum up, the unique operation mode of permeation under pressure of bubble-up loop
membrane bioreactors has the capability to supersede the sorption pumps in the
traditional MBR, also reduce the complexity of the working system; most importantly,
effectively lessen energy consumption as well as equipment costing,
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5.2 Applications of Fluid Mechanics in Air Pollution Control

Engineering

5.21 Numerical Simulation of Hazardous Gas Dispersion around

Buildings in Urban Environment

In modern times, accidental leakage and diffusion of hazardous gas in city region
have severely threatened citizens in surrounding area, however, applying computer
modelling to calculate the spatial and temporal distribution of hazardous gas plays a
vital role in the prevention of accidents as well as emergency evacuation, which is one
of the research hotspots concerning urban public security along with micro
meteorological environment. Scholars domestic and overseas have been conducting
experiments along with theoretical researches in allusion to the transference and
irradiation of toxic matters in urban building clusters, among which the diffusion
modellings based upon CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) have increasingly
gained numerous attention, for CFD simulation can describe the wind field,
turbulence details in addition to the influence on concentration distribution in building
clusters. Therefore, with the assistance of CFD simulation coupling to exposure
models, combined with 3D building models and population distribution database
founded by GIS in the urban area, the authorities concerned would be capable of
calculating the exposure dosage diffusion as well as the concentration of hazardous
gas in ground indicator layer, so that researchers could conduct dynamic analysis
concerning the number and exposure level of the citizens around polluted area (Zheng
et al. 47-52).

Consequently, as demonstrated above, CFD simulation has extraordinarily significant

function in the listings of work in unexpected emergency hazardous gas accident in
urban area, including but not limited to personnel evacuating, pollution treatment,
after-calamity rehabilitation, etc.
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5.22 Study of Indoor Air Characteristics and Distribution of

Pollutant Concentration with the utilization of CFD

To begin with, Indoor Air Quality Assessment is a scientific method for people to
recognize indoor environment, which is exactly proposed at present as a new concept
with the increasing awareness of the significance of indoor environment. Indoor Air
Quality Assessment has multiple abilities to preferably demonstrate indoor living
environment. As an illustration, first of all, Indoor Air Quality Assessment is capable
of grasping the condition along with the variation tendency of indoor air quality, for
the purpose of predicting the contamination degree of indoor air; posteriorly, Indoor
Air Quality Assessment is able to evaluate the influence of indoor air pollution on
human health, in addition to the acceptability of indoor occupants, in order to provide
scientific basis for the establishment of indoor air quality standards; last but not least,
Indoor Air Quality Assessment is in the position to clarify the relationship between
the pollution source and indoor air quality to lay the foundation for architectural
design, epidemic prevention as well as contamination control (World Health
Organization 14-18). In general, on the international researchers select carbon dioxide,
carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, inhalable particle, nitric oxide, sulfur dioxide, total
bacterial count, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, illuminance along with
noise – 12 indicators in total to quantitatively reflect indoor air quality.

In this case, on account of the fact that nowadays indoor air pollution is on the
acceleration, indoor air detection has gained continuously increasing attention from
the general public, nevertheless the outcomes from detection and analysis are merely
able to demonstrate the average concentration of indoor air pollutions in ultimate limit
state, whereas not capable of revealing the pollution concentration diffusion of each
space point in ventilation conditions. Hence the application of CFD allows the
researchers to simulate indoor environment of buildings, not to mention the feasibility
to conduct vivid and intuitive analysis of the micro environment formed by indoor air
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flow. Moreover, the utilization of FLUENT to analog the indoor air flow organization
and predict the detailed diffusion of relevant pollutions is of practical significance for
the analysis of indoor air pollution distribution, the maintaining favorable building
ventilation as well as the improvement of indoor air quality (Qu 16-35).
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6. Conclusion

Summarizing from all those demonstrated above, the applications of Fluid Mechanics
are extremely vital in pollution abatement and prevention, which are exactly two
primary missions of Environmental Engineering. Consequently, Fluid Mechanics
functions as the cornerstone curriculum for Environmental Engineering. In other
words, it is significant for scholars dedicated to the career of Environmental
Engineering to profoundly research basic theories as well as advanced applications of
Fluid Mechanics.

On the other hand, the existing applications of Fluid Mechanics in Environmental

Engineering such as pollutants diffusion simulation have already contributed vast
assistance to environmental protection process. To be specific, in Waste Water
Treatment, compared with the traditional activated sludge method applied extensively
in previous sewage plants, multiphase fluidized bed reactors contain rather more
biomass, thus the processing load and efficiency both surpass the traditional method.
Another unexceptionable illustration is the numerical simulation of hazardous gas
dispersion around buildings in urban environment. With the assistance of CFD
simulation coupling to exposure models, the authorities concerned would be capable
of calculating the exposure dosage diffusion as well as the concentration of hazardous
gas in ground indicator layer. In short, CFD simulation has extraordinarily significant
function in the listings of work in unexpected emergency hazardous gas accident in
urban area, including but not limited to personnel evacuating, pollution treatment,
after-calamity rehabilitation, etc.

Equally importantly, recent development of Fluid Mechanics is still improving the

environmental protection methods. For instance, with the purpose for the
improvement of effluent characteristics in addition to the process efficiency of the
traditional activated sludge method in waste water treatment, Bubble-Up Loop
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Membrane Bioreactor reveals an extremely promising future application in

Environmental Engineering. Another key point is the application of CFD to assess
indoor air quality, allowing researchers to simulate indoor environment of buildings,
so as to improve the indoor living environment for all the general public in large-scale
shopping malls as well as common residences. In brief, all of these new scientific
frontiers of Fluid Mechanics are too numerous to demonstrate in sequence.
Therefore，it is of great significance for environmental engineers to thoroughly
research Fluid Mechanics with the purpose for better treating environmental pollution.
Hence, the latest frontier of Fluid Mechanics has essential influence on environmental
protection undertaking. In conclusion, researchers dedicated to the cause of
Environmental Engineering should continuously develop new applications of Fluid
Mechanics in order to ameliorate the current polluted living environment for all
humans.
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