73187 - Environment protection and anthropic activities

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Docente: Matteo Minelli
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: ING-IND/27
  • Language: Italian
  • Moduli: Matteo Minelli (Modulo 1) Carlo Stramigioli (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Environmental Engineering (cod. 9198)

Learning outcomes

Provide the students with basic elements for the characterization of air quality with respect to specific polluting substances, and for modeling the environmental systems.

Provides the students with basic knowledge of the most relevant plants of process industry that produce pollutants, and evaluate the environmental impact of specific production lines as well as the effectivess of the countermeasures applied to reduce negative interaction with the environment.

Course contents

Module 1.
Analysis of environmental quality standard and basic elements for the investigation of polluting processes and environmental protection

  • Introduction and description of the main causes for environmental pollution and the related mechanisms: general aspects and detailed anslysis of the case of atmospheric pollution (main pollutants, e.g. nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, photochemical smog, ozon hole)
  • Analysis of the most relevant processes relevant for atmospherical pollution and for separation processes: material and energy balance for reacting systems, simplified fluid dynamic model and their application for modeling environmental relevant systems.
  • Analysis of a peculliar case of great relevance, the greenhouse effet, with the detailed description of the phenomenon, the mechanism and the main causes, as well as the possibile scenarios; the possible countermeasures are also considered.

Modul2 2.

  • Methods suitable to reduce water and energy consuption: cooling water re-usage (evaporative towers, heat exchangers). Use of water from purification plants. Co-generation plants, integrated cycles with biomass gassification.
  • Reduction of nitrogen oxides emissions by process modifications: nitric acid production. Catalytic and non catalytic systems for the conversion of nitrogen oxides.
  • Low impact fuels: hydrogen production (hydrocarbons reforming , biomass reforming and partial reduction and water electrolysis), biodiesel, white diesel, reformulated gasolines, oxigenated antidetonants.
  • Raw materials recovery: fuel desolforation, Claus process. Plastic materials recovery and recycling. Paper, paperboard and glass production from recycling . Production of fertilyzers.
  • Safety valves and bursting discs. Reservoirs.

Prerequisite.

Basic knowledge of chemistry, fluid dynamics, heat and material transport are required to profitably attend the course.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures

Assessment methods

La verifica dell’apprendimento che accerta l’acquisizione delle conoscenze e delle abilità attese avverrà separatamente per i due moduli in cui è articolato il corso.

The assessment of module 1 is by means of a written exam divided in two different parts: a positive evaluation will be provided to students that proved their ability in the resolution of an exercise on mass and energy balance and model (first part), as well as in the description of the most relevant atmospheric pollution phenomena (second part).

The assessment of module 1 is by means of an oral exam in which the understanding of the topic covered during the courses will be analyzed: a positive evaluation will be provided to students able to describe and critically discuss all the topics.

Office hours

See the website of Matteo Minelli

See the website of Carlo Stramigioli

SDGs

Affordable and clean energy Responsible consumption and production Climate Action

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.