showcasing ireland's water and waste water research dr catherine adley 7 th may 2014
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Showcasing Ireland's Water and Waste Water Research Dr Catherine Adley 7 th May 2014 . Water Research at The University of Limerick. Current and Past Research: Groundwater Quality and Management Vulnerability Analysis of Water Supplies Water Management and Legislative Control - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Showcasing Ireland's Water and Waste Water Research
Dr Catherine Adley
7th May 2014
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Water Research at The University of Limerick
Health
Microbiology
Environment
Current and Past Research:
• Groundwater Quality and Management• Vulnerability Analysis of Water Supplies• Water Management and Legislative Control• Epidemiology of Waterborne Disease • Antibiotic Resistance in water derived bacterial isolates
Our Expertise:
• Environmental Science: Use of GIS, legislative understanding and applied knowledge to tackle environmental problems• Microbiology: Epidemiology of waterborne infectious disease, antibiotic resistance and emerging pathogens.• Health: Analysis of areas of intrinsic vulnerability to water related disease, predictability modelling and Health Impact Assessment. • Statistical Analysis: Statistical Consultancy Unit which establishes methodical statistical regimes to facilitate hypothesis testing and strengthen research publications.
Research at UL benefits from ‘Collaborative Science’; utilising expertise from different areas to tackle multi-faceted research areas.
Contact: [email protected]
Environment
MicrobiologyHealth
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Water Research at The University of Limerick
Water Research
Microbiological Quality
Bacterial enumeration, genotypic and biochemical
analysis, antibiotic susceptibility
testing.
Chemical Quality Nutrient indicators,
heavy metal analysis,
toxicological analysis, ecological
profiling. Data Processing Statistical modelling,
bioinformatics, Geographical
Information Systems, Spatial modelling
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Water Research at The University of Limerick
From the laboratory to the land: Spatial Planning for Industry
Contact: [email protected]
Research at UL has focussed on: Methodologies and Systems for Water Management & Planning
that can be applied in industrial and public spheres.
Data Collection
GIS
Statistical Analysis
Social
Environment
Infrastructure
Spatial Analysis
Sustainable Planning
- Desk management
- Visual planning- Cost Effective - Environmental
management- Modelling- User Friendly- Communicable
‘Derive before you drive!’
Unculturable microorganisms in water and wastewaterPembroke Lab University of Limerick- Contact Prof J T Pembroke [email protected]
Using a combination of PCR of 16srDNA and rpoB genes and DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis) coupled with DNA sequencing we can identify organisms resident in water and waste water that are non culturable with culture based approaches. Examples using ATAD (Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion) or waste water sludge. Such techniques can be used to assess and evaluate safety of resident populations.
Figure 1 DGGE analysis of unculturable populations using V3-V5, V6-V8 and rpoB probes.
Recent BibliographyPiterina, A.V., C. MacCausland, J. Bartlett and J.T. Pembroke (2008). Microbial ecology of autothermal aerobic digestion (ATAD): diversity, dynamics and activity of bacterial communities involved in treatment of municipal wastewater. P 526-535 In Mendez-Vilas, Antonio (ed.) Modern Multidisciplinary Applied Microbiology ISBN 3-527-31611-6 - Wiley-VCH, Weinheim Print ISBN: 9783527316113 Online ISBN: 9783527611904
Piterina, AV. J.Barlett and J.T. Pembroke (2009) 13C-NMR assessment of the pattern of organic matter transformation during domestic wastewater treatment by autothermal aerobic digestion (ATAD). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health , 6(8), 2288-2306
Piterina, AV. J.Barlett and J.T. Pembroke (2010) Evaluation of the Removal of Indicator Bacteria from Domestic Wastewater Processed by Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2010, 7(9), 3422-3441;
Piterina, AV. J.Barlett and J.T. Pembroke (2010) Molecular Analysis of Bacterial Community DNA in Sludge Undergoing Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion (ATAD): Pitfalls and Improved Methodology to Enhance Diversity Recovery. DIVERSITY 2 (4), 505-526.
Piterina, AV. J.Barlett and J.T. Pembroke (2011) Morphological characterization of ATAD thermophilic sludge; sludge ecology and settleability. WATER RESEARCH 45 (11) 3427- 3438.
Piterina, AV. J.Barlett and J.T. Pembroke (2012) Phylogenetic Analysis of the Bacterial Community in a full scale Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digester (ATAD) treating mixed domestic sludge. WATER RESEARCH 46:2488-2504
Piterina, AV and J.T. Pembroke (2013) Use of PCR-DGGE based molecular methods to analyse microbial community diversity and stability during the thermophilic stages of an ATAD wastewater sludge treatment process as an aid to performance monitoring. ISRN Biotechnology vol2013 id 162645
Figure 2 Unculturable organisms (blue triangles) derived from ATAD wastewater by PCR analysis of 16s rDNA and their nearest affiliations using phylogenetic analysis.
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
There is Benefit from EI Innovation Partnerships
There are many successes…
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
• An in depth energy analysis of the overall process of Green Farm Foods Ltd. (an industrial partner in the food processing industry) was carried out.
• Shortcomings were identified in the energy management of the plant.
• A simplified approach for technology optimisation was developed based on the methodology of optimised heat management and GALGEM (General Approach for Low Grade Energy Management), using a combined tools package of Heat Exchanger Networks, Process Integration, Pinch and Exergy Analysis .
• Applying the methodology, technical solutions for energy saving were proposed and an evaluation of the economic impact was carried implemented.
The main advantages of the proposed solution are:1. An increase in the exergy efficiency of the overall system: 3.1 times2. An increase in the production of hot water at 50oC: 2.6 times3. A reduction in waste water effluent from oven: 1.9 times
A fuel saving of 12.1% despite the above listed benefits
Energy Efficiency Improvement through Technology Optimisation and Low Grade Heat Recovery
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
The total estimated heat saving, in relation to the energy currently produced by the fuel is shown below in Table 1:
Table 1: Heat Saving
Energy Efficiency Improvement through Technology Optimisation and Low Grade Heat Recovery
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Potential Impact of Second Generation contact Economiser
Flue gas
Fuel
SteamBoiler
757 kW 678 kW
Flue gas out
Hot Air
t = 47.4 oC
Heat +10.9 kW
G = 0.319
X = 0.0528
CE
Water 28 kg/h
Hot water out 62 oC
Cold water in 12 oC
81.7 kW
Light Oil LCV = 39.1 MJ/kg
63.241 kg/h
= 0.85 φ
External Air
G = 0.319
t = 15 oC
X = 0.0085
G = 0.313
t = 42.1 oC
X = 0.0769
G = 0.313
t = 200 oC
X = 0.1557
IMPACT
Fuel equiv. 109 kW (14.4%)
Emission saving
Heat 92.6 kWh
CO2 31 kg/h
NOx 0.137 kg/h
X - humidity [kg water vapour/kg dry gas]; G – dry gas flow rate [kg dry gas/s].
H2O 42 kg/h
EI Workshop May 7th 2014
Energy Efficiency Improvement in Complex Industrial Systems
Vacuum flash tank-condenser system has never performed as designed since commissioning of plant, recovering only 28.6 MW from the target 39.2 MW
• Solving this issue would provide savings of €4.5 million in additional energy costs per annum for the facility.
• GALGEM research group currently focusing on increasing efficiency of removal of the non-condensable gases from the system, which occupy valuable heat exchange area within condensers.