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Session 2513

Experiments in Waste Processing for Undergraduates

K. B. Lodge, R. A. Davis, D. Dorland and D. N. Baria Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota 55812

Summary The emphasis on hazardous waste processing and pollution prevention in the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD), has been enhanced by a National Science Foundation Instrument and Laboratory Improvement (NSF ILI) grant. It funded the development of 6 new experiments for the laboratory classes and for demonstrations in lectures.

Two experiments provide the students with training in important techniques of analysis for waste streams. Wastewater is characterized by the measurement of the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), a quantity vital for the assessment of discharges to receiving waters. We have built a simple flue with a burner in the laboratory to train the student in the use of a stack-gas analyzer. This measures the excess air, gas temperature and the concentrations of the common pollutants CO, CO2, NOx and SO2 in flue gas.

Four experiments teach techniques of separation. A solvent, methanol, is removed from water in our custom-built continuous distillation unit. Salt is removed from brine with our purpose- built reverse osmosis system. Ultrafiltration is used to separate dextran blue and riboflavin in an aqueous solution. Finally, heavy metal ions in water are replaced by benign cations in our ion- exchange unit.

Introduction Located at the western end of Lake Superior, UMD is one of four coordinate campuses of the University of Minnesota system. It has an enrollment of approximately 8,000 students, under- graduate and graduate. Chemical Engineering was established as an undergraduate program in 1986. Our enrollment has increased steadily; in the fall of 1995 we had 162 majors and 30 students graduated in the spring of 1996. Women and members of recognized minority groups make up about one quarter of our students. Graduates of our program compete successfully in the job market.

The program is accredited by ABET and is taught by 5 faculty. All students are required to complete a sequence of two courses in hazardous waste processing; topics include wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and solid waste management. This emphasis in the under- graduate program is complimented by the research interests of the faculty. These areas include beneficiation and utilization of low-rank coals, rheological properties of coal-water slurries, electrochemical engineering, measurement and estimation of thermodynamic properties of

Page 1 of 7 Lodge et al., ASEE 1997, Session 2513

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Davis, R. A., & Lodge, K. B., & Baria, D. N., & Dorland, D. (1997, June), Experiments In Waste Processing For Undergraduates Paper presented at 1997 Annual Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 10.18260/1-2--6561