The goals of this plant tour are to have students:
a) See the treatment process components used to remove pollutants from wastewater so that
when we learn about each process in class, you will have a picture of it in your mind and on your
phone.
b) Meet and talk to water quality professionals who are passionate about their role in protecting
public health and the environment.
c) Build an appreciation of the design and construction complexity of treatment facilities to help
you become more thoughtful and thorough designers (regardless of subdiscipline)./nLaboratory Assignment:
1. The plant tour typically follows the flow through the process. Take photographs and make notes
at each step in the process. Make note of the process name and what pollutant or pollutants it
is designed to remove. Tour guides will also point out interesting features about the process
and the equipment. Make notes of what they say. They may talk about what they like or what
they dislike about something. These are key lessons to make you good designers. Feel free to
ask questions!
2. Observe one or two "minor" construction details of the facility and photograph and make notes
about how that detail is handled in different areas of the plant. Sometimes they may be
consistent throughout and sometimes they may be quite different. Example construction
details include:
a. Piping supports
b. Handrail materials and mounting
c. Equipment mounting including pads, anchors, power, and ancillary systems (cooling
water, noise attenuation)
d. Stairs - within buildings, outdoors, equipment platforms, etc
e. Ductwork materials and support
f. Odor control systems
g. Concrete finishes
h. Concrete construction details (chamfers, wear protection, beam pockets, grating)
i. Hatches
j. Space for equipment removal/maintenance
k.
Conduits
1. Piping details (expansion fittings, check valves, isolation valves, materials, routing,
manifolding)
m. Redundancy of process equipment
n. Safety systems and signage including egress/nDeliverables
1. Submit.pdf file(s) of your process notes and photos, with a copy of the plant process flow
diagram. Notes and photos should be under a subheading that is consistent with the process
described on the process flow diagram.
2. Submit a .pdf file with notes on and photos of your observations of construction details that you
choose. One or two types of construction are sufficient. A-level work will be supplemented by
additional research into how these are detailed or specified in construction drawings and
specifications. I'm thinking that this can be sufficiently covered in 5-10 pages, with photos and
example details embedded in and referenced from the text.
In addition to submitting these deliverables to Blackboard, they should also be added to your electronic
lab notebook that will be due at the end of the semester./nDeliverables
1. Submit.pdf file(s) of your process notes and photos, with a copy of the plant process flow
diagram. Notes and photos should be under a subheading that is consistent with the process
described on the process flow diagram.
2. Submit a .pdf file with notes on and photos of your observations of construction details that you
choose. One or two types of construction are sufficient. A-level work will be supplemented by
additional research into how these are detailed or specified in construction drawings and
specifications. I'm thinking that this can be sufficiently covered in 5-10 pages, with photos and
example details embedded in and referenced from the text.
In addition to submitting these deliverables to Blackboard, they should also be added to your electronic
lab notebook that will be due at the end of the semester.
