S e c t i o n  2

Best Practices

Design

better understanding of the role of biological floccu 

lation in the activated sludge process.  Flocculation

of particulate organics was studied and results will

Environmental Engineering

be published shortly.  These new design criteria have

emerged and are identified as best design practices

The Urban Waste Management and Research Cen 

for process optimization.  With new technology be 

ter, in connection with the University of New Orleans,

ing developed by UWMRC, anaerobic/aerobic waste 

College of Engineering, performed many studies re 

water treatment should realize a 50% reduction in

lated to wastewater treatment, which extends to ur 

waste, eliminating the need for a separate anaerobic

ban run off.  Many new design processes for dealing

sludge digestion.

with pollution content in an efficient and cost saving

UNO COE s UWMRC is on the leading edge of

manner have emerged from these studies.

technology for environmental engineering in deal 

ing with wastewater treatment.  It has performed

The  Urban  Waste  Management  and  Research

many studies that have resulted in new design pro 

Center (UWMRC) at the University of New Orleans,

cesses for treating wastewater.  It has also studied

College  of  Engineering  (UNO  COE)  supports  re 

many other aspects of dealing with wastewater, from

search  on  solid  waste  management,  water  and

sewer design optimization for solid flows to charac 

wastewater quality control, water resources, and air

terization of moisture content within landfills.  The

quality research.  The UWMRC also promotes ac 

recycling of leachate from landfills has been found

tivities  dealing  with  environmental  policy  and

to be advantageous in UWMRC s preliminary stud 

transfers the technology obtained in the research

ies.  Urban run off is another study that is being

to industry.  The UWMRC was established in May

conducted  due  to  the  increasing  pollution  caused

1990  and  obtained  a  cooperative  agreement  with

by  city  draining  of  rainwater  running  into  local

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July

lakes.  Stochastic models for managing urban run 

of that same year, which was extended to 1995.  This

off are being developed to deal with managing the

agreement contains research, education, and out 

pollutants draining into Lake Pontchartrain.

reach programs with an integrated waste manage 

ment/pollution  prevention  emphasis.    Financial

support for the Center extends from the EPA, gov 

Expert System for Shipyard Environ 

ernment,  private  industry,  and  the  international

mental Management

community.   A  sewerage  system  design  was  per 

formed for the country of Ecuador from 1993 to 1995,

The University of New Orleans, College of Engi 

which continued to aid that country in additional

neering has developed an expert system for shipyard

city planning by providing a digital map of the city

environmental  management  that  helps  shipyards

used for sewerage design.

easily manage its use of materials and the associ 

In one study, UWMRC evaluated wastewater treat 

ated environmental impacts.  Reports, trends, and

ment at three different treatment plants. Results of

analyses can be performed with minimal effort and

this study led to modifications at one of the plants to

provided to the necessary authorities.

improve treatment performance.  Training of plant

operators was also done to maintain the improve 

Most shipyards maintain records for management

ments.  Factors affecting process performance were

of  its  processes  via    spreadsheets,  charts,  data

identified and this knowledge has been retained for

sheets, and various other documentation.  Rarely

future studies.  New factors affecting process design

is there one source that contains all the necessary

were developed for the trickling filter solids contact

information for managing the processes needed to

process  (a  wastewater  treatment  process).    These

build, refurbish, and overhaul a ship.  Once a ship s

studies have led to graduate level training programs

needs  are  determined,  the  shipyard  determines

and publications in journals.  UWMRC developed a

what has to be performed.  This requires manage 

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