Projects

A. Research Projects

a. Emerging technologies and approaches to minimize discharges into Lake Michigan

The objectives of this multi-institutional project are to (1) screen emerging technologies that could address wastewater treatment challenges faced by BP and other entities along the Great Lakes; and (2) to conduct a comparative analysis of related discharge issues that may help policymakers better understand and address environmental concerns.  BP will use this information to investigate whether any of the screened technologies could be applied at its Whiting refinery, before renewal of the refinery's discharge permit in 2012, to reduce environmental impacts while preserving the commercial viability of its planned investment. BP is planning to reconfigure the Whiting refinery to process more Canadian heavy crude oil.  There is a strong regional benefit to identify and implement technologies that maintain water quality in Lake Michigan.

b. Sensor Technology (Don Gray, George Nnanna, and Hal Pinnick)

Distribution Systems have been recognized as the part of water supply systems that is most vulnerable to deliberate contamination. In order to be truly innovative, new monitoring systems need to be able to operate unattended, online, in real time and be integrated into a distributed sensor network that minimizes false positives and negatives. The term "Sensor" is used to generally to describe methods for detecting small molecules, cations (such as Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Hg²⁺), and anions (such as Cl^- and oxyanions such as AsO₃^3- (AsIII) and AsO₄^3-  (AsV)). 

The PWI has embarked on two major sensor projects: a) Multi-parameter sensors where a suit of sensors (PH, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen) will be instrumented in a water distribution piping network to detect changes in physiochemical and thermal properties of water in the presence of contaminants. In this effort, a lab-scale model of the City of Hammond, IN, water piping network will be designed and built, and sensors attached to pre-selected locations will monitor the variations in contaminant concentration and properties. b) Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is a miniature scale which weighs the presence of target ions or molecules. The crystal is excited electronically and made to oscillate. The targets, the ions or molecules, are attracted to the QCM that are deposited on the surface of the crystal.  The weight or mass of the target on the receptor chemistry slows down the oscillations on the crystal indicating the presence of the target.  Presently, PWI is collaborating with Quansor Corporation located at the Purdue Research Park in this effort.

c. Mathematical Model of Contaminant Transport (George Nnanna)

One of the fundamental problems in online water monitoring system is determination of the optimum location of the sensor in order to effectively detect the contaminant at high concentration. This study is to develop a MATLAB code which will predict the concentration of any contaminant which might be introduced into the drinking water system. MATLAB is a powerful software package with many built in functions useful in almost all engineering applications. Mass balance equations are solved to get a governing equation which contains concentration 'C' as a function of distances in 'x', 'y' and 'z' directions and time 't'.

d. Predicting Northwest Indiana's Water Quality (Ruijian Zhang)

Water quality prediction is becoming a major challenge in Northwest Indiana and Lake Michigan region. Traditionally, mechanistic simulation models are employed for water quality modeling and prediction. However, the nature in Northwest Indiana and Lake Michigan region is very complex, and even the most detailed simulation model is extremely simple in comparison. At some point, additional detail exceeds our ability to simulate and predict with reasonable error levels. In those situations, two attractive alternatives of water quality modeling and prediction may be to express the complex behavior of the nature in Northwest Indiana and Lake Michigan region. One of them applies Bayesian network to predict the water quality probabilistically, as in statistical mechanics. The other employs C5 as decision tree modeling tool to make the water quality prediction. This study will investigate the potential for probability network and decision tree models to support water quality assessment and prediction in Northwest Indiana and compare these two methods with conventional mechanistic models.

e. Validation of Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP), (Anita Katti). 

'The Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP) measures and quantifies metals in a solution in one step with a single introduction of sample.  Its design uses a sensor array to detect the signals of "all" metals simultaneously.  The ICP has been installed with access to a 220 V line and an elephant trunk hood. Presently, a PWI faculty is testing and validating the equipment. The ICP will be tested using calibration standards and calibration standard mixture solutions readily available from vendors and suppliers in order to master the software as well as evaluate the accuracy and precision of the instrument for selected elements.  The ICP will be validated by measuring the limit of detection and the limit of quantification for the same selected metals. 

f. Wastewater Reuse Assessment in Northwest Indiana, William Rutherford and George Nnanna

The goal of this project is to assess, through statistical analyses, the amount of wastewater generated in the Northwest Indiana region that is being treated and reused for other requirements on a county by county basis. This data will then be used to determine methods to improve the quality of the water. Included in this study are the amount of water that is currently being consumed by agriculture, industry, and residential/commercial groups and their corresponding sources.

g. Raltson Street Lagoon Project, 2006, ($17,300.00), Gary Sanitary District (GSD), Gary, IN, Awarded, George Nnanna, Hal Pinnick, Anita Kitta

The objective of this project is to examine the reports submitted by CDM to GSD on the current status of the PolyChlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) content of the Ralston Street Lagoon. Based on assessment of the reports, the Purdue Calumet Water Institute (PWI) will recommend an economically feasible remediation plan for the lagoon.