Environmental Engineering
Clean water, clean air, waste, and sustainability — engineering for a healthy planet.
Lessons
All lessonsHydrological Load Management: Stormwater Attenuation Principles
An exploration of how permeable surfaces and detention basins manage urban runoff to prevent downstream flooding.
Principles of Renewable Solar Energy
Discover how photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into usable electricity.
Composting and Nutrient Cycling
Learn how organic waste transforms into valuable soil fertilizer.
Green Building Materials
Exploring sustainable materials like bamboo and recycled steel in construction.
Air Quality Monitoring
Understanding how we measure particulate matter to keep our air clean.
Challenges
Subterranean Aquifer Remediation Simulation
Design a scale-model filtration system capable of sequestering simulated heavy metal contaminants from a saturated porous medium while maintaining controlled hydraulic conductivity. You must calculate the breakthrough curve of your filter media to determine the adsorption capacity and residence time required for effective decontamination. Your solution must demonstrate the ability to process a continuous influent stream without exceeding a specified pressure differential.
The Urban Stormwater Filtration Challenge
Design a small-scale gravity-fed filtration system to purify simulated urban runoff contaminated with sediment and oil. Your prototype must effectively reduce turbidity and trap visible pollutants while maintaining a steady flow rate over a five-minute testing period. Focus on layering media to maximize water quality through physical and chemical absorption.