Water-Energy Nexus

Undergraduate

This course explores processes and technologies at the water-energy nexus. We utilize chemical and environmental engineering fundamentals to explore the links between maintaining clean water supply and energy security globally, as well as implications for environmental contamination and climate change. We develop a quantitative understanding of water chemistry and energy considerations for topics including traditional water and wastewater treatment, energy recovery from wastewater, membrane processes, water electrolysis for energy storage and electrochemical contaminant conversion, industrial water consumption and wastewater production, underground water sources and water for oil and gas, opportunities for reuse of nontraditional source waters and contaminant valorization, and considerations for decentralization, resilience, and electrification. Quantitative understanding of these processes will be attained based on mass and energy balances, systems engineering, thermodynamics, and kinetics. Prerequisite: ENVE 1200 or permission of instructor. The course is primarily designed for juniors and seniors majoring in environmental engineering, but students in other engineering majors are welcome. Students in non-engineering majors are also welcome but are encouraged to communicate with the instructor to make sure they have sufficient background knowledge in required mathematics. QR , SC TTh 2:35pm-3:50pm