No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wyoming, 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on May 21, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-63).

M.Sc. / This project considers the feasibility of using heated cooling water from coal-fired power stations within Eskom for the culturing of C/arias gariepinus (Sharptooth catfish) and Oreochromis mossambicus (Mozambique tilapia). The work includes: an overview of world wide trends in power plant thermal effluent aquaculture, the identification of suitable power stations for aquaculture, long term monitoring of the physical and chemical characteristics of the cooling water at selected power stations, including the effects of the cooling water on the growth response, food conversion, condition factor, survival rate and suitability for human consumption of the aforementioned fish species reared in the cooling water at Matla and Kriel Power Stations.

M.Ing. / Water gives life. It waters the fields of farmers; it nurtures the crops and stock of rural communities; it provides recreation for our children, our friends, our families; it supports our power generation, our mines, our industry, and the plants and animals that make up ecosystems. Water is the key to development and a good quality of life in South Africa. South Africa's water belongs to its people. It is the task of the South African Government to care for this water, to seek its fair distribution, and to facilitate its wise use for, amongst other things, social and economical development. Issues such as water resource management, use, protection, water services, etc., are presently governed by a number of policies, acts and regulations. All South Africans has a responsibility regarding the management of the country's resources. The supply of water to its entire people makes it extremely important to optimise the use of this scarce source. Access to water and water availability remains a key factor in ensuring the sustainability of development in Southern Africa. The coal fired power industry is a major user of natural resources; coal for fuel and water for steam generation as well as the cooling systems. It is estimated that 1.5% of the water abstracted in South Africa is used for power generation. The power industry receives its water mainly as abstraction from surface impoundments in the form of rivers and dams. Eskom, as a strategic user of water, is mindful of the importance of water to its business, as well as the development of the country. In addition to the interests of the government as the shareholder, Eskom recognises the legitimate interests, as stakeholders, of specific government departments, employees, consumers, suppliers, investors and lenders of capital, rating agencies, the media, policy and regulatory bodies, trade unions, non-governmental groups and local communities in its affairs. Eskom needs to ensure, through an effective water management strategy, that water is used wisely and effectively and that Eskom's impact on local water resources (surface and underground) is minimised. Eskom therefore has to manage water resources in a manner that will sustain the ecological integrity, support social development and ensure economic growth. Eskom has undertaken to benchmark the power generation industry, in co-operation with the DW AF, in a project aimed at developing the principles of water conservation and water demand management. In order to effectively manage water quality and quantity at Eskom's power stations, and to show Eskom's commitment with regard to water conservation and use, Eskom has compiled its own water and environmental policies.

Lephalale Municipality is a predominantly rural Municipality with 38 villages, two townships (Marapong and Onverwacht) and one town, Lephalale. Lephalale, formerly known as Ellisras, is a town situated in the “heart of the Bushveld” in Limpopo province. The town is growing rapidly and more industries are becoming concentrated within this small town. The construction of Medupi power station which is underway and other projects such as the expansion of Grootegeluk mine (coal 3 and 4 projects), and road developments in the area; have led to concern about the ambient air quality of the area. Other possible future projects are the Coal to Liquid project by Sasol and the Coal Bed Methane project by Anglo American Thermal Coal. The purpose of this study is to determine the ambient air quality impact of the Matimba power station in the Lephalale area. The AERMOD model and ambient air quality data obtained from Eskom’s Grootstryd and Marapong monitoring stations were used to assess the ambient air quality of Lephalale. Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides were investigated. Both the model’s results and the ambient air quality monitoring data indicated that the power station contributes to high -ground level concentrations of Sulphur dioxide. AERMOD simulated the nitrogen oxides results as nitrogen dioxide. From the study it is concluded that the power station is not the only source of nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides concentrations were associated with low-level sources. The relationship between the criteria pollutants in this study was assessed. The study found that there is no relationship between sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This finding was used to support the idea that sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are from different sources. It was also established that seasonality has an influence on the ground level concentrations of pollutants in the area.

No description available.

M.S.

Master of Science / Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering / Stacy L. Hutchinson / Coal-fired generation accounts for 45% of the United States electricity and generates harmful emissions, such as sulfur dioxide. With the implementation of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems, sulfur dioxide is removed as an air pollutant and becomes a water pollutant. Basic physical/chemical wastewater treatment can be used to treat FGD wastewater, but increased regulations of effluent water quality have created a need for better, more economical wastewater treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands. At Jeffrey Energy Center, north of St. Mary’s, KS, a pilot-scale constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) was implemented to treat FGD wastewater before releasing the effluent into the Kansas River. The objectives of this study were to 1.) determine if a portable water quality meter could be used to assess water quality and track pollutant concentrations, 2.) develop a water balance of the CTWS, 3.) generate a water use coefficient for the CWTS, and 4.) create a mass balance on the pollutants of concern. Water quality measurements were taken with a HORIBA U-50 Series Multi Water Quality Checker and compared to analytical water tests provided by Continental Analytic Services, Inc. (CAS) (Salina, KS). The water balance was created by comparing inflows and outflows of data determined through flow meters and a Vantage Pro2™ weather station. Information from the on-site weather station was also used to compute the system water use coefficient. Water sampling was conducted from date to date at 10 locations within the CWTS. In general, there was little to no relationship between the HORIBA water quality measurements and the analytical water tests. Therefore, it was recommended that JEC continue to send water samples on a regular basis to an analytical testing laboratory to assess the CWTS function and track pollutants of concern. Because the water balance was conducted during system initiation, there was a great deal of fluctuation due to problems with the pumping system, issues with the upstream FGD treatment system, extreme weather events, and immature vegetation. This fluctuation resulted in the system having a non-steady state operation, which weakened the ability to calculate a system water use coefficient. However, during periods of strong system function, the water use coefficient was similar to previous studies with maximum water use being approximately equal to the reference evapotranspiration. The results of the mass balance indicated high removals mercury, selenium, and fluoride, but low removals of boron, manganese, chloride, and sulfate were exported from the CWTS.

The Matimba and soon to be completed Medupi power stations located in close proximity to the town of Lephalale are a cause for environmental concern due to the known effects that coal combustion has on air, soil and water quality. The Medupi power station is currently being constructed, while the Matimba power station may have already negatively altered the water quality of the rivers especially those downwind of the power stations. The Lephalala (perennial river, upwind), the Mokolo (perennial river, upwind) and Matlabas (seasonal river, downwind) Rivers were selected due to the locations relative to the power stations. The concentrations and flux of cations and sulphate ions within the rivers in the Waterberg District Municipality were investigated for any seasonal or annual patterns using monthly data from a single sampling station along each river. Data for the concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, ammonium and sulphate were analysed in conjunction with river discharge, rainfall and ambient temperature data available for each hydrological year from 1999 to 2010. The data were converted to seasonal and annual values in order to determine the influence of the quality and quantity of coal combusted as well as climatic variables (rainfall, temperature and discharge) on ion fluxes measured. Sodium was the dominant cation in all rivers, reaching a maximum concentration of 0.0015 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2007), 0.0007 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2007) and 0.0006 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2001) in the Lephalala, Mokolo and Matlabas Rivers, respectively. Other cation concentrations were four times lower in the Lephalala and Mokolo Rivers, while they were eight times lower in the Matlabas Rivers. Sulphate concentrations were approximately nine, five and 15 times lower than the cation concentrations measured within the Lephalala, Mokolo and Matlabas Rivers, respectively. The mean summed cation flux was highest in the Lephalala River (0.0015 ± 0.0010 Eq.ℓ-1), which was approximately 1.7 and 2.1 times higher than summed cation fluxes measured in the Mokolo (0.0009 ± 0.0002 Eq.ℓ-1) and Matlabas (0.0007 ± 0.0006 Eq.ℓ-1) Rivers. Cation fluxes were highest during the rainfall season (summer and spring) in the river closest to the Matimba power station (Mokolo Rivers) while summed cation flux in the Lephalala and Mokolo Rivers (located further away from the power station) showed no specific seasonality. It was, however, noted that the cation fluxes during spring and winter were elevated for both rivers, possibly indicating