Nous étudions la faisabilité du procédé de distillation extractive continue pour séparer des mélanges azéotropiques A-B à température de bulle minimale ou maximale, avec un tiers corps E lourd ou léger. Les mélanges ternaires A-B-E appartiennent aux classes 1.0-1-a et 1.0-2 qui se subdivisent chacune en deux souscas selon la position de la courbe d'univolatilité. La colonne de distillation a trois sections, rectification, extractive, épuisement. Nous établissons les équations décrivant les profiles de composition liquide dans chaque section en fonction des paramètres opératoires: pureté et taux de récupération du distillat, taux de reflux ratio R et rapport des débits d'alimentation FE/F dans le cas d'un tiers corps lourd ; pureté et taux de récupération du produit de pied, taux de rebouillage S et rapport des débits d'alimentation FE/F dans le cas d'un tiers corps léger. Avec un tiers corps lourd alimenté comme liquide bouillant au dessus de l'étage d'alimentation du mélange A-B, nous identifions le distillat atteignable et les plages de valeurs faisables des paramètres R et FE/F à partir du critère général de faisabilité énoncé par Rodriguez-Donis et al. (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res, 2009, 48(7), 3544–3559). Pour la classe 1.0-1a, il existe des rapport FE/F et reflux ratio minimum. Le rapport FE/F est plus important pour le procédé continu que pour le procédé discontinu parce que la faisabilité du procédé continu nécessite que les profils d'épuisement et extractifs s'intersectent. Pour la classe 1.0-2, les deux constituants A et B sont des distillats potentiels, l'un sous réserve que le rapport FE/F reste inférieur à une valeur limite maximale. Le procédé continu exhibe également une valeur minimale de FE/F à un taux de reflux ratio donné, contrairement au procédé discontinu. Avec un tiers corps léger alimenté comme vapeur saturante sous l'étage d'alimentation du mélange A-B, nous identifions le produit de pied atteignable et les plages de valeurs faisables des paramètres S et FE/F à partir du critère général de faisabilité énoncé par Rodriguez-Donis et al. (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res, 2012, 51, 4643–4660). Comparé au cas des tiers corps lourds, le produit principal est obtenu en pied. Autrement, les comportements des classes 1.0-1a et 1.0-2 sont analogues entre les tiers corps léger et lourd. Avec un tiers corps léger, le procédé continu ajoute la contrainte que les profils de rectification et extractifs s'intersectent. La contrainte d'intersection des profils d'épuisement et extractif est partagée par les deux modes opératoires continu et discontinu. Ce travail valide la méthodologie proposée pour évaluer la faisabilité du procédé de distillation extractive continue et permet de comparer les tiers entre eux en termes de taux de reflux ratio minimum et de rapport de débit d'alimentation minimal / We study the continuous extractive distillation of minimum and maximum boiling azeotropic mixtures A-B with a heavy or a light entrainer E, intending to assess its feasibility based on thermodynamic insights. The ternary mixtures belong to the common 1.0-1a and 1.0-2 class ternary diagrams, each with two sub-cases depending on the univolatility line location. The column has three sections, rectifying, extractive and stripping. Differential equations are derived for each section composition, depending on operating parameters: distillate product purity and recovery, reflux ratio R and entrainer – feed flow rate ratio FE/F for the heavy case; bottom product purity and recovery, reboil ratio and entrainer – feed flow rate ratio for the light entrainer case. For the case with a heavy entrainer fed as a boiling liquid above the main feed, the feasible product and operating parameters R and FE/F ranges are assessed under infinite reflux ratio conditions by using the general feasibility criterion enounced by Rodriguez-Donis et al. (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res, 2009, 48(7), 3544–3559). For the 1.0-1a class, there exists a minimum entrainer - feed flow rate ratio to recover the product, and also a minimum reflux ratio. The minimum entrainer - feed flow rate ratio is higher for the continuous process than for the batch because of the additional requirement in continuous mode that the stripping profile intersects with the extractive profile. For the 1.0-2 class both A and B can be distillated. For one of them there exists a maximum entrainer - feed flow rate ratio. The continuous process also has a minimum entrainer - feed flow rate ratio limit for a given feasible reflux ratio. For the case with a light entrainer fed as saturated vapor below the main feed, the feasible product and operating parameters S and FE/F ranges are assessed under infinite reflux ratio conditions by using the general feasibility criterion enounced by Rodriguez-Donis et al. (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res, 2012, 51, 4643–4660), Compared to the heavy entrainer case, the main product is removed from the column bottom. Similar results are obtained for the 1.0-1a and 1.0-2 class mixtures whether the entrainer is light or heavy. With a light entrainer, the batch insight about the process feasibility holds for the stripping and extractive sections. Now, an additional constraint in continuous mode comes from the necessary intersection between the rectifying and the extractive sections. This work validates the proposed methodology for assessing the feasibility of continuous extractive distillation processes and enables to compare entrainers in terms of minimum reflux ratio and minimum entrainer feed flow rate ratio

La diminution de la cylindrée ou le downsizing du moteur est potentiellement l'une des stratégies les plus efficaces pour améliorer la consommation de carburant et diminuer les émissions polluantes. Dans le domaine de la suralimentation, la simulation est limitée par les caractéristiques de fonctionnement des turbines fournies par les constructeurs. Une extrapolation précise et fiable des cartographies turbine est donc l’objectif de cette thèse. Une étude expérimentale sur une turbine radiale d’un turbocompresseur est effectuée avec différentes techniques pour mesurer la cartographie turbine la plus large possible. Les mesures sont effectuées sur un banc turbocompresseur classique avec différentes températures d'entrée turbine. Puis une technique de gavage en entrée et en sortie compresseur est testée. Le compresseur est ensuite remplacé par un autre compresseur à roue inversée qui peut aider la turbine à tourner et même l’entrainer. Les débits les plus faibles et même les débits négatifs sont mesurés. Un banc turbine électromécanique a également été développé, mais n’a pas pu donner de résultats satisfaisants à cause de problèmes techniques mais des évolutions à venir restent prometteuses. Les diverses techniques expérimentales testées ont aussi permis de mesurer le rendement isentropique de la turbine et le rendement mécanique du turbocompresseur. Finalement, plusieurs modèles d’extrapolation des courbes caractéristiques turbine ont été testés et confrontés aux résultats expérimentaux. / Engine downsizing is potentially one of the most effective strategies being explored to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. In the field of turbocharging,simulation is limited by the operating characteristics of turbines supplied by the manufacturers. An accurate and precise extrapolation of the turbine performance maps is the main aim of this study. An experimental study was done on a radial turbine of a turbocharger with different techniques to measure the wider turbine performance map possible. Measurements were done on a classic turbocharger test bench with different turbine inlet temperatures. Then air was blown to the compressor inlet and exit: it is the compressor “gavage”. The compressor is then replaced with another one with are versed rotor: this compressor can help the turbine turn and even drive it itself. The lowest mass flow rates are measured even the negative ones. An electromechanical turbine test bench was developed but did not work correctly because of technical problems but future developments are promising. The various experimental techniques used allowed also the measurement of the turbine isentropic efficiency and the turbocharger mechanical efficiency. Finally, many extrapolation models of the turbine performance maps were tested and compared to the experimental results.

L’étude du transfert de masse turbulent aux interfaces gaz-liquide est d’un grand intérêt dans de nombreuses applications environnementales et industrielles. Bien que ce problème soit étudié depuis de nombreuses années, sa compréhension n’est pas encore suffisante pour la création de modèles de transfert de masse réalistes (de type RANS ou LES sous maille), en particulier en présence d’une phase liquide à rhéologie complexe. Ce travail expérimental a pour but l’étude des aspects fondamentaux du transfert de masse turbulent à une interface plane horizontale entre du dioxyde de carbone gazeux et une phase liquide newtonienne ou non, agitée par une turbulence homogène quasi isotrope. Les milieux liquides non newtoniens étudiés sont des solutions aqueuses d’un polymère dilué à des concentrations variables et aux propriétés viscoélastiques et rhéofluidifiantes. Deux méthodes de mesure optiques permettant l’obtention du champ de vitesse de la phase liquide (SPIV) et de concentration du gaz dissout (I-PLIF) sont couplées tout en maintenant une haute résolution spatiale, afin de déduire les statistiques de vitesse et de concentration couplées dans les premiers millimètres sous la surface. Une nouvelle version de I-PLIF est développée pour les mesures en proche surface. Elle peut également s’appliquer dans différentes études de transfert de masse. La turbulence de fond est générée par un dispositif de grille oscillante. Les mécanismes de production et les caractéristiques de la turbulence sont étudiés. L’importance de la composante oscillante de la turbulence est discutée, et un phénomène d’amplification de l’écoulement moyen est mis en évidence. Les mécanismes du transfert de masse turbulent à l’interface sont finalement observés pour l’eau et une solution de polymère dilué à faible concentration. L’analyse conditionnelle des flux de masse turbulent permet de mettre en évidence les évènements contribuant au transfert de masse et de discuter de leur impact relatif sur le transfert total. / The study of turbulence induced mass transfer at the interface between a gas and a liquid is of great interest in many environmental phenomena and industrial processes. Even though this issue has already been studied for several decades, its understanding is still not good enough to create realistic models (RANS or sub-grid LES), especially when considering a liquid phase with a complex rheology. This experimental work aims at studying fundamental aspects of turbulent mass transfer at a flat interface between carbon dioxide and a Newtonian or non-Newtonian liquid, stirred by homogeneous and quasi isotropic turbulence. Non-Newtonian fluids studied are aqueous solutions of a model polymer, Xanthan gum (XG), at various concentrations, showing viscoelastic and shear-thinning properties. Optical techniques for the acquisition of the liquid phase velocity field (Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry, SPIV) and dissolved gas concentration field (Inhibited Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence, I-PLIF) are for the first time coupled, keeping a high spatial resolution, to access velocity and concentration statistics in the first few millimetres under the interface. A new version of I-PLIF is developed. It is designed to be more efficient for near surface measurements, but its use can be generalized to other single or multiphase mass transfer situations. Bottom shear turbulence in the liquid phase is generated by an oscillating grid apparatus. The mechanisms of turbulence production and the characteristics of oscillating grid turbulence (OGT) are studied. The importance of the oscillatory component of turbulence is discussed. A mean flow enhancement effect upon polymer addition is evidenced. The mechanisms of turbulent mass transfer at a flat interface are finally observed in water and low concentration polymer solutions. A conditional analysis of turbulent mass fluxes allows to distinguish the type of events contributing to mass transfer and discuss their respective impact in water and polymer solutions.

La sûreté des réacteurs nucléaires constitue une condition primordiale et nécessaire à leur industrialisation. Pour les réacteurs à neutrons rapides refroidis au sodium, cette sûreté passe par la possibilité de détection d’une fuite d’eau dans le sodium au niveau du générateur de vapeur à des stades très précoces de leur déclenchement. Le présent travail de thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre du développement d’une technique non intrusive pour la détection d’une réaction sodium-eau dans le générateur de vapeur d’un réacteur nucléaire refroidi au sodium. On désire identifier le bruit vibratoire de cette réaction à partir de mesures d’accélération sur la virole externe du générateur. Cependant, les vibrations dues à la fuite peuvent être noyées dans le bruit généré par l’écoulement du sodium ou par d’autres sources d’excitation. Afin d’augmenter, le rapport signal à bruit, on s’intéresse à l’apport d’un filtrage spatial par formation de voies pour ce type de système. Ce dernier se caractérise notamment par la présence d’un couplage structure-fluide lourd (c.-à-d. virole-sodium) et des modes vibroacoustiques qui apparaissent aux mêmes fréquences d’intérêt pour la détection de la fuite. Pour réaliser cette étude, nous considérons une maquette expérimentale composée d’une conduite cylindrique reliée à un circuit hydraulique par deux brides très rigides. La source à identifier est simulée par un hydrophone de taille réduite en mode émetteur positionné à l’intérieur de la conduite par un dispositif mécanique dédié à cet effet. Le bruit perturbateur est induit par l’écoulement de l’eau, supposé turbulent à partir d’un certain débit. L’antenne est composée de vingt-cinq accéléromètres placés sur la conduite d’essai. L’objectif consiste à traiter simultanément les signaux accéléromètriques pour faire ressortir le signal de la fuite tout en rejetant le bruit dû à l’écoulement. Deux types de traitement par formation de voies sont considérés : la formation de voies conventionnelle (dites de Bartlett) et une formation de voies optimisée qui vise à maximiser le rapport signal à bruit de la fuite. / The safety of nuclear reactors represents a necessary and vital condition for the exploitation of nuclear plants with liquid-cooled cores. This safety passes by the ability to detect and anticipate the earliest stages of a water leak into sodium within the heat generator. The study detailed in this manuscript has been initiated in a framework aiming to develop nonintrusive detection techniques for sodium water chemical reactions. Its main goal is to uncover the signal of a water leak into sodium, based on the measurements of the vibratory field recorded by the means of accelerometers externally mounted on the heat generator shell. However, such a spectrum is masked by the plant general background noise, especially that generated by heavy fluid flow (i.e. sodium flow) during actual operating times of the power plant. In order to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the leak, beamforming technique for the acceleration measurements of the mechanical system is considered. The aforementioned system is characterized by a strong non-linear coupling between the the heat generator’s cylindrical shell and the heavy fluid in motion. In particular, fluid motion and the acoustic emission of the leak seem to excite some eigen modes of the cylinder, at these same frequencies where the acoustic signature of the leak is at its highest amplitude. For the purpose of our study, a cylindrical mock-up connected by some very rigid links to a hydraulic circuit is considered. A hydrophone emission excites the mock-up from within and is being accounted for the acoustic leak. Water flows inside the cylinder at turbulent Reynolds number. An array of twenty-five accelerometers is mounted on the mock-up shell using ceramic insulators. The main goal is to combine the twenty-five signals in such a way that allows the increase of the SNR for the acoustic source while rejecting water flow noise. Two beamforming techniques are applied and compared: classical Bartlett beamforming as well as optimized beamforming for SNR maximization (Max SN

Após o aumento de potência do reator IEA-R1 de 2 MW para 5 MW observou-se um aumento da taxa de corrosão nas placas laterais de alguns elementos combustíveis e algumas dúvidas surgiram com relação ao valor de vazão utilizada nas análises termo-hidráulicas. A fim de esclarecer e medir a distribuição de vazão real pelos elementos combustíveis que compõe o núcleo do reator IEA-R1, um elemento combustível protótipo, sem material nuclear, chamado DMPV-01 (Dispositivo para Medida de Pressão e Vazão), em escala real, foi projetado e construído em alumínio. A vazão no canal entre dois elementos combustíveis é muito difícil de estimar ou ser medida. Esta vazão é muito importante no processo de resfriamento das placas laterais. Este trabalho apresenta a concepção e construção de um elemento combustível instrumentado para medir a temperatura real nestas placas laterais para melhor avaliar as condições de resfriamento do combustível. Quatorze termopares foram instalados neste elemento combustível instrumentado. Quatro termopares em cada canal lateral e quatro no canal central, além de um termopar no bocal de entrada e outro no bocal de saída do elemento. Existem três termopares para medida de temperatura do revestimento e um para a temperatura do fluido em cada canal. Três séries de experimentos, para três configurações distintas, foram realizadas com o elemento combustível instrumentado. Em dois experimentos uma caixa de alumínio foi instalada ao redor do núcleo para reduzir o escoamento transverso entre os elementos combustíveis e medir o impacto na temperatura das placas externas. Dada a tamanha quantidade de informações obtidas e sua utilidade no projeto, melhoria e capacitação na construção, montagem e fabricação de elementos combustíveis instrumentados, este projeto constitui um importante marco no estudo de núcleos de reatores de pesquisa. As soluções propostas podem ser amplamente utilizadas para outros reatores de pesquisa. / After the IEA-R1 upgrade from 2 MW to 5 MW it was observed that the corrosion rate increased in a lateral plate of one fuel element and some issues appeared concerning the flow values used in the thermal-hydraulic analysis. In order to clear it up and measure the actual flow distribution among the fuel elements composing the IEA-R1 active core, a dummy element without nuclear fuel material, called DMPV-01 (Pressure and Flow Measurement Device), full scale, was designed and manufactured in aluminum. The flow rate in the channel between two fuel assemblies is very difficult to estimate or measure. This flow rate is very important to the cooling process of the external plates. This work presents the design and construction of an instrumented fuel assembly in order to measure the actual temperature in these lateral plates. Fourteen thermocouples were installed in this instrumented fuel assembly. Four in each lateral channel, one in the inlet nozzle and one in the outlet nozzle. There are three thermocouples in each channel to measure the clad temperature and one thermocouple to measure the fluid temperature. Three series of experiments, for three different core configuration were carried out with the instrumented fuel assembly. In two experiments a box was installed around the core to reduce the cross flow between the fuel assembly and measure the impact in the temperatures of external plates. Given the amount of information generated and its utility in the design, improvement and qualification in construction, assembly and manufacturing of instrumented fuel, this project turned out to be an important landmark on the thermal-hydraulic study of research reactor cores. The proposed solutions could be useful for other research reactors.

Trabalhos de cunho historiográfco que visam resgatar a produção científica e tecnológica de um país tem auxiliado a compreender e a classificar seu nível de desenvolvimento frente a estas questões. Com este trabalho, espera-se dar início no Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento (SHS) da Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, a um levantamento historiográfico da produção tecnológica e científica de seus pós-graduandos e professores. Para tanto, resgata-se um trabalho realizado entre o final da década de 1960 e início da década de 1970, pela Cátedra de Mecânica dos Fluidos (precursora do SHS), que teve como objetivo prever a vazão de água do túnel 2 do Sistema Cantareira de abastecimento de água para a região metropolitana de São Paulo. Nesta galeria foi realizado um ensaio original com circulação de ar, para o qual foram desenvolvidos métodos e técnicas a fim de verificar a vazão e auxiliar no seu dimensionamento, para garantir uma adução de 33 \'M POT.3\'/s. Mediante o levantamento, organização cronológica e análise dos documentos produzidos pelos autores do referido ensaio, resgatam-se as influências teóricas que nortearam as metodologias, as técnicas e tecnologias e analisam-se, de acordo com os registros documentais, a execução e resultados alcançados pelos ensaios. / Works that have as objective to review the scientific and technological production of a country have helped to understand and to measure its level of development regarding these questions. With this work, hopefully a historical survey of the technological and scientific production of its graduate students and teachers begins at the Departamento de Hidráulica e Saneamento (SHS) at the Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos. In this way, a work that was carried out between the end of the 1960\'s and beginning of the 1970\'s, by the chair of fluid mechanics (precursor of the SHS), which had as objective to foresee the water flow rate at tunnel 2 of the Cantareira water project for the metropolitan area of São Paulo. An original test using air circulation was carried out in the tunnel. Methods and techniques were developed in order to verify the flow rate and check its size, to guarantee 33 \'M POT.3\'/s of flow. The documents produced by the authors of the test were surveyed, organized chronologically and analyzed, seeking to infer the theoretical influences that had guided the methodologies, to describe the techniques and technologies and to analyze, in accordance with the document registers, the execution and results reached from the tests.

Após o aumento de potência do reator IEA-R1 de 2 MW para 5 MW observou-se um aumento da taxa de corrosão nas placas laterais de alguns elementos combustíveis e algumas dúvidas surgiram com relação ao valor de vazão utilizada nas análises termo-hidráulicas. A fim de esclarecer e medir a distribuição de vazão real pelos elementos combustíveis que compõe o núcleo do reator IEA-R1, um elemento combustível protótipo, sem material nuclear, chamado DMPV-01 (Dispositivo para Medida de Pressão e Vazão), em escala real, foi projetado e construído em alumínio. A vazão no canal entre dois elementos combustíveis é muito difícil de estimar ou ser medida. Esta vazão é muito importante no processo de resfriamento das placas laterais. Este trabalho apresenta a concepção e construção de um elemento combustível instrumentado para medir a temperatura real nestas placas laterais para melhor avaliar as condições de resfriamento do combustível. Quatorze termopares foram instalados neste elemento combustível instrumentado. Quatro termopares em cada canal lateral e quatro no canal central, além de um termopar no bocal de entrada e outro no bocal de saída do elemento. Existem três termopares para medida de temperatura do revestimento e um para a temperatura do fluido em cada canal. Três séries de experimentos, para três configurações distintas, foram realizadas com o elemento combustível instrumentado. Em dois experimentos uma caixa de alumínio foi instalada ao redor do núcleo para reduzir o escoamento transverso entre os elementos combustíveis e medir o impacto na temperatura das placas externas. Dada a tamanha quantidade de informações obtidas e sua utilidade no projeto, melhoria e capacitação na construção, montagem e fabricação de elementos combustíveis instrumentados, este projeto constitui um importante marco no estudo de núcleos de reatores de pesquisa. As soluções propostas podem ser amplamente utilizadas para outros reatores de pesquisa. / After the IEA-R1 upgrade from 2 MW to 5 MW it was observed that the corrosion rate increased in a lateral plate of one fuel element and some issues appeared concerning the flow values used in the thermal-hydraulic analysis. In order to clear it up and measure the actual flow distribution among the fuel elements composing the IEA-R1 active core, a dummy element without nuclear fuel material, called DMPV-01 (Pressure and Flow Measurement Device), full scale, was designed and manufactured in aluminum. The flow rate in the channel between two fuel assemblies is very difficult to estimate or measure. This flow rate is very important to the cooling process of the external plates. This work presents the design and construction of an instrumented fuel assembly in order to measure the actual temperature in these lateral plates. Fourteen thermocouples were installed in this instrumented fuel assembly. Four in each lateral channel, one in the inlet nozzle and one in the outlet nozzle. There are three thermocouples in each channel to measure the clad temperature and one thermocouple to measure the fluid temperature. Three series of experiments, for three different core configuration were carried out with the instrumented fuel assembly. In two experiments a box was installed around the core to reduce the cross flow between the fuel assembly and measure the impact in the temperatures of external plates. Given the amount of information generated and its utility in the design, improvement and qualification in construction, assembly and manufacturing of instrumented fuel, this project turned out to be an important landmark on the thermal-hydraulic study of research reactor cores. The proposed solutions could be useful for other research reactors.

Reservoir economic performance is based upon future cash flows which can be generated from a reservoir. Future cash flows are a function of hydrocarbon volumetric flow rates which a reservoir can produce, and the market conditions. Both of these functions of future cash flows are associated with uncertainties. There is uncertainty associated in estimates of future hydrocarbon flow rates due to uncertainty in geological model, limited availability and type of data, and the complexities involved in the reservoir modeling process. The second source of uncertainty associated with future cash flows come from changing oil prices, rate of return etc., which are all functions of market dynamics. Robust integration of these two sources of uncertainty, i.e. future hydrocarbon flow rates and market dynamics, in a model to predict cash flows from a reservoir is an essential part of risk assessment, but a difficult task. Current practices to assess a reservoir’s economic performance by using Deterministic Cash Flow (DCF) methods have been unsuccessful in their predictions because of lack in parametric capability to robustly and completely incorporate these both types of uncertainties. This thesis presents a procedure which accounts for uncertainty in hydrocarbon production forecasts due to incomplete geologic information, and a novel real options methodology to assess the project economics for upstream petroleum industry. The modeling approach entails determining future hydrocarbon production rates due to incomplete geologic information with and without secondary information. The price of hydrocarbons is modeled separately, and the costs to produce them are determined based on market dynamics. A real options methodology is used to assess the effective cash flows from the reservoir, and hence, to determine the project economics. This methodology associates realistic probabilities, which are quantified using the method’s parameters, with benefits and costs. The results from this methodology are compared against the results from DCF methodology to examine if the real options methodology can identify some hidden potential of a reservoir’s performance which DCF might not be able to uncover. This methodology is then applied to various case studies and strategies for planning and decision making. / text

Concern regarding the health effects of indoor air quality has grown in recent years, due to the increased prevalence of many diseases, as well as the fact that many people now spend most of their time indoors. While numerous studies have reported on the dynamics of aerosols indoors, the dynamics of bioaerosols in indoor environments are still poorly understood and very few studies have focused on fungal spore dynamics in indoor environments. Consequently, this work investigated the dynamics of fungal spores in indoor air, including fungal spore release and deposition, as well as investigating the mechanisms involved in the fungal spore fragmentation process. In relation to the investigation of fungal spore dynamics, it was found that the deposition rates of the bioaerosols (fungal propagules) were in the same range as the deposition rates of nonbiological particles and that they were a function of their aerodynamic diameters. It was also found that fungal particle deposition rates increased with increasing ventilation rates. These results (which are reported for the first time) are important for developing an understanding of the dynamics of fungal spores in the air. In relation to the process of fungal spore fragmentation, important information was generated concerning the airborne dynamics of the spores, as well as the part/s of the fungi which undergo fragmentation. The results obtained from these investigations into the dynamics of fungal propagules in indoor air significantly advance knowledge about the fate of fungal propagules in indoor air, as well as their deposition in the respiratory tract. The need to develop an advanced, real-time method for monitoring bioaerosols has become increasingly important in recent years, particularly as a result of the increased threat from biological weapons and bioterrorism. However, to date, the Ultraviolet Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (UVAPS, Model 3312, TSI, St Paul, MN) is the only commercially available instrument capable of monitoring and measuring viable airborne micro-organisms in real-time. Therefore (for the first time), this work also investigated the ability of the UVAPS to measure and characterise fungal spores in indoor air. The UVAPS was found to be sufficiently sensitive for detecting and measuring fungal propagules. Based on fungal spore size distributions, together with fluorescent percentages and intensities, it was also found to be capable of discriminating between two fungal spore species, under controlled laboratory conditions. In the field, however, it would not be possible to use the UVAPS to differentiate between different fungal spore species because the different micro-organisms present in the air may not only vary in age, but may have also been subjected to different environmental conditions. In addition, while the real-time UVAPS was found to be a good tool for the investigation of fungal particles under controlled conditions, it was not found to be selective for bioaerosols only (as per design specifications). In conclusion, the UVAPS is not recommended for use in the direct measurement of airborne viable bioaerosols in the field, including fungal particles, and further investigations into the nature of the micro-organisms, the UVAPS itself and/or its use in conjunction with other conventional biosamplers, are necessary in order to obtain more realistic results. Overall, the results obtained from this work on airborne fungal particle dynamics will contribute towards improving the detection capabilities of the UVAPS, so that it is capable of selectively monitoring and measuring bioaerosols, for which it was originally designed. This work will assist in finding and/or improving other technologies capable of the real-time monitoring of bioaerosols. The knowledge obtained from this work will also be of benefit in various other bioaerosol applications, such as understanding the transport of bioaerosols indoors.

Sverige har som mål att endast använda fossilfria bränslen inom fordonsflottan till år 2030. Ett av dessa fossilfria bränslen är biogas som bland annat produceras på Karlstads reningsverk, Sjöstadsverket. Sjöstadsverket planerar att bygga ut sin slammottagningsstation för att kunna ta emot mer slam. I samband med detta finns det ett intresse av att undersöka effektiviseringsmöjligheter inom biogasproduktionen. Ett vanligt förekommande sätt att öka biogasproduktionen är genom tillsatser av olika spårämnen. I detta arbete har därför tillsatser av spårämnena järn, kobolt, nickel och magnesium undersökts genom termofila småskaliga rötningsförsök i satsreaktorer. Tillsatserna har även undersökts i kombination med det komplexbildande ämnet EDTA för att undersöka om den biologiska tillgängligheten påverkar vid rötning av avloppsslam. Förutom rötningsförsök har även en korrelationsanalys genomförts där olika faktorer som kan påverka biogasproduktionen undersökts för år 2017. Resultaten av rötningsförsöken visar att inga tillsatser av järn, magnesium, nickel eller kobolt kommer öka biogasproduktionen vid Sjöstadsverket. Istället har biogasproduktionen hämmats vid två av tre rötningsförsök. Dessa resultat indikerar att organismerna i rötningsanläggningen på Sjöstadsverket inte har någon brist på spårämnen. Inte heller tillsatser av EDTA ökade biogasproduktionen vilket visar att det inte heller finns brist på biologiskt tillgängliga spårämnen. Resultaten från rötningsförsöken styrks av korrelationsanalysen eftersom det inte heller finns några tecken på korrelation mellan biogasproduktion och de nämnda spårämnena. Resultaten av korrelationsanalysen visar att pH ut ur rötningsanläggningen kan ha en negativ inverkan på biogasproduktionen vid Sjöstadsverket. Resultaten indikerar att pH blir för högt i anläggningen, något som även påvisats vid rötningsförsöken. Ett högre flöde in i anläggningen kan sänka pH-värdet enligt vidare korrelationsstudier. Detta har även kunnat påvisas vid rötningsförsöken där pH blev lägre vid en kortare uppehållstid. Eftersom Sjöstadsverket baserar sin uppehållstid på en stabil volym i rötkamrarna bör det alltså vara möjligt att öka biogasproduktionen genom att öka flödet in i rötningsanläggningen, vilket kommer ske när den nya slammottagningsstationen sätts i bruk. Eftersom dessa slutsatser främst är baserade på korrelationer rekommenderas vidare studier där pH-värdets och uppehållstidens inverkan på biogasproduktionen vid Sjöstadsverket undersöks närmare. / The Swedish government has set a national goal to have no vehicles running on fossil fuels in year 2030. One of the fuels that can replace the fossil fuels of today is biogas. The biggest wastewater treatment plant in Karlstad, called Sjöstadsverket, is already producing biogas and is expanding to receive more sludge in the future. Because of this, Sjöstadsverket wants to investigate the possibility of a more effective biogas production. A common way to improve biogas production is trace element additives. Therefor the addition of cobalt, nickel, iron and magnesium has been investigated through small scale thermophilic anaerobic digestion trials in batch reactors. The trace elements have also been added in combination with EDTA to investigate the bioavailability of the trace elements. In addition to these experiments a correlation analysis was performed where different factors that might influence the biogas production were investigated for year 2017. The results from the digestion trials prove that no addition of iron, magnesium, cobalt or nickel will increase the biogas production. Instead, the biogas production was inhibited during two out of three experiments. These results indicate that the organisms in the digester at Sjöstadsverket already have a sufficient amount of trace elements. The addition of EDTA did not increase the biogas production either which indicates that the trace elements also are bioavailable to a sufficient extent. The results from the digestion trials are validated by the correlation analysis because no correlation could be found between the biogas production and the investigated trace elements. The results from the correlation analysis show that the pH-level affects the biogas production negatively. The results indicate that the pH-level is to high, something that was also observed during the digestion trials. A higher flow rate into the digesters could lower the pH-levels according to further correlation studies. This has also been observed during the digestion trials where a shorter retention time lowered the pH-levels. Because Sjöstadsverket bases their retention time on a stable volume in the digesters, it could be possible for them to increase the biogas production by increasing the flow rates, which will happen when they start receiving more sludge. Because these conclusions are mainly based on correlations, further studies of the influence of pH-levels and retention times on the biogas production at Sjöstadsverket are recommended.