In underground construction grouting is performed to seal tunnels and caverns against excessive water inflow or to reduce the lowering of the ground water table. The rheological properties, such as viscosity and yield stress, of the used grouts play a fundamental role in grouting. No method has been developed yet to measure these properties in-line in the field during grouting. Methods used today are rather primitive and not robust enough for field use and they are mainly performed in order to verify and fulfil stipulated quality criteria. Modern grouting rigs are today equipped with continuous measurement of flow and pressure but instruments for continuous monitoring of rheological properties and their changes with time in the field are still lacking. A relatively new method, known as ‘UVP-PD’, for continuous in-line measurements of the rheological properties of cement grouts, was tested in this work. Standard grouting equipment (UNIGROUT) and flow meter (LOGAC) was used to ensure field conditions. The objective of this work was to determine the feasibility of the ‘UVP-PD’ method for cement based grouts. After performing full scale experimental works, this method was found feasible for measuring the rheological properties of cement based grouts directly in-line.

Anammox process is continuously tested in order to obtain knowledge about its application in the main stream of sewage. The aim of this study is to improve the controlling and monitoring of the Nitritation/Anammox process by applying on-line measurement of physical parameters and activity tests of different groups of bacteria. Additionally, the concentration of ammonia in inflow was reduced to test the reaction of bacteria to a sudden change in the conditions which may occur in wastewater treatment plants. After five months of tests, favourable results were obtained. Achieved removal of NH4-N was good. On-line measurements proved to be an effective tool to monitor the process. This may show the way for further research and ultimately leading to an effective implementation of the process for the treatment of the main stream of wastewater.

The diploma thesis focuses on the possibility of removing odor on the sewer network. The first part of the research describes how the odor is generally perceived and what legislation regulates its quantity in the air. The second part of the research focuses on problems of formation of smelting sulfate on the sewer network. This section describes the formation of sulfane as a major component of odor. Further disclosed are methods for its removal, and the ways in which the odor is measured. The practical part deals with laboratory testing of pre-selected fillings in order to determine their ability to remove odorous sulfane. In the second part, on-line measurements are made to determine the causes of sulphan formation in a given location.

Durant les cultures cellulaires en bioréacteur, la physiologie des micro-organismes et les paramètres physico-chimiques (alimentations en gaz et en substrat, agitation, température, pH, pression) interagissent très fortement. La spécificité des bioréactions microbiennes, en relation avec les couplages irréductibles entre les transferts de chaleur, de matière et de quantité de mouvement, réside dans la complexité (milieu triphasique) et la dynamique (bioréaction autocatalysé) de ces systèmes. L’objectif de ce travail est de progresser dans la compréhension et le contrôle dynamique des intéractions entre les aspects biologiques et les aspects physiques à différentes échelles (macro, micro et moléculaire) pour conduire la réaction biologique vers l’objectif défini (production de biomasse, de métabolites intra ou extra cellulaires, …) et l’optimiser. Les cellules (concentration, forme, dimension, physiologie, …) affectent fortement les propriétés physico-chimiques des moûts et par conséquent, les performances des bioprocédés (vitesses spécifiques, rendements, productivité). Le comportement rhéologique particulier du moût est souvent utilisé pour comprendre l’impact de la biomasse microbienne sur le rendement et les performances du bioprocédé.Dans ce travail, des cultures axéniques, définies comme des cultures pures de microorganismes unicellulaires procaryote et eucaryote, sont considérées. Notre approche s’appuie sur des mesures physiques et physico-chimiques en ligne et hors ligne réalisées sur un bioréacteur instrumenté, mesures qui sont mises en place de façon à respecter les conditions imposées par les contraintes biologiques propres aux microorganismes et à la stratégie de culture choisie. Des cultures d’Escherichia coli et d’Yarrowia. lipolytica, à taux de croissance controlé par l’apport de substrat, ont été réalisées dans une gamme de concentration allant de 0.1 à 100 g l-1. Le bilan qui peut être dressé pour ce travail, tant sur les aspects scientifiques que technologiques, est le suivant :- conception et réalisation d’un outil d’investigation original construit sur la base d’un bioréacteur (20 l) et pourvu d’une boucle de recirculation instrumentée pour la mesure,- identification hydrodynamique (courbes de frottement) de conduites calibrées permettant la viscosimétrie en ligne durant une culture cellulaire, - conception, développement et validation d’un code, LoCoPREL, permettant simultanément le contrôle de la culture cellulaire suivant une stratégie définie, la gestion de séquences de débit dans la boucle de dérivation et l’acquisition des données issues de l’instrumentation spécifique employée,- comparaison des mesures réalisées en ligne à débit constant ou selon des séquences de débit,- mise en évidence du comportement non newtonien des moûts et d’écarts entre les mesures en ligne et hors ligne,- analyse des mesures physiques réalisées en ligne et hors ligne, en lien avec les performances de la culture / During cell cultures in bioreactors, micro-organism physiology closely interacts with physico-chemical parameters such as gas and feed flowrates, mixing, temperature, pH, pressure. The specificity of microbial bioreactions in relation with irreductible couplings between heat and mass transfers and fluid mechanics, led into complex (three-phase medium) and dynamic (auto-biocatalytics reaction) systems. Our scientific approach aims to investigate, understand and control dynamic interactions between physical and biological systems at different scales (macro, micro and molecular) for molecules, strains and/or bioprocess innovation. Cells (concentration, shape, dimension, physiology…) strongly affect physico-chemical properties of broth. Then the modification of these characteristics interacts with bioprocess performances (specific rates, yields…) with an improvement or, more frequently, a decrease of yields. Among these properties, rheological behaviour is a strategy widely used to understand the impact of cells and the derivation of bioprocess performances.In this manuscript, axenic cultures, defined as cultures of a pure and unicellular Prokaryote and Eukaryote microorganisms in bioreactors, are considered. Our approach is based on physical and physico-chemical on-line and off-line measurements in respect with accurate and stringent conditions imposed by cell culture strategy. Escherichia coli and Yarrowia lipolytica cultures were investigated with a control of growth rate by carbon feed in the range from 0.1 up to 100 g l-1. Our scientific and technical actions and results led:- to design and realize an original pilot based on a bioreactor (20 l) with a derivation loop including a specific on-line rheometric device as well as additional physical and biological measurements,- to identify, from a hydrodynamic standpoint, the generalized friction curves of calibrated ducts enabling on-line viscosimetry during cell cultures,- to conceive and validate a homemade software, named LoCoPREL, enabling simultaneously to control cell cultures under defined strategy and to manage flow sequences within the derivation loop,- to discuss and compare on-line physical measurements under constant flow rate and various sequence strategy related to investigated shear-rates,- to highlight about the non-newtonian rheological behaviour of broths and the gap between on-line and off-line measurements,- to analyse on-line and off-line physical measurements in the light of biological performances during fed-batch cultures (mass balance, specific rate, yield).