Computational fluid dynamics modelling of wastewater aeration and nitrous oxide emissions

This project will develop a flexible computer modeling tool to help wastewater treatment plants reduce nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a potent greenhouse gas. Currently, scientists disagree about which mathematical models best predict N2O emissions, and testing different models requires months of programming work. During a 16-week research visit to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, a graduate student from Western University will use KIT’s innovative modular software framework—originally developed for hydrogen fuel cells—to create a wastewater treatment model where different emission prediction methods can be easily switched and compared without rewriting code. Western University will benefit by obtaining cutting-edge modeling capabilities that accelerate research on reducing wastewater emissions and position Canada as a leader in climate-smart wastewater management. KIT will benefit by demonstrating their software framework works for environmental applications beyond energy systems, helping attract future research funding and expand their framework’s impact. The project establishes a new Canada-Germany research partnership, creates open-source tools that municipalities worldwide can use to reduce emissions, and trains a highly skilled researcher with unique expertise in both advanced computational methods and environmental sustainability.

Faculty Supervisor:

Christopher De Groot

Student:

Partner:

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of Western Ontario

Program: