He tokotoko mo nga tangata : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Regional and Environmental Planning at Massey University

THE PROBLEM Urban river corridor areas are often subject to damaging use and to increasing pressure from conflicting uses. The main issue is the need to utilise the characteristics of a river and its margins within a city while integrating it into the city's life and preserving its ecological functions. The aim of the thesis is to develop a planning framework to address this issue. Information from various disciplines contribute to the River Corridor Planning Framework. The main areas researched are landscape aesthetics, ecology, recreation styles and public participation in planning. The study of landscape aesthetics reveals universally valued natural landscape features, and in part justifies concern for, and planning action in, river margin areas. The potential for river corridor areas to host significant ecological functions is shown in the ecological study, and brings an additional aspect to the urban planning situation. The significance of provision for informal recreation, the most common type, also influences the Planning Framework. Integral to the Planning Framework is a strong belief in, and justification of, the need to include public participation in all phases of the planning process. The River Corridor Planning Framework developed is applied to part of the Whanganui River in the city of Wanganui, which is in some ways typical of medium sized cities with rivers in New Zealand. It is suggested that the River Corridor Planning Framework may have application in other cities with similar situations

Effect of periodic backwash in the submerged membrane adsorption hybrid system

The submerged membrane adsorption hybrid system (SMAHS) is an attractive solution in treating wastewater; however it faces membrane fouling although to a less extent. In this study, different adsorbents and resins were investigated in order to find a substitute to the powdered activated carbon (PAC); The effect of new backflush was also studied in further reducing the membrane fouling. The SMAHS led to 72–86% dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal. A detailed study on the transmembrane pressure development led to a conclusion that there is a critical flux and this value is around 16 l/h.m2 for the wastewater studied

Numerical study of slip effects on unsteady aysmmetric bioconvective nanofluid flow in a porous microchannel with an expanding/ contracting upper wall using Buongiorno’s model

In this paper, the unsteady fully developed forced convective flow of viscous incompressible biofluid that contains both nanoparticles and gyrotactic microorganisms in a horizontal micro-channel is studied. Buongiorno’s model is employed. The upper channel wall is either expanding or contracting and permeable and the lower wall is static and impermeable. The plate separation is therefore a function of time. Velocity, temperature, nano-particle species (mass) and motile micro-organism slip effects are taken into account at the upper wall. By using the appropriate similarity transformation for the velocity, temperature, nanoparticle volume fraction and motile microorganism density, the governing partial differential conservation equations are reduced to a set of similarity ordinary differential equations. These equations under prescribed boundary conditions are solved numerically using the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg fourth-fifth order numerical quadrature in the MAPLE symbolic software. Excellent agreement between the present computations and solutions available in the literature (for special cases) is achieved. The key thermofluid parameters emerging are identified as Reynolds number, wall expansion ratio, Prandtl number, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoresis parameter, Lewis number, bioconvection Lewis number and bioconvection Péclet number. The influence of all these parameters on flow velocity, temperature, nano-particle volume fraction (concentration) and motile micro-organism density function is elaborated. Furthermore graphical solutions are included for skin friction, wall heat transfer rate, nano-particle mass transfer rate and micro-organism transfer rate. Increasing expansion ratio is observed to enhance temperatures and motile micro-organism density. Both nanoparticle volume fraction and microorganism increases with an increase in momentum slip. The dimensionless temperature and microorganism increases as wall expansion increases. Applications of the study arise in advanced nanomechanical bioconvection energy conversion devices, bio-nano-coolant deployment systems etc

Bioconvective electromagnetic nanofluid transport from a wedge geometry : simulation of smart electro-conductive bio-nano-polymer processing

A mathematical model is presented for steady, two-dimensional, stagnation-point flow, heat, mass, and micro-organism transfer in a viscous, incompressible, bioconvective, electromagnetic nanofluid along a wedge with Stefan blowing effects, hydrodynamic slip, and multiple convective boundary conditions. Gyrotactic micro-organisms are present in the nanofluid and bioconvection arises, characterized by micro-organisms swimming under a competing torque. Similarity transformations are used to render the system of governing partial differential equations into a system of coupled similarity equations. The transformed equations are solved numerically with the BVP5C method. The impact of emerging parameters on dimensionless velocity, temperature, magnetic induction function, nanoparticle volume fraction, and density of motile micro-organisms is studied graphically. Furthermore, the responses of the local skin friction, local Nusselt number, local Sherwood number, and the wall gradient of density of motile micro-organism number to variation in these parameters are elaborated. Validation of solutions with previous studies based on special cases of the general model is included. The simulations are relevant to the processing of biological, electro-conductive nanomaterials and industrial hygienic coating systems exploiting combined electromagnetics, nano-systems, and microscopic, bio-propulsion mechanisms

Etude par capteur optique du dépôt formé lors de la filtration d'une suspension de bentonite sur fibre creuse

Lors de la filtration sur fibres creuses de suspensions de bentonite, il a été mis en évidence que le facteur limitant est la formation d'un dépôt à la surface de la fibre.Parlant de ces considérations, un dispositif optique a été mis au point pour suivre l'évolution spatio-temporelle du dépôt en cours de filtration sur fibre creuse à peau externe.Ainsi, il a pu être mis en évidence que l'influence de la vitesse d'écoulement n'est sensible qu'après un certain temps de filtration ou un certain volume filtré.Dans le domaine testé des faibles vitesses d'écoulement, il existe une période initiale où la loi de filtration sur gâteau est applicable.Dans le cas de fibres creuses à peau externe, l'optimum technique (productivité maximale) ou économique (coût minimal du m3 traité) serait donc plus à rechercher dans une optimisation de la séquence filtration-lavage que dans une augmentation de la vitesse d'écoulement.L'efficacité du réentraînement du dépôt lors du lavage peut être suivie grâce à l'équipement et au capteur développés.Use of membranes (MF or UF) for water treatment is now developed at an industrial scale. This approach is considered as a good solution to deal with the periodic strong increases in suspended solids contents which occur in karstic aquifers.Under these conditions, the main contribution to the growth of hydraulic resistance is related to the formation of a deposit on the membrane surface.Thus, an experimental study was performed at the laboratory scale in order to perform on line characterization of deposit formation during the filtration of a bentonite suspension through a hollow fiber.The filtration module is transparent and contains only one hollow fiber with its external skin.An optical device formerly developed was used as a sensor : a horizontal laser beam is focussed at the surface of the hollow fiber which is held perpendicular to the beam and can be moved step by step in the micrometric range.Experiments were performed with a bentonite suspension (concentration 0.375 kg/m3) and under different operating conditions :- dead end filtration and crossflow filtration with velocities up to 0,30 m/s in the annular space (which means Re ≈ 2000, velocity gradient ≈ 1000 S-1, shear stress ≈ 1 Pa) ;-transmembrane pressure between 85 and 185 Kpa.One of the main conclusions of this study is that influence of the velocity appears only after an initial period during which the growth of the deposit and the filtrate flowrate variation with time are in agreement with the equations of dead end filtration at constant pressure.Thus a combination of dead end filtration and periodic backwash for removing the deposit might be the best solution for getting the highest productivity with minimal energy consumption.These optimal conditions may be simulated using the equations of dead end filtration at constant pressure and making the assumption that the backwashing is fully efficicent.The experimental study of backwashing, using the optical sensor for measuring the diameter of the fiber after each backwashing, proves that this assumption is correct and that it is possible to get a steady mean filtrate flux by periodic backwashing.From the theoretical study, the optimal duration of the filtration period is rather short (about 10 minutes) but the decline after the maximum is very malt, which means that the fiitration period may be longer without significative variation of the productivity.Thus the method presented here is able, if applied to actual raw water, to give technical and economical elements of comparison between dead end filtration with periodic backwashing and crossflow filtration

Mentor Training: Trainer Manual

This training package includes three training modules – Program Assessment, Mentor Recruitment, and Match/Retention of best practices

Utilization of Rice Straw as Substitution Material in Manufacturing Panel Board

The goal of the housing programme is to realize affordable or low cost housing construction for low income society, to improve access to basic services in urban and rural areas and promotion of local building materials. Waste material of rice straw is potential to be used as building materials becaue it contains fibres, SiD2 (if it is mixed with cement, it is possible to form calcium silicate hydrate), wax, pentosan, and lignin. This material is relatively cheap and easiZv available ill the immediate vicinity. The addition of organic materials of the rice straw ill manufacturing panel board is intended to improve the panel quality such as strength, light weight, an thermal properties

Influence of bioreaction on a long-term operation of a submerged membrane adsorption hybrid system

This study investigates the long-term performance of a submerged membrane adsorption hybrid system (SMAHS) for organic matter removal from synthetic wastewater representing biologically treated wastewater by using a low dose of powdered activated carbon (PAC). A simple periodic backwash system is used to de-clog the hollow fiber membrane. In this reactor, bioreaction takes place due to the growth of the biomass in the system. This hybrid system was able to remove effectively the small- and large-molecular weight organic matters from 270 to 36,270 Da. The effect of PAC replacement in the reactor was also studied and it was shown that PAC replacement could enhance both biological activity and adsorption. With PAC replacement of 2.5%(total amount) per day, the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency was 10% higher than without PAC replacement. In another long-term experiment, the TOC removal efficiency was maintained over 85% even after 55-day operation (with PAC replacement rate of 2.5%(total amount) every two days). © 2006