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Photobiological treatment plants integrated with building's architectural shell

International Construction Specialty Conference (5th : 2015 : Vancouver, B.C.); Canadian Society for Civil Engineering

The article deals with issues of the use of photoreactors with growing algae as an element of urban construction. Using microalgae photobioreactors can solve multiple tasks: getting a third-generation biofuels, carbon dioxide recycling, wastewater disinfection, oxygen regeneration, and water purification from nutrients. The paper considers a wastewater purification plant where the major element is such a photoreactor. As examples of such a kind of facilities, we could mention as follows: BIQ House, Hamburg International Building Exhibition; Urban Algae Canopy Module by ecologic Studio; photoreactors at the incineration plant, Alcéade Nantes, France; etc. Unlike the existing projects, we study all the system as a whole. Considered treatment facility includes an algae photobioreactor, a bacterium mineralizer and a desilter as well as a control system that regulates concentration of biogens, oxygen, and carbon dioxide by governing flow between devices. The article investigates the opportunity of incorporation of the photobiological treatment facilities into a building’s architectural shell. Structurally, we propose to make the main technological nodes from the translucent membrane of Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). Photoreactors with algae are placed on the building facade. That location significantly reduces the required area and provides optimal natural lighting. It also allows using solar radiation for heating and adaptive lighting. The construction form is optimized with using a genetic algorithm. The engineering solution which is given in this article can be used for already existing treatment plants as well as for urban structure directly.

Text

2015-07-20

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/54110

Froese, T. M., Newton, L., Sadeghpour, F. & Vanier, D. J. (EDs.) (2015). Proceedings of ICSC15: The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering 5th International/11th Construction Specialty Conference, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. June 7-10.

Faculty; Other

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