ENGR 202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-12: Decision Analysis, Gross Domestic Product, World Meteorological Organization
27 Jun 2018
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INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING & THE ENVIRONMENT
(ENGR202)
CHAPTER 1
Environment is generally referred to physical environment that surrounds
us. Historically, the most pervasive environmental changes caused by
people have been related to land use for urbanization. In democratic
societies, it has adopted many policy measures to prevent these changes.
Providing such information is an area where science and engineering often
play a role. Environmental policies are often based on concepts of fairness
or equity such as the idea that all citizen have the right to breathe clean air.
If environmental protection measures are adopted, their influence might be
felt in a number of ways. Environmental policies shape the development of
technology in directions that reflect the goals and preferences of society.
The sources of anthropogenic environmental change fall into two broad
categories:
1. Changes associated with land use;
2. Changes induced by emissions.
Engineers have responsibilities for both types of impacts. They have
responsibilities for direct consequences for emissions to the environment,
too. Every choice will directly affect the environment. Not only the choices
of materials, but also the quantities needed, are important variables.
Energy is vital for life and for economy. Every engineering improvement has
to reduce the energy required. That will be beneficial for the environment.
An environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) provides a big picture of how
engineering decisions in any particular area affect the environment. At each
stage, there are material consumption and transformation, and the use of
energy.
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The perspectives of a life cycle assessment provide the foundation for a
more comprehensive view of design for the environment that has come to
be known as industrial ecology.
Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs. The industrial ecology is based on the concept that
natural systems tend to recirculate and reuse materials, such as
eliminating or minimizing the production of wastes and the use of energy.
It has to include:
1. Circulating and reusing material flows within the system;
2. Reducing the amount of materials;
3. Protecting living organisms by eliminating the flow of harmful
substances;
4. Minimizing the use of energy.
The law of mass conservation states that mass can be neither created nor
destroyed. It is called a law because it has been found experimentally to
always be true.
Rate of creation of mass = 0
Total mass flow in = total mass flow out + change in mass storage
Total mass flow rate in = total mass flow rates out + rate of mass storage
Total mass flow rate in = total mass flow rate out
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but merely transformed from one
form to another.
Rate of creation of energy = 0
This equation is also known as First Law of Thermodynamics.
Total energy flow in = total energy flow out + change in energy stored
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CHAPTER 2
Human health effects can be classified as acute, chronic, or carcinogenic.
Acute effects occur when exposure to an environmental pollutant causes
an immediate response in the human body. (e.g. carbon monoxide)
Long-term exposure to certain pollutants can result in chronic health
effects.
Finally, some pollutants, called carcinogens, initiate changes in cells that
can lead to uncontrolled cell growth and division, known as cancer.
The term sustainable development has emerged as a popular way of
expressing concern about the long-term viability of activities that degrade
the environment in order to satisfy the immediate needs of economic
development but may impair the future well-being of generations to
come.
The first US air pollution statues were passed by the cities of Chicago and
Cincinnati in 1881 to control smoke from furnaces and locomotives.
In 1948 five-day weather stagnation confined pollutants from heavy
industries in the river valley town of Donora, Pennsylvania. In 1952 Oregon
enacted the first statewide air pollution control legislation. In 1963
Congress passed the Clean Air Act (CAA). In 1970 all legislations were
replaced by the Clean Air Act to protect human health ‘with a reasonable
margin of safety’. These standards were developed by EPA.
The five major pollutants, known as criteria air pollutants are particulate
matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen
dioxide (NO2), and ground-level ozone (O3). Later, in 1978, lead (Pb) was
added to the list of criteria air pollutants.
State Implementation Plans (SIPs) imposed limits on existing sources of air
pollution.
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Document Summary
Environment is generally referred to physical environment that surrounds us. Historically, the most pervasive environmental changes caused by people have been related to land use for urbanization. In democratic societies, it has adopted many policy measures to prevent these changes. Providing such information is an area where science and engineering often play a role. Environmental policies are often based on concepts of fairness or equity such as the idea that all citizen have the right to breathe clean air. If environmental protection measures are adopted, their influence might be felt in a number of ways. Environmental policies shape the development of technology in directions that reflect the goals and preferences of society. The sources of anthropogenic environmental change fall into two broad categories: changes associated with land use, changes induced by emissions. Engineers have responsibilities for both types of impacts. They have responsibilities for direct consequences for emissions to the environment, too.
