Almost Human with OSUZ504

A Bode diagram is a graphical representation of the frequency response of a linear time-invariant system. It consists of two plots:

1. Magnitude plot: Shows the amplitude (or gain) of the system as a function of frequency (on a logarithmic scale).
2. Phase plot: Shows the phase shift of the system as a function of frequency (on a logarithmic scale).

While traditionally associated with control systems and signal processing, the concept of a Bode diagram can be adapted to analyze the response of a wastewater treatment system to variations in influent conditions, particularly in the context of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD).

The Bode diagram provides insights into how the wastewater treatment plant responds to variations in influent BOD, helping to optimize design and operations.

1. Understanding System Dynamics:

   • The magnitude plot shows how effectively the plant attenuates BOD fluctuations at different frequencies.
   • The phase plot shows how delayed the system response is to changes in influent BOD.

2. Retention Time Optimization:

   • The time constant τ\tauτ (related to HRT) determines the plant's ability to dampen fluctuations.
   • By analyzing the Bode diagram, designers can adjust HRT to ensure the system attenuates BOD fluctuations adequately.

3. Identifying Critical Frequencies:

   • The cutoff frequency (where the system's gain drops by -3 dB) indicates the maximum frequency the system can handle before significant attenuation is lost.
   • This helps determine whether the plant can accommodate rapid influent fluctuations or if additional buffering (e.g., equalization basins) is needed.

4. Improving Permitting Compliance:

   • Regulators often require stable effluent quality to meet discharge permits.
   • The Bode diagram helps ensure the system design minimizes effluent BOD fluctuations, reducing the risk of permit violations.

5. Control System Design:

   • If automatic control systems (e.g., aeration control) are implemented, the Bode diagram is directly applicable for tuning controllers to respond effectively to influent changes.

Exciting things are afoot! Today we start the first class of the new Bioengineering 101 class (with labs!) that will include fungal and bacterial culturing, CRIsPR 9 gene selection and all manner of interesting things. 

Environmental Organic Chemistry continued - chapter 12. I am interested in this for PFAS sequestration application for a project at work that I'm experimenting with so I wanted to brush up on some sorbing details. [joke alert. I made a chemistry pun. go team.]

Schwarzenbach et. al Environmental Organic Chemistry

Very good review of processes, systems, compartments, media and some basic governing equations. I skipped the math bits (mostly) because they are annoying to read but did try and do a verbal walk through of the equations' salient uses. A good review of modeling was also included in the next chapter, but we'll skip that (math/graph heavy) and focus on partitioning and transport for the next episode. 

Chapter 4 review, Schwarzenbach's Environmental Organic Chemistry. 

Schwarzenbach et. al Chapter 3: Environmental Organic Chemistry. 

Nice guys finish last. Except when they don’t. Phaistos is a good person, a kind person and he just can’t get over his no-good, immature, loser of a cosmic crush. It’s the story of what happens when love doesn’t work out the way it’s supposed to and the sweet success of gay toxicity.

Introduction to Plant Physiology, 4th ed. Chapter 8.

Calvin cycle, enzyme function, chloroplast function, Rubisco preferential binding.

An Introduction to Genetic Engineering, Chapters 4-5.

Plasmids, restriction enzymes, gene manipulation techniques, mode of action, type II restriction enzymes, DNA modifying enzymes, selecting viable hosts and vectors.

Introduction to Genetic Engineering, chapter 3.

Electrophoresis, DNA/RNA isolation, gene sequencing, cellular preparation, biochemical considerations.