PROJECTS & ENVIRONMENT ENCH4PE

MAIN EXAM 2011

Instructions: Attempt all questions

Time: 2 hours

Total marks = 100

Question 1 26 marks

a) A sugar company wishes to determine what is the monthly break-even tonnage of sugar given
the following data. The monthly overhead (fixed) costs of the company is R 12.4 million. The
selling price of sugar is R 2853 per ton. Other costs (in R/ton sugar) are: cane R 1187, extraction
R 582, refining R 238, packaging R 156. [8]
b) The following table gives net income figures (after tax) of a given company over 6 years.
Calculate the net present value (NPV) using a discount rate of 9%. Work out the answer in a neat
table.
Year Net income
Rmillion
1 15.2
2 13.7
3 22.5
4 18.4
5 20.6
6 23.1
[10]
c) A distillation column will need to be replaced in 5 years and 4 months time. It is estimated that
it will cost R R 2.93 million at the time it has to be replaced. How much money needs to be set
aside by the company per month, earning 10.5% interest p.a., compounded monthly, in order
for the company to be able to replace the distillation column when required? [8]

Question 2 44 marks

a) In terms of environmental compliance, which aspects of a production process in a chemical

factory need to be taken into account? [12]
b) Micro-organisms are used extensively for the treatment of industrial waste water. There are
essentially two treatment methods. Discuss these and describe what the treatment products
are. [12]
c) An activated sludge plant is to be used to reduce the COD of incoming effluent from 850 mg/l to
120 mg/l. The flow-rate of the effluent is 1.4 Ml/day. The MLSS of the plant is 2250 mg/l and the
plant dimensions are: diameter 25 m, depth 2.3 m. Calculate: (i) detention time, (ii) COD loading
in kg/d (iii) Volumetric organic loading and the F/M ratio [10]
 d) Calculate the volume of CO2 released to the atmosphere from 260 ton of mash containing 15%
(m/m) fermentable sugars (C6H12 O6) if the air temperature is 26C and the fermentation
efficiency (utilisation of sugars in the conversion to ethanol) is 86%. [1kmol CO2 at STP has
volume of 22.4 m3. Atmospheric pressure = 1.013 bar.] [10]

Question 3 30 marks

a) The following diagram represents the tasks of a particular project. Determine the critical path,
the length of the project and the slack time on each path. Present your answer in a neat table.
[12]

5 days
3 days 2 3
7days

4 days
1 2 days 6
3 days 11 days

6 days
8
4
8 days 5 7 9 days
6 days

b) The following diagram for another project shows lengths of activities in days. If the
standard cost of the project is R 2000/day, determine the length of each path and the
standard length of the project. Use the data in the table below to determine the
optimum cost of the project if certain activities are crashed. Show your working clearly
using a table which indicates how you obtained your answer. What will now be the
optimal length of the project if crashing is done methodically. [18]

7 days
2 5 12 days
4 days
3 days

1
7
5 days 4
8 days
6 days
3 6
9 days
 Activity Normal time (days) Crash time Crash Cost (R/day)
1-2 4 4 580
2-5 7 5 820
2-4 3 2 670
4-6 8 6 390
1-3 5 4 410
3-6 9 7 510
5-7 12 9 480
6-7 6 4 600

Formulae

FV = PV ( 1+i)n

1 i n 1
FV A
i

n
Ct
NPV
t 0 1 k t
 ENCH4PE MAIN EXAM 2011

SOLUTIONS

Question 1 26 marks

a) Variable costs = 1187 +582 + 238 + 156 = R 2163 / ton sugar (3)

Breakeven = Fixed Costs

SP UVC
12.4 x10 6
= (2)
2853 2163
= 17971 tons sugar/month (3) [8]

b) Formula: (2)

n
Ct
NPV
t 0 1 k
t

k= 0.09

Year Net income PVIF Present value

Rmillion Rmillion
1 15.2 0.917 13.93
2 13.7 0.842 11.54
3 22.5 0.772 17.37
4 18.4 0.708 13.03
5 20.6 0.650 13.39
6 23.1 0.596 13.77
NPV 83.03
Marks (4) (6)
[10]

c) Formula:

i
A FV
1 i n
1

FV = R 2.93 million; i = 105/(100x12) = 0.00875; n = 5x12 + 4 = 64 (3)

 0.00875
A 2930000
1.00875 1
64

= R 34348/month (5) [8]

Question 2 44 marks

a) Environmental compliance needs to focus on :

Liquid Effluent treatment

- Aqueous (process & drains)
- Oils & lubricants
Solid waste
- Organic biodegradable
- Metals
- Hazardous waste (Polymers, Spent catalyst)
Air emissions
- Boiler Stack emissions
- Dust and fine particles (coal, bagasse, dirt roads)
- Odours (H2S, chemicals)
Sound
Land usage (Stormwater, Alien vegetation)

1 mark for each relevant statement [12]

b) The two processes are aerobic and anaerobic treatment. Micro-organisms use organic
and inorganic constituents in wastewater for energy and generating more micro-
organisms

Aerobic process
Micro-organisms use free dissolved oxygen in water for the breakdown of organic
material.
C, H, O, N, P, S, + O2 aerobic_> CO2 + H2O + NO3-+ SO42-+ PO43-+ new cells + energy
micro-organisms

The O2 used in the breakdown must continuously be replaced for further growth of
micro-organisms. This requires artificial aeration using aerators.
 For the process of breakdown of organic constituents to be efficient, the micro-organisms
must be present in sufficient numbers or concentration (expressed as mixed liquor
suspended solids MLSS).
The products of aerobic processes are usually not objectionable.
1 mark for each relevant statement (6)

Anaerobic process
This occurs when free dissolved oxygen is not present in water.
The micro-organisms take oxygen from inorganic salts (NO3-, SO42-, PO43-) which
contain oxygen in bound form and produce the reduced forms of the constituent elements
(N2 , PH3 , H2S).
C, H, O, N, P, S, + NO3-+ SO42-+ PO43-
__anearobic___ > CO2 + CH4 + N2 + PH3 + H2S + new cells + energy
micro-organisms

The products of anaerobic processes are usually more objectionable than those of aerobic
processes.
CH4 and PH3 are combustible (fuels).
1 mark for each relevant statement (6) [12]

d 2 x 25 2
(c) (i) Volume of plant = xh x 2.3 1129 m 3
4 4
3
V 1129 m
t 0.806 d or 19.4 h (3)
Q 1400 m 3 / d

(ii) COD loading = 1400 m3/d x (0.850 0.120) kg COD/m3 = 1022 kg COD/d (2)
Mass COD / d 1022
(iii) Vol . org. loading 0.905 kg COD / m 3 .d (2)
Vol of plant 1129
(iv) Mass MLSS in aeration tank = 1129 m3 x 2.25 kg MLSS/m3 = 2540 kg MLSS

COD load / d 1022 kg / d

F/M ratio = 0.4 kg COD/m3.d (3)
Mass MLSS 2540 kg

[10]

d) C6H12 O6 2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2

1 kmol C6H12 O6 gives rise to 2 kmol CO2 (2)
No. of kmol C6H12 O6 in mash = (0.15 x 260 x1000)/180 = 216.67 kmol (2)
Of this, only 86 % is converted to ethanol
i.e. 0.86 x 216.67 = 186.33 kmol
No. of kmol CO2 produced = 2 x 186.33 = 372.7 kmol (2)

Vol. of CO2 released = (273 + 26)/ 273 x 22.4 x 372.7 = 9144 m3 CO2 (4)
[10]
Question 3 30 marks

a) See working in table

Path Activity Lengths Path Length Slack

1-2-4-5-7-8 3+2+8+6+9 28 1
1-2-4-5-6-8 3+2+8+3+11 27 2
1-2-3-6-8 3+5+7+11 26 3
1-2-5-7-8 3+4+6+9 22 7
1-2-5-6-8 3+4+3+11 21 8
1-4-5-7-8 6+8+6+9 29 0
1-4-5-6-8 6+8+3+11 28 1
Marks (3) (4) (2)
Critical path 1-4-5-7-8 (2)
Project length 29 days (1)
[12]

b) Determination of standard length of project

Path Length (days)

1-2-5-7 23
1-2-4-6-7 21
1-3-6-7 20
Standard length of project = 23 days (2)

Activity No days No days Crash cost Project Cumulative New critical

available used R length project cost path
R
- - - - 23 46000 1-2-5-7
5-7 2 1 480 22 44480 1-2-5-7
5-7 1 1 480 21 42960 1-2-5-7 &
1-2-4-6-7
4-6 & 2 1 390 & 20 42170 1-2-5-7 &
2-5 2 1 820 1-2-4-6-7 &
1-3-6-7
4-6 1 1 390 19 41790 1-2-5-7 &
2-5 & 1 1 820 1-2-4-6-7 &
1-3 1 1 410 1-3-6-7

Marks (2) (4) (2) (4) (2)

Optimum length 19 days (1) Optimum cost R 41790 (1)
[18]