Month: January 2026

Wet Scrubbers (Air Pollution)

Wet Scrubbers (Air Pollution)

01/18/26

“How can we use water to remove harmful particles and gases from industrial air pollution?”

Industrial air pollution often contains toxic gases and harmful particulate matter at the same. Air pollution remediation systems typically concentrate on removing only one of these factors. Wet Scrubbers can handle both. Wet scrubbers first spray water or water-based solution droplets over the exhaust air. These droplets catch particulate matter and absorb toxic gases. Wet scrubbers usually use packing beds to maximize contact between the liquid and the exhaust air. The exhaust air will rise, cleansed of pollutants, and go through a mist eliminator to remove any remaining water droplets. People can recycle the dirtied liquid produced by these operations or treat it as wastewater. Wet scrubbers are a highly effective technology for treating industrial air pollution.

Image credit: https://tecamgroup.com/

Trailer-Mounted Generators

Trailer-Mounted Generators

01/16/26

“How can we move generators with trailers?”

Large generators are a necessity for portable and emergency large-scale power. However, transporting these behemoths is a difficult task. One way people have accomplished this is through Trailer-Mounted Generators. Trailer-mounted generators are easily attached to a trailer for transport. Trailer-mounted generators are useful for construction sites, emergency response, remote-location infrastructure, and outdoor events.

Mean High Water Mark

Mean High Water Mark

01/15/26

“What’s the legal and scientific boundary for a water body?”

Water bodies will expand and contract over land, whether it’s a small river or a massive tidal bay. The point delineating the high tide mark from the land has massive geological and ecological implications, given the difference in water saturation. The Mean High Water Mark is the average high tide mark over a long period of time. The mean high water mark often delineates the legal and scientific boundary for a water body, making it very important to quantify.

Wall Collection Devices (Air Pollution)

Wall Collection Devices (Air Pollution)

01/14/26

“How can we remove particulate matter by sticking it on a wall?”

Particulate matter emissions are harmful to nearby communities. Consequently, people use technology to remove as much particulate matter as possible before emitting. One set of technologies sticks particulate matter on walls to form conglomerations, which can be removed later. TheseWall Collection Devices can work by forcing particles to drop from gravity, hit a wall due to sudden direction changes, or move due to electrostatic attraction. These wall collection devices help the health of countless towns around the world.

Image credit: https://www.graco.com/

Compost Filter Socks

Compost Filter Socks

01/13/26

“How can we use a mesh tube filled with compost to clean water runoff?”

Stormwater runoff with sediment can harm nearby water bodies and create erosion. So what if we were to take a mesh tube, fill it with compost, and encircle it around an area of interest? Every time water passes through the tube, compost will slow the runoff down and naturally filter the water. These Compost Filter Socks are typically placed along slope contours, near storm drain inlets, and downslope of physically disturbed areas. Compost filter socks are a great tool for stormwater runoff control, erosion prevention, and environmental safety.

Image credit: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde

01/12/2026

“What’s so special about formaldehyde?”

Chemicals come in all sorts of forms. CH2O, also known as Formaldehyde, is a very special chemical. Formaldehyde-based resins are an incredibly effective and affordable option to use as glue in engineered wood for construction. It has strong performance in humid and high temperature variability environments and can insulate well. However, it’s also a volatile organic compound that hurts the respiratory system and is also a carcinogen at sufficient exposure. Consequently, many engineering companies are phasing formaldehyde out of their inventory.

Lapse Rates

Lapse Rates

01/11/26

“How does temperature change with atmospheric height?”

The atmosphere’s properties change with height. One of these variables is the temperature. The Lapse Rate measures the rate of change of temperature with atmospheric height. The lapse rate is measured by taking the negative of the change in temperature divided by the change in height. If the lapse rate is positive, then temperature decreases with height, and vice versa for a negative lapse rate. Lapse rates are vital for measuring atmospheric stability.

Air Changes Per Hour

Air Changes Per Hour

01/10/2025

“How can we quantify how many times air is replaced in a room per hour?”

Air can get stuffy and polluted if it stays in a building for too long. People replace air over time to ensure it’s fresh on the inside. The number of times air is changed per hour is quantified by the Air Changes Per Hour. The air change per hour is quantified by taking the volume of air that is transferred from the outside per hour in a room and dividing it by the room volume. The U.S. CDC recommends an air change of at least 5 air changes per hour to reduce the number of viruses in a building.

Sloped Green Roofs

Sloped Green Roofs

01/09/26

“What are the advantages and disadvantages of sloping a green roof?”

Green roofs integrate stormwater management, biodiversity, building insulation, and aesthetic design all into one package. We can also pitch these green roofs at a slight angle to make Sloped Green Roofs. Sloped green roofs reduce ponding and may improve aesthetic appearance, but are also structurally and hydrologically more complicated. Stormwater runs off more from sloped green roofs, meaning roof plants may have to rely on other sources of water.