The climate impact of hypersonic transport

At speeds roughly between five and ten thousand km/h, hypersonic aircraft offer the promise of an extremely fast means of transport. Growing concerns about climate warming, however, direct attention to sustainability. This thesis focuses on atmospheric composition and radiation changes by considering a range of individual hypersonic aircraft...

The effects of passing seagoing vessels on the inland ships in the outer harbour and locks of Hansweert

The lock of Hansweert, located in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands, serves as a crucial inland shipping node between the Western Scheldt estuary and the Rhine Delta. The outer harbour of the lock complex provides the connection to the Western Scheldt and accommodates waiting facilities for inland ships. The Western Scheldt is a vital...

Assessing the cooling potential of (modified) ground coverage on the drinking water temperature

This research addresses the issue of rising soil temperatures, driven by climate change. As the Drinking Water Distribution System (DWDS) is located in the sub-surface, the drinking water temperature in the distribution mains attains this rising soil temperature. Because the temperature of drinking water is an important determinant of water...

Optimizing the pump schedule of water distribution systems using a deep learning meta-model: To what extent can algorithm unrolling optimize the pump schedule of an urban water distribution system?

This thesis investigates the integration of algorithm unrolling and genetic algorithms (GA) for optimizing pump scheduling in water distribution systems (WDS), a critical component for ensuring energy-efficient water delivery. In the context of modern civilization’s reliance on clean, affordable water for diverse uses, the operation of a WDS,...

Integration of alumina ultrafiltration membrane and palladium-catalyzed peroxymonosulfate for removal of organic micropollutants

Organic micropollutants (OMPs) originate from organic chemicals such as drugs and pesticides that are widely used in human activities. OMPs are difficult to remove by conventional water treatment techniques, and hence continue to accumulate in natural water bodies. More effective methods need to be investigated for the removal of OMPs in...

Brackish Waters: Integrating Justice in Climate Adaptation and Long-Term Water Management

Brackish waters can be found in transition zones between freshwater rivers and saltier seas. These dynamic coastal landscapes harbor multiple functions such as housing, agriculture, nature, and industry. Because of climate change, existing borders between fresh and saline water - and between land and water - are becoming contested. Extreme...

City Waves: The importance of recreational activities for reestablishing the social connectivity of rivers

This research investigates the importance of leisure practices in bringing rivers back to cities. It explores the historical and present significance of water-based recreation and its role in urban ecosystems. The paper analyses the development of waterfronts from centres of social activity, through their industrialization and neglect, to a...

Living with Water: A Historical Exploration of Dutch Architectural Responses to Rising Water Levels within its Borders

The world is warming up, causing a rise in water levels. The Netherlands has a rich history in the field of water protection: throughout the centuries, the country has increasingly improved its defenses with the help of new techniques, technological advancements, and better regulated management. However, since the end of the previous century,...

River Recovery: A pilot for making healthy rivers in Europe

Only 1% of the surface water in the Netherlands has been classified as ‘good’, making it the EU member state with the worst quality of surface water (Didde, 2022). Polluted rivers cause problems such as worsened human health, reduced biodiversity, and poor soil fertility. To comply with the Water Framework Directive, there is an urgent need to...

Water sector in the face of a societal collapse: How a societal collapse can cause cascading failures and challenge the provision of drinking water

This research examines the resilience of the water sector after a societal collapse, defined by a significant loss of societal complexity. Through Exploratory Modeling and Analysis, this research evaluates how interconnected infrastructures respond to cascading failures caused by disruptions resulting from a societal collapse. The investigation...

Flashback Detection and Suppression in Reheat Hydrogen Combustor

<br/>This research contributes to addressing climate change challenges through the examination of hydrogen combustion. It investigates the flow dynamics within a simplified model of Ansaldo Energia's GT36 reheat combustor using Large Eddy Simulation (LES) at a high pressure of 20 bar, focusing on the autoignition flashback phenomena observed....