Working Group for Urban Water Management / Water Supply
Welcome to the Water Supply Research Group at Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal. Our group focuses on the research and development of innovative technologies and concepts for sustainable and efficient water supply. Our research areas include ozonation, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) followed by biofiltration, and the modeling of these processes. Our goal is to develop solutions that address the challenges of water supply in the 21st century while contributing to the protection and sustainable use of our water resources.
Team
Services
Process Engineering Investigations
Flocculation Tests for:
- Comparative evaluation of flocculation chemicals
- Determination of optimal energy input/mixing conditions
- Characterization of floc properties and floc growth
- Comparative evaluation of the sedimentation behavior of the formed flocs
Determination of characteristics of centrifugal pumps and investigations into their operating modes
Flow dynamics test stand for determining losses in pipes, fittings, and installations
Mobile pilot-scale test filter system (Column Diameter 0.5 m) for investigating filtration and backwash processes
Laboratory filter system (column diameter 0.15 m) and ion exchanger for evaluating filtration processes regarding the removal of specific water constituents
Investigation of the adsorptive removal of dissolved organic water constituents, especially trace substances, through:
- Determination of equilibrium data (isotherms)
- Determination of kinetic parameters
- Investigation of breakthrough behavior in small filters
Analysis of Water Quality Parameters
- Particle count and particle size distribution for particles in the size range of 1–150 µm
- Apparent floc size using dynamic extinction measurement
- Photometric parameters: turbidity, spectral absorption coefficient (SAC), spectral attenuation coefficient (SAC)
- Measurement of oxygen concentration, conductivity, pH value
- Solid content
- Total and dissolved organic carbon (TOC and DOC)
- Heavy metal concentrations using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)
- Liquid chromatography for determining the concentration of trace substances, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic hydrocarbons (BTEX), and others
Mobile online Measurement Devices for Field and in-situ Investigations
- Mobile particle counter “Abakus fluid” 1-150 µm
- Dynamic extinction probe “DEP-S” SEMITEC (e.g., for monitoring floc growth)
- Mobile turbidity meter “ULTRATURB plus sc”
- Data logger for mobile pressure, turbidity, and flow measurement
Modeling and Calculation
- Water chemistry calculations for entire treatment processes: from raw water to purified water
- Mixed water calculations and evaluation of corrosion behavior
- Modeling of supply networks and calculations of pressure conditions throughout the day, during fire water withdrawals, and for particle transport and deposition behavior
- Modeling of adsorption processes (breakthrough behavior)
- Modeling of the (further) removal of dissolved organic carbon compounds via flocculation
- Modeling of oxidation processes, such as the photo-Fenton process
- Conducting and evaluating trace substance screenings and assessing analysis results (particularly trace substance analytics) considering measurement uncertainty
- Data analysis based on statistical procedures and methods
Research & Projects
Ongoing Projects
Project for Assessing the Risk to Drinking Water from Fire Water withdrawals from the potable Water Network
Subproject: Assessment of the risk potential for water quality from fire water withdrawals from drinking water distribution networks.
Contact: Prof. Dr. -Ing. Irene Slavik
Project sponsor: Institute for Fire and Disaster Protection Heyrothsberge
Project partner:
Institute for Fire and Disaster Protection Heyrothsberge
Project duration: September 2023 to December 2024
Completed Projects
Optimization of filter backwashing at the Oranienbaum water treatment plant
The goal of the project was to develop a concept for optimizing filter backwashing at the Oranienbaum water treatment plant when using expendable filter materials. The concept was created based on an extensive investigation program assessing the current state of filter operation and backwashing regimes.
Contact: Prof. Dr. -Ing. Irene Slavik
Client: Heidewasser GmbH
Project duration: June 2023 - February 2024
Assessment of the treatment Process at the Oranienbaum Water Treatment Plant
The project aimed to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the groundwater treatment at the Oranienbaum water treatment plant, based on standard water quality parameters. The results of this assessment led to the identification of the optimization potential for the Oranienbaum water treatment plant.
Contact: Prof. Dr. -Ing. Irene Slavik
Client: Heidewasser GmbH
Project duration: Februar 2023 - Mai 2023
Publications
| Authors | Year | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Irene Slavik, Thomas Sebastian Bechle, Wolfgang Uhl | 2023 | Impact of powdered activated carbon dosages on the coagulation performance in wastewater treatment and water purification |
Teaching
Key Areas of Teaching at the University
Bachelor in Water Management
- Scientific research
- Water transport
- Pipeline network calculation
- Water treatment
Bachelor in Recycling and Waste Management
- Fluid Mechanics II
Master in Water Management
- Operation of water supply systems
Master in Water Engineering
- Drinking water distribution
- Drinking water treatment
- Treatment plant design
Teaching offerings outside the core curriculum
- Design of advanced water treatment processes
- Water quality parameters
- Career coaching for female students
Offers for thesis topics and templates for writing theses are available after login.
Contact
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Irene Slavik
Tel.: (0391) 886 4306
E-Mail: irene.slavik@h2.de
Further information is available after login.
Dipl. -Ing. Silke Dorrow
Tel.: (0391) 886 4514
E-Mail: silke.dorrow@h2.de
Further information is available after login.
Upcoming Events
DVGW Drinking Water Conference Saxony-Anhalt 2024
Date: October 17, 2024
Venue: Johanneskirche Magdeburg
Water Management in Dialogue
Topic: Water Supply
Date: October 23, 2024
Venue: Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, Lecture Hall Building (Building 14)
h2-Science-Day 2024
Topic: Breaking New Ground: AI in Applied Research
Date: November 20, 2024
Venue: Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal, Audimax (Building 15)
