A graphical representation of carbon footprint reduction for chemical processes

Climate change has recently become a major focus for industry and government agencies. Some recent works have been reported on the use of pinch analysis techniques for carbon-constrained energy planning problems. This paper discusses a new application of graphical technique based on pinch analysis for company-level visualization and analysis of carbon footprint improvement. The technique is based on the decomposition of total carbon footprint into material- and energy-based components, or alternatively, into internal and external components. The decomposition facilitates the evaluation and screening of process improvement alternatives. Two industrial case studies on the production of phytochemical extracts and bulk chemicals are used to illustrate the new extension.     

1960年以来山西秋季连阴雨的气候特征分析

利用山西省66个测站1960-2009年秋季(9-11)月的逐日降水量,采用线性倾向估计、累积距平法、EOF及Morlct小波分析方法,系统地分析了山西秋季连阴雨的变化趋势和时空结构特征,建立了秋季连阴雨强度指数模型。结果表明:山西秋季年际区域性连阴雨次数和阴雨日数呈明显的线性减少趋势,过程雨量呈波动上升趋势,连阴雨次数的累积距平表现为"三升两降"型变化;山西秋季连阴雨的年际和年代际变化特征明显,1960-1970年代中期,有5~6年的周期变化,1990年代后期有2年的周期变化特征,年代际变化呈"波动状"变化规律;全省秋季连阴雨从南到北呈递减分布,除北部的天镇、山阴、繁峙等呈增加趋势外,各代表站表现为一致的减少趋势,南部、东南部及五台山为连阴雨多发区,大同盆地、忻州盆地、太原盆地为少发区;山西秋季连阴雨存在2~3年、8年左右的显著振荡周期。1970年代中期到1980年代中期,8年左右振荡周期的振幅最大,能量最强,是周期振荡最强的阶段。     

Characterization of the archaeal community fouling a membrane bioreactor

Biofilm formation, one of the primary causes of biofouling, results in reduced membrane flux or increased transmembrane pressure and thus represents a major impediment to the wider implementation of membrane bioreactor(MBR) technologies for water purification. Most studies have focused on the role of bacteria in membrane fouling as they are the most dominant and best studied organisms present in the MBR. In contrast, there is limited information on the role of the archaeal community in biofilm formation in MBRs. This study investigated the composition of the archaeal community during the process of biofouling in an MBR. The archaeal community was observed to have lower richness and diversity in the biofilm than the sludge during the establishment of biofilms at low transmembrane pressure(TMP). Clustering of the communities based on the Bray–Curtis similarity matrix indicated that a subset of the sludge archaeal community formed the initial biofilms. The archaeal community in the biofilm was mainly composed of Thermoprotei, Thermoplasmata,Thermococci, Methanopyri, Methanomicrobia and Halobacteria. Among them, the Thermoprotei and Thermoplasmata were present at higher relative proportions in the biofilms than they were in the sludge. Additionally, the Thermoprotei, Thermoplasmata and Thermococci were the dominant organisms detected in the initial biofilms at low TMP, while as the TMP increased, the Methanopyri, Methanomicrobia, Aciduliprofundum and Halobacteria were present at higher abundances in the biofilms at high TMP.     

Predicted no-effect concentrations for mercury species and ecological risk assessment for mercury pollution in aquatic environment

Mercury(Hg) exists in different chemical forms presenting varied toxic potentials. It is necessary to explore an ecological risk assessment method for different mercury species in aquatic environment. The predicted no-effect concentrations(PNECs) for Hg(Ⅱ) and methyl mercury(Me Hg) in the aqueous phase, calculated using the species sensitivity distribution method and the assessment factor method, were 0.39 and 6.5 × 10-3μg/L, respectively. The partition theory of Hg between sediment and aqueous phases was considered, along with PNECs for the aqueous phase to conduct an ecological risk assessment for Hg in the sediment phase. Two case studies, one in China and one in the Western Black Sea, were conducted using these PNECs. The toxicity of mercury is heavily dependent on their forms,and their potential ecological risk should be respectively evaluated on the basis of mercury species.     

Ecotect在建筑玻璃幕墙光反射影响评价中的应用研究

将Ecotect软件应用到建筑玻璃幕墙光反射影响评价中,应用结果表明,Ecotect软件能准确地确定建筑玻璃幕墙反射光的影响范围,且能准确地确定幕墙遮阳设施或周围建筑的遮挡效果,这可大大加强建筑玻璃幕墙光反射影响评价的准确性.另外,Ecotect软件还可准确地分析出受影响的敏感目标或敏感目标受照反射光的来源,这可使幕墙设计者有针对性对受影响敏感目标或对敏感目标产生反射光影响的建筑玻璃幕墙立面采取预防控制措施,来降低或者消除光反射,从而从源头上减少或消除幕墙反射光对周围环境敏感目标的影响.     

贵州镇远提钒尾渣固体废弃物二次资源利用研究

为了开发无尾矿、少尾矿提钒工艺,对贵州镇远江古钒矿实验室扩大试验流程产生的尾矿进行资源化利用研究,尾渣物质组成研究表明:提钒尾渣的主要化学成分为二氧化硅,主要矿物为石英,尾渣放射性检测结果高于建筑物主体墙材中放射性指标的要求,不能直接应用于建筑主体材料.经用尾渣烧成水泥试验结果表明:尾渣烧成的水泥熟料基本化学成分、物理性能测试结果符合GB/T 21372-2008硅酸盐水泥熟料要求.     

Uncovering the Connections Among Sustainability, Governance and GDP

This paper examines the connections among sustainability, governance and GDP, using the data from 123 countries. Sustainability is found to be related with GDP in two contradictory ways. On the one hand, growth in GDP strengthens a nation＇s ability to maintain favorable environmental conditions into the future. On the other hand, GDP growth is built on more consumption of natural resources, and therefore generates a larger ＂foot-print＂ on the Earth. Governance plays a key role in sustainable development. However, it is not helping to reduce our footprint on the Earth. In fact, good governance is linked to a larger footprint. This reflects our materialist value and human impulse. When a society prefers the comfort and wellbeing of human beings to the welfare of its environment, democratic governance might be used as an effective tool against nature.     

Size distributions and sources of elements in particulate matter at curbside, urban and rural sites in Beijing

Size distributions of 29 elements in aerosols collected at urban, rural and curbside sites in Beijing were studied. High levels of Mn, Ni, As, Cd and Pb indicate the pollution of toxic heavy metals cannot be neglected in Beijing. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates 4 sources of combustion emission, crust related sources, traffic related sources and volatile species from coal combustion. The elements can be roughly divided into 3 groups by size distribution and enrichment factors method (EFs). Group 1 elements are crust related and mainly found within coarse mode including Al, Mg, Ca, Sc, Ti, Fe, Sr, Zr and Ba; Group 2 elements are fossil fuel related and mostly concentrated in accumulation mode including S, As, Se, Ag, Cd, Tl and Pb; Group 3 elements are multi-source related and show multi-mode distribution including Be, Na, K, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Mo, Sn and Sb. The EFs of Be, S, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Tl and Pb show higher values in winter than in summer indicating sources of coal combustion for heating in winter. The abundance of Cu and Sb in coarse mode is about 2-6 times higher at curbside site than at urban site indicating their traffic sources. Coal burning may be the major source of Pb in Beijing since the phase out of leaded gasoline, as the EFs of Pb are comparable at both urban and curbside sites, and about two times higher in winter than that in summer.