The “second dividend” and the demographic structure

The demographic structure of a country influences economic activity. The “second dividend” modifies growth. Accordingly, in general equilibrium, the second dividend and the demographic structure are interrelated. This paper aims at assessing empirically the “second dividend” in a dynamic, empirical and intertemporal setting that allows for measuring its impact on growth, its intergenerational redistributive effects, and its interaction with the demographic structure. The paper uses a general equilibrium model with overlapping generations, an energy module and a public finance module that distinguishes between non-ageing-related public spending and a pension regime. Policy scenarios compare the consequences of different scenarios of recycling a carbon tax through lower proportional income taxes rather than higher public lump-sum expenditures. They are computed for two countries with different demographics (France and Germany). Results suggest that the magnitude of the “second dividend” is significantly related with the demographic structure. The more concentrated the demographic structure on cohorts with higher income and saving rate, the stronger the effect on capital supply of the second dividend. The second dividend weighs on the welfare of relatively aged working cohorts. It fosters the wellbeing of young working cohorts and of future generations. The more concentrated the demographic structure on aged working cohorts, the higher the intergenerational redistributive effects of the second dividend.     

The Thermodynamic Performance of a Double-Acting Traveling-Wave Thermoacoustic Engine with Liquid-Water Piston

A double-acting traveling-wave thermoacoustic engine with liquid-water piston (DTTELP) was proposed by the authors. This article conducted numerical simulation on its performance for the cases of with and without acoustical loads. The effects of mean working pressure and water-piston mass on its non-load performance were firstly discussed. Then, the output performance of this novel thermoacoustic engine under fixed heating temperature was analyzed. Also, influences of different heating temperatures on the performance of this engine were discussed. According to the simulation, the novel double-acting thermoacoustic heat engine (TTHE) is very efficient and a maximum thermal efficiency can reach about 51% when the heating temperature is 1500 K.     

Coming to grips with scientific ignorance in the governance of endocrine disrupting chemicals and nanoparticles

New technologies are characterized by various forms of incertitude that challenge both scientific expertise and regulatory action. In this paper, we argue that these incertitudes place experts in irreducible double bind situations, which may end in paralysis. Double binds emerge when primary injunctions are contradicted by secondary injunctions at a different logical level, which affects the interpretation of the primary injunction. Adequately addressing the challenges posed by new technologies requires phronesis, or pragmatic, context-dependent and action-oriented knowledge grounded in value deliberation. Using endocrine disruptors and carbon nanotubes as empirical examples, we argue that in relation to new technologies involving various kinds of incertitude, being phronimos—the person who can do phronesis—involves synthetically and simultaneously enacting parts of the three interrelated domains of knowledge, ethics and institutions, also across different logical levels. The special kind of experience-based phronesic skill that required in the regulatory appraisal of new technologies is thus fundamentally related to the human capacity of pattern recognition. Finally, we argue that being aware of and making full use of practical wisdom thus conceptualized enables a new operationalization of the precautionary principle.     

Modelling the propagation of an internal solitary wave across double ridges and a shelf-slope

Evolution of the internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the northern South China Sea (SCS) has recently attracted the attention of many oceanographers in Taiwan and the United States. These ISWs are believed to have been induced by a branch of the Kuroshio current over Luzon Strait, which propagates westward over two ridges in the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines, and further onto the continental margin with a shelf-slope in the SCS. This paper presents some preliminary results for the evolution of a depression ISW across two triangular obstacles using numerical modelling and laboratory experiments. The experimental results confirm that the intervals and relative height between the two obstacles are important factors in the interaction of an ISW with the obstacles. However, in the case of the movement of an ISW of depression-type across the Luzon Strait, the effect of the two ridges on the characteristics of the ISW might be less significant than that from the shelf-slope, due to the variations in relative water depth. Results from numerical experiments also show that the amplitude of an ISW can be augmented once the wave commences its contact with a shelf-slope, where an internal hydraulic jump and wave breaking with vortex motion are evident in the laboratory experiments. Eventually, an ISW of depression-type could become an elevation-type at the edge of the continental shelf landwards beyond the turning point, where the upper layer is larger than the bottom layer in a stratified water column.     

生活污水脱氮除磷DBP工艺中试研究

中国环境科学研究院与韩国H2L公司合作开发的脱氮除磷工艺——DBP(Double Biofilm Process)工艺,即双生物膜法,是将A2/O工艺、接触氧化法和曝气生物滤池有机结合起来,通过改变设计参数和运行参数,引进纤毛填料,使这3种工艺优点互补,缺点互避,形成的一种生物脱氮除磷工艺. 通过中试试验研究该工艺处理生活污水时的脱氮除磷效果. 结果表明,该工艺对COD_Cr和SS的平均去除率分别为91.5%和94.5%,对总氮和总磷的平均去除率分别为78.4%和82.4%,出水能达到中水回用要求,且运行效果稳定.      

创新实验教学模式,提升学生实践技能——基于南京大学“三三制”教改的环境生物学实验教学探索与实践

近年来,南京大学推动了"三三制"本科教学改革,为本科学生的培养提供3个阶段(大类培养、专业培养和多元培养)和3条个性化发展路径(专业学术类、复合交叉类、就业创业类)的新模式。为实现学校"三三制"教改的目标,南京大学环境生物学实验教学团队紧扣平台建设和实验环节,以创新实验教学模式为重点,以培养学生自主实验、自主探索能力为目标,融合"基础型实验—综合型(自主)实验—创新型(研究探索)实验",激发学生的实验兴趣,形成学生积极、主动开展实验的新模式,营造良好的实验教学氛围。结果表明,上述"三三制"环境生物学实验教改方案取得了良好的教学效果,提高了学生的创新意识和实践能力,为培养高素质的环境生物学科人才进行了有益的探索。     

Is there a commercially viable market for crop insurance in rural Bangladesh?

The study aims to assess the commercial viability of a potential crop insurance market in Bangladesh. In a large scale household survey, agricultural farm households were asked for their preferences for a hypothetical crop insurance scheme using double bounded (DB) contingent valuation (CV) method. Both revenue and production cost based indemnity payment approaches were applied to assess the commercial viability of a crop insurance program assuming a partner-agent (PA) model of insurance supply. Crop insurance is found marginally commercially viable in riverine flood plain areas. The expected indemnity payable consistently exceeds the expected insurance premium receivable by the insurer for the households living in wetland basin and coastal floodplain. We conclude that a uniform structure of crop insurance market does not exist in Bangladesh. The nature of the disaster risks faced by the farm households and the socio-economic characteristics of the rural farm communities need to be taken into careful consideration while designing such an insurance scheme.

双碱法脱硫工艺的技术革新

浙江某热电厂运行的传统双碱法脱硫工艺出现了塔体结垢、脱硫渣得不到正常分离、脱硫效率低下、运行成本高等问题。本文主要分析与研究双碱法脱硫工艺的技术革新过程,并阐述经过技术革新后,新双碱法工艺的运行情况;真正实现了脱硫效率的大幅度提升;脱硫渣中石膏含量的提升;系统抗风险能力的提升。     

Nonylphenol photodegradation by novel ternary MIL-100（Fe）/ZnFe2O4/PCN composite under visible light irradiation via double charge transfer process

Nonylphenol（NP） residues, as a typical endocrine disrupting chemical（EDC）, frequently exist in sewage, surface water, groundwater and even drinking water, which poses a serious threat to human health due to its bioaccumulation. In order to remove NP, a series of MIL-100（Fe）/Zn Fe₂O₄/flake-like porous carbon nitride（MIL/ZC） was synthesized through in-situ synthesis at room temperature. High performance of ternary MIL/ZC is used to degrade NP under visible light irradiation. ...     

大中型锅炉应用双循环流化床烟气脱硫装置的技术经济分析

介绍了自主研制的双循环流化床烟气悬浮脱硫技术（DCFBFGD）的工艺流程、技术特点,并以里彦电厂的一台430t／h燃煤锅炉为例,对大中型锅炉应用此项技术进行了技术经济分析。分析表明,该脱硫装置适合大中型锅炉的脱硫改造,投资费用和运行成本低。