A mathematical model to estimate errors associated with closed flux chambers

Errors associated with the closed flux chamber technique, used to measure surface emissions from landfills, were investigated by using a combination of numerical modeling and laboratory studies. A transient-state, advective–dispersive–reactive model was developed and used in conjunction with its steady-state version to quantify the errors associated with closed flux chambers. In developing the model, all four major gases, CH₄, O₂, CO₂, and N₂, and the oxidation of CH₄ to CO₂ were considered. Laboratory experiments were conducted on a monolayered as well as a two-layered landfill cover system to calibrate and verify the model. The model was used to develop a plot of the percentage errors associated with closed flux chambers of different dimensions and surface flux rates.     

Routine cytogenetic prenatal diagnosis using dynamic banding (RBG-GBG): A highly reproducible method for amniocytes,fetal cord blood,and chorionic villus investigations

Dynamic banding (RBG-GBG) using pulse 5-bromodeoxyuridine (5-BrdU) incorporation during part of the last S-phase before harvesting has been used in prenatal investigations. This method has already been routinely applied in 1344 cytogenetic investigations. GBG and RBG bandings produced almost identical patterns to classical G- and R-banding methods except for heterochromatic portions and some euchromatic segments. Nevertheless, these discordances may be somewhat helpful for cytogenetic diagnosis (i.e., X numerical abnormalities). The results showed particularly good contrast and staining; 5-BrdU incorporation did not prevent additional staining. Likewise, previous RBG or GBG disclosure allowed further chromosomal identification with C-banding or nucleolar organizer staining. Simplicity and reproducibility were very helpful in cases with a low mitotic index. 5-BrdU had no significant effect on in-vitro damage because only 0.31 per cent of cells were affected; so, we believe that dynamic banding should be used more extensively in cytogenetic investigations. Moreover, the staining and contrast qualities were very suitable for automatic methods of analysis now in use: i.e., metaphase finding and computer-assisted karyogram creation.     

Metal prices and the business cycle

Metal price fluctuations have recently been of interest not only because of their cyclical volatility but also of their interaction with business cycles. A related issue is whether metal prices move together sufficiently to collectively reflect macroeconomic influences. Correlation or the tendency for prices to move together has been termed “comovement”, where the commonality in prices reflects the tendency of commodity markets to respond to common business cycle and trend factors. Metal prices are known to respond to macroeconomic influences and the latter might well explain the common factor which causes them to move together. Our goal is to provide an estimate of the common factor in metal prices and to relate this factor to important macroeconomic influences. The prices we study are for aluminum, copper, tin, lead and zinc; the macroeconomic variables include industrial production, consumer prices, interest rates, stock prices, and exchange rates. Our results confirm that the common factor in metal prices can be related to such macroeconomic influences.     

Long-term perspectives on world metal use—a system-dynamics model

In this paper, a system dynamics model is described, which simulates long-term trends in the production and consumption of metals (i.e. iron/steel and an aggregate of metals of medium abundance) in relation to impacts such as ore-grade decline, capital and energy requirements and waste flows. This metal model can be of assistance in exploring the issue of sustainability of metal resource use. Application of the model to historical trends shows it to be fairly capable of reproducing the long-term trends in the 1900–1990 period, among others on the basis of two intensity of use curves applied to 13 world regions. For future trends, a set of perspective-based long-term scenarios has been constructed that represent the major paradigms in resource use. These scenarios highlight some of the uncertain factors in the relation between economic growth, metal resource exploitation and use, and energy and environmental consequences. They also indicate that apparently similar metal flows in society may be the result of quite different and sometimes contrary assumptions on metal demand, production patterns and resource base characteristics. Such analyses contribute to a more open and transparent discussion on the issue at hand by adding quantitative explications to qualitative views.     

消化/剩余污泥水分扩散通量的研究

在传递理论的基础上,研究了干燥温度、污泥厚度及其种类3个主要因素对污泥水分扩散的影响,干燥温度设为30℃、40℃和50℃,污泥厚度设为1.3 cm、2.6 cm和3.9 cm,分别考察了消化和剩余两种污泥的干燥性能。利用实验数据获得两种污泥的有效质扩散系数,采用因次分析法建立了它们的水分扩散通量的准则关系式,通过实验研究两种污泥的水分扩散通量随干基含湿量的变化规律,并获得了两种污泥的水分扩散通量的经验公式。实验结果显示3.9 cm厚的消化污泥在40℃条件下的干燥效果最好。     

Studies on Biodegradation of Nicotine by Arthrobacter sp. Strain HF-2

A nicotine-degrading bacterium, strain HF-2, was isolated from tobacco waste-contaminated soil and identified as a member of Arthrobacter sp. based on morphology, physiological tests, 16S rDNA sequence and phylogenetic characteristics. At thermal denaturation test indicated that the G + C mol% of strain HF-1 was 63.5. The relationship between the growth of the isolate and the nicotine degradation suggested that strain HF-2 could utilize nicotine as sole sources of carbon, nitrogen and energy. Blue pigment was observed during the nicotine degradation by strain HF-2. The isolate grew well at 20 to 33°C, initial pH 6.5 to 8.0 and 0.5 to 2.0 g L^?1 of nicotine concentration in the nicotine inorganic salt media. The maximum growth and nicotine degradation occurred at 30°C, initial pH 7.0 and 0.7 g·L^?1 of nicotine concentration in media under natural incubation condition. Strain HF-2 could degrade 100% of nicotine under the optimized incubation conditions for 43 h. The concentrations of nicotine were monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. This study demonstrates Arthrobacter sp. strain HF-2 had a great ability to degrade nicotine, and it may be available for the application to the bioremediation of environments contaminated by tobacco waste.     

万山汞矿区地表与大气界面间汞交换通量研究

采用动力学通量箱与高时间分辨率大气自动测汞仪联用技术对万山汞矿区不同季节、不同地表与大气界面间汞交换通量和大气汞含量进行了测定.结果显示,受人为活动和地表强烈释汞的影响,万山地区大气汞含量高出背景区1～3个数量级,在冶炼厂附近平均值可达1 101.8 ng/m³,最低平均值达17.8 ng/m³,显示万山汞矿区已遭受较严重的大气汞污染.万山汞矿区土壤与大气界面汞交换非常强烈,土壤向大气的释汞通量最高可达27 827 ng/(m².h),大气汞干沉降通量最高可达9 434ng/(m²·h).万山汞矿区土壤与大气汞交换通量主要受光照强度、大气汞含量影响.光照在土壤释汞过程中起促进作用,而较高的大气汞含量则抑制了土壤向大气的释放,并导致大气汞强烈的干沉降.不同的地表类型对地表释汞影响较大,植被覆盖土壤释汞通量显著低于无植被覆盖地区,而冶炼后的矿渣堆则成为大气汞的净源.     

Effect of mixing chamber venturi,injection timing,compression ratio and EGR on the performance of dual-fuel engine operated with HOME and CNG

Stringent environmental policies and the ever increasing demand for energy have triggered interest in novel combustion technologies that use alternative fuels as energy sources. Of these, pilot-ignited compressed natural gas (CNG) engines that employ small biodiesel pilot to ignite a premixed natural gas–air mixture have received considerable attention. This paper discusses the effect of mixing chamber venturi, injection timing, compression ratio and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on the performance of dual-fuel engine operated on biodiesel derived from honge oil and is called honge oil methyl ester (HOME) and CNG. The proposed study mainly focuses on the manifold induction of CNG along with HOME injection. However, CNG can also be injected using port or direct gas injector (Lakshmanan and Nagarajan 2010, Energy 35, pp. 3172–3178). The future study will involve these methods of CNG injection. From this study, it is concluded that an advanced injection timing and an increased compression ratio resulted in increased brake thermal efficiency and reduced smoke, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide emissions. However, nitrogen oxides (NO _x ) emission increased significantly. The increased NO _x emission was effectively reduced with EGR method. A mixing chamber venturi of 3 mm size, injection timing of 27° before top dead centre (BTDC), compression ratio of 17.5 and 10% EGR were found to be optimum for the modified compression ignition engine that was operated on CNG–HOME dual-fuel mode.     

矿用可移动式救生舱隔热性能研究与试验

根据救生舱舱体结构,构建舱体隔热层填充材料隔热性能测定系统;利用该系统,分别测定了硅酸铝针刺毯、复合硅酸盐毡和膨胀蛭石粉自身的隔热性能;结合舱体结构特点,制作救生舱模拟结构层;在钢板内侧粘贴铝箔,构建双层防护隔热结构;测定结果表明复合硅酸盐毡最适合作为救生舱隔热层的填充材料;利用修正函数计算出复合硅酸盐毡的厚度为100mm,对该厚度材料的隔热性能进行测定,试验结果证明其可行。     

Dynamic material flow analysis of zinc resources in China

Zinc is one of the most widely applied nonferrous metals in China. Study on the applications and recurrent situation of zinc resources is of great strategic importance for the sustainable development of China's economy. In this paper, a dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) method has been adopted to analyze quantificationally zinc resources in China, as well as to analyze and predict the quantity of zinc product scrap and their recycling situation. The weighted average method was applied to calculate average lifetimes of six major zinc products in China. The average lifetimes of battery, zinc oxide, zinc die-casting alloys, zinc material products, galvanized zinc and brass are 0.17, 5.3, 11.1, 12, 21 and 30 years, respectively. Assuming the lifetime of zinc product group obeys the Weibull distribution and the consumption of zinc products varies linearly with time, the future consumption and scrap generation of zinc products will increase continuously. It is expected that they would increase from 49% to 76% during 2004–2020, respectively. Assuming the recycling rate remains unchanged with time, the zinc old scrap index, both the theoretical and actual values, would continue increasing in China. The values are expected to reach 0.402 and 0.076 by 2020, respectively. Therefore, the regeneration resource of depreciated zinc is actually insufficient in China. According to the scenario analysis, the actual value of old scrap indexes is positively correlated with the recycling rate of zinc products. Because galvanized products are the largest consumption area of zinc products in China, the influence of their recycling rate on old scrap index is obviously larger than other zinc products. Through the analysis, this paper suggests that the increase of the recycling rate of zinc products could not only improve to a certain degree China's relative shortage of zinc resources, but greatly relive the supply pressure of zinc in the world.