Investigation of titanium liquid/gas diffusion layers in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

In a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC), liquid/gas diffusion layer (LGDL) is expected to transport electrons, heat, and reactants/products to and from the catalyst layer with minimum voltage, current, thermal, interfacial, and fluidic losses. In addition, carbon materials, which are typically used in PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs), are unsuitable in PEMECs due to the high ohmic potential and highly oxidative environment of the oxygen electrode. In this study, a set of titanium gas diffusion layers with different thicknesses and porosities are designed and examined coupled with the development of a robust titanium bipolar plate. It has been found that the performance of electrolyzer improves along with a decrease in thickness or porosity of the anode LGDL of titanium woven meshes. The ohmic resistance of anode LGDL and contact resistance between anode LGDL and the anode catalyst play dominant roles in electrolyzer performance, and better performance can be obtained by reducing ohmic resistance. Thin titanium LGDLs with straight-through pores and optimal pore morphologies are recommended for the future developments of low-cost LGDLs with minimum ohmic/transport losses.     

铁路沿线可燃重气储罐最小隔离区域划分探讨*

为保护铁路线，以某化工厂距离高铁路线最近的丙烯球罐为例，提出丙烯球罐泄漏最小隔离区域划分方法以及2种保护高铁线路方案，利用重气扩散模型和定量风险评价（QRA）软件分别进行丙烯扩散模拟、爆炸模拟，并进行危险与可操作性分析（HAZOP）和保护层分析（LOPA）。结果表明:球罐发生泄漏及火灾爆炸等事故，会给附近铁路线带来严重破坏；丙烯泄漏或球罐因周围其他设备设施或可燃物质着火而温度升高时，保护措施不足；隧道的安全可靠性要高于仅设1道防爆墙，隧道长度需覆盖最小隔离区域的可及范围，在扩散区域内也需设立普通挡墙，在极度危险情况下，需要实施高铁停开等保护措施。     

Metabolic uncoupler, 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide addition for sludge reduction and fouling control in a gravity-driven membrane bioreactor

• Effects of metabolic uncoupler TCS on the performances of GDMBR were evaluated. • Sludge EPS reduced and transformed into dissolved SMP when TCS was added. • Appropriate TCS increased the permeability and reduced cake layer fouling. • High dosage aggravated fouling due to compact cake layer with low bio-activity. The gravity-driven membrane bioreactor (MBR)system is promising for decentralized sewage treatment because of its low energy consumption and maintenance requirements. However, the growing sludge not only increases membrane fouling, but also augments operational complexities (sludge discharge). We added the metabolic uncoupler 3,3′,4′,5-tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS) to the system to deal with the mentioned issues. Based on the results, TCS addition effectively decreased sludge ATP and sludge yield (reduced by 50%). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS; proteins and polysaccharides) decreased with the addition of TCS and were transformed into dissolved soluble microbial products (SMPs) in the bulk solution, leading to the break of sludge flocs into small fragments. Permeability was increased by more than two times, reaching 60–70 L/m²/h bar when 10–30 mg/L TCS were added, because of the reduced suspended sludge and the formation of a thin cake layer with low EPS levels. Resistance analyses confirmed that appropriate dosages of TCS primarily decreased the cake layer and hydraulically reversible resistances. Permeability decreased at high dosage (50 mg/L) due to the release of excess sludge fragments and SMP into the supernatant, with a thin but more compact fouling layer with low bioactivity developing on the membrane surface, causing higher cake layer and pore blocking resistances. Our study provides a fundamental understanding of how a metabolic uncoupler affects the sludge and bio-fouling layers at different dosages, with practical relevance for in situ sludge reduction and membrane fouling alleviation in MBR systems.     

Hydraulic fracturing as an interpretive policy problem: lessons on energy controversies in Europe and the U.S.A.

This special issue addresses hydraulic fracturing for shale gas extraction as an interpretive policy problem. Bringing together empirical cases from the U.S.A., the Netherlands, the U.K., Poland, and Germany, we identify three approaches to the interpretation of hydraulic fracturing in the article: understanding its meaning, contextual explanation of the institutionalization of its meaning, and policy design as intervention to alter its meaning. By exploring differences and similarities across these cases, we identified two central tensions in the meaning of shale gas in all cases: (1) economic opportunity or environmental threat and (2) transition toward a more carbon-free energy future or perpetuation of a fossil fuel system. We found that when actors shift the meaning of hydraulic fracturing to consider it predominantly an issue of threat, this explains the dominance of risk governance as an approach to managing the controversy. Alternately, when the meaning of fracking shifts from consideration as an economic opportunity or a bridge fuel to consideration of it as a barrier to an energy transition, this explains the decision to ban fracking. Therefore, a comparative assessment of the papers demonstrates the ways interpretive dimensions of politics can influence the governance of public policy.     

Influence of dissolved humic substances on the mass transfer of organic compounds across the air-water interface

The effect of dissolved humic substances (DHS) on the rate of water-gas exchange of two volatile organic compounds was studied under various conditions of agitation intensity, solution pH and ionic strength. Mass-transfer coefficients were determined from the rate of depletion of model compounds from an apparatus containing a stirred aqueous solution with continuous purging of the headspace above the solution (dynamic system). Under these conditions, the overall transfer rate is controlled by the mass-transfer resistance on the water side of the water-gas interface. The experimental results show that the presence of DHS hinders the transport of the organic molecules from the water into the gas phase under all investigated conditions. Mass-transfer coefficients were significantly reduced even by low, environmentally relevant concentrations of DHS. The retardation effect increased with increasing DHS concentration. The magnitude of the retardation effect on water-gas exchange was compared for Suwannee River fulvic and humic acids, a commercially available leonardite humic acid and two synthetic surfactants. The observed results are in accordance with the concept of hydrodynamic effects. Surface pressure forces due to surface film formation change the hydrodynamic characteristics of water motion at the water-air interface and thus impede surface renewal.     

层燃螺旋炉排焚烧技术处理含油污泥研究

通过对几种含油污泥无害化处理技术的比选,分析不同处理技术物耗、能耗情况,优选出经济有效的含油污泥焚烧技术,结合新疆油田含油污泥的特点,采用层燃螺旋炉排焚烧技术,利用其燃烧热能生产蒸汽用于原油生产,采用余热吸收急冷与碱液半干法除酸技术,有效控制了二次污染;采用布袋除尘与烟尘固化技术确保了烟气达标排放。年节省成本支出3095.88万元。     

Organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in fish from lakes of the Tibetan Plateau and the implications

High mountains may play significant roles in the global transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). This work aims to investigate the levels, patterns and distribution of semi-volatile organoclorine pollutants and to improve the understanding of the long-range atmospheric transport and fate of contaminants on the Tibetan Plateau. A total of 60 fish samples were collected from eight lakes located between 2813 and 4718 m above sea level across the Plateau. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured in fish muscle. The results showed that concentrations of DDT, HCH and HCB were comparable to or lower than those found in remote mountains of Europe, Canada and US, while PCB concentrations in fish were, on average, about 4-150 times lower on Tibet than at other mountain areas. The transport and fate of contaminants in the Plateau are significantly influenced by the unique climatological and meteorological conditions, particularly by the summer Indian monsoon and winter westerly jet stream.     

青岛近海及黄渤海大气气溶胶中不同形态氮磷质量浓度及组成特征

于2016年6~7月采集了青岛近岸以及黄渤海大气气溶胶样品,并于8月6~15日连续采集了青岛近岸气溶胶昼夜样品,分别测定了不同形态的氮磷(溶解无机氮、溶解无机磷、溶解态总氮、溶解态总磷、总氮和总磷)质量浓度,并分析了气溶胶中这些不同形态氮磷的组成特征.结果表明,青岛近岸大气气溶胶中不同形态氮磷的浓度明显高于同时期黄渤海气溶胶中氮磷浓度.青岛近岸气溶胶总氮中溶解态占比为56%,溶解态与不溶态差别不大;黄渤海气溶胶总氮中溶解态为主要部分,所占比例达72%.青岛以及黄渤海气溶胶中,无机氮是溶解态总氮的主要贡献者,分别占溶解总氮的67%和75%.青岛以及黄渤海气溶胶总磷中,溶解态与不溶态磷的贡献相近,溶解态分别占总磷的49%和58%;气溶胶溶解总磷中无机磷的贡献略高于有机磷,青岛以及黄渤海占比分别为56%和59%.气团来源对青岛以及黄渤海气溶胶中不同形态氮磷的浓度和组成特征有一定程度的影响,南方气团来源气溶胶中溶解无机氮(DIN)、溶解有机氮(DON)、总氮(TN)、溶解无机磷(DIP)和溶解有机磷(DOP)的浓度均高于北方和海上气团来源.青岛近岸气溶胶中溶解有机氮浓度昼夜差别不大,而溶解无机氮和总氮浓度则白天相对较高.白天和夜间气溶胶总氮中溶解态氮占主要部分,所占比例达到79%,且无昼夜变化;无机氮是溶解总氮的主要贡献者,且晚上无机氮所占比例(61%)较白天(70%)略有降低.青岛近岸气溶胶中的溶解无机磷和有机磷昼夜浓度差别不大,而总磷浓度则白天明显高于晚上.昼夜气溶胶样品中不溶态磷是总磷的主要组成部分,占比分别为83%、62%,夜间气溶胶中溶解态磷的贡献远高于白天;不论昼夜,无机磷均是溶解总磷的主要部分,所占比例在71%~77%.     

成都市污染边界层高度的演变特征分析

基于2014年1月21日至2月5日成都市人民南路四段逐时PM_(2.5)质量浓度、大气能见度资料以及同期Mie散射激光雷达探测数据,遵循消光系数与细颗粒物质量浓度之间的关系,探讨污染边界层高度的演变特征。结果表明:污染时段内的污染边界层高度偏低,平均为221m;污染边界层高度与地面PM_(2.5)浓度的变化具有明显相关性,但污染边界层高度改变在前,地面PM_(2.5)浓度响应在后;污染边界层高度的日变化表现为单峰单谷型,峰值和谷值分别出现在08:00时和14:00时前后。     

阜新城区降尘重金属污染及其健康风险评价

为研究阜新市大气降尘重金属分布情况及可能存在的健康风险,于2015年3月—2016年3月对阜新城区(32个采样点)及周边地区(13个对照采样点)进行大气降尘湿法采集,并利用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)对降尘中的7种重金属元素(Cr、Ni、Zn、Cd、Pb、As、Cu)含量进行测定.结果表明:① 阜新市大气降尘中重金属含量存在明显差异,表现为w(Zn)＞w(Pb)＞w(Cr)＞w(Cu)＞w(Ni)＞w(As)＞w(Cd). w(Zn)平均值最高,为756.9 mg/kg; w(Cd)平均值最低,为4.8 mg/kg,其他几种重金属含量范围为10~120 mg/kg. ② 城区大气降尘中Cd的背景比值(H)最高,为44.89,其次为Zn(H=11.92),城区大气降尘重金属污染受人为活动影响显著. ③ 地累积指数评价结果显示,Cd为严重-极度污染,Zn为中度-严重污染,Pb、Cu为中度污染,Cr、Ni为轻度污染,As为无污染. ④ 研究区健康风险评价表明,儿童通过3种暴露途径接触Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd、Ni的非致癌健康风险水平均高于成人,Cr、As的非致癌健康风险水平低于成人. ⑤ Cr经呼吸途径对成人的非致癌风险(HQ_inh)达2.53,非致癌风险总值(HI)达3.41,均大于限值(1),表明Cr经呼吸途径对于成人存在非致癌风险,其余6种重金属元素经呼吸途径对于成人的非致癌风险相对较低. ⑥ Cd、Cr、As、Ni经呼吸途径的致癌风险值(10-9~10-7)均低于可接受水平(10-6),表明致癌元素Cd、Cr、As、Ni经呼吸途径对人体可能不具有致癌风险.鉴于研究区大气降尘重金属元素经3种途径对成人、儿童均构成一定非致癌风险,阜新市应当及时加强对海州露天矿、经济开发区及皮革工业园等主要大气颗粒物污染源的排放及监测管控.