Biogas from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste: Dealing with contaminants for a solid oxide fuel cell energy generator

The present work investigates electricity production using a high efficiency electrochemical generator that employs as fuel a biogas from the dry anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW).The as-produced biogas contains several contaminants (sulfur, halogen, organic silicon and aromatic compounds) that can be harmful for the fuel cell: these were monitored via an innovative mass spectrometry technique that enables for in-line and real-time quantification.A cleaning trap with activated carbons for the removal of sulfur and other VOCs contained in the biogas was also tested and monitored by observing the different breakthrough times of studied contaminants.The electrochemical generator was a commercial Ni anode-supported planar Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), tested for more than 300 h with a simulated biogas mixture (CH₄ 60 vol.%, CO₂ 40 vol.%), directly fed to the anode electrode. Air was added to promote the direct internal conversion of CH₄ to H₂ and CO via partial oxidation (POx).The initial breakthrough of H₂S from the cleaning section was also simulated and tested by adding ～1 ppm(v) of sulfur in the anode feed; a full recovery of the fuel cell performance after 24 h of sulfur exposure (～1 ppm(v)) was observed upon its removal, indicating the reliable time of anode exposure to sulfur in case of exhausted guard bed.     

基于控制图法的苯测量不确定度评定

本文采用top—down技术之控制图法进行气相色谱法测定苯的不确定度评定。该方法应用实验室长期积累的质控数据,利用A—D统计法检验质控数据的随机性和独立性,从而建立移动极差控制图,评定测量不确定度。相比传统的不确定度评定方法（ISO／IECGUM）步骤简单,避免了不确定度分量遗漏、重复或难以量化的问题。使监测数据更加客观可信。     

利用统计控制图法对水质中铅的不确定度评定研究

目前环境监测领域采用的不确定度的评定方法基本上都是ISO／IECGUM（JJF1059）的方法,这种bot-tom—up方法比较繁琐,容易遗漏重叠分量,一致性也较差。本文使用Top-down不确定度的评定方法一控制图法对不确定度进行评定,该方法主要是应用实验室的质控数据及能力验证、环境标准样品定值等数据。利用AD统计法和绘制移动极差控制图确保质控数据排列处于随机状态和独立性的特点,建立控制图,评定不确定度的过程。     

污泥产短链脂肪酸微生物的研究进展

厌氧消化系统微生物是生物降解有机物工艺的核心。系统综述了厌氧消化产短链脂肪酸的微生物种类及其种类间的代谢关系,重点阐述了污泥中基质、温度、p H值、碳氮比和污泥停留时间等因素对污泥厌氧消化产短链脂肪酸微生物的生物多样性、优势种群及产物的影响,介绍了促进污泥厌氧发酵产短链脂肪酸微生物活性的研究进展,展望了通过调控主要影响因素实现对厌氧消化系统微生物优势种群的控制。     

Increasing the performance of anaerobic digestion: Pilot scale experimental study for thermal hydrolysis of mixed sludge

The performance of a pilot plant operation combining thermal hydrolysis (170°C, 30 min) and anaerobic digestion (AD) was studied, determining the main properties for samples of fresh mixed sludge, hydrolyzed sludge, and digested sludge, in order to quantify the thermal pretreatment performance (disintegration, solubilisation, and dewaterability) and its impact on the anaerobic digestion performance (biodegradability, volatile solids reduction, and digester rheology) and end product characteristics (dewaterability, sanitation, organic and nitrogen content). The disintegration achieved during the thermal treatment enhances the sludge centrifugation, allowing a 70% higher total solids concentration in the feed to anaerobic digestion. The digestion of this sludge generates 40% more biogas in half the time, due to the higher solids removal compared to a conventional digester. The waste generated can be dewatered by centrifugation to 7% dry solids without polymer addition, and is pathogen free.     

Elevated atmospheric CO2 and drought effects on leaf gas exchange properties of barley

Atmospheric CO₂ concentration (C_a) is rising, predicted to cause global warming, and alter precipitation patterns. During 1994, spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Alexis) was grown in a strip-split-plot experimental design to determine the effects that the main plot C_a treatments [A: Ambient at 370 μmol (CO₂) mol⁻¹; E: Enriched with free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE) at ∼550 μmol (CO₂) mol⁻¹] had on several gas exchange properties of fully expanded sunlit primary leaves. The interacting strip-split-plot irrigation treatments were Dry or Wet [50% (D) or 100% (W) replacement of potential evapotranspiration] at ample nitrogen (261 kg N ha⁻¹) and phosphorous (29 kg P ha⁻¹) fertility. Elevated C_a facilitated drought avoidance by reducing stomatal conductance (g_s) by 34% that conserved water and enabled stomata to remain open for a longer period into a drought. This resulted in a 28% reduction in drought-induced midafternoon depression in net assimilation rate (A). Elevated C_a increased A by 37% under Dry and 23% under Wet. Any reduction in A under Wet conditions occurred because of nonstomatal limitations, whereas under Dry it occurred because of stomatal limitations. Elevated C_a increased the diurnal integral of A (A′) that resulted in an increase in the seasonal-long integral of A′ (A″) for barley leaves by 12% (P = 0.14) under both Dry and Wet - 650, 730, 905 and 1020 ± 65 g (C) m⁻² y⁻¹ for AD, ED, AW and EW treatments, respectively. Elevated C_a increased season-long average dry weight (DW_S; crown, shoots) by 14% (P = 0.02), whereas deficit irrigation reduced DW_S by 7% (P = 0.06), although these values may have been affected by a short but severe pea aphid [Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)] infestation. Hence, an elevated-C_a-based improvement in gas exchange properties enhanced growth of a barley crop.     

Estimation methods for nonlinear state-space models in ecology

The use of nonlinear state-space models for analyzing ecological systems is increasing. A wide range of estimation methods for such models are available to ecologists, however it is not always clear, which is the appropriate method to choose. To this end, three approaches to estimation in the theta logistic model for population dynamics were benchmarked by Wang (2007). Similarly, we examine and compare the estimation performance of three alternative methods using simulated data. The first approach is to partition the state-space into a finite number of states and formulate the problem as a hidden Markov model (HMM). The second method uses the mixed effects modeling and fast numerical integration framework of the AD Model Builder (ADMB) open-source software. The third alternative is to use the popular Bayesian framework of BUGS. The study showed that state and parameter estimation performance for all three methods was largely identical, however with BUGS providing overall wider credible intervals for parameters than HMM and ADMB confidence intervals.