Solvent design and inherent safety assessment of solvent alternatives for palm oil recovery

The concept of inherent safety is important in developing an inherently safer and user-friendly process. This paper discusses a new integrated approach of computer-aided product design and inherent safety assessment. Computer-aided Molecular Design (CAMD) approach was utilized in this work to identify potential alternative to n-hexane, the widely used industrial solvent in extracting residual palm oil from pressed palm fibre. The formulation of solvent mixtures was optimized to meet the targeted physical properties before being tested using the Soxhlet Extraction method. Inherent safety assessment to assess the solvent's flammability, toxicity, reactivity, and explosiveness was conducted on the new solvent mix, Mixture 1 (n-hexane + ethanol), Mixture 2 (n-hexane + acetone) and Mixture 3 (n-hexane + n-butanol). It was found that Mixture 1 and 3 are safer than n-hexane and able to extract more oil than n-hexane and Mixture 2. However, the utilization of the solvent is dependent on the end product from the residual palm oil.     

基于物料衡算法的复杂化工过程产排污量核算软件的开发及应用

物料衡算法是污染源普查技术规定的污染物排放量核算的一种重要方法,但对于复杂的化工过程,物料衡算法的难度和计算工作量均很大,难以为基层环境监察人员掌握和运用,同时运用物料衡算进行污染物排放量核算的可靠性,也很难保证。结合排污量核定实践,综合进行物料衡算的技巧和一般方法,科学地模化物质转化转移过程,以此为基础,应用Visual Basic高级计算机语言编制了针对复杂化工过程的物料衡算计算软件,并以沈阳某制药有限公司的脑复康生产过程为原型,利用实测资料对计算模型进行了验证,应用该软件计算某制药厂VC生产线等4条生产线的产排污量核算。该软件应用简便,可以方便快捷地进行复杂化工过程的物料衡算,并可以分析生产过程中的主要产污环节,为提高清洁生产水平提供科学依据。     

微生物燃料电池中产电微生物电子传递研究进展

微生物燃料电池集产电和污水净化为一体,作为一种新型的能源回收技术得到人们的广泛关注。从微生物燃料电池工作原理来看,电子能否顺利地传递到阳极表面对于电流的产生起着关键作用。因此,本文重点阐述了电子在产电微生物体内产生的途径、电子从微生物体内向阳极传递的不同方式以及阳极材料对产电微生物附着和电子传递的影响。从生物化学、电化学和材料学上对产电微生物体内的电子到阳极整个过程进行全面的综述。明确电子传递的关键环节,为新型高效阳极材料的开发提供思路。     

介孔硅材料及化学改性在水处理中的应用

随着人们对水环境污染严重性的高度关注,人们越来越重视良好吸附材料的开发。活性炭是一种最有效的吸附剂,拥有较大比表面积,但再生过程中有大量的损失,因此人们开始开发新的可循环使用的无机吸附材料。本文介绍了三种介孔硅吸附材料的合成方法,以及介孔硅吸附材料的化学改性应用,并且提出对吸附材料应用前景的建议。     

加氢装置分液罐泄漏失效原因分析

针对某石油化工公司加氢装置中变气第一分液罐底部环焊缝周围产生多处裂纹而发生泄漏的事故,通过对该压力容器使用工作环境的工况调查、设备泄漏部位裂纹宏观分析、裂纹形态及断口理化金相分析、材质化学成分检测、焊接接头金相组织分析、材料拉伸力学性能试验和硬度测试等手段,综合分析裂纹产生的原因,得出初步结论,并提出改进建议。     

Material flow analysis of lubricating oil use in California

Petroleum lubricating oils, used throughout the economy, are distinct among petroleum products in their capacity to be recovered and recycled at the end of their useful life. Used lubricating oil is regulated at the state and federal level because of concerns about environmental impacts arising from improper disposal, although rates of recovery are not known. We present a material flow analysis of lubricants through California's economy in the years 2007–2012. We introduce a novel technique for computing aggregate waste generation from a collection of hazardous waste manifest records, and apply it in order to determine a recovery rate for used oil and to estimate the quantity of oil managed informally in the state. The records also offer a detailed view of the fate of used oils after they are recovered. We find that around 62% of lubricants are recoverable at end of life, of which 70–80% is being recovered. This rate shows a slight downward trend. If the trend is accurate, measures should be taken to improve the performance of the used oil management system. Policy opportunities exist to reduce the quantity of oil managed informally through improving access to responsible used oil management methods. These include increasing the collection of used oil from industrial sources as well as “do it yourself” oil changes, expanding in-state reprocessing capacity, and promoting increased out-of-state reprocessing of used oil. Our methods introduce new possibilities to make use of direct observation in material flow analysis, potentially improving data availability and quality and increasing the relevance of material flow methods in policy applications.     

Is there a material Kuznets curve for aluminium? evidence from rich countries

The paper tests the material Kuznets Curve (MKC) hypothesis with regard to aluminium consumption for 20 high-income countries over the period 1970 to 2009. The test is based on the suggestion of Narayan and Narayan (2010). Various unit root and cointegration tests are applied. The aluminium and GDP series are found to be integrated of order one and cointegrated. Additionally, the Blundell–Bond system generalized methods-of-moments (GMM) is employed to conduct a panel causality test in a vector error-correction mechanism (VECM) setting. Unidirectional causality running from real per capita GDP to the aluminium intensity is uncovered in both the short-run and long-run. While controlling for structural shocks, the MKC hypothesis is found to hold at individual levels for Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Japan, and United Kingdom as well as for the whole panel. A 1% increase in GDP generates an increase of 0.87% in metal intensity in the short-run and a fall of 0.82% in the long-run for the panel.     

The contemporary cement cycle of the United States

A country-level stock and flow model for cement, an important construction material, was developed based on a material flow analysis framework. Using this model, the contemporary cement cycle of the United States was constructed by analyzing production, import, and export data for different stages of the cement cycle. The United States currently supplies approximately 80% of its cement consumption through domestic production and the rest is imported. The average annual net addition of in-use new cement stock over the period 2000–2004 was approximately 83 million metric tons and amounts to 2.3 tons per capita of concrete. Nonfuel carbon dioxide emissions (42 million metric tons per year) from the calcination phase of cement manufacture account for 62% of the total 68 million tons per year of cement production residues. The end-of-life cement discards are estimated to be 33 million metric tons per year, of which between 30% and 80% is recycled. A significant portion of the infrastructure in the United States is reaching the end of its useful life and will need to be replaced or rehabilitated; this could require far more cement than might be expected from economic forecasts of demand for cement.     

One laptop per child,local refurbishment or overseas donations? Sustainability assessment of computer supply scenarios for schools in Colombia

With the intention of bridging the ‘digital divide’ many programmes have been launched to provide computers for educational institutions, ranging from refurbishing second hand computers to delivering low cost new computers. The fast and economical provision of large quantities of equipment is one of the many challenges faced by such programmes. If an increase is to be achieved in the sustainability of computer supplies for schools, not only must equipment be provided, but also suitable training and maintenance delivered. Furthermore, appropriate recycling has to be ensured, so that end-of-life equipment can be dealt with properly. This study has evaluated the suitability of three computer supply scenarios to schools in Colombia: (i) ‘Colombian refurbishment’, -refurbishment of computers donated in Colombia, (ii) ‘Overseas refurbishment’, -import of computers which were donated and refurbished abroad, and (iii) ‘XO Laptop’, -purchase of low cost computers manufactured in Korea. The methods applied were: Material Flow Assessment, -to assess the quantities-, Life Cycle Assessment, -to assess the environmental impacts, and the application of the Multiple Attribute Utility Theory, -to analyse, evaluate and compare different scenarios. The most sustainable solution proved to be the local refurbishment of second hand computers of Colombian origin to an appropriate technical standard. The environmental impacts of such practices need to be evaluated carefully, as second hand appliances have to be maintained, require spare parts and sometimes use more energy than newer equipment. Providing schools with second hand computers from overseas and through programmes such as ‘One Laptop Per Child’ has the disadvantage that the potential for social improvements – such as creation of jobs and local industry involvement – is very low.     

浅谈国内外安全帽生产技术

安全帽作为对自然人头部受坠落物体或其他特定因素引起的伤害所采用的个人防护用品，越来越受到世界各国的安全防护行业的重视。特别是在发达国家，不断进行技术创新，更新安全帽标准。本文从安全帽技术领域方面．详细介绍各国制造安全帽常用材料的性能与特点，安全帽的模具材料、加工工艺、先进生产技术以及主要国家的安全帽检测标准差异。