Application of environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies for an automotive component

Application of appropriate environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies enables the sustainable development of products and processes. Automotive component manufacturers recognise the potential of applying appropriate strategies for attaining Triple Bottom Line benefits. In this context, three strategies such as eco-efficiency, waste minimisation and material efficiency are being applied to minimise environmental impacts associated with the manufacture of automotive products and its associated processes. A case study of an automotive component manufacturing firm has been exemplified. After conducting the study, the potential environmental impact was reduced by 20% and eco-efficiency was improved by 13%. Further, improvements have been observed in terms of overall resource consumption and material efficiency. The overall power consumption was reduced by 18% and weight of the component was reduced by 11%. The study aimed at improving the sustainable performance of product by incorporating green and environmentally friendlier manufacturing practices.

Abbreviations: USEPA: United Nations Environmental Protection Agency; OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; WBCSD: World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Eco-QFD: Environmental Quality Function Deployment; WCED: World Commission on Environment and Development; LCA: Life Cycle Assessment     

Using culturomics and social media data to characterize wildlife consumption

Wildlife provides food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities for humans, but overexploitation can disrupt the sustainability of wildlife resources and severely threaten global biodiversity. Understanding the characteristics of consumer behavior is helpful for wildlife managers and policy makers, but the traditional survey methods are laborious and time-consuming. In contrast, culturomics may more efficiently identify the features of wildlife consumption. As a case study of the culturomics approach, we examined tiger bone wine consumption in China based on social media and Baidu search engine data. Tiger bone wine is one of the most purchased tiger products; its consumption is closely related to tiger poaching, which greatly threatens wild tiger survival. We searched a popular social media website for the term “tiger bone wine” and focused on posts that were originally created from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2018. We filtered and classified posts related to the purchase, sale, or consumption of tiger bone wine and extracted information on providers, consumption motivations, year of production, and place of origin of the tiger bone wines based on the texts and photos of these posts. We found 756 posts related to tiger bone wine consumption, 113 of which mentioned providers of tiger bone wine, including friends (53%), elder relatives (37%), peer relatives (7%), and others (3%). Out of the 756 posts, 266 indicated the motivations of tiger bone wine consumption. Tiger bone wines were consumed as a tonic (34%), medicine (23%), game product (30%), and a symbol of wealth (28%). Some posts indicated ≥2 consumption motivations. These findings were consistent with the search queries from Baidu index. Such information could help develop targeted strategies for tiger conservation. The culturomics approach illustrated by our study is a rapid and cost-efficient way to characterize wildlife consumption.     

受限空间内惰性气体对CH4爆炸抑制特性研究

N2和CO2是常用的惰性抑爆气体,为研究两种气体的抑爆特性,采用20L球形爆炸试验装置,分析了不同浓度配比条件下N2/CH4/空气以及CO2/CH4/空气混合气体的爆炸压力,同时采集爆炸后的气体样品,对比分析爆炸后残留气体的主要成分。结果显示:随CH4浓度从5%增加至12.5%时,完全抑制CH4爆炸需要的惰性气体最小量先增大后降低,CH4浓度在6.5%~7.5%之间时,抑爆需要的惰性气体的量最大;在同一CH4浓度条件下,抑爆需要N2的量大于CO2,并且CH4浓度在5%~6.5%时,抑爆需要两种惰性气体的量值差别最大;当CH4浓度一定时,随着加入惰性气体量的增大,爆炸最大超压逐渐降低,惰性气体浓度和爆炸超压之间基本呈线性关系;在同样条件下,相对于N2,CO2为抑爆气体时,爆炸后腔体内残留的CH4浓度较高。研究成果为惰性气体抑爆技术提供技术支撑,同时为揭示惰性气体抑爆机理有一定作用。     

Investigation of biocatalytic potential of garbage enzyme and its influence on stabilization of industrial waste activated sludge

The decomposable waste thrown into the environment can be used to produce value added bio-product which in turn reduces the production of greenhouse gas. Garbage enzyme is one such value added product produced by fermentation of organic solid waste. In the present study enzyme activity and disinfectant potential of garbage enzyme was evaluated and its influence on reduction of total solids, suspended solids and pathogens in dairy waste activated sludge were studied. The result showed the garbage enzyme possesses protease, amylase and lipase activity and reduced 37.2% of total solids, 38.6% of suspended solids and 99% of pathogens in dairy waste activated sludge. This significant result may be helpful for researchers to compare the effectiveness of earth-friendly garbage enzyme treatment of industrial sludge with various physical and chemical pre-treatment methods to improve the biogas production from the sludge digestion unit.     

系统级产品环境试验与评估若干问题探讨

根据近年来系统级产品的典型问题,分析了系统级产品环境特点,提出了系统级产品环境问题的相关理论,具体给出了相应的试验设计思路、方法以及环境适应性评价方法。     

借鉴国外经验建立与完善我国低碳产品认证制度

面对全球日益兴起的“低碳经济”理念,包括我国在内的很多国家都将其作为转变经济发展方式实现绿色发展的契机。低碳产品认证是推进中国低碳经济走向绿色发展的重要举措。本文通过借鉴国外低碳产品认证的经验,提出应从关注环境保护与气候变化协同效应、选择适合的产品类型、逐渐实现产品生命周期碳排放管理等方面提升和推动我国低碳产品认证工作的发展。     

工业废渣在新型干法水泥生产中应用

依据废渣特性的理论分析,通过对废渣成分以及采用废渣配料前后生料、熟料的成分分析及性能测试,调整生料配比和改变水泥窑操作工艺,通过生产实践数据分析,说明了利用钢渣和粉煤灰作为铁质和铝质校正材料生产普通硅酸盐水泥熟料,不仅可以提高水泥熟料产量和质量,而且可以有效地降低熟料生产成本和产品综合能耗。促进了企业节能减排和资源综合利用的可持续发展。     

污水污泥裂解目标产物及残焦促进植物生长的研究

研究了污水污泥的低温裂解特性,考察了裂解终温和干燥到一定程度后污泥含水率对裂解产物分布及产物性质的影响,并分析了裂解产物中最合适的目标产物形式.经过分析比较,最终确定以污泥裂解残焦为目标产物并通过与普通土壤混拌进行了栽种大蒜和测试大蒜重金属浓度水平的实验,并考察残焦中重金属向植物迁移的情况.结果表明,干燥到一定程度的污水污泥在550℃下裂解时残焦的产率在40%以上,其中灰分含量在60%～65%之间,富含氮、 磷、 钾.该残焦中重金属含量符合有关土地使用规定,能明显促进大蒜植株的生长,实验组平均株高比普通组高出3～4　cm;但是快速生长的大蒜植株中重金属浓度略有增加.研究表明残焦是合适的污水污泥裂解目标产物,具有土地使用的前景,能够用于促进非食用目的的植物的生长.     

航空产品腐蚀损伤当量折算方法研究

阐述了航空产品在使用过程中腐蚀损伤的一般规律,综述了腐蚀损伤当量化研究的最新进展,研究了航空金属材料、工艺和结构件腐蚀损伤当量折算方法,并提出了腐蚀损伤当量折算方法的研究发展方向。     

废物水泥窑共处置产品中重金属释放量研究

通过模拟煅烧实验制取水泥熟料,并采用国标GB/T 17671-1999制取混凝土样品.选用EA NEN7371和EA NEN7375浸出方法,利用基于菲克扩散第二定律的一维扩散模型对废物水泥窑共处置产品（混凝土）中重金属长期累积释放量进行了研究.结果表明,混凝土中重金属的最大释放量低于总量;各种重金属在混凝土中的扩散系数不同,且Cr>As>Ni>Cd; Cr、As、Ni和Cd 30a的累积释放量分别为4.43、 0.46、 1.50和0.02 mg/kg,释放率（累积释放量/最大释放量）分别为27.0%、 18.0%、 3.0%和0.2%;扩散系数是影响重金属累积释放量的重要因素,且两者表现出较好的相关性;Cr和As的扩散系数较大（分别为1.15E-15 m²/s和6.42E-16 m²/s）,应重点控制其进入水泥窑处置过程的总量.