Measurement of Ultrafine Particle Size Distributions from Coal-, Oil-, and Gas-Fired Stationary Combustion Sources

Abstract

Currently, we have limited knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of emitted primary combustion aerosols and the changes in those properties caused by nucleation, condensation growth of volatile species, and particle coagulations under dilution and cooling in the ambient air. A dilution chamber was deployed to sample exhaust from a pilot-scale furnace burning various fuels at a nominal heat input rate of 160 kW/h^?1 and 3% excess oxygen. The formation mechanisms of particles smaller than 420 nm in electrical mobility diameter were experimentally investigated by measurement with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) as a function of aging times, dilution air ratios, combustion exhaust temperatures, and fuel types. Particle formation in the dilution process is a complex mixture of nucleation, coagulation, and condensational growth, depending on the concentrations of available condensable species and solid or liquid particles (such as soot, ash) in combustion exhausts. The measured particle size distributions in number concentrations measured show peaks of particle number concentrations for medium sulfur bituminous coal, No. 6 fuel oil, and natural gas at 40-50 nm, 70-100 nm, and 15-25 nm, respectively. For No. 6 fuel oil and coal, the particle number concentration is constant in the range of a dilution air ratio of 50, but the number decreases as the dilution air ratio decreases to 10. However, for natural gas, the particle number concentration is higher at a dilution air ratio of 10 and decreases at dilution air ratios of 20-50. At a dilution air ratio of 10, severe particle coagulation occurs in a relatively short time. Samples taken at different combustion exhaust temperatures for these fuel types show higher particle number concentrations at 645 K than at 450 K. As the aging time of particles increases, the particles increase in size and the number concentrations decrease. The largest gradient of particle number distribution occurs within the first 10 sec after dilution but shows only minor differences between 10 and 80 sec. The lifetimes of the ultrafine particles are relatively short, with a scale on the order of a few seconds. Results from this study suggest that an aging time of 10 sec and a dilution air ratio of 20 are sufficient to obtain representative primary particle emission samples from stationary combustion sources.     

An economic evaluation and assessment of environmental impact of the municipal solid waste management system for Taichung City in Taiwan

Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is an important environmental challenge and subject in urban planning. For sustainable MSWM strategies, the critical management factors to be considered include not only economic efficiency of MSW treatment but also life-cycle assessment of the environmental impact. This paper employed linear programming technique to establish optimal MSWM strategies considering economic efficiency and the air pollutant emissions during the life cycle of a MSWM system, and investigated the correlations between the economical optimization and pollutant emissions. A case study based on real-world MSW operating parameters in Taichung City is also presented. The results showed that the costs, benefits, streams of MSW, and throughputs of incinerators and landfills will be affected if pollution emission reductions are implemented in the MSWM strategies. In addition, the quantity of particulate matter is the best pollutant indicator for the MSWM system performance of emission reduction. In particular, this model will assist the decision maker in drawing up a friendly MSWM strategy for Taichung City in Taiwan.

Implications: Recently, life-cycle assessments of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) strategies have been given more considerations. However, what seems to be lacking is the consideration of economic factors and environmental impacts simultaneously. This work analyzed real-world data to establish optimal MSWM strategies considering economic efficiency and the air pollutant emissions during the life cycle of the MSWM system. The results indicated that the consideration of environmental impacts will affect the costs, benefits, streams of MSW, and throughputs of incinerators and landfills. This work is relevant to public discussion and may establish useful guidelines for the MSWM policies.     

Kinetics of simazine advanced oxidation in water

Abstract

Comparison of the effects and kinetics of UV photolysis and four advanced oxidation systems (ozone, ozone/hydrogen peroxide, ozone/UV radiation and UV radiation/hydrogen peroxide) for the removal of simazine from water has been investigated. At the conditions applied, the order of reactivity was ozone < ozone/hydrogen peroxide < UV radiation < ozone/UV radiation and UV radiation/hydrogen peroxide. Rate constants of the reactions between ozone and simazine and hydroxyl radical and simazine were found to be 8.7 M^‐1s^‐1 and 2.1x10⁹ M^‐1s^‐1, respectively. Also, a quantum yield of 0.06 mol.photon^‐1 was found for simazine at 254 nm UV radiation. The high value of the quantum yield corroborated the importance of the direct photolysis process. Percentage contributions of direct reaction with ozone, reaction with hydroxyl radicals and direct photolysis were also quantified.     

高盐废水盐度对中度嗜盐菌生长动力学的影响

高盐废水盐度变化是影响微生物生长的重要因素之一。研究以中度嗜盐菌Halomonassp．STSY．3为例,测定其在不同盐度下生长对数期末OD600,并以葡萄糖为限制性基质,利用Monod方程,对菌株进行生长动力学拟合。结果表明,Halomonassp．STSY-3的最适生长盐度为7％（以NaCl计）,此盐度下其OD600 为2．56,而0%和34％盐度下OD600分别为0．47和0．06;Halomonassp．STSY-3的生长动力学模型与实验数据能较好地拟合,在最适生长盐度下动力学模型参数μmax 为2．257h-1,Ks为0．0082g／L。比较不同盐度下STSY-3生长动力学参数,得出中度嗜盐菌STSY-3的生长存在3个明显分区：最适盐度区（盐度2％～9％）、嗜盐过渡区（盐度9％～20％和0．68％～1．76％）及生长抑制区（盐度≤2％或≥20％）。其中嗜盐过渡区0．68％～1．76％由于范围较小,实际意义小,忽略不计。     

Differential Legionella spp. survival between intracellular and extracellular forms in thermal spring environments

Legionella are commonly found in natural and man-made aquatic environments and are able to inhabit various species of protozoa. The relationship between the occurrence of Legionella spp. within protozoa and human legionellosis has been demonstrated; however, the proportions of intracellular and extracellular Legionella spp. in the aquatic environment were rarely reported. In this study, we developed a new method to differentiate intracellular and extracellular Legionella spp. in the aquatic environment. Water samples from three thermal spring recreational areas in southeastern Taiwan were collected and analyzed. For each water sample, concurrent measurements were performed for Legionella spp. and their free-living amoebae hosts. The overall detection rate was 32 % (16/50) for intracellular Legionella spp. and 12 % (6/50) for extracellular Legionella spp. The most prevalent host of Legionella spp. was Hartmannella vermiformis. The identified Legionella spp. differed substantially between intracellular and extracellular forms. The results showed that it may be necessary to differentiate intracellular and extracellular forms of Legionella spp.     

城市污泥热解中试系统集成一体化研究及运行效果评估

为了促进城市污泥热解工艺的工程化应用,组建了污泥热解系统、热解产物分离回收利用系统、废气净化排放系统于一体较完整的热解中试装置,在实现污泥有效处置的同时也实现了高值能源回收利用。中试工况优化,较好工况为：热解时间30-40 min,热解终温450-500℃,在此条件下,干化污泥（含水率5%）减量率为50%;热值为33.8 MJ/kg的热解油产率为17.1%左右。通过对中试运行效果的评估,得出热解油和热解气两者能量或污泥炭自身能量可供干化污泥热解本身所需能量,从而为推动污水污泥热解工艺的工程化利用提供了支持。     

基于密相半干法脱硫工艺的生石灰消化及改性

以某公司生产的生石灰作为脱硫剂,密相半干法脱硫工艺在某炼铁厂烧结烟气脱硫工程的应用为例,对生石灰的消化反应和调质改性进行实验,考察其满足脱硫要求的最佳消化条件和烧结机头灰作为改性剂的比重。实验表明,当水灰比在1.5～1.7、生石灰粒径在200μm以下、消化温度在55℃左右、搅拌轴转速在15～25 r/min的范围内,可以保证生石灰有最佳的转化率,烧结机头灰占比重的5%时为最佳改性剂量;同时对实验的工程运行成本和脱硫效果进行分析,使用自制改性脱硫剂即可以节约运行成本和水电资源,又能提高脱硫效果,为脱硫设备的长期稳定运行提供了可靠依据。     

河湖疏浚淤泥的表征、絮凝和脱水

以无锡锡山湿地公园河道淤泥及太湖贡湖湾疏浚底泥为研究对象,对比分析了两种淤泥的矿物组成、粒径分布及泥微粒表面基团、ζ电位等理化特性。以聚丙烯酰胺类聚合物(polyacrylamide,PAM)为絮凝剂,对比分析了其在2种底泥絮凝分离、真空抽滤脱水过程中的作用特征,并对相关影响因素进行了探讨。结果表明,两种淤泥样具有相近的主体矿物组分、有机基团及ζ电位值,但有机质含量稍高的淤泥样中大颗粒所占比例相对较高。相比阳离子型PAM,阴离子型PAM在较少用量下即可获得较大絮团,但上清液浊度较高。絮凝泥在抽滤过程受絮团尺寸影响较大,PAM不同类型基团间的差异对其影响较小,但对趋于平衡后的泥饼含水率略有影响。     

Spatial Distribution of Geobacteraceae and Sulfate‐Reducing Bacteria During In Situ Bioremediation of Uranium‐Contaminated Groundwater

Analysis of the physiological status of subsurface microbial communities generally relies on the study of unattached microorganisms in the groundwater. These approaches have been employed in studies on bioremediation of uranium‐contaminated groundwater at a study site in Rifle, Colorado, in which Geobacter species typically account for over 90 percent of the microbial community in the groundwater during active uranium reduction. However, to develop efficient in situ bioremediation strategies it is necessary to know the status of sediment‐associated microorganisms as well. In order to evaluate the distribution of the natural community of Geobacter during bioremediation of uranium, subsurface sediments were packed into either passive flux meters (PFMs) or sediment columns deployed in groundwater monitoring wells prior to acetate injection during in situ biostimulation field trials. The trials were performed at the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Rifle Integrated Field Research Challenge site. Sediment samples were removed either during the peak of Fe(III) reduction or the peak of sulfate reduction over the course of two separate field experiments and preserved for microscopy. Direct cell counts using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes targeting Geobacter species indicated that the majority of Geobacter cells were unattached during Fe(III) reduction, which typically tracks with elevated rates of uranium reduction. Similar measurements conducted during the sulfate‐reducing phase revealed the majority of Geobacter to be attached following exhaustion of more readily bioavailable forms of iron minerals. Laboratory sediment column studies confirmed observations made with sediment samples collected during field trials and indicated that during Fe(III) reduction, Geobacter species are primarily unattached (90 percent), whereas the majority of sulfate‐reducing bacteria and Geobacter species are attached to sediment surfaces when sulfate reduction is the predominant form of metabolism (75 percent and 77 percent, respectively). In addition, artificial sediment experiments showed that pure cultures of Geobacter uraniireducens, isolated from the Rifle site, were primarily unattached once Fe(III) became scarce. These results demonstrate that, although Geobacter species must directly contact Fe(III) oxides in order to reduce them, cells do not firmly attach to the sediments, which is likely an adaptive response to sparsely and heterogeneously dispersed Fe(III) minerals in the subsurface. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Soil dissipation of juvenile hormone analog insecticide pyriproxyfen and its effect on the bacterial community

This investigation was undertaken to examine the dissipation rate of pyriproxyfen as well as the change in the soil bacterial community. Residues of pyriproxyfen were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the changes in bacterial community were determined by comparing the 16S rDNA bands on patterns by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The dissipation of pyriproxyfen was affected by both the concentration applied and incubation temperature. Lower concentrations (1 mg Kg(-1)) and higher incubation temperatures (30 and 40°C) showed more rapid dissipation rates. The population of microbial community decreased rapidly after incubation with 10 mg Kg(-1) of pyriproxyfen for 91 days, indicating the toxicity of pyriproxyfen toward bacterial communities in a closed soil ecosystem. Lower concentrations of pyriproxyfen showed less toxicity toward the microbial community. From cluster analysis, the structure of the bacterial community showed roughly a 60 % similarity throughout the experiment period in the control experiment, indicating the stability within soil microbiota without chemical agitation. However, the similarity was lower than 50 % both in the one and 10 mg Kg(-1) of insecticide pyriproxyfen spiked experiment, indicating the soil bacterial community changed after the insecticide pyriproxyfen was applied.