The Autothermal Pyrolysis of Waste Tires

Abstract

The growing amount of rubber waste, such as that from tires and cables, has resulted in serious environmental problems. Since rubber waste is not easily biodegradable even after a long period of landfill treatment, material and energy recovery is the preferable alternative to disposal. The potential offered by waste tire pyrolysis for solving both energy and waste treatment problems is widely recognized. Pyrolysis is one method of inducing thermal decomposition without using any oxidizing agent, or using such a limited supply of the agent that oxidization does not proceed to an appreciable extent. The latter may be described as autothermal pyrolysis and will be studied in the present work.

The main objective of this research was to study the operating parameters of autothermal pyrolysis of scrap tires in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactor with a 100-cm bed height (10 cm I.D.) and a 100-cm freeboard (25 cm I.D.). Scrap tires were pyrolyzed in a limited oxygen supply, so that the heat for pyrolysis of the scrap tires was provided by combustion of some portion of the scrap tires. The operating parameters evaluated included the effect on the pyrolysis oil products and their relative proportions of (1) the air factor (O.O7–O35); (2) the pyrolysis temperature (370–570 °C); and (3) the catalyst added (zeolite and calcium carbonate). The results show that: (1) the composition of the liquid hydrocarbon obtained is affected significantly by the air factor; (2) the higher operating temperature caused a higher yield of gasoline and diesel; (3) the yield of gasoline increased due to the catalyst zeolite added, and the yield of diesel increased due to the addition of the catalyst calcium carbonate; (4) the principal constituents of gasoline included dipentene and diprene.     

Nutrient removal in tropical subsurface flow constructed wetlands under batch and continuous flow conditions

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of batch versus continuous flow on the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen (N) and total phosphorus (TP) in tropical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSF CW). The quantitative role of the higher aquatic plants in nutrient removal in these two operational modes was also investigated. Results indicated no significant difference (p > 0.05) in COD removal between batch and continuous flow modes for either the planted or unplanted treatments. Furthermore, the batch-loaded planted wetlands showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher ammonium removal efficiencies (95.2%) compared with the continuously fed systems (80.4%), most probably because the drain and fill batch mode presented systematically more oxidized environmental conditions. With respect to TP removal, for both planted and unplanted beds, there was significant enhancement (p < 0.05) in batch flow operation (69.6% for planted beds; 39.1% for unplanted beds) as compared to continuous flow operation (46.8% for planted beds; 25.5% for unplanted beds). In addition, at a 4-day hydraulic retention time (HRT), the presence of plants significantly enhanced both ammonia oxidation and TP removal in both batch and continuous modes of operation as compared to that for unplanted beds. An estimation of the quantitative role of aeration from drain and fill operation at a 4-day HRT, as compared to rhizosphere aeration by the higher aquatic plant, indicated that drain and fill operation might account for only less than half of the higher aquatic plant's quantitative contribution of oxygen (1.55 g O2 per m2 per day for batch flow versus 1.13 g O2 per m2 per day for continuous flow).     

Rubber and pulp plantations represent a double threat to Hainan's natural tropical forests

Hainan, the largest tropical island in China, belongs to the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot and harbors large areas of tropical forests, particularly in the uplands. The Changhua watershed is the cradle of Hainan's main river and a center of endemism for plants and birds. The watershed contains great habitat diversity and is an important conservation area. We analyzed the impact of rubber and pulp plantations on the distribution and area of tropical forest in the watershed, using remote sensing analysis of Landsat images from 1988, 1995 and 2005. From 1988 to 1995, natural forest increased in area (979-1040?sq?km) but decreased rapidly (763?sq?km) over the next decade. Rubber plantations increased steadily through the study period while pulp plantations appeared after 1995 but occupied 152?sq?km by 2005. Rubber and pulp plantations displace different types of natural forest and do not replace one another. Because pulp is not as profitable as rubber and existing pulp processing capacity greatly exceeds local supply, considerable pressure exists on remaining upland forests. We recommend for future management that these plantation forests be reclassified as 'industrial', making a clear policy distinction between natural and industrial forestry. Additionally, the local government should work to enforce existing laws preventing forest conversion on marginal and protected areas.     

H(+)/phenanthrene symporter and aquaglyceroporin are implicated in phenanthrene uptake by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous organic pollutants that are toxic to human and nonhuman organisms. Dietary intake of PAHs is a dominant route of exposure for the general population because food crops are a major source of dietary PAHs. The mechanism for crop root uptake of PAHs remains unclear. Here we reveal that wheat root uptake of PAHs involves active and passive processes. The passive uptake is mercury and glycerol dependent. Mercury and glycerol inhibit uptake, indicating that aquaglyceroporins sensitive to mercury contribute to passive uptake. Active uptake is mediated by a phenanthrene/H symporter. The electrical response of wheat roots triggered by phenanthrene consists of two sequential phases: depolarization followed by repolarization. The depolarization is phenanthrene concentration dependent, with saturation kinetics that have an apparent of K(m) 10.8 μmol L(-1). As uptake proceeds, external solution pH increase is noticed. Lower pH favors the uptake. Vanadate and 2,4-dinitrophenol suppress the electrical response to phenanthrene and phenanthrene uptake, suggesting that plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase is involved in the establishment of an electrochemical proton gradient acting as a driving force for active uptake. Therefore, it is suggested that aquaglyceroporin and phenanthrene/H symporter are implicated in phenanthrene uptake. Our results provide insight into PAH uptake mechanism in wheat roots that is relevant to strategies for reducing PAH accumulation in wheat for food safety, improving phytoremediation of PAH-contaminated soils or water by agronomic practices and genetic modification to target remedial plants for higher PAH uptake capacity.     

页岩气开采中压裂废液处理技术的发展及应用

作为新型的天然气资源,近年来页岩气的开采力度不断增加。文章广泛调研页岩气开采过程中的场地修复、压裂废液处理等方面的环境污染风险,国内外现行压裂废液的处理工艺,系统分析了中和法、絮凝法和氧化法等处理工艺,并结合实际应用效果和企业需求对技术发展方向进行了预测,可为非常规油气资源开发领域提供理论参考。     

变压吸附技术的应用及其发展简述

文章分析了变压吸附技术存在的问题,并提出解决措施。通过对变压吸附技术应用现状的总结,对该技术未来的发展方向进行预测与评价。指出变压吸附技术能够经济高效地实现物质的分离,有望成为分离技术未来的发展方向,为环保和工业生产做出更大贡献。     

炼油污水回用处理RO系统的稳定运行及维护

文章介绍了兰州石化公司炼油污水深度处理反渗透(RO)系统的工艺流程及维护。通过进出水电导率、产水回收率等变化情况,分析了RO系统的运行状况。得知:运用此系统,反渗透系统产水回收率达到65%～70%,系统脱盐率在99%以上,产水可以满足一级除盐水要求,实现了装置稳定运行的目标。     

绿色油田建设中存在的问题及对策探讨

文章分析了石油开发对环境的影响,提出了绿色油田建设的必要性与重要性。通过对国内外绿色油田建设现状的调研与对比,总结出目前我国建设绿色油田的瓶颈,提出了建议与对策,并展望了建设绿色油田的前景。     

杭州市环保系统人才发展现状与对策

对杭州市环保系统的人才总量、学历结构、专业结构、职称结构和年龄结构等方面作了较详细的分析;针对杭州市环保系统存在的人才总量不足、结构分布不合理和高层次人才匮乏等问题,提出了引进高层次人才、加强教育培训、壮大基层队伍等对策。     

充分利用环保倒逼机制促进产业结构调整升级

淄博市污染聚集,环境质量易受外来因素影响,产业结构不合理,污染物排放量大,排放强度高。但其充分发挥环保的倒逼作用,通过建立健全环保政策法规体系,严格执行高于省及国家标准的地方环保标准,大力发展高新技术和现代服务业,加快改造传统产业,极大地促进了产业结构升级和经济发展方式的转变。