Ozone-enhanced catalytic oxidation of monochlorobenzene over iron oxide catalysts

In this study, we examined the experimental catalytic oxidation of gaseous monochlorobenzene (MCBz) with O₃ over Fe₂O₃ in a packed bed reactor to investigate the feasibility of economical low temperature decomposition at a high space velocity (SV). We investigated the effects of several reaction parameters (temperature, O₃ concentration, and SV) on the MCBz oxidation. At 150 °C, the conversion of MCBz over Fe₂O₃ in the absence of O₃ was only 3%; it increased to 91% over Fe₂O₃ in the presence of 1200 ppm of O₃ at a high SV of 83 s⁻¹. A long-term operation study revealed that the conversion of MCBz was stable for more than 96 h. In the steady state, the carbon and chlorine balances were 88% and 86%, respectively. Applying a Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model, we estimated an activation energy of 16.7 kJ mol⁻¹ for MCBz oxidation over Fe₂O₃ in the presence of O₃.     

Influences of sediment dessication on phosphorus transformations in an intertidal marsh: formation and release of phosphine

This study investigated the effects of sediment dewatering on the phosphorus transformations concerning about the production and emission of phosphine in the intertidal marsh of the Yangtze Estuary. The concentrations of matrix-bound phosphine ranged from 18.62-72.53 ng kg⁻¹ and 31.14-61.22 ng kg⁻¹ within the August and January exposure incubations, respectively. The responses of matrix-bound phosphine concentrations to sediment dessication demonstrate that the production (or accumulation) of matrix-bound phosphine significantly increased with water loss at the start of the emersion incubations. However, further dehydration inhibited the formation of matrix-bound phosphine in sediments. The significant correlations of matrix-bound phosphine with the organic-P bacteria abundance and alkaline phosphatase activities implicate that the production of matrix-bound phosphine within the dessication incubations was linked closely to the microbial decomposition of organic P. The emissions of phosphine generally decreased with sediment dewatering, with the fluxes of 7.51-96.73 ng m⁻² h⁻¹ and 5.34-77.74 ng m⁻² h⁻¹ over the exposure incubations of both August and January, respectively. Also, it is observed that the releases of phosphine during the entire exposure periods were affected not only by its production but also by sediment water and redox conditions.     

Biohydrogen production from dairy manures with acidification pretreatment by anaerobic fermentation

Background, aim, and scope  

Hydrogen is a clean and efficient energy source and has been deemed as one of the most promising carriers of new energy for the future. From an engineering point of view, producing hydrogen by mixed cultures is generally preferred because of lower cost, ease of control, and the possible use of organic waste as feedstock. The biological hydrogen production has been intensively studied in recent decades. So far, most investigates of biohydrogen production are still confined to using pure carbohydrates and carbohydrate-rich wastewater. Nowadays, the large amounts of livestock manure, which come from cattle feedlots, poultry, and swine buildings, are causing a major environmental issue because it has become a primary source of odors, gases, dust, and groundwater contamination. The increasingly stringent requirements for pollution control on livestock manures are challenging the scientific community to develop new waste treatment strategies. Thus, there is a pressing need to develop nonpolluting and renewable energy source utilizing the organic waste (e.g., livestock manure). It is well known that anaerobic digestion had successfully been used for the disposal of manures to produce methane in the last two decades. Recently, an alternative strategy has been developed to convert livestock manures (e.g., dairy manures) to biohydrogen as a high value-added clean energy source instead of methane. However, little information is available on hydrogen production from dairy manure via the mixed anaerobic microbe. As far as we know, the hydrogen production is habitually accompanied with production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), such as acetate, butyrate, and propionate, which are also an optimal feedstock for production of methane by anaerobic digestion. Provided that the biohydrogen production from dairy manure is further combined with the anaerobic digestion of the effluent from the producing hydrogen reactor that would be a one-stone two-bird paradigm, it not only produces a clean and readily usable biologic energy but also cleans up simultaneously the environment in a sustainable fashion.     

Photolysis of low concentration H2S under UV/VUV irradiation emitted from microwave discharge electrodeless lamps

The photolysis of simulating low concentration of hydrogen sulfide malodorous gas was studied under UV irradiation emitted by self-made microwave discharge electrodeless lamps (i.e. microwave UV electrodeless mercury lamp (185/253.7 nm) and iodine lamp (178.3/180.1/183/184.4/187.6/206.2 nm)). Experiments results showed that the removal efficiency (eta H2S) of hydrogen sulfide was decreased with increasing initial H2S concentration and increased slightly with gas residence time; H2S removal efficiency was decreased dramatically with enlarged pipe diameter. Under the experimental conditions with pipe diameter of 36 mm, gas flow rate of 0.42 standard l s(-1), eta H2S was 52% with initial H2S concentration of 19.5 mg m(-3) by microwave mercury lamp, the absolute removal amount (ARA) was 4.30 microg s(-1), and energy yield (EY) was 77.3 mg kW h(-1); eta H2S was 56% with initial H2S concentration of 18.9 mg m(-3) by microwave iodine lamp, the ARA was 4.48 microg s(-1), and the EY was 80.5mg kW h(-1). The main photolysis product was confirmed to be SO4(2-) with IC.     

A combined plasma photolysis (CPP) method for removal of CS2 from gas streams at atmospheric pressure

A combined plasma photolysis (CPP) reactor that utilizes a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and 207 nm UV radiation from discharge-driven KrBr^* excimers was designed and constructed. Gas streams containing CS₂ were treated with stand-alone DBD and CPP at atmospheric pressure. In comparison to DBD, CPP greatly enhanced the removal efficiency at the same applied voltage, waste gas concentration and gas residence time. Thus the applied voltage could be reduced to a certain extent in the plasma processing of industrial wastes. Influences of the KrBr^* radiation, inlet CS₂ concentration and gas residence time on CS₂ removal by CPP were also studied. In addition, the likely reaction mechanisms for the removal of CS₂ by CPP are suggested based on the byproducts analysis. The enhanced removal efficiency and reaction mechanisms implied that the CPP process would probably be suitable for the removal of a large number of gaseous pollutants.     

青藏高原东北侧突发性暴雨特征综合分析

对1970-2007年发生在青藏高原东北侧陕西的突发性暴雨研究发现,其夜间降水特点明显,对流层中层较强的偏南气流是突发性暴雨水汽输送贡献最大者和低层辐合的主要动力来源。偏南气流北伸的位置决定突发性暴雨落区偏南或偏北,300hPa一致的纬向12～20m·s-1强风速带为突发性暴雨提供高层抽吸作用。上述两点对突发性暴雨落区有一定的预报指示意义。云图分析显示,突发性暴雨多有中尺度云团配合,上升运动最大值的高度层与突发性暴雨落区地域位置有关。     

2009年中国大陆地震灾害损失述评

在列出2009年中国5.0级以上地震目录的基础上,结合年度有关省(自治区、直辖市)地震局的地震灾害评估资料,总结出2009年中国大陆地震灾害的主要数据和特性。最后对自1990年以来中国大陆地震灾害的相关数据进行了简要的比较。     

2014年云南景谷6.6级地震与云南鲁甸6.5级地震致灾因素分析

介绍了2014年连续发生的云南景谷6.6级地震与云南鲁甸6.5级地震灾害情况,从地震烈度、房屋建筑震害、人口密度、次生灾害与地理环境等致灾因素进行了对比分析,初步总结了两次地震灾情差异性。     

Mapping the cost risk of agricultural residue supply for energy application in rural China

This research aims to shed light on the interaction mechanism of cost risks for biomass material supply in power generation, especially for biomass-coal dual-fuel systems. Firstly, a game model is established to analyze interactions among factors including unit procurement cost, unit transportation cost, basic price and coal price for crop residue collection. Secondly, a Monte Carlo simulation is implemented to compare the profit increase under material competition with that under price alliance. The methodology is illustrated with a case study in a biomass power plant in Shandong Province, China. It shows that developing a price alliance will benefit both the allied enterprises and the local collection area in most circumstances. Thirdly, a risk tolerance area approach is applied in mapping the cost risk and in explaining the risky circumstances of the case study.