Development and Pilot Plant Evaluation of Silica- Enhanced Lime Sorbents for Dry Flue Gas Desulfurization

EPA’s efforts to develop low cost, retrofitable flue gas cleaning technology include the development of highly reactive sorbents. Recent work addressing lime enhancement and testing at the bench-scale followed by evaluation of the more promising sorbents in a pilot plant are discussed here.

The conversion of Ca(OH)₂ with SO₂ increased several-fold compared with Ca(OH)₂ alone when Ca(OH)₂ was slurrled with fly ash first and later exposed to SO₂ in a laboratory packed bed reactor. Ca(OH)₂ enhancement increased with the increased fly ash amount. Dlatomaceous earths were very effective reactivity promoters of lime-based sorbents. Differential scanning calorimetry of the promoted sorbents revealed the formation of a new phase (calcium silicate hydrates) after hydration, which may be the basis for the observed Improved SO₂ capture.

Fly ash/lime and diatomaceous earth/lime sorbents were tested in a 100 m³/h pilot facility incorporating a gas humidifier, a sorbent duct injection system, and a baghouse. The inlet SO₂ concentration range was 1000-2500 ppm. With once-through dry sorbent injection into the humidified flue gas [approach to saturation 10–20°C (18–36°F) in the baghouse], the total SO₂ removal ranged from 50 to 90 percent for a stoichiometric ratio of 1 to 2. Recycling the collected solids resulted in a total lime utilization exceeding 80–90 percent. Increased lime utilization was also investigated by the use of additives.     

TiO_2/PTh/Fe_3O_4催化剂制备及光催化与磁回收性能

以聚噻吩磁性微珠PTh/Fe3O4(PF)为载体,采用低温水热法(170℃,pH=7±0.2)在其表面负载TiO2,制备了壳/壳/核结构的磁载光催化剂TiO2/PTh/Fe3O4(TPTF)。用透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、傅里叶红外分光光度计(FT-IR)、振动样品磁强计(VSM)对催化剂的形貌、物相组成、表面性质、磁学性质进行了表征。以苯酚为模拟污染物,评价其光催化活性;通过自制的磁回收装置,考察其磁回收特性。结果表明,TiO2晶粒大小在4~6 nm之间,具有混晶结构(锐钛矿型占93.6%,金红石型占6.4%);当nTiO2∶n噻吩单体∶nFe3O4=75∶2.5∶1时,TPTF的催化活性最佳;P25、纯TiO2、TPTF(nTiO2∶n噻吩单体:nFe3O4=75∶2.5∶1)和TiO2/Fe3O4(TF)光催化降解苯酚的速率常数分别是0.0371、0.0302、0.0253和0.0106 min-1;TPTF循环使用5次,其反应速率常数、饱和磁化强度以及磁回收率为0.0205 min-1、1.59emu/g和89.3%,比第1次的0.0253 min-1、1.85 emu/g和94.7%略有降低。     

羽毛角蛋白海绵材料对亚甲基蓝的吸附去除

以羽毛角蛋白提取后产生的残渣为原料,采用简单物理法制得角蛋白海绵材料,通过扫描电镜和红外光谱对其表观形貌和表面结构进行表征,同时以亚甲基蓝染料作为实验对象,考察制得的海绵材料对其吸附特性和去除效果。结果表明,当吸附平衡时间为1 440 min、亚甲基蓝溶液初始浓度为100 mg/L、海绵材料投加量为0.06 g、反应温度为25℃、溶液pH为7.0时,海绵材料对亚甲基蓝的吸附去除率可达98%以上,同时由Langmuir等温吸附模型拟合结果可知,海绵材料对亚甲基蓝的最大吸附量可达151.5 mg/g。因此,将羽毛角蛋白提取后产生的残渣可制备良好的染料吸附剂,取得良好的环境效益。     

混合液回流比对改良A~2O工艺效果的调控作用

考察了不同混合液回流比(Ri)条件下,改良A2O工艺的效果。COD去除率受Ri的影响较小,Ri=200%、300%和400%时的COD去除率分别为83.3%、79.9%和84.3%。氮的去除率受其影响明显。不同Ri所引起的缺氧池硝态氮负荷以及实际水力停留时间的变化,使得TN和NH3-N的去除率呈现相互制约的关系。此外,硝酸盐作为反硝化除磷过程的电子受体,Ri为200%和300%时,其浓度较高,对应的TP平均去处率可分别高达73.3%和85.3%;而缺氧池硝酸盐浓度相对较低时(Ri=400%),TP平均去处率仅为54.4%。应对不同进水水质情况对系统脱氮除磷效率提出的要求,可选择适当的Ri,协调工艺对TN、NH3-N以及TP的去除能力,同时,满足较高出水标准的要求。     

Fine particulate speciation profile and emission factor of municipal solid waste incinerator established by dilution sampling method

In this study, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) emitted from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) was collected using dilution sampling method. Chemical compositions of the collected PM_2.5 samples, including carbon content, metal elements, and water-soluble ions, were analyzed. Traditional in-stack hot sampling was simultaneously conducted to compare the influences of dilution on PM_2.5 emissions and the characteristics of the bonded chemical species. The results, established by a dilution sampling method, show that PM_2.5 and total particulate matter (TPM) emission factors were 61.6 ± 4.52 and 66.1 ± 5.27 g ton-waste^?1, respectively. The average ratio of PM_2.5/TPM is 0.93, indicating that more than 90% of PM emission from the MSWI was fine particulate. The major chemical species in PM_2.5 included organic carbon (OC), Cl^?, NH₄⁺, elemental carbon (EC) and Si, which account for 69.7% of PM_2.5 mass. OC was from the unburned carbon in the exhaust, which adsorbed onto the particulate during the cooling process. High Cl^? emission is primarily attributable to wastes containing plastic bags made of polyvinyl chloride, salt in kitchen refuse and waste biomass, and so on. Minor species that account for 0.01–1% of PM_2.5 mass included SO₄^2-, K⁺, Na, K, NO₃^?, Al, Ca²⁺, Zn, Ca, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Mg. The mean ratio of dilution method/in-stack hot method was 0.454. The contents of water-soluble ions (Cl^?, SO₄^2-, NO₃^?) were significantly enriched in PM_2.5 via gas-to-particle conversion in the dilution process. Results indicate that in-stack hot sampling would underestimate levels of these species in PM_2.5.

Implications: PM_2.5 samples from a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) were collected simultaneously by a dilution sampling technique and a traditional in-stack method. PM_2.5 emission factors and chemical speciation profiles were established. Dilution sampling provides more reliable data than in-stack hot sampling. The results can be applied to estimate the PM_2.5 emission inventories of MSWI, and the source profile can be used for contribution estimate of chemical mass balance modeling.     

The influence of long-term fertilization on cadmium (Cd) accumulation in soil and its uptake by crops

Continuous application of organic and inorganic fertilizers can affect soil and food quality with respect to heavy metal concentrations. The risk of cadmium (Cd) contamination in a long-term (over 20 years) experimental field in North China with an annual crop rotation of winter wheat and summer maize was investigated. The long-term experiment had a complete randomized block design with seven fertilizer treatments and four replications. The seven fertilizer treatments were (1) organic compost (OM), (2) half organic compost plus half chemical fertilizer (OM?+?NPK), (3) NPK fertilizer (NPK), (4–6) chemical fertilizers without one of the major nutrients (NP, PK, and NK), and (7) an unamended control (CK). Soil samples from 0 to 20 cm were collected in 1989, 1999, and 2009 to characterize Cd and other soil properties. During the past 20 years, various extents of Cd accumulation were observed in the soil, and the accumulation was mainly affected by atmospheric dry and wet deposition and fertilization. In 2009, the average Cd concentration in the soil was 148?±?15 μg kg^?1 and decreased in the order of NPK?≈?OM?+?NKP?≈?PK?>?NP?≈?NK?>?OM?≈?CK. Sequential extraction of Cd showed that the acid-soluble fraction (F1, 32?±?7 %) and the residual fraction (F4, 31?±?5 %) were the dominant fractions of Cd in the soil, followed by the reducible fraction (F2, 22?±?5 %) and oxidizable fraction (F3, 15?±?6 %). The acid-soluble Cd fraction in the soil and Cd accumulation in the crops increased with soil plant available K. Fraction F3 was increased by soil organic C (SOC) and crop yields, but SOC reduced the uptake of soil Cd by crops. The long-term P fertilization resulted in more Cd buildup in the soil than other treatments, but the uptake of Cd by crops was inhibited by the precipitation of Cd with phosphate in the soil. Although soil Cd was slightly increased over the 20 years of intensive crop production, both soil and grain/kernel Cd concentrations were still below the national standards for environmental and food safety.     

Anatomical and physiological responses of Colorado blue spruce to vehicle exhausts

In order to examine whether the leaves of the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) are damaged or not by traffic pollution, the traits of the anatomy and physiology of its leaves are investigated by exposure to vehicle exhausts in a laboratory experiment lasting 30 days. The results show that both the anatomical structures and physiological traits of the leaves are significantly affected by vehicle exhausts. The anatomical structures, including epidermis, cuticle, palisade, and spongy parenchyma are modified when exposed to the high concentrations (≥0.4 mg/m³) of vehicle exhausts. However, physiological traits such as total chlorophyll content are not changed when exposed to different concentrations of vehicle exhaust. Unlike the total chlorophyll content, the electrical conductivities increased, whereas the POD activities decreased when presented in vehicle exhausts. The present study indicates that the Colorado blue spruce changes its anatomical structures and physiological traits to avoid possible damage by vehicle exhausts.     

Comparison of morphological defences in asexually and sexually reproduced eggs of Daphnia (D. galeata and D. similis) against fish kairomones

In the present study, we investigated morphological changes of hatchlings from asexually and sexually produced eggs of Daphnia galeata and D. similis against fish kairomones. In both species, hatchlings from asexual eggs showed induced traits, such as short body length, long tail spine and high relative tail spine length when influenced by fish kairomones. However, hatchlings from sexual eggs expressed high relative tail spine length regardless of kairomones presence. The results showed that the inducibility of morphological defences depends on the egg type, with inducible defences predominant in asexual eggs while fixed defences are employed by the offspring of sexual eggs in Daphnia.     

Response of photosynthetic and growth characteristic of Mosla chinensis and congenerous weed M. scabra to soil water content

Heterogeneity of precipitation could influence various physiological and ecological processes of plants. We present a comparative study on the ecophysiological responses of two congenerous species, Mosla chinensis (an endemic species) and M. scabra (a weedy species), to four soil water content (20%, 40%, 60% and 90% of water holding capacity (WHC), referred to as W20, W40, W60 and W90, respectively) to understand their ecophysiological responses and ecological differentiation. Results showed that both species grew well from W40 to W90, as they showed higher photosynthetic rate and biomass and bigger plants under these soil water content. However, biomass, chlorophyll a to b ratio (Chl _a/b) and root to shoot ratio (R/S) of M. scabra but not M. chinensis were significantly reduced under W20, indicating M. chinensis showed stronger capacity of sun-acclimation under severe drought than M. scabra. M. chinensis showed priority in adapting severe drought in comparison with M. scabra. We hypothesize that the different adaptive abilities to soil water content are partly responsible for their ecological differentiation observed in the field and may affect their fate in their native habitat.     

上流式厌氧污泥床反应器处理饮料废水

通过监测西安可口可乐饮料有限公司污水处理站的上流式厌氧污泥床(UASB)反应器,探讨饮料废水厌氧处理过程中COD去除率、沼气组分、氢分压、出水挥发性脂肪酸、产甲烷活性以及污泥形态。结果表明,UASB反应器对饮料废水中的COD去除率达到84.55%,产生的沼气中甲烷组分含量高达74.5%。反应器内的氢分压仅2.5 Pa,为水解发酵和产氢产乙酸过程创造了良好的条件。UASB反应器中污泥具有较高的产甲烷活性,以乙酸、丙酸和丁酸为基质时,最大比产甲烷活性分别为407.14、331.74和241.27 m L CH4/(g VSS·d)。UASB反应器中的污泥形态主要为絮状,甲烷菌中的优势菌为甲烷丝菌,同时存在少量甲烷杆菌。针对该厂UASB反应器中污泥的现状,提出了影响颗粒化的因素和控制措施,为后期的运行和管理提供了参考依据。