An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

Unregulated emissions from diesel engine with particulate filter using Fe-based fuel borne catalyst

The alteration and formation of toxic compounds and potential changes in the toxicity of emissions when using after-treatment technologies have gained wide attention. Volatile organic compound（VOC）, carbonyl compound and particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon（PAH） emissions were tested at European Steady State Cycle（ESC） to study unregulated emissions from a diesel engine with a fuel-borne catalyst and diesel particulate filter（FBC–DPF）. An Fe-based fuel-borne catalyst was used for this study. According to the results, brake specific emissions of total VOCs without and with DPF were 4.7 and4.9 mg/kWh, respectively, showing a 4.3% increase. Benzene and n-undecane emissions increased and toluene emission decreased, while other individual VOC emissions basically had no change. When retrofitted with the FBC–DPF, total carbonyl compound emission decreased 15.7%, from 25.8 to 21.8 mg/kWh. The two highest carbonyls, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, were reduced from 20.0 and 3.7 to 16.5 and 3.3 mg/kWh respectively. The specific reactivity（SR） with DPF was reduced from 6.68 to 6.64 mg/kWh. Total particle-phase PAH emissions decreased 66.4% with DPF compared to that without DPF. However, the Benzo[a]pyrene equivalent（BaPeq） with DPF had increased from 0.016 to 0.030 mg/kWh.Fluoranthene and Pyrene had the greatest decrease, 91.1% and 88.4% respectively. The increase of two- and three-ring PAHs with DPF indicates that the fuel-borne catalyst caused some gas-phase PAHs to adsorb on particles. The results of this study expand the knowledge of the effects of using a particulate filter and a Fe-based fuel-borne catalyst on diesel engine unregulated emissions.     

火炬系统安全隐患分析与整改措施

对近年火炬系统安全事故作了分析,结合石化企业火炬系统运行的现状,提出完善火炬管网、分液罐、气柜联锁和自动点火及长明灯等安全设施的建议。     

矸石山的危害及自燃原因关联分析

从不同角度论述了矸石山具有的危害性,尤其是自燃矸石山对空气环境、水质和土壤的污染,通过实验分析矸石山自燃的主要影响因素,指出由于自燃矸石山的管理、治理不当所引发的矸石山坍塌和爆炸等地质灾害事故,给当今煤炭企业发展带来的不可忽视的负面影响,促使企业意识到消除矸石山危害的紧迫性和任务的艰巨性,同时为防止矸石山自燃提供了理论指导和依据。     

剑门游记

风月无边,北望秦川八百里;江山如画,万古天府第一关。2006年8月中旬,我陪同四川省地震局专家到剑阁县验收建于剑门关隘口西侧仙峰观旁的地震遥测台,验收完后感到时间尚早,突发游览剑门关之意。多年来因为工作关系乘车往来于剑门关已有很多次,却无一次下车游玩的机会．好在这次地震遥测台的台址就在剑     

环境监测中重金属污染的控制对策分析

在我国社会经济快速发展的过程中,人们对自然资源需求无度,造成生态环境破坏问题非常严重。通过环境监测可以及时分析空气中有毒有害的物质成分,并且对环境污染问题进行及时有效的解决。但是在监测的过程中所采用大量的空气试剂很容易造成环境二次污染等问题,为此必须要积极加强对环境监测中重金属污染的合理控制,对空气试剂产生的大量废弃物进行及时的回收处理,从而有效避免出现二次污染的情况,充分发挥环境监测的作用。     

环境检测中地表水检测现状及进展

地表水作为维持人类正常生产生活的重要资源,应作为环境监测的首要任务常抓不懈。现今对地表水的检测工作中仍存在较多不完善之处,应从环境保护的大局出发,应用合理的检测技术,将地表水检测工作提升到新的高度。本文分析了环境检测中地表水的检测现状,并提出了相应的解决措施。     

环境司法专门化下的特殊环境诉讼规则

我国的环境司法处于发展初期,有关环境纠纷的司法救济程序散落在不同的部门法中。为了维护国家环境安全和公共环境利益,构建环境司法专门化势在必行,但是在特殊的环境保护法院进行专门化的环境审判过程中,出现环境诉讼保护对象的争议性、生态环境损害责任承担的特殊性等问题亟待解决,环境民事公益诉讼和生态环境损害赔偿诉讼等特殊环境诉讼规则应运而生,虽然目前还面临着一些困境,但是整体上构建环境司法体系的进程依然在不断推进。     

煤矿采空塌陷对地下水的影响

在煤炭开采过程中,煤炭被采出后其所在地下煤层会形成一定区域的采空区,并使煤层上方的顶板岩层失去支撑,由于顶板岩层的抗拉强度比较有限,因此在其顶板岩层自身重力与上覆岩层压力的影响下,很容易因顶板断裂、破碎而出现采空塌陷问题,这不仅会影响煤矿所在区域的生态安全,同时还会使地下水受到较大的负面影响。为此,本文结合煤矿采空塌陷的特点,围绕采空塌陷对地下水的影响展开了分析,并在此基础上提出了一些较为可行的采空塌陷区域地下水治理保护建议。