Characterization of hard- and softwood biochars pyrolyzed at high temperature

A wide range of waste biomass/waste wood feedstocks abundantly available at mine sites provide the opportunity to produce biochars for cost-effective improvement of mine tailings and contaminated land at metal mines. In the present study, soft- and hardwood biochars derived from pine and jarrah woods at high temperature (700 °C) were characterized for their physiochemical properties including chemical components, electrical conductivity, pH, zeta potential, cation-exchange capacity (CEC), alkalinity, BET surface area and surface morphology. Evaluating and comparing these characteristics with available data from the literature have affirmed the strong dictation of precursor type on the physiochemical properties of the biochars. The pine and jarrah wood feedstocks are mainly different in their proportions of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, resulting in biochars with heterogeneous physiochemical properties. The hardwood jarrah biochar exhibits much higher microporosity, alkalinity and electrostatic capacity than the softwood pine. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis also show a good correlation between CEC–BET–alkalinity, and alkalinity–ash content. These comprehensive characterization and analysis results on biochars’ properties from feedstocks of hardwood (from forest land clearance at mine construction) and waste pine wood (from mining operations) will provide a good guide for tailoring biochar functionalities for remediating metal mine tailings. The relatively inert high-temperature biochars can be stored for a long term at mine closure after decades of operations.     

Carbon dioxide emissions from cities in China based on high resolution emission gridded data

Based on the China high resolution emission gridded data (1 km spatial resolution), this article is aimed to create a Chinese city carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission data set using consolidated data sources as well as normalized and standardized data processing methods. Standard methods were used to calculate city CO₂ emissions, including scope 1 and scope 2. Cities with higher CO₂ emissions are mostly in north, northeast, and eastern coastal areas. Cities with lower CO₂ emissions are in the western region. Cites with higher CO₂ emissions are clustered in the Jing-Jin-Ji Region (such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan), and the Yangtze River Delta region (such as Shanghai and Suzhou). The city per capita CO₂ emission is larger in the north than the south. There are obvious aggregations of cities with high per capita CO₂ emission in the north. Four cities among the top 10 per capita emissions (Erdos, Wuhai, Shizuishan, and Yinchuan) cluster in the main coal production areas of northern China. This indicates the significant impact of coal resources endowment on city industry and CO₂ emissions. The majority (77%) of cities have annual CO₂ emissions below 50 million tons. The mean annual emission, among all cities, is 37 million tons. Emissions from service-based cities, which include the smallest number of cities, are the highest. Industrial cities are the largest category and the emission distribution from these cities is close to the normal distribution. Emissions and degree of dispersion, in the other cities (excluding industrial cities and service-based cities), are in the lowest level. Per capita CO₂ emissions in these cities are generally below 20 t/person (89%) with a mean value of 11 t/person. The distribution interval of per capita CO₂ emission within industrial cities is the largest among the three city categories. This indicates greater differences among per capita CO₂ emissions of industrial cities. The distribution interval of per capita CO₂ emission of other cities is the lowest, indicating smaller differences of per capita CO₂ emissions among this city category. Three policy suggestions are proposed: first, city CO₂ emission inventory data in China should be increased, especially for prefecture level cities. Second, city responsibility for emission reduction, and partitioning the national goal should be established, using a bottom-up approach based on specific CO₂ emission levels and potential for emission reductions in each city. Third, comparative and benchmarking research on city CO₂ emissions should be conducted, and a Top Runner system of city CO₂ emission reduction should be established.     

Experimental thermal storage research of organic binary phase change materials in building environment

This paper aims to reveal the heat transfer mechanism of low-temperature phase change material (PCM) and design PCM heat storage device in building heating environment. Firstly, low-temperature binary PCMs of lauric acid and stearic acid are prepared, and their thermal properties are investigated by DSC. Then, shell and tube latent heat thermal energy storage units are conducted, and heat transfer experiments are carried out to analyze the heat transfer mechanism of PCM. The results demonstrate that natural convection plays an important role in heat transfer process, and the heat storage efficiency of PCMs can be significantly enhanced by increasing the fin width and improving the inlet heat transfer fluid (HTF) temperature. Furthermore, some proposals are put forward to guide the design of PCM storage device in building heating environment.     

Hydrothermal liquefaction phase behavior of microalgae & model compounds in fused silica capillary reactor

A fused silica capillary reactor combined with a heating/cooling stage, a microscope and a digital camera were used to investigate phase behavior during the hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae (Dunaliella tertiolecta) and model compounds, including soya protein and glycine, starch, glucose and xylose, stearic acid and palmitic acid. Bubbles were generated at 246°C and disappeared at 360°C upon heating when Dunaliella tertiolecta used as feedstocks. Moreover, liquid products were generated at 300°C upon heating and oily liquid products began to separate out at 250°C upon cooling. The phase behavior of soya protein was similar to that of the Dunaliella tertiolecta. Meanwhile, there only observed the bubbles generation during hydrothermal liquefaction of glycine. Heating the starch, glucose and xylose above 350°C generated black solids from carbonization. Stearic acid and palmitic acid only had the process of melting, dissolution, dispersion and precipitation.     

Investigation of titanium liquid/gas diffusion layers in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells

In a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cell (PEMEC), liquid/gas diffusion layer (LGDL) is expected to transport electrons, heat, and reactants/products to and from the catalyst layer with minimum voltage, current, thermal, interfacial, and fluidic losses. In addition, carbon materials, which are typically used in PEM fuel cells (PEMFCs), are unsuitable in PEMECs due to the high ohmic potential and highly oxidative environment of the oxygen electrode. In this study, a set of titanium gas diffusion layers with different thicknesses and porosities are designed and examined coupled with the development of a robust titanium bipolar plate. It has been found that the performance of electrolyzer improves along with a decrease in thickness or porosity of the anode LGDL of titanium woven meshes. The ohmic resistance of anode LGDL and contact resistance between anode LGDL and the anode catalyst play dominant roles in electrolyzer performance, and better performance can be obtained by reducing ohmic resistance. Thin titanium LGDLs with straight-through pores and optimal pore morphologies are recommended for the future developments of low-cost LGDLs with minimum ohmic/transport losses.     

水泥窑共处置废物过程中重金属的流向分布

为了探索水泥窑共处置危险废物过程中重金属流向分布规律,研究了不同温度条件下Cr、As、Pb在煅烧熟料、颗粒物和尾气中的残留率。在900、1 000、1 100、1 200、1 300和1 450℃温度条件下,将添加Cr、As和Pb化学试剂的生料分别进行煅烧,模拟重金属在水泥窑内不同温度带的煅烧过程。结果表明,6个温度条件下,Cr主要分布在熟料中并且呈现不规则变化;颗粒物中的Cr在1 200℃条件下分布量最大,所占比例为32.79%(w);在900℃和1450℃条件下,烟气中的Cr分布量最大,所占比例为0.24%(w)。6个温度条件下As主要分布在熟料中并且1 000~1 450℃条件下稳定在81%~83%之间;在900℃条件下,As在熟料中的残留率最大,所占比例为97%(w);在1450℃条件下,As在尾气中的分布达到最大值,所占比例为0.0023%(w)。6个温度条件下,Pb在熟料中的残留率随着温度升高而逐渐减少,挥发颗粒物中的含量呈现相反的趋势;尾气中Pb的含量随着温度的升高逐渐增加。     

PCBs污染土壤的CaO诱导低温热处理脱氯研究

研究了低温热处理脱氯技术对废弃电容器封存点附近污染土壤中多氯联苯脱氯的效果,考察反应温度、反应时间及CaO添加比例对PCBs去除率、脱氯率的影响以及反应前后土壤中污染物的组分变化。实验土样中PCBs浓度为107.7 mg/g,属于罕见高浓度PCBs污染土壤。当反应温度为400℃、停留时间4h、CaO添加比例为10%,PCBs的去除率为87.7%,脱氯率为85.3%。土壤样品中五氯联苯和四氯联苯反应后含量降低或未检出,部分反应后样品检出一氯联苯和联苯,说明在CaO诱导PCBs低温热处理脱氯反应中存在逐步脱氯/加氢反应途径。     

前置反硝化曝气生物滤池的挂膜启动研究

为了解前置反硝化曝气生物滤池(BAF)的启动规律,构建了小试规模的前置反硝化BAF,采用快速排泥、逐步增大水力负荷的策略考察了其启动过程中的污染物去除情况及启动特性。结果表明,在好氧柱水力负荷为2.04 m3/(m2·h),厌氧柱水力负荷为4.08 m3/(m2·h),回流比为100%,气水比为5.6∶1的情况下,前置反硝化BAF的启动需要49 d。启动过程中好氧池中硝化细菌的成熟是启动的关键。厌氧池中的反硝化细菌的成熟标志着启动的完成。启动完成后,前置反硝化BAF的出水COD、NH3-N及NO-3-N分别稳定在50、15和5 mg/L以下,满足国家一级A排放标准。     

硅藻土固定化颗粒污泥对海水养殖废水除氨性能

针对实际海水养殖废水低碳高氮的特点,采用间歇式活性污泥法(SBR)和好氧活性污泥添加硅藻土载体的方式,考察硅藻土载体和活性污泥共同作用下的好氧曝气系统对海水养殖废水中氨态氮(NH+4-N)、亚硝酸态氮(NO-2-N)和化学耗氧量(COD)的去除效果,以及对污泥沉降性能和硝化细菌特征的影响。实验结果表明,常温条件下,溶解氧(DO)≥4.5mg/L,p H控制在7.0~8.0,HRT为11 h,沉降时间10 min,反应器可以处理NH+4-N浓度在50 mg/L左右的海水养殖废水,NH+4-N和COD去除率分别达到98.93%左右和76.62%以上,NO-2-N出水浓度低于0.028 mg/L。载体污泥颗粒照片和扫描电镜结果表明,添加硅藻土载体内核后,颗粒污泥的成熟期缩短,颗粒的稳固度和沉降性能提高。在系统启动成功稳定运行后,通过FISH分析表明,在氨氧化菌(AOB)与亚硝酸盐氧化菌(NOB)成为优势菌群后,AOB大约占总菌群的33.5%,并且AOB与NOB菌群数量约为1∶1.33,AOB和NOB两大类菌群之和约占总菌群的77.2%,成为系统中优势菌群。     

改性硅胶对水溶液中Pd2+的吸附

采用氨基硫脲对硅胶进行改性并表征,探讨了改性硅胶(SG-TSC)对水溶液中Pd2+的吸附性能。实验考察了p H值、吸附剂质量、吸附时间以及Pd2+初始浓度等因素对吸附的影响,并探讨了SG-TSC对Pd2+吸附动力学及等温吸附特性。结果表明:在p H为3~6范围内,吸附效果最好。吸附平衡时间为90 min,吸附动力学符合二级速率方程,颗粒内扩散与液膜扩散共同影响着吸附过程。Langmuir等温吸附方程能较好地描述Pd2+在SG-TSC上的吸附特性,298 K时静态饱和吸附容量为0.105 mmol/g。热力学参数计算结果表明,SG-TSC吸附水溶液中的Pd2+是自发、吸热和熵值增加的过程。