Uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn by the Water Hyacinth, Eichhornia Crassipes (Mart.) Solms from Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) Leachates and Slurries

The main solid waste product from coal-fired power stations is pulverised fuel ash (PFA), which can be enriched in toxic elements. Disposal of PFA by dry (in landfills) or wet (by slurrying) disposal methods can release these elements into the environment. Thereafter, the contaminants can be taken up by biota such as Eichhornia crassipes, a common aquatic plant, which has the ability to accumulate elements from water. This study investigates the uptake of Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn by E. crassipes grown in leachates and slurries prepared from two different PFA samples. PFA samples were obtained from Indraprastha Power Station (IPP Stn.) in New Delhi, India and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station in the UK. E. crassipes grown in PFA leachates and slurries at 1:5 and 1:50 solid:liquid (PFA:deionised water) ratios show that the plant has a very high accumulation capacity for Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn from both leachates and slurries and the uptake of these metals is stronger in the roots than in the tops of the plant. Metal accumulation, as shown by the accumulation factor (AF) values, is higher from both leachates and slurries for plants grown in the 1:50 (PFA:DIW) ratios than in the 1:5 ratios, initial metal concentrations being higher in the 1:5 ratios than in the 1:50 ratios. Lower metal accumulation in the plants grown in slurries than in leachates is related to the high turbidity of growth medium in slurries resulting in ash particles adhering to the root surfaces thus reducing the surface area of metal absorption. Eichhornia plants are able to reduce the pH of all leachates, especially the highly alkaline Ratcliffe leachates to near neutral conditions. Accumulation of Cd and Zn by the plant is higher from the lower pH IPP leachates than the Ratcliffe leachates, indicating that these metals are more soluble and bioavailable in the acidic medium. However, accumulation of Cu and Ni is independent of the pH of the leachates, indicating that other factors, such as metal species, presence of complexing agents in the growth solutions, and effects of competing metal ions may be contributory factors towards the metal uptake and accumulation by the plant.     

An economic evaluation on the purification and storage of waste hydrogen for the use of fuel cell scooters

Safe and reliable metal hydride canisters (MHCs) for the use of hydrogen storage at low pressure can be applied to supply small fuel cell vehicles or scooters with hydrogen fuel. However, greater cost-effectiveness of hydrogen gas is obviously necessary to the successful promotion of hydrogen fuel cell scooters in the market. In this study, we use the net present value (NPV) method to evaluate the feasibility of an investment project on the supply of purified hydrogen in a pulp company at Hualien, Taiwan. The purified hydrogen can be separated from waste hydrogen by using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology and then be stored in MHCs. Under some assumptions of improved parameters about hydrogen production cost and hydrogen gas price, the discounted payback period of hydrogen purification and storage project in our study can be less than 10 years and the unit cost of hydrogen gas can be close to the price of gasoline. Moreover, the unit cost of hydrogen gas in our study can be lower than the cost from other sources of hydrogen.     

Optimal planning of co-firing alternative fuels with coal in a power plant by grey nonlinear mixed integer programming model

Energy supply and use is of fundamental importance to society. Although the interactions between energy and environment were originally local in character, they have now widened to cover regional and global issues, such as acid rain and the greenhouse effect. It is for this reason that there is a need for covering the direct and indirect economic and environmental impacts of energy acquisition, transport, production and use. In this paper, particular attention is directed to ways of resolving conflict between economic and environmental goals by encouraging a power plant to consider co-firing biomass and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) with coal simultaneously. It aims at reducing the emission level of sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) in an uncertain environment, using the power plant in Michigan City, Indiana as an example. To assess the uncertainty by a comparative way both deterministic and grey nonlinear mixed integer programming (MIP) models were developed to minimize the net operating cost with respect to possible fuel combinations. It aims at generating the optimal portfolio of alternative fuels while maintaining the same electricity generation simultaneously. To ease the solution procedure stepwise relaxation algorithm was developed for solving the grey nonlinear MIP model. Breakeven alternative fuel value can be identified in the post-optimization stage for decision-making. Research findings show that the inclusion of RDF does not exhibit comparative advantage in terms of the net cost, albeit relatively lower air pollution impact. Yet it can be sustained by a charge system, subsidy program, or emission credit as the price of coal increases over time.     

The use of petroleum coke as fuel in a 10 kWth chemical-looping combustor

Tests were made in a 10 kW_th chemical-looping combustor with a petroleum coke as the solid fuel and the oxygen carrier ilmenite, an iron titanium oxide. The fuel reactor is fluidized by steam and the oxygen carrier reacts with the volatiles released as well as the gasification intermediates CO and H₂. A constant fuel flow corresponding to a thermal power of 5.8 kW was introduced into the fuel reactor and a total of 11 h of operation was reached. The effects of particle circulation and carbon stripper operation on solid fuel conversion, conversion of gas from the fuel reactor and CO₂ capture were investigated. The actual CO₂ capture ranged between 60% and 75% while the solid fuel conversion was in the range of 66–78%. The low values of solid fuel conversion reflect loss of char due to low efficiency of the fuel reactor cyclone. The incomplete conversion of the gas from the fuel reactor is expressed as oxygen demand. The oxygen demand corresponds to the fraction of oxygen lacking to achieve full gas conversion and was typically 25%, due to presence of CH₄, CO and H₂ from the fuel reactor. Typical ratios of CH₄, CO and H₂ over the total gaseous carbon from the fuel reactor are respectively 5, 10 and 25%. Low loss of non-combustible fines from the system indicates very low attrition of the oxygen carrier.     

生物质固体成型燃料技术及设备研究进展

介绍了国内外生物质固体成型燃料技术与产业及成型机发展现状,综述了生物质固体燃料成犁机的几种类型及特点,对各种成型设备的性能和应用进行了比较,并针对目前国内生物质固体成型燃料技术及没备存在的问题,提出了我国生物质固体成型燃料及设备产业化的发展方向.     

剩余污泥生物燃料电池输出功率密度的影响因素

对于以剩余污泥为燃料的微生物燃料电池(MFC),考察了可能影响输出功率密度的相关因素.结果表明,污泥体积对燃料电池以面积为单位的输出功率密度影响效果不明显.电池阳极面积越大,输出功率密度反而越小.采用NaCl为离子添加剂时,随着投加量的增加,输出功率密度相应增加,最大为173.40mW/m2;但采用K2HPO4为离子添加剂时,输出功率密度则先增加后降低,可能是磷浓度的增加影响了系统微生物的活性.泥水比1:2时,最大功率密度为163.35mW/m2,稀释比增加或减少,输出功率密度均相应降低.阴阳极距离从5cm缩小到0.5cm,输出功率密度从50.14mW/m2增加到84.02mW/m2,说明O2的扩散未对阳极厌氧微生物造成影响.采用最优条件时,输出功率密度为256.12mW/m2.     

能量色散X射线荧光法快速测定生物质燃料中的磷含量

应用能量色散X射线荧光光谱法建立了生物质燃料中磷含量的快速测定方法。对比分析压片压力条件、基体效应和干扰元素,明确了能量色散X射线荧光光谱法的测试条件,通过加标回收率实验、标准样品测试、ICP-OES方法对比等获得实验结果。实验结果表明:能量色散X射线荧光光谱法用于生物质燃料样品的分析,标准工作曲线线性相关系数为0.998 3,方法检出限为0.4 mg/kg,平均加标回收率为98.1%,测定值的相对标准偏差为1.36%~4.92%,标准样品磷含量在标准值不确定度内,能量色散X射线荧光光谱法与行业标准ICP-OES方法的准确度和精密度不存在显著性差异,可应用于生物质中磷含量的环境监测。     

新一代环保型燃料——水煤浆

本文通过水煤浆在工业锅炉、电站锅炉及窑炉上的燃烧应用,说明水煤浆是新型清洁环保燃料。     

自制固氯剂对垃圾衍生燃料(RDF)的固氯效果分析

在粉碎后的垃圾中分别添加5%的CaO、Ca(OH)2、ZYgl作为固氯剂,研究了RDF成型率、落下强度、热值、着火性能及固氯效果。研究表明:三种添加剂均有利于RDF成型,成型率和落下强度均以ZYgl最高,分别为90%和81.8%;三种RDF热值均在14229kJ/kg左右,高于原垃圾的10881kJ/kg,燃料的着火性能降低了25%。添加5%CaO、Ca(OH)2、ZYgl制备成的RDF在800℃下焚烧2h后,N元素100%挥发,但S、Cl元素的挥发率大幅度降低,尤其以添加5%的ZYgl效果显著,S、Cl元素在800℃下的挥发率分别降为53.33%和15.91%。     

基于QAR数据的发动机LTO阶段氮氧化物排放量计算与分析

氮氧化物是发动机运行过程中产生的一种主要污染物,对于航空器氮氧化物排放量的准确计算是控制排放和评估其环境影响的基础.本文依据BM2流量修正方法对机载快速存取记录器(QAR)数据中的燃油流量值进行标准化修正,并根据低压转子转速、空地传感器指示、油门杆解算器角度、飞行高度,对起飞着陆循环(LTO)进行更精确的阶段划分.同时,参考国际民航组织公布的特定发动机机型的分阶段排放指数,对PW-4077D发动机某次LTO阶段的氮氧化物排放量进行计算.结果表明,通过精准飞行阶段划分,结合QAR实测数据估算的LTO分阶段(起飞、爬升、进近、慢车)氮氧化物排放量分别达到3415.87、7574.57、3019.98、1721.33 g,与标准LTO估算方法相比,相差30%以上.这种发动机LTO阶段实际排放量的计算方法,可为近地面航空器乃至不同地区整个机场氮氧化物污染评估提供更加准确的依据.