Methane and nitrous oxide fluxes from four tundra ecotopes in Ny-Ålesund of the High Arctic

During the summers of 2008 and 2009, net methane（CH4） and nitrous oxide（N2O） fluxes were investigated from 4 tundra ecotopes： normal lowland tundra（LT）, bird sanctuary tundra（BT）, the tundra in an abandoned coal mine（CT） and the tundra in scientific bases（ST） in Ny-Alesund of the High Arctic. Tundra soils in CT（184.5 ± 40.0 μg CH4/（m2·hr）） and ST（367.6 ± 92.3 μg CH4/（m2·hr）） showed high CH4 emissions due to the effects of human activities, whereas high CH4 uptake or low emission occurred in the soils of LT and BT.The lowland tundra soils（mean,-4.4-4.3 μg N2O/（m2·hr）） were weak N2 O sources and even sinks. Bird activity increased N2 O emissions from BT with the mean flux of7.9 μg N2O/（m2·hr）. The mean N2 O fluxes from CT（45.4 ± 10.2 μg N2O/（m2·hr）） and ST（78.8 ± 18.5 μg N2O/（m2·hr）） were one order of magnitude higher than those from LT and BT, indicating that human activities significantly increased N2 O emissions from tundra soils. Soil total carbon and water regime were important factors affecting CH4 fluxes from tundra soils. The N2 O fluxes showed a significant positive correlation with ammonia nitrogen（NH4＋-N） contents（r = 0.66, p 〈 0.001） at all the observation sites, indicating that ammonia nitrogen（NH4＋-N） content acted as a strong predictor for N2 O emissions from tundra soils. The CH4 and N2O fluxes did not correspond to the temperature variations of soil at 0-15 cm depths.Overall our results implied that human activities might have greater effects on soil CH4 and N2O emissions than current climate warming in Ny-Alesund, High Arctic.     

Capturing fugitive methane emissions from natural gas compressor buildings

Fugitive methane emissions account for about 50% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Canadian conventional oil and gas sector. Sources include leaks in natural gas transmission facilities such as pipelines and compressor stations. There are three sources of methane emissions in a compressor station. The first is emissions resulting from incomplete combustion in the engine; the second is leaks in valves, flanges and other equipment in the building; and the third results from instrument venting. Fugitive methane emissions may be in low concentration relative to air, and thus cannot be destroyed by conventional combustion (below flammability limits of about 5-16%). The present study investigates the feasibility of capturing methane emissions from a compressor station. Computer modelling of the flow patterns of lean methane emissions inside the building is used to show the influence of doors, vents and leak location. Simulations show that for a typical building most fugitive methane exits through the ridge vent provided that the main doors remain closed. When the extraction rate through the ridge vent is controlled, the methane concentration is at acceptable levels for destruction in a catalytic flow reverse reactor, that is, in the range of 0.1-1% by volume.     

煤焦化生产过程甲烷排放初步研究

本研究选取山西省具有代表性的焦化厂,通过在废气排放烟囱上采集燃烧室废气和装煤/出焦废气,初步研究了煤焦化过程甲烷排放特征。结果显示燃烧室废气中CH4占∑(CH4+NMHC)的比例远高于装煤和出焦废气。基于EPA AP-42排放因子的计算方法,煤焦化三个工段的CH4排放因子为228.5±56.1g/t。结合中国机械炼焦炉焦炭产量,2004年中国机械炼焦CH4排放为0.03Tg/a,占中国总CH4排放的0.1%,可能是山西省除煤炭开采外的重要甲烷排放源,该值还需再进一步的工作中完善和验证。