Investigation the effect of adding graphene oxide into diesel/higher alcohols blends on a diesel engine performance

ABSTRACT

This article aims to study the influence of the addition of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GO) to diesel/higher alcohols blends on the combustion, emission, and exergy parameters of a CI engine under various engine loads. The higher alcohols mainly n-butanol, n-heptanol, and n-octanol are blended with diesel at a volume fraction of 50%. Then, the 25 and 50 mg/L concentrations of GO are dispersed into diesel/higher alcohols blends using an ultrasonicator. The GO structures are examined using TEM, TGA, XRD and FTIR. The findings show that there is a reduction in p_max. and HRR when adding higher alcohols with diesel fuel. Regarding engine emission, there is a significant improvement in emissions formation with adding higher alcohols. The addition of GO into diesel/higher alcohols blends improves the brake thermal efficiency by 15%. Moreover, the p_max. and HRR are both enhanced by 4%. The CO, UHC and smoke formation are reduced considerably by 40%, 50 and 20%, respectively, while NO_x level is increased by 30% with adding GO. Finally, adding high percentages of n-butanol, n-heptanol, and n-octanol with diesel fuel with the presence of GO has the potential to achieve ultra-low CO, UHC, and smoke formation meanwhile keeping high thermal efficiency level.     

The impact of coal and non-coal consumption on China's energy performance improvement

China is the world's largest energy consumer, and coal accounts for a higher proportion of the country's total energy consumption, yet during its 12th five-year plan (2011–2015), the coal share among total energy consumption significantly decreased. Previous studies exploring energy performance typically used energy consumption as an input, but this lacks the analytical capacity for the structure of energy consumption. Thus, this study splits energy input into two different inputs, coal consumption and non-coal energy consumption, and based on their differences with other variables, uses the hybrid dynamic data envelopment analysis model to assess the energy performance of China's provincial industrial sector during the period 2011 to 2015. We then compare coal consumption's and non-coal consumption's rooms for improvement and conclude that provinces in eastern and central China should reduce the amount of coal consumption, thereby improving energy performance. Conversely, provinces in the western region should target a balance between energy utilization efficiency and coal consumption.     

On the search for mimetic patterns in environmental disclosure: an international perspective

In this paper, we assert and test the proposition that environmental disclosure (ED) is structured by institutionalised myths and that is why ED is decoupled from environmental performance and media pressures. Focusing on firms from Canada, France and Germany, findings show that ED mimetic isomorphism for different topics varies among countries and by industry sensitiveness to the environment. The results corroborate the institutional presumption that institutionalised myths vary among different contexts. Our findings also suggest that institutionalised ED structures may not reflect environmental performance, mimetic patterns being affected by environmental performance. However, the decoupling between ED mimetic isomorphism and environmental performance decrease when firms’ ED credibility is questioned by the media.     

Effects of repeated exposure to malathion on growth, food consumption, and locomotor performance of the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

Effects of repeated pollutant exposure on growth, locomotor performance, and behavior have rarely been evaluated in reptiles. We administered three doses of malathion (2.0, 20, or 100mg/kg body weight) to western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) over an 81day period. Eight and 23% mortality occurred at 20 and 100mg/kg (p=0.079) and 85% of lizards in the 100mg/kg group exhibited clinical symptoms of poisoning. Growth, food consumption, body condition index, and terrestrial locomotor performance were not significantly influenced by malathion. However, arboreal sprint velocity was significantly reduced in lizards receiving 100mg/kg. Fifty percent of lizards in the 100mg/kg group also refused to sprint in the arboreal setting (p=0.085). Based on these results, arboreal locomotor performance was the most sensitive metric of exposure we evaluated. Further study of compounds such as malathion is warranted due to highly variable application rates and exposure scenarios.     

New metallothionein assay in Scrobicularia plana: heating effect and correlation with other biomarkers

Metallothionein (MT) and other biomarker levels were measured in Scrobicularia plana clams to assess pollution of the Guadalquivir Estuary possibly affected by metals released from Aznalcóllar pyrite mine in 1998. After optimizing reagent concentrations for monobromobimane derivatization, MT levels were quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection (RP-HPLC-FD) in heated or unheated digestive gland extracts and compared to those obtained by differential pulse polarography (DPP). MT content assayed by RP-HPLC-FD in unheated samples was higher than that obtained by DPP and correlated better with metals and anti-oxidant activities. MT assay by RP-HPLC-FD in unheated extracts would be preferable for assessing metal pollution, due to its greater sensitivity and specificity. In addition to MT induction, glyoxalase II inhibition was well correlated with metal contents. Our results suggest that metals at the estuary do not originate from Aznalcóllar spill, but from those carried along by the river and deposited at its concave bank.     

南水北调中线陕西水源区污染源排放时空变化特征

基于2008—2012年污染源环境统计数据,采用Spearman秩相关系数法等分析南水北调中线陕西水源区污废水及污染物年排放总量变化趋势,借助ArcGIS空间分析功能表征水源区污染源排放的空间分布特征。结果表明:2008—2012年水源区污废水和NH_3-N年排放总量呈显著上升趋势,COD、As、Pb、Cd、Cr和Hg年排放总量呈抛物线型变化,总体上COD、Pb、Cd年排放总量增加,As、Cr和Hg年排放总量降低。水源区污废水及污染物排放量空间差异明显,污废水、COD和NH_3-N排放涉及流域所有区县,其排放量从干流到流域边缘呈现较明显的梯度变化,即位于流域中心或地级市行政中心的区县排放量明显高于位于流域边缘的区县;As、Pb、Cd、Cr和Hg排放量呈现明显的区域分布,主要分布在勉县等8个区县。     

江苏省空气质量预报准确度及改进方法分析

介绍了江苏省重污染天气监测预报预警系统以及大气重污染预警会商流程,将2015年13个地级市的模式预报、人工预报结果分别与实际观测值进行比较。结果表明:人工预报更准确,PM_(2.5)日均值、臭氧日最大8 h平均值、AQI 3个指标人工预报和实况的相关性分别比模式预报高出12.8%、0.3%、11.4%,平均标准误差(MNE)分别低20.7%、3.1%、23.1%。依据国家空气质量预报技术指南评分办法,对各市2015年全年空气质量级别为"良"时进行评分。通过开展07∶00预报更新,使2015年上半年空气质量预报级别得分平均提高了0.9分,全年级别得分平均提高了2.6分;通过改进模式预报参数,使PM_(2.5)日均预报值、臭氧日最大8 h平均预报值、AQI预报值和实际观测值的相关性比上年同期分别提高26.0%、5.0%、33.9%,MNE分别降低3.6%、31.3%、7.6%。     

生命周期评价在工程分析中的运用

工程分析是建设项目环境影响评价的关键所在。就目前工程分析存在的问题进行讨论，介绍生命周期评价的基本过程，提出将生命周期评价引入工程分析，以提高工程分析的科学性，为项目决策提供科学依据。‘’     

Results of a questionnaire investigation on the management of environmental issues during conceptual design. A case study of two large made-to-order companies

This paper investigates the current treatment of environmental issues by two companies within the large made-to-order sector. Fifty questionnaires were issued to the design team of each company to assess current practice in the integration of environmental issues with design activities, awareness of environmental issues, awareness of existing environmental design tools and the preferred format for a potential clean design tool.     

粉煤灰多孔陶粒在水处理中的应用研究

研究采用电厂的粉煤灰为主要原料制备多孔陶粒,分别将其用作水处理中的微生物载体和吸附剂。挂膜结果表明:COD、氨氮这两项指标的出水基本稳定,去除率高。用多孔陶粒作吸附剂处理含铬废水时,等温吸附实验表明,多孔陶粒吸附水中的铬的等温方程基本符合Langmiur等温方程式,在pH值为酸性时对铬的去除率较高。用HCl和NaOH溶液再生多孔陶粒,酸的效果更好。