Coupling of the Water Cycle with Patterns of Urban Growth in the Baltimore Metropolitan Region,United States

Regional municipal water plans typically do not recognize complex coupling patterns or that increased withdrawals in one location can result in changes in water availability in others. We investigated the interaction between urban growth and water availability in the Baltimore metropolitan region where urban growth has occurred beyond the reaches of municipal water systems into areas that rely on wells in low‐productivity Piedmont aquifers. We used the urban growth model SLEUTH and the hydrologic model ParFlow.CLM to evaluate this interaction with urban growth scenarios in 2007 and 2030. We found decreasing groundwater availability outside of the municipal water service area. Within the municipal service area we found zones of increasing storage resulting from increased urban growth, where reduced vegetation cover dominated the effect of urbanization on the hydrologic cycle. We also found areas of decreasing storage, where expanding impervious surfaces played a larger role. Although the magnitude of urban growth and change in water availability for the simulation period were generally small, there was considerable spatial heterogeneity of changes in subsurface storage. This suggests that there are locally concentrated areas of groundwater sensitivity to urban growth where water shortages could occur or where drying up of headwater streams would be more likely. The simulation approach presented here could be used to identify early warning indicators of future risk.     

The determination and matching analysis of pinch point temperature difference in evaporator and condenser of organic rankine cycle for mixed working fluid

Exergo-economic analysis of the pinch point temperature difference (PPTD) in both evaporator and condenser of sub-critical organic Rankine cycle system (ORCs) are performed based on the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Taking mixture R13I1/R601a as a working fluid and the annual total cost per net output power Z as exergo-economic performance evaluation criterion, the effects of PPTD in evaporator ΔT_e, and the PPTD ratio of condenser to evaporator y, on the exergo-economic performance of ORCs are analyzed. Moreover, how some other parameters influence the optimal PPTD in evaporator ΔT_e,opt and the optimal PPTD ratio of condenser to evaporator y_opt are also discussed. It has been found that the exergo-economic performance of ORCs is remarkably influenced by ΔT_e and y, and there exists ΔT_e,opt and y_opt. In addition, ΔT_e,opt and y_opt are affected by heat transfer coefficient ratio of condenser to evaporator ß, the temperature of working fluid at dew point in condenser T_1a, and composition of R13I1/R601a: larger ß and T_1a lead to lower ΔT_e,opt and y_opt; by contraries, larger mass fraction of R13I1 makes ΔT_e,opt and y_opt increase, and y_opt increases linearly. The effects of the temperature of working fluid at bubble point in evaporator T_3a, mass flow rate of exhaust flue gas m_g, and inlet temperature of exhaust flue gas T_gi on ΔT_e,opt and y_opt are very slight. For comparison, three additional working fluids, namely R601a, R245fa, and 0.32R245fa/0.68R601a, are also taken into account.     

Experimental investigation of a 250-kW turbine organic Rankine cycle system for low-grade waste heat recovery

An organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is generally used for converting low-grade heat into electricity. In this study, an extensive literature survey was conducted to identify current research gaps on experimental ORC systems. Specifically, there is limited experimental data and limited details on thermal and expander efficiencies of ORC systems. In order to address these gaps, the objective of this study included developing a turbine ORC with a power output exceeding 50 kW and thermal efficiency exceeding 8% for a heat source temperature < 120°C. The experimental results indicated that the system achieved a net power output of 242.5 kW and a thermal efficiency of 8.3% (the highest value for a turbine ORC system for the heat source temperature below 120°C). Thus, the study addressed the gaps identified in the research area of ORCs.     

基于LCA的废旧资源循环利用节能减排效果评估模式与方法研究——以吉林省某钢铁企业为例

促进废旧资源循环利用是加快推进我国生态文明建设,完成节能减排目标的必然选择。本文基于生命周期评价模式,从微观企业层面入手,构建产品全生命周期基准流程,引入能量输入与环境输出参数,建立废旧资源循环利用节能减排效果量化核算模型,评估再生产品的节能减排经济成效,并以吉林省某钢铁企业为例,评估"废钢-电炉"短流程和"铁矿石-高炉-转炉"长流程的能源、环境、成本差异,辨识影响废钢再循环节能减排效果的主要因素和重要环节。结果显示,再生钢铁全生命周期与原生钢铁全生命周期相比,节能588.48kgce/t,节能率为84%;主要污染物中SO2减排率最高,达92%;CO2总减排1 180.92 kg/t,减排率为67%;总成本却高出198元/t。其中,炼铁工序的节能量和减碳量最大,烧结工序SO2、NOx和烟(粉)尘减排量最大,焦化工序COD和氨氮减排量最大,回收、加工处理、炼钢环节节能量和减碳量以及SO2、NOx和烟(粉)尘减排量均为负。成本方面,再生钢铁生产成本高于原生钢铁308元/t,虽然再生钢铁由于污染减排可节省56元/t的排污费并获取54元/t的碳交易收益,但都不足以扭转电炉炼钢费用较高的现状。因此,国家应在电炉炼钢方面给予钢企及相关企业适当的财税扶持政策,在电价方面给予钢企一定的优惠或补贴,并完善废钢回收加工体系等,以促进废钢循环利用。基于LCA的废旧资源循环利用节能减排效果评估可以实现对产品生命周期全过程的资源、环境、成本的优化管理。     

城市生活垃圾处理方式生命周期评价的比较研究

生命周期评价理论与方法作为一种量化环境影响的工具,在诸多领域中得到了广泛的应用。在垃圾处理领域,生命周期评价最早在20世纪90年代得到应用。生命周期评价与城市生活垃圾处理的有效结合,将促进城市生活垃圾的减量化、资源化、无害化目标的实现。总结了生命周期评价理论与方法在城市生活垃圾处理中的应用现状。对国内不同城市生活垃圾处理方式环境影响因子进行比较分析,诸如全球变暖潜力、酸化潜力和富营养化潜力等因子。针对其目标范围定义、数据收集、评价方法的选择、结果解释及工艺改进等方面指出了目前研究的局限性和不足。并对未来城市生活垃圾处理生命周期评价的发展方向进行展望。     

Decision making under uncertainty in case of soil remediation

Decisions on soil remediation are one of the most difficult management issues of municipal and state agencies. The assessment of contamination is uncertain, the costs of remediation are high, and the impacts on the environment are multiple. This paper presents a general, transparent, and consistent method for decision making among the remediation alternatives. Soil washing, phytoremediation, and no remediation are exemplarily considered. Multi-criteria utility functions including (a) the cost of remediation (b) the impact on human health and agricultural productivity, and (c) the economic gain after remediation are constructed using probability density functions representing contamination for all site coordinates. Herewith, the probability of different types of (i) correct decisions such as a hit or a true rejection and (ii) erroneous decisions such as a false alarm or miss are examined. The decision theoretic model is applied to a case study on heavy metal contaminated soil. This case study reveals the non-linear structure of multi-criteria-decision making. The case study shows that the geostatistical uncertainties of the log-normal distributed soil contamination must be taken into account: When uncertainties are not considered and the utilities are assessed according to the estimated value for a spatial unit, only few (N=26) spatial units result where the utility score of the alternative soil washing are higher than the utility score to the no remediation alternative. However, when taking into account geostatistical uncertainties of the log-normal soil distribution this number is about ten times greater (N=237). Furthermore, the use of 'maximizing expected utility' as decision rule is critical in that it may lead to a high probability of misses.     

河口近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化

对长江口崇明东滩近岸水体中颗粒态重金属的潮周期变化特征及其影响机制进行了研究.结果表明,受粒度影响,底层水体中颗粒态Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Cr、Al的总量分别高出表层沉积物的184%、99%、56%、62%、147%、50%和45%,其中Cu、Pb、Fe、Mn、Zn、Al可还原态部分在底层水体悬浮颗粒物中的含量也明显高出表层沉积物的2～3倍,但与重金属总量相比,上述元素的可还原态部分所占比例与表层沉积物相差不大.在5次潮汐循环过程中,颗粒态重金属均在涨潮初期、高平潮前后及落潮末期出现较高含量.这种变化主要与水动力条件有关,当水体流速增大时,从底部沉积物再悬浮起来的颗粒态重金属对水体中的永久性悬浮颗粒起了很大的稀释效应.水体中的盐度、DO及pH等环境因子对潮周期内颗粒态重金属的变化影响不大.     

中国铝生命周期能耗与碳排放的情景分析及减排对策

铝工业是高能耗高排放工业,探索铝工业的节能减排路径有助于我国实现《巴黎协定》中的温室气体减排承诺.采用物质流分析和生命周期评价方法,基于存量水平、技术水平和能源结构设置了15种情景,研究了我国铝工业1990～2100年的能耗和碳排放量,探索不同路径下的节能减排潜力.我国铝在用存量将在2040～2050年达到峰值(4.6...     

隧道与横通道交叉角对火灾烟气蔓延影响机制研究

为探索隧道与横通道交叉角对火灾烟气蔓延的影响机制,采用FDS数值模拟,研究横通道与隧道不同交叉角情况下火灾烟气温度、浓度、烟气层高度等的变化规律,建立开启火源下风向横通道时隧道内烟气最高温度修正公式,提出烟气纵向蔓延恢复长度的概念,并探讨其影响规律。 结果表明:隧道和横通道交叉角越小,隧道内同一位置烟气层高度越高,当交叉角由90°降低到30°时,烟气层高度最大增加32%;烟气纵向蔓延恢复长度与交叉角及通风速率呈正相关,而与火源功率几乎无关。研究结果对隧道通风排烟系统设计及相关标准的制定具有参考意义。     

基于蒙特卡洛模拟的多米诺事故风险量化管理*

为降低危化品相关的化工事故造成的人员伤亡和财产损失,以化工多米诺事故为研究对象,探讨由初始事故引发1个或多个次生事故的连锁反应机理与风险评估方法。提出应用蒙特卡洛模拟对多米诺事故风险进行动态量化的方法,梳理化工多米诺事故风险的识别、分析、评定、处理全周期管理流程,并以1个天然气压气站为案例,验证基于蒙卡模拟的化工多米诺事故风险量化方法的有效性。结果表明:该方法可以更准确地对化工多米诺事故风险进行定量评估。多米诺事故风险全周期管理流程的梳理能够有效指导化工企业开展安全管理、事故预防等工作。