Production of soybean ethanol-based biodiesel using CaO heterogeneous catalysts promoted by Zn,K and Mg

This article focuses on the optimization of the production of fatty acid ethyl esters from soybean oil using CaO-based heterogeneous catalysts. Three different catalytic promoters were evaluated: Magnesium, zinc, and potassium. The reaction has evaluated the promoter content (promoter to calcium molar ratio), catalyst load, alcohol to oil molar ratio, and temperature. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the influence of each variable on the yield of biodiesel. The addition of K₂O or MgO in the catalyst has enhanced the yield in fatty acid ethyl esters, while the use of ZnO as a promoter was not successful.     

The effect of industry activities on public support for ‘fracking’

Research suggests that previous, current, and prospective extractive industry activities influence perceptions of new development. Studies that have drawn this conclusion, however, have usually focused on specific projects in specific communities. Here, these factors are examined on an aggregate, national scale. Combining geospatial data on extractive industry activities and survey data from a nationally representative sample (N = 1061), the influence of extractive industry activities on support for fracking is studied. While limited evidence is found for the impact of proximity to oil and gas wells or production on support for fracking, employment levels in the natural resources and mining sector in the respondent’s county and residence in an area experiencing active oil and gas development significantly increase support for fracking. The results highlight the role of spatial and community factors in shaping support for energy development.     

绿色全要素生产率省际空间学习效应实证

当前中国资源环境约束日益凸显,依靠全要素生产率成为解决这些问题的共识。然而仅仅依靠全要素生产率不能转变生产方式,关键在于区分绿色与非绿色偏向。研究使用中国省际面板数据,运用面板与动态空间面板模型方法,对比分析绿色全要素生产率、绿色"软技术"、绿色"硬技术"的影响机制。研究发现:1依靠全要素生产率驱动发展需要区别绿色与非绿色偏向;2必须注重绿色全要素生产率对绿色发展的作用及其运行机制;3不同偏向的绿色全要素生产率的省际空间学习效应不同;4绿色"软技术"对绿色发展贡献不充分。这就意味着,在当前中国资源环境约束日趋收紧的背景下,要区别绿色与非绿色全要素生产率的不同作用,否则将不能促进生产方式转变,实现绿色可持续发展。推动绿色可持续发展,一方面需要重视提升绿色全要素生产率的作用,另一方面需要重视绿色管理技术等绿色"软技术"对绿色发展的贡献。提升绿色全要素生产率,既要重视研发投入、人力资本投入,又要考虑技术市场、劳动智力结构、劳动者年龄结构的影响。提升绿色"软技术"的贡献率,改善绿色技术效率变动的吸纳能力。通过绿色全要素生产率的省际空间学习效应,实现中国省际区域间绿色可持续协同发展。此外,在引进吸收国外先进绿色技术时,既要重视对绿色"硬技术"的吸收,又要重视对绿色"软技术"的再学习。总之,"打铁还需自身硬",中国要继续鼓励支持绿色"硬技术"自主研发,巩固提升绿色"硬技术"对绿色发展的贡献。     

洪泛区林地的开发对鱼类栖息地面积的影响模拟

洪泛区的开发利用,必然会导致洪泛区林地糙率的改变。河漫滩也是河流洪泛区的一部分。洪泛区糙率的减小,会使河水流速增大,从而减小鱼类可用栖息地面积。因此,在洪水发生时,为了给鱼类提供避险场所,保护有效栖息地面积,需研究洪泛区林地的开发对鱼类的影响。利用River 2D软件模拟在一定频率的洪水条件下,不同的河漫滩糙率对应的鱼类栖息地加权可用面积(WUA),分析了糙率的改变对河流鱼类栖息地的影响。结果表明:随着河漫滩糙率的降低,加权可用面积(WUA)逐渐减小,河漫滩范围内WUA的变化幅度比较大,河漫滩的特性对鱼类栖息地面积的影响很大。洪泛区植被的砍伐,会使鱼类栖息地面积减小。因此,应防止洪泛区的过度开发,保护河流生态环境。     

Comparative study on effect of blending,thermal barrier coating (LHR) and injector nozzle geometry on biodiesel-fuelled engines

Increased petroleum prices, increased threat to the environment from exhaust emissions and global warming have generated intense international interest in developing renewable and alternative non-petroleum fuels for internal combustion engines. Evolving suitable technology for addressing energy crisis creates a continued investigation into the search for sustainable and clean-burning renewable fuels. This work investigates suitability of different non-edible-derived biodiesels such as cotton seed oil methyl ester (COME), Honne oil methyl ester (HnOME) and Rubber seed oil methyl ester (RuOME) to four stroke, single cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine. Engine tests were conducted to study the effect of fuel blending, thermal barrier coating (TBC) or Low Heat Rejection (LHR) and injector nozzle geometry on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of COME, HnOME and RuOME in the modified CI engine. Blends of biodiesels with diesel were varied from 20 to 80% in steps of 20%. Two thermal barrier coatings of partially stabilized zirconium (PSZ) and aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) were provided on the engine to make it fully adiabatic. Nozzle injectors of 3, 4 and 5 holes, with size of orifice varied from 0.2 to 0.3 mm size were selected for the study. It was concluded that B20 biodiesel blend, PSZ-coated engine and four hole nozzle injector of 0.2 mm size resulted in overall better engine performance with increased brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and reduced HC, CO, smoke emissions for the fuel combinations tested. Combustion analysis to study the effect of biodiesel blends, LHR coatings, injector nozzle geometry on the performance of the biodiesel-fuelled engine has been presented to give more insight into the behaviour of operation.     

The influence of the level of definition of functional specifications on the environmental performances of a complex system. EcoCSP approach

The tendency towards a homogenous mode of development modelled on that of Western countries means that sustainable development has become increasingly urgent. It is necessary to thoroughly redefine products and their expected performances in such a way that the consequences are compatible with sustainable development. In the domain of product design, this means that it is no longer sufficient to use assessment tools “after the fact” to check the impact of products whose functional unit (FU) was defined prior to production; it is now necessary to rethink the definition of the FU itself. This article aims to present an approach based on a combination of life cycle analysis methods and problem-solving by constraint satisfaction. This original approach makes it possible to vary the design of the different dimensions of the FUs of a complex system and thus to make it easier to identify the best architecture along with the best functional definition of the system. In this study, the EcoCSP approach is applied to define the functional performances of an ecological passenger ferry. The complexity of couplings between subsystems and the sheer number of those subsystems mean that the designer has to use “intelligent” tools. These simulate a great number of scenarios and help him/her to fine-tune the system and make the right technological choices with regard to the right functional specifications.     

Economic and environmental value stream map (E2VSM) simulation for multi-product manufacturing systems

Value stream mapping (VSM) is a well-accepted tool within lean manufacturing concept which is often used for analysing and designing the flow of materials and information required to manufacture a product. However, the analysis is static and single product oriented, which fails to cope with either the variation of production plan or a multi-product environment. In addition, the environmental impact of a manufacturing system is highly associated with the dynamic consumption of energy and resources. Despite the recent integration of VSM with simulation or environmental studies (in the domain of energy efficiency), still neglected is the dynamic assessment of all the resources involved in a multi-product production environment. This paper presents a methodology for modelling multi-product manufacturing systems with dynamic material, energy and information flows with the aim to generate economic and environmental value stream maps (E²VSM). The proposed methodology is validated with an industrial case.     

中国经济发展方式的转变动力及其作用途径

以全要素生产率增长动力作为经济发展方式的转变动力,本文采用1989-2013年4组省际面板数据经由可行广义最小二乘法实证估计了10个动力因素对全要素生产率增长率的贡献水平与作用途径。研究发现:技术创新水平、市场化水平、人力资本存量水平、异质性企业集聚水平和对外开放度的综合指数对中国全要素生产率增长率的回归估计系数分别为0.575 7,0.212 5,0.136 8,0.064 4和0.018,表明技术创新、市场化改革、人力资本积累、异质性企业集聚和对外开放是促进中国经济发展方式转变的直接动力因素。进一步的研究结果显示:技术创新和异质性企业集聚通过提高前沿技术进步率和生产效率变化率以及规模报酬收益率途径,市场化改革通过提高前沿技术进步率途径,人力资本积累与对外开放通过提高前沿技术进步率和规模报酬收益率途径,促进了中国全要素生产率增长。虽然产业结构变迁、城市化、基础设施建设、区域经济政策实施和金融发展对中国全要素生产率的增长表现为负向或拖累作用,但是,产业结构变迁与城市化能够提高前沿技术进步率,基础设施建设和区域经济政策能够提高规模报酬收益率,金融发展能够提高生产效率增长率和规模报酬收益率,这5项动力因素对促进中国全要素生产率增长的正向贡献有待提高。依据上述研究结论,本文提出尽快攻克制约生产率增长的核心技术,统筹考虑产业结构升级、城市化、基础设施建设和区域经济政策实施以及加快金融领域改革等政策建议,以期加快我国经济发展方式转变进程。     

湖北省生态足迹和生态承载力时空动态研究

研究湖北省内部可持续发展的趋势,以2005年、2010年、2013年统计数据为基础,应用生态足迹分析法核算湖北省17个市(州、林区)在三个时间节点的生态足迹与生态承载力,对各地区生态足迹和生态盈亏状况从时间和空间上进行动态研究。研究结果表明:湖北省17个市(州、林区)的总生态足迹和人均生态足迹呈迅速增长趋势,其中中部地区增长最快;2005年生态赤字最为严重的地区集中于以武汉为代表的中东部,2013年生态赤字最为严重的地区集中于中西部,生态赤字空间分布的重心逐渐由东部向西部转移;6种生态生产性土地增长速度由快到慢依次是建筑用地、化石能源、草地、水域、林地和耕地,其中潜江、恩施、天门、仙桃、黄冈等地建筑用地生态足迹增速最快,十堰、鄂州、黄石、荆州、荆门等地则是水域生态足迹增速最快,草地、水域、化石能源用地和耕地的生态足迹增长共同决定各地区人均生态足迹的变化趋势。     

经济快速发展地区土地利用结构的时空演变——以苏锡常地区为例

利用1996～2007年苏锡常地区土地利用变更数据,从土地利用变化幅度、动态度、变化强度、相对变化率及景观生态学角度,对区域土地利用结构的动态变化及区域差异进行分析。研究结果表明：近十多年来,由于区域经济快速发展,工业用地扩展迅猛,城镇加速蔓延,从而导致区内耕地面积锐减,居民点及工矿用地、交通用地所占比例则逐年上升,交通用地的变化幅度及动态度最大;各用地类型的变化强度在此期间呈一定波动,除牧草地外,交通用地历年的变化强度之和最大,其次为园地、居民点及工矿用地、水利设施用地、耕地、其他农用地、林地、未利用地;区域土地利用结构逐渐向均衡状态发展,用地结构的均质性逐渐增强,地区土地利用结构渐趋稳定;各市耕地、居民点及工矿用地、其他农用地的变化幅度及相对变化率差别不大,而园地、林地、牧草地、交通用地、水利设施用地及未利用地的变化幅度及相对变化率区域差异较大,且三市园地、牧草地及未利用地的变化方向不一致。