ARE RURAL RESIDENTS WILLING TO PAY ENOUGH TO IMPROVE DRINKING WATER QUALITY?1

ABSTRACT: The concentrations of iron and sulfate in community water supplies are a concern for a number of areas in southwestern Minnesota. This study used the contingent valuation method to determine how much consumers would be willing to pay to improve their drinking water quality. On average, individuals were willing to pay US$5.25 per month (in 1995 U.S. dollars) to reduce the level of iron and US$4.33 per month to reduce the level of sulfate in their water to the USEPA's secondary standards for drinking water quality. Respondents with negative perceptions of their drinking water quality were willing to pay more to improve water quality. The aggregate annual willingness to pay (WTP) for all consumers in community water systems in southwestern Minnesota that were out of compliance with water quality standards were estimated to be US$2.4 million and US$2.0 million (in 1995 dollars) for reducing the levels of iron and sulfate, respectively. Yet the total WTP of consumers who use small community water systems may not be enough to pay the full cost of providing improved water in those systems. Economies of scale in water treatment and difficulties in financing improvements mean that technical innovation, government assistance, or institutional changes may be needed to improve water quality in these areas.     

政府调控、市场机制与城市发展

深入探究政府调控和市场机制对城市规模的影响有利于解决目前中国大城市人口快速膨胀,城市病频发,而中小城市发展潜力不足,对人口吸纳能力有限,城市发展规模存在两极分化的问题。从探究影响城市发展的因素入手,通过对不同地区和不同规模城市的面板数据回归分析,发现中国属于典型的"自上而下"的城市发展模式,尤其是城市科层制的层级结构直接决定了城市规模大小,政府财政分权行为更加剧了城市规模两极分化趋势。市场机制对城市规模具有一定的影响,但其作用方向和效果明显依赖于政府调控水平,且科层制的城市等级结构弱化了市场机制对城市规模影响效果的发挥。政府和市场机制对不同区域、不同规模城市的影响效应不同。市场机制在东部城市产生涓流效应,而在中西部则发挥着聚集极化作用。市场机制在特大和大城市已产生涓流效应,加之政府"抑大崇小"的城市发展战略使得这种效应愈加明显,中等城市则处于极化效应和涓流效应更替中,小城市则表现为更多的聚集极化效应。为形成大中小城市合理分工的城市体系,其关键在于正确处理政府调控和市场机制的关系。政府应指导城市发展方向,为其创造良好的宏观环境,市场则应在微观资源配置中起决定性作用。建议根据城市发展和市场经济需要,对现有的行政区划进行适时调整和变动。调整公共资源在特大及大中小城市传统分配政策,实现公共资源由按行政级别配置向按照人口规模配置转变。同时,建立跨区域的相应的协调机制,以市场力量突破行政界限探索城市健康发展。     

Experimental study on explosion inhibition by heptafluoropropane and its synergy with inert gas

The inhibition effect of heptafluoropropane (CF₃CHFCF₃) on methane explosions under different inhibitor concentrations in a closed vessel was studied. A high-speed camera and a pressure sensor were adopted respectively to record flame propagation characteristics and pressure data. Results indicate that the relationship between flame propagation and pressure rising was correlated. As the equivalent ratio (ϕ)≤1, the pressure presented a trend of rising firstly and then decreasing with increasing CF₃CHFCF₃ concentration, and it was found that there existed a critical concentration for pressure decrease. As ϕ > 1, the pressure exhibited a decreasing trend. Although the pressure appeared to seemingly increase, the moment that the pressure began to rise (t_rise) and the moment that the maximum explosion overpressure appeared (t_Pmax) were obviously delayed. The average rate of pressure rise ((dP/dt)_ave) was decreased as the concentration of CF3CHFCF3 increased. It indicates that CF₃CHFCF₃ can effectively reduce the explosion reaction rate. The critical concentration of CF₃CHFCF₃ for complete inhibition was determined. Meanwhile, the synergy of CF₃CHFCF₃-inert gas can improve the inhibition effect. Compared with CF₃CHFCF₃–N₂, the synergy of CF₃CHFCF₃–CO₂ presented a better inhibition effect, and the inhibition effect was increased with increasing inert gas concentration. And the mechanisms of physical and chemical effects on explosion inhibition were analyzed.     

煤矿火灾烟气流动传播过程仿真研究

煤矿发生火灾后会生成大量有毒气体并产生火风压,烟气在火灾动力的影响下出现状态紊乱,研究煤矿火灾烟气流动传播过程对控制火情有着重要意义。基于国内外研究现状,对燃烧及风流特点进行分析,建立了煤矿火灾烟气流动数学模型,并利用CFD软件进行仿真。研究表明:无通风工况下的烟气为对称流动;随着风速增加,出口处温度降低,烟气向风流入口处的流速减小。     

Effects of particle thermal characteristics on flame microstructures during dust explosions of three long-chain monobasic alcohols in a half-closed chamber

To reveal clearly the effects of particle thermal characteristics on flame microstructures during organic dust explosions, three long-chain monobasic alcohols, solid at room temperature and similar in physical-chemical properties, were chosen to conduct experiments in a half-closed chamber. In the experiments, the dust materials were dispersed into the chamber by air to form dust clouds and the hybrids were ignited by an electrical spark. A high-speed optical schlieren system was used to record the flame propagation behaviors. A fine thermocouple and an ion current probe were respectively used to measure the flame temperature profile and the reaction behaviors of the combustion zone. Based on the experimental results, combustion behaviors and flame microstructures in dust clouds with different thermal characteristics were analyzed in detail. As a result, it was found that the dust flame surfaces were completely covered by cellular structures that significantly increased the flame frontal areas. Flame propagated more quickly and the number of the cellular cells increased as increasing the volatility of the particles. On the contrary, maximum temperature and the thickness of the preheated zone decreased as increasing the volatility of the particles. According to the ion current profile, the particles in the preheat zone were pyrolyzed to intermediate radicals and the radicals' fraction in the higher volatile dust flame was higher than that in the lower volatile dust flame.     

Parks versus PES: Evaluating direct and incentive-based land conservation in Mexico

Protected areas (PAs) and payments for ecosystem services (PES) are the top two mechanisms available for countries to achieve international REDD agreements, yet there are few empirical comparisons of their effects. We estimate the impacts of PAs and PES on forest conservation, poverty reduction, and population change at the locality level in Mexico in the 2000s. Both policies conserved forest, generating an approximately 20–25% reduction in expected forest cover loss. PES created statistically significant but small poverty alleviation while PAs had overall neutral impacts on livelihoods. Estimates by individual policy type for the same level of deforestation risk indicate that biosphere reserves and PES balanced conservation and livelihood goals better than strict protected areas or mixed-use areas. This suggests that both direct and incentive-based instruments can be effective, and that policies combining sustainable financing, flexible zoning, and recognition of local economic goals are more likely to achieve conservation without harming livelihoods.     

福建省地级市人为源活性氮排放及其特征分析

在人口增长和快速城市化的背景下,活性氮排放对生态环境的影响日益加剧.为研究省级尺度活性氮排放规律,采用排放因子法建立2000、2005及2010年福建省人为源活性氮排放清单,分析各地市3个年份活性氮排放量及排放强度特征.结果表明,3个年份福建省活性氮排放总量分别为538.4、587.0和619.97 Gg,呈整体增加趋势.在9个地级市中,增速最快的为莆田市,而漳州市排放量有所下降.排放量最大的为漳州和泉州,排放量最小的为宁德与厦门.从排放来源看,90%以上的排放来自农田生态系统和畜禽养殖系统.能源活动贡献较小,但其排放增长最为显著.2010年,各地市单位面积活性氮排放强度呈"东南沿海高西北内陆低"的格局,最高为厦门市,最低为三明市;GDP和人口排放强度则呈"东南沿海低西北内陆高"的格局,最高为南平市,最低为厦门市.在分析各地市活性氮排放源特征的基础上,探讨了不同地区活性氮减排重点,研究结果可为福建省及下辖各地市活性氮减排提供科学依据.     

飞机环控系统典型故障分析

环控系统解决了飞机座舱的供气、调温和增压问题,座舱的压力制度按3个阶段进行。通过典型的飞机环控系统故障,对座舱压力调节机理进行了分析,介绍了座舱压力调节过程,分析了导致飞行员耳膜疼痛、座舱压力持续下降的原因,提出了预防故障发生的建议。     

爆炸空气冲击波在巷道转弯处的传播特性

为了探索爆炸空气冲击波在巷道内的传播规律,进行了数值计算和理论分析,讨论了爆炸冲击波通过45°弯曲巷道后的压力变化过程.研究结果表明: 爆炸空气冲击波通过45°弯曲巷道后的压力分布复杂,空气冲击波逐渐恢复为平面波需经过4倍等效巷道直径的距离传播.在该4倍等效距离内,冲击波反射叠加,在巷道外侧壁面Mach反射点取得超压最大值,恢复平面波以后超压随距离呈单调衰减.     

浅谈欧盟化学品新法规及其对我国石油化工行业的影响

介绍了即将实施的欧盟化学品新法规出台背景和主要内容,并浅析了新法规对我国石油化工行业的影响.