A conceptual approach to selection of a control measure for residual chlorine discharge in Kuwait bay

It is estimated that some 17 metric tons of residual oxidants (chlorine) are discharged into the enclosed coastal seawater of Kuwait on a daily basis from power-desalination plants alone. Alarmed by the unlimited number of reported cases of damage to marine aquatic systems due to chlorine discharge around the world, several alternatives were proposed to control such a massive discharge of residual oxidant into seawaters. Most of the proposed alternatives lacked the basic criteria necessary for their evaluation, justification, and then selection. The objective of this article is to provide a conceptual approach that can be used to select a control measure for residual oxidant discharge in Kuwait coastal seawaters. This approach is based on state-of-the-art knowledge and the unique operational and environmental factors involved. A matrix system was designed whereby the cost of residual chlorine control alternative, its effectiveness, and environmental and public health impact, performance, and reliability in Kuwait can be compared and evaluated. The selection approach considered currently operating power plants in terms of their engineering design and material (cast iron or steel condensers), current operational conditions, operator's perception, acceptability, and projected problems associated with the environmental management of proposed modifications. The proposed approach revealed that in Kuwait, conventinal chlorination was marginally superseded only by chlorination/dechlorination using SO₂ and operation alteration using process optimization. The overall cost-effective assessment matrix classified other alternatives as worse than chlorination by various degrees. Ozone and UV were found to be the worst and the least desirable alternatives for biofouling control of seawater in Kuwait. In light of the available information on the consequences of the Gulf War on the marine environment, and the potential formation of additional halogenated organic compounds through the reaction of residual chlorine with the released petroleum hydrocarbons, it is essential to control residual chlorine discharged into the nearshore environment of Kuwait.     

尾水用于循环冷却水的主要障碍和防腐试验研究

工业用水中循环冷却水要占到60%～80%,国内外城市尾水多回用于循环冷却水系统.循环冷却水系统产生的问题主要有结垢,设备腐蚀和细菌粘泥等.试验研究表明,徐州市三八河污水厂的尾水在经过一定的防腐措施后,可以用作循环冷却水,缓蚀剂可以选用目前使用广泛而且经济的三聚磷酸钠 Zn盐,当试验的温度较低(低于65℃)时,形成的磷酸盐垢很少,当温度高达70℃左右时,需要缓蚀剂和阻垢剂联合使用以提高系统的阻垢效应.     

超临界CO2和液态CO2及气态N2注入采空区防灭火性能实验

为对比研究超临界态CO_2、液态CO_2和气态N_2注入采空区的防灭火性能,自主研制了模拟采空区残煤自燃过程实验系统,开展了超临界态CO_2、液态CO_2和气态N_2注入采空区防灭火实验。实验结果表明:12 MPa、39℃超临界态CO_2对采空区自燃残煤的降氧降温能力优于6 MPa、30℃液态CO_2优于6 MPa、39℃气态N_2;12 MPa、39℃超临界态CO_2对残煤的降温能力是6 MPa、30℃液态CO_2的1.7倍,是6 MPa、39℃气态N_2的10倍,对采空区的降温能力是液态CO_2的2倍,为气态N_2的8倍;12 MPa、39℃超临界CO_2对采空区的降氧速率比6 MPa、30℃液态CO_2和6 MPa、39℃气态N_2高12.5%;12 MPa、39℃超临界CO_2的降温能力是8 MPa、39℃超临界CO_2的1.7倍,因此适当提高超临界态CO_2的注入压力,防灭火性能更佳。     

冷却法净化焦油脱水尾气的研究

炭黑厂焦油脱水过程中产生的尾气（苯、甲苯等苯系物）用冷却法能用效冷凝其中大量有机物，且冷却水温度愈低冷却效果愈好，当水温降至５℃左右时，尾气中的有机物基本能全部冷凝除去，冷凝油相中除苯系物外还萘，冷凝水相的ＢＯＤ５／ＣＯＤＣＲ比值大于０．５，具有很好的可生化性。     

Formation of secondary inorganic aerosols by power plant emissions exhausted through cooling towers in Saxony

Background, aim, and scope  The fraction of ambient PM₁₀ that is due to the formation of secondary inorganic particulate sulfate and nitrate from the emissions of two large, brown-coal-fired power stations in Saxony (East Germany) is examined. The power stations are equipped with natural-draft cooling towers. The flue gases are directly piped into the cooling towers, thereby receiving an additionally intensified uplift. The exhausted gas-steam mixture contains the gases CO, CO₂, NO, NO₂, and SO₂, the directly emitted primary particles, and additionally, an excess of ‘free’ sulfate ions in water solution, which, after the desulfurization steps, remain non-neutralized by cations. The precursor gases NO₂ and SO₂ are capable of forming nitric and sulfuric acid by several pathways. The acids can be neutralized by ammonia and generate secondary particulate matter by heterogeneous condensation on preexisting particles. Materials and methods  The simulations are performed by a nested and multi-scale application of the online-coupled model system LM-MUSCAT. The Local Model (LM; recently renamed as COSMO) of the German Weather Service performs the meteorological processes, while the Multi-scale Atmospheric Transport Model (MUSCAT) includes the transport, the gas phase chemistry, as well as the aerosol chemistry (thermodynamic ammonium–sulfate–nitrate–water system). The highest horizontal resolution in the inner region of Saxony is 0.7 km. One summer and one winter episode, each realizing 5 weeks of the year 2002, are simulated twice, with the cooling tower emissions switched on and off, respectively. This procedure serves to identify the direct and indirect influences of the single plumes on the formation and distribution of the secondary inorganic aerosols. Results and conclusions  Surface traces of the individual tower plumes can be located and distinguished, especially in the well-mixed boundary layer in daytime. At night, the plumes are decoupled from the surface. In no case does the resulting contribution of the cooling tower emissions to PM₁₀ significantly exceed 15 μgm⁻³ at the surface. These extreme values are obtained in narrow plumes on intensive summer conditions, whereas different situations with lower turbulence (night, winter) remain below this value. About 90% of the PM₁₀ concentrations in the plumes are secondarily formed sulfate, mainly ammonium sulfate, and about 10% originate from the primarily emitted particles. Under the assumptions made, ammonium nitrate plays a rather marginal role. Recommendations and perspectives  The analyzed results depend on the specific emission data of power plants with flue gas emissions piped through the cooling towers. The emitted fraction of ‘free’ sulfate ions remaining in excess after the desulfurization steps plays an important role at the formation of secondary aerosols and therefore has to be measured carefully.     

过负荷铜导线金相显微特征分析

为考查铜导线金相组织随截面积、过负荷时间、倍数以及加热温度、加热时间、冷却方式的变化规律,本实验制备了不同线径的铜导线过负荷不同倍数和不同时间的试样,然后对过负荷铜导线在不同温度下加热不同时间并采取自然或喷水的方式进行冷却。通过观察过负荷铜导线试样的金相组织,分析过负荷铜导线金相组织随其形成条件的变化规律。结果显示,随过负荷时间的延长,铜导线金相组织由最初的纤维状组织变成柱状或等轴晶粒;过负荷倍数越大,形成的晶粒越大;当过负荷痕迹形成后,在低于其形成温度下加热,不影响其金相组织;导线截面积和冷却方式对铜导线金相组织影响不大。在实际火灾调查过程中利用过负荷铜导线的金相组织特征来证明火灾事实时,要综合考虑过负荷的形成过程。     

Simulation of thermodynamic transmission in green roof ecosystem

Green roofs entail the creation of vegetated space on the top of artificial structures. They can modify the thermal properties of buildings to bring cooling energy conservation and improve human comfort. This study evaluates the thermodynamic transmission in the green roof ecosystem under different vegetation treatments. Our model simulation is based on the traditional Bowen ratio energy balance model (BREBM) and a proposed solar radiation shield effectiveness model (SEM). The BREBM investigates energy absorption of different components of radiation, and the SEM evaluates the radiation shield effects. The proposed model is tested and validated to be efficient to simulate solar energy transmission in green roofs, with some major findings. Firstly, the solar radiation transmission processes might be considered as free vibration motion. Daytime positive heat storage of the green roof is 350-520 W·m⁻² on an hourly basis. Nighttime or afternoon negative value registers a rather constant magnitude of −60 W·m⁻². Daily net average is positive around 155-210 W·m⁻². Secondly, solar radiation vibration is highly correlated with plant structure. The canopy reflectance and transmittance are strongly correlated (R² = 0.87). The multi-layer shrub treatment has the highest shield effectiveness (0.34), followed by two-layer groundcover (0.27), and single-layer grass (0.16). Green roof vegetation absorbs and stores large amounts of heat to form an effective thermal buffer against daily temperature fluctuation. Vegetated roofs drastically depress air temperature in comparison with bare ground (control treatment). Finally, the thermodynamic model is relatively simple and efficient for investigating thermodynamic transmission in green roof ecosystem, and it could be developed into a broad solar radiant land cover model.     

Urbanisation and greening of Indian cities: Problems,practices, and policies

Progress of the Indian economy is threatened by the impact of climate change. Generation of urban heat islands (UHIs), waning of urban green cover, increase in carbon emissions and air pollution deteriorate the living environment. Rise in urban temperatures and heat stress induced mortality remain major concerns. Although the National Action Plan on Climate Change emphasises the national missions of ‘enhanced energy efficiency’, and ‘green India’, little research has been devoted to explore the passive cooling potential of urban greenery in India, thus lending uniqueness to this study. The manifestations of unplanned urban development (UHIs, escalated carbon emissions, air pollution) are discussed and corroborated with identification of contributory factors. Contemporary greening practices and bye-laws in four major Indian cities (New Delhi, Pune, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam) are analysed and compared with global best practices. The findings are used to propose planning guidelines which are expected to assist in consolidating natural sustainability of emerging economies.     

Testing and performance analysis of a hollow fiber-based core for evaporative cooling and liquid desiccant dehumidification

In this study, an innovative heat and mass transfer core is proposed to provide thermal comfort and humidity control using a hollow fiber contactor with multiple bundles of micro-porous hollow fibers. The hollow fiber-based core utilizes 12 bundles aligned vertically, each with 1,000 packed polypropylene hollow fibers. The proposed core was developed and tested under various operating and ambient conditions as a cooling core for a compact evaporative cooling unit and a dehumidification core for a liquid desiccant dehumidification unit. As a cooling core, the fiber-based evaporative cooler provides a maximum cooling capacity of 502 W with a wet bulb effectiveness of 85%. As a dehumidification core and employing potassium formate as a liquid desiccant, the dehumidifier is capable of reducing the air relative humidity by 17% with an overall dehumidification capacity of 733 W and humidity effectiveness of 47%. Being cheap and simple to design with their attractive heat and mass transfer characteristics and the corresponding large surface area-to-volume ratio, hollow fiber membrane contactors provide a promising alternative for cooling and dehumidification applications.     

Cooling water use patterns at US nonutility electric generating facilities

Cooling water is used by many industrial facilities. The largest user of cooling water is the electric power industry, although other significant users include the pulp and paper, chemical, iron and steel, aluminum, and petroleum refining industries. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently developing regulations to implement section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act, which deals with cooling water intake structures. The EPA will examine cooling water use patterns at various industries. Data pertaining to cooling water use patterns at utility plants are readily available; however, no information has been assembled for cooling water use at electric power generating facilities owned or operated by entities other than utilities (nonutilities). This paper presents data concerning cooling water use from two subsets of the nonutility sector and focuses on plants using once-through cooling systems. The first subset includes 123 nonutility plants that each generate at least 150 MW of power. Collectively, they represent 41,494 MW of generating capacity, or about 56% of the total nonutility generating capacity. Approximately 17% of the installations within that subset utilize once-through cooling water. The second subset includes 58 waste-to-energy facilities, which individually produce less than 80 MW but collectively generate about 2200 MW. Only 11% of this subset of plants uses once-through cooling water. The total 15,372 MW generated by once-through nonutilities is equivalent to only 6% of the 258,906 MW generated by utilities utilizing once-through cooling. From a national perspective this share may appear relatively insignificant. However, in some states, the nonutility once-through total is equivalent to a more significant percentage of the utility once-through total.