An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

Ash deposition impact on the energy performance of photovoltaic generators

A little known side effect of the atmospheric air pollution is the degradation of photovoltaic (PV) cells’ performance due to the deposition of solid particles varying in composition, size and origin. In this context, an experimental-based investigation is conducted in order to compare the energy performance of two identical pairs of PV-panels; the first being clean and the second being artificially polluted with ash, i.e. a by-product of incomplete hydrocarbons’ combustion mainly originating from thermal power stations and vehicular exhausts. A series of systematic measurements of current intensity, voltage output and solar radiation are executed simultaneously for the clean and the polluted PV-panel, so that the effect of several mass depositions on the PVs’ power output, energy yield and conversion efficiency may be determined. According to the results, a considerable deterioration of the PV-panels’ performance is obtained, i.e. almost 30% energy reduction per hour or 1.5% efficiency decrease (in absolute terms) for ash accumulation on the panels’ surface reaching up to 0.4 mg/cm².     

春季太湖光量子产额空间分布的特征分析

基于2009年4月28日、5月4日、5月5日及5月6日在太湖梅梁湾的栈桥头、直湖港的河口区、太湖中心及胥口湾中心测定的初级生产力及水下光场数据,计算了各测点的藻类光量子产额和P-I曲线,并分析了其空间差异的特征.太湖栈桥头的P-I曲线呈现出明显的光抑制现象;在胥口湾中心和直湖港河口,P-I曲线呈现出弱的光抑制现象;而在太湖中心区域,P-I曲线只达到了光饱和状态,并未出现光抑制现象.单位叶绿素a的最大光量子产额的大小顺序为太湖中心区域、梅梁湾的栈桥头、直湖港的河口区及胥口湾的湖心区.     

Effect of platinum on the photocatalytic degradation of chlorinated organic compound

TiO2 nanoparticles, doped with di erent Pt contents, were prepared by a modified photodeposition method using Degussa P-25 TiO2, H2PtCl6 6H2O and methanol as the solvents. The physicochemical properties of Pt/TiO2 were investigated by the nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherm measurement technique, X-ray di raction analysis and photoluminescence spectra, respectively. Reaction rates from photocatalytic removal of dichloromethane over Degussa P-25 TiO2 and Pt/TiO2 were evaluated. The average diameter and BET surface area of the TiO2 catalyst particles were 300 nm and 50 m2/g, respectively. The degradation e ciency was 99.0%, 82.7%, 55.2%, and 57.9% with TiO2 at inlet concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 300 ppm, respectively. And the degradation e ciency was 99.3%, 79.7%, 76.5%, and 73.4% with a 0.005 wt.% Pt/TiO2 at inlet concentrations of 50, 100, 200, and 300 ppm, respectively. In addition, we found that the photoluminescence emission peak intensities decreased with increases in the doping amount of Pt, which indicates that the irradiative recombination was weakened. Furthermore, the results showed that the UV/0.005 wt.% Pt/TiO2 process was capable of e ciently decomposing gaseous DCM in air.     

Potential particulate pollution derived from UV-induced degradation of odorous dimethyl sulfide

UV-induced degradation of odorous dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was carried out in a static White cell chamber with UV irradiation. The combination of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), wide-range particle spectrometer (WPS) technique, filter sampling and ion chromatographic (IC) analysis was used to monitor the gaseous and potential particulate products. During 240 min of UV irradiation, the degradation e ciency of DMS attained 20.9%, and partially oxidized sulfur-containing gaseous products, such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbonyl sulfide (OCS), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) were identified by in situ FT-IR and GC-MS analysis, respectively. Accompanying with the oxidation of DMS, suspended particles were directly detected to be formed by WPS techniques. These particles were measured mainly in the size range of accumulation mode, and increased their count median diameter throughout the whole removal process. IC analysis of the filter samples revealed that methanesulfonic acid (MSA), sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and other unidentified chemicals accounted for the major non-refractory compositions of these particles. Based on products analysis and possible intermediates formed, the degradation pathways of DMS were proposed as the combination of the O(1D)- and the OH- initiated oxidation mechanisms. A plausible formation mechanism of the suspended particles was also analyzed. It is concluded that UV-induced degradation of odorous DMS is potentially a source of particulate pollutants in the atmosphere.     

中心组合设计优化S-Cr-TiO2催化剂光降解工艺条件

在确定的温度和光照条件下,采用中心组合设计法研究了固相反应法合成的硫与铬共掺杂二氧化钛(S-Cr-TiO2)光催化剂与水溶苯胺蓝(ANB)可见光降解过程中的三个作用因子:催化剂的浓度、水溶苯胺蓝水溶液的pH值及其初始浓度之间的相互作用关系,得到了影响因子与降解速率之间的回归方程及因素之间相互作用的响应面图.结果表明,S...     

紫外线与消毒剂联合作用于黄浦江源水的研究

针对黄浦江源水砂滤出水,进行了紫外线单独作用的研究,同时对于紫外线与消毒剂联合消毒时消毒剂的投加方式对灭菌作用和消毒副产物的影响进行了研究。实验结果表明:当紫外线剂量达到42 mJ/cm2时出水水质已达到了生活饮用水卫生标准中对细菌总数和大肠杆菌数的要求,且在相同紫外剂量下,高强度时对细菌的灭活效果要好于低强度时的效果;先紫外消毒后消毒剂消毒对于微生物具有很好的杀灭作用,但是不能减少消毒副产物的产生;紫外线和消毒剂同时作用对于微生物的杀灭作用不佳,但是出水的消毒剂余量高,消毒副产物量少,这样有利于出水的安全稳定性;先消毒剂消毒再紫外消毒,发现对于消毒副产物没有多大的降解作用,更浪费了高的紫外剂量。     

Photocatalytic activity of Fe-doped CaTiO3 under UV-visible light

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue（MB） over Fe-doped CaTiO3 under UV-visible light was investigated. The as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction（XRD）, scanning electron microscope（SEM） equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer（EDS） system, Fourier transform infrared spectra（FT-IR）, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy（DRS）. The results show that the doping with Fe significantly promoted the light absorption ability of CaTiO3 in the visible light region. The Fe-doped CaTiO3 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than CaTiO3 for the degradation of MB.However, the photocatalytic activity of the Fe-doped CaTiO3 was greatly influenced by the calcination temperature during the preparation process. The Fe-doped CaTiO3 prepared at500°C exhibited the best photocatalytic activity, with degradation of almost 100% MB（10 ppm）under UV-visible light for 180 min.     

自然光照对淹水条件下三峡库区消落带典型土壤磷释放影响

为研究淹水条件下光照对土-水界面磷释放的影响,以三峡库区消落带典型土壤为对象,通过室内自然光照试验,讨论了铁还原及有机质降解对磷释放的影响,分析光照对淹水土壤磷释放的影响机制.结果表明,光照对淹水土壤磷释放存在一定程度的抑制作用,光照作用下淹水紫色潮土上覆水体中TP浓度范围为0.018~0.033 mg·L-1,避光处理为0.02~0.057mg·L-1,灰棕紫泥光照下TP浓度范围为0.028~0.045 mg·L-1,避光处理为0.04~0.084 mg·L-1.光照引起淹水土壤中铁氧化物的变化可能是光照抑制磷释放的重要原因.光照导致土壤中铁氧化物饱和程度降低,铁还原和无定形铁生成受阻进一步加深了光照对磷释放的抑制影响.CO2和CH4反映淹水土壤有机质分解情况,光照降低有机碳的转化效率,加速土壤中无机电子受体的消耗,解释了光照作用下铁氧化物的变化.由此可见,光照对淹水土壤磷释放的抑制与淹水土壤中铁还原和有机质分解密切相关.     

脉冲强光对水中枯草杆菌灭活效果的研究

脉冲强光杀菌技术是近年来开发的一种新型冷杀菌技术,利用强烈的白光闪照进行杀菌。以枯草杆菌为目标微生物,对比研究脉冲强光与紫外线对微生物的灭活效果。并通过改变脉冲强光装置的输入电压和闪照次数,研究了影响脉冲强光杀菌的影响因素。