Influence of aeration intensity on the performance of A/O-type sequencing batch MBR system treating azo dye wastewater

Among the numerous parameters affecting the membrane bioreactor (MBR) performance, the aeration intensity is one of the most important factors. In the present investigation, an anoxic/aerobic-type (A/O-type) sequencing batch MBR system, added anoxic process as a pretreatment to improve the biodegradability of azo dye wastewater, was investigated under different aeration intensities and the impact of the aeration intensity on effluent quantity, sludge properties, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) amount generated as well as the change of permeation flux were examined. Neither lower nor higher aeration intensities could improve A/O-type sequencing batch MBR performances. The results showed 0.15 m³·h^-1 aeration intensity was promising for treatment of azo dye wastewater under the conditions examined. Under this aeration intensity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen and color removal as well as membrane flux amounted to 97.8%, 96.5%, 98.7% and 6.21 L·m^-2·h^-1, respectively. The effluent quality, with 25.0 mg·L^-1COD, 0.84 mg·L^-1 ammonium nitrogen and 8 chroma, could directly meet the reuse standard in China. In the meantime, the sludge relative hydrophobicity, the bound EPS, soluble EPS and EPS amounts contained in the membrane fouling layer were 70.3%, 52.0 mg·g^-1VSS, 38.8 mg·g^-1VSS and 90.8 mg·g^-1VSS, respectively, which showed close relationships to both pollutant removals and membrane flux.     

Unlocked disinfection by-product formation potential upon exposure of swimming pool water to additional stimulants

• Swimming pool water was studied for DBPs upon exposure to additional stimulants. • DBP formation could be induced by residual chlorine and extended incubation. • Urine led to a massive formation of chloroform with additional stimulants. • Reactions between chlorine and anthropogenic organics were slow and long-lasting. • Urine control and air ventilation should be on the priority list for pool management. Anthropogenic organics are known to be responsible for the formation of harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) in swimming pool water (SPW). The research explored an important scenario of SPW with no additional anthropogenic organic input. With stimulations by residual chlorine or additional chlorine and extended incubation, the formation of DBPs, especially chloroform, was significantly induced. Similar observations were found by investigating synthetic SPW made with sweat and urine. The presence of urine led to a massive formation of chloroform, as noted by an approximate 19-fold increase after 165-day incubation with a shock chlorine dose. The research suggests that consistent residual chlorine and long water retention as two typical features of SPW could unlock the DBP formation potential of anthropogenic organics. Thus, limiting the introduction of anthropogenic organics may not have an immediate effect on reducing DBP levels, because their reactions with chlorine can be slow and long-lasting. Pool management should prioritize on control of urine and improving air ventilation. This work is useful to deepen understandings about DBP formation in SPW and provide implications for pool management and prospective legislation.     

不同曝气能耗对水蚯蚓原位消解污泥的影响

水蚯蚓原位消解污泥过程中,曝气参数的设定十分重要。为评价曝气能耗对水蚯蚓消解污泥的影响并设定适宜的曝气量,研究污水处理系统耦合水蚯蚓后不同曝气梯度下的运行情况,并对耦合水蚯蚓前后的系统进行比较。结果表明:溶解氧最适范围为2～3 mg/L,曝气能耗约为0.19 kW.h/t;溶解氧高于3 mg/L时系统能效并无提高,且能耗增大。     

Contagious cooperation,temptation, and ecosystem collapse

Real world observations suggest that social norms of cooperation can be effective in overcoming social dilemmas such as the joint management of a common pool resource—but also that they can be subject to slow erosion and sudden collapse. We show that these patterns of erosion and collapse emerge endogenously in a model of a closed community harvesting a renewable natural resource in which individual agents face the temptation to overexploit the resource, while a cooperative harvesting norm spreads through the community via interpersonal relations. We analyze under what circumstances small changes in key parameters (including the size of the community, and the rate of technological progress) trigger catastrophic transitions from relatively high levels of cooperation to widespread norm violation—causing the social–ecological system to collapse.     

The effects of exposure to zinc and cadmium separately and jointly on the free amino acid pool of Gammarus pulex (L.)

Effects of the heavy metals zinc and cadmium on the free amino acid (FAA) pool of Gammarus pulex were studied at different metal concentrations and combinations as well as different exposure times. The dominant effect of these two metals was the reduction of most free amino acids and the whole FAA pool, except in the 10‐day low zinc and cadmium concentration exposures which resulted in a rise of free amino acid pool.

Among the free amino acids, the most sensitive to zinc exposure, were alanine, glutamic acid, arginine, and taurine; valine, leucine, asparagine, and isoleucine were among the most sensitive to cadmium. No predictable changes of individual free amino acids were shown in the mixed metals exposures. Elevation of taurine concentration was constant in seven of the eight treatments, it is suggested that this elevation may be related to the hepatopancreatic damage observed and induced synthesis of metallothioneins.     

Modeling soil and plant phosphorus within DSSAT

The crop models in the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) have served worldwide as a research tool for improving predictions of relationships between soil and plant nitrogen (N) and crop yield. However, without a phosphorus (P) simulation option, the applicability of the DSSAT crop models in P-deficient environments is limited. In this study, a soil-plant P model integrated to DSSAT was described, and results showing the ability of the model to mimic wide differences in maize responses to P in Ghana are presented as preliminary attempts to testing the model on highly weathered soils. The model simulates P transformations between soil inorganic labile, active and stable pools and soil organic microbial and stable pools. Plant growth is limited by P between two concentration thresholds that are species-specific optimum and minimum concentrations of P defined at different stages of plant growth. Phosphorus stress factors are computed to reduce photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation and dry matter partitioning. Testing on two highly weathered soils from Ghana over a wide range of N and P fertilizer application rates indicated that the P model achieved good predictability skill at one site (Kpeve) with a final grain yield root mean squared error (RMSE) of 535 kg ha⁻¹and a final biomass RMSE of 507 kg ha⁻¹. At the other site (Wa), the RMSE was 474 kg ha⁻¹ for final grain yield and 1675 kg ha⁻¹ for final biomass. A local sensitivity analysis indicated that under P-limiting conditions and no P fertilizer application, crop biomass, grain yield, and P uptake could be increased by over 0.10% due to organic P mineralization resulting from a 1% increase in organic carbon. It was also shown that the modeling philosophy that makes P in a root-free zone unavailable to plants resulted in a better agreement of simulated crop biomass and grain yield with field measurements. Because the complex soil P chemistry makes the availability of P to plants extremely variable, testing under a wider range of agro-ecological conditions is needed to complement the initial evaluation presented here, and extend the use of the DSSAT-P model to other P-deficient environments.     

高原乙醇油池火燃烧特性实验研究

为研究低压条件下油品燃烧特性,以乙醇油池火为研究对象,搭建高原油池火实验平台,研究不同油盘直径下乙醇油池火燃烧规律,分析燃烧速率、火焰高度和火焰脉动等参数随时间的变化规律。研究结果表明：低压条件下的乙醇油池火,燃烧速率小于同等尺度常压条件下的油池火燃烧速率;乙醇油池火的燃烧速率随油盘直径增加变化不明显;火焰高度随油池直径增加呈现显著上升趋势,并拟合推导出适用于低压乙醇池火的火焰高度公式;火焰脉动频率随油池直径增大而减小,并给出火焰脉动与油池直径的经验公式。研究结果可丰富低压乙醇燃烧的油池火实验数据,为低压乙醇油池火的风险评估提供参考。     

半封闭空间中水喷淋和泡沫灭火系统灭油池火实验研究

为了对比泡沫灭火系统和水喷淋灭火系统的灭火效率,采用装有400 mL汽油或柴油的280 mm×280 mm油盆模拟火源,分析了0.35,0.48和0.75 MPa压力下泡沫灭火系统和水喷淋灭火系统灭油池火的灭火时间、降温冷却效率及火焰面积。结果表明:泡沫灭火系统比水喷淋灭火系统灭油池火的效果更好,对汽油火的灭火时间比水喷淋灭火系统缩短了35.3%,压力对于灭火效率没有影响;柴油火的灭火效率随压力的增加而增加,不同压力下灭火时间比水喷淋灭火系统分别缩短了35.7%,42.9%和66.4%。     

水面LNG液池扩展模型的分析与对比研究

为了评价在开阔水面上的液化天然气（LNG）火灾和蒸气云爆炸灾害后果,分析了LNG水面扩展动态过程;对比分析了Fay模型、FERC模型和计算流体力学软件FLACS的计算结果,探讨了LNG液池面积随时间的动态变化过程,分析了泄漏量、泄漏速率等参数对LNG液池扩展半径的影响;根据液池扩展模型的计算结果,确定了LNG液池的最大面积,并以此分析了LNG流淌火灾的辐射危害。研究结果表明:对于相同的泄漏条件,3种方法模拟的泄漏LNG水面扩展动态过程相似,一般情况下,FLACS模型,FERC模型和Fay模型所计算的最大液池半径依次增大;由于FERC模型与FLACS软件的模拟结果接近且偏于保守,故此在一般的工程应用时,采用FERC模型即可方便快捷地获得较为准确的结果。     

障碍物压力反射特性对瓦斯爆炸传播影响的数值模拟研究*

为了研究不同形状障碍物对瓦斯爆炸传播的影响机理,对直径0.2 m、长6.5 m的密闭直管道内的瓦斯爆炸过程进行数值模拟。研究结果表明:在该实验条件下,对于火焰通过整个管道的时间,方形障碍物时间最长,球形障碍物与无障碍物时间接近,且用时最短;无障碍物时,在反射压力波作用下火焰传播速度存在明显的波动特性;有障碍物时,障碍物的诱导作用要大于反射压力波的作用,火焰传播的这种波动特性得到抑制,提升了火焰前锋向未燃区域传播的能力;压力波的波动频率与气流震荡、压力波反射叠加有关,波幅则主要与正向压力波和反射压力波的叠加效果有关。研究结果为煤矿瓦斯爆炸事故防治及隔抑爆技术应用提供技术支撑。