Cost–benefit analysis of using sewage sludge as alternative fuel in a cement plant: a case study

Background, aim, and scope  To enforce the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol targets, a number of governmental/international institutions have launched emission trade schemes as an approach to specify CO₂ caps and to regulate the emission trade in recent years. These schemes have been basically applied for large industrial sectors, including energy producers and energy-intensive users. Among them, cement plants are included among the big greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. The use of waste as secondary fuel in clinker kilns is currently an intensive practice worldwide. However, people living in the vicinity of cement plants, where alternative fuels are being used, are frequently concerned about the potential increase in health risks. In the present study, a cost–benefit analysis was applied after substituting classical fuel for sewage sludge as an alternative fuel in a clinker kiln in Catalonia, Spain. Materials and methods  The economical benefits resulting in the reduction of CO₂ emissions were compared with the changes in human health risks due to exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and carcinogenic metals (As, Cd, Co, and Cr) before and after using sewage sludge to generate 20% of the thermal energy needed for pyro-processing. The exposure to PCDD/Fs and metals through air inhalation, soil ingestion and dermal absorption was calculated according to the environmental levels in soil. The carcinogenic risks were assessed, and the associated cost for the population was estimated by considering the DG Environment’s recommended value for preventing a statistical fatality (VPF). In turn, the amount of CO₂ emitted was calculated, and the economical saving, according to the market prices, was evaluated. Results  The use of sewage sludge as a substitute of conventional energy meant a probability cancer decrease of 4.60 for metals and a cancer risk increase of 0.04 for PCDD/Fs. Overall, a net reduction of 4.56 cancers for one million people can be estimated. The associated economical evaluation due to the decreasing cancer for 60,000 people, the current population living near the cement plant, would be of 0.56 million euros (US$ 0.83 million). In turn, a reduction of 144,000 tons of CO₂ emitted between 2003 and 2006 was estimated. Considering a cost of 20 euros per ton of CO₂, the global saving would be 2.88 million euros (US$ 4.26 million). Discussion  After the partial substitution of the fuel, the current environmental exposure to metals and PCDD/Fs would even mean a potential decrease of health risks for the individuals living in the vicinity of the cement plant. The total benefit of using sewage sludge as an alternative fuel was calculated in 3.44 million euros (US$ 5.09 million). Environmental economics is becoming an interesting research field to convert environmental benefits (i.e., reduction of health risks, emission of pollutants, etc.) into economical value. Conclusions  The results show, that while the use of sewage sludge as secondary fuel is beneficial for the reduction in GHG emissions, no additional health risks for the population derived from PCDD/F and metal emissions are estimated. Recommendations and perspectives  Cost–benefit analysis seems to be a suitable tool to estimate the environmental damage and benefit associated to industrial processes. Therefore, this should become a generalized practice, mainly for those more impacting sectors such as power industries. On the other hand, the extension of the study could vastly be enlarged by taking into account other potentially emitted GHGs, such as CH₄ and N₂O, as well as other carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic micropollutants.     

安全联锁设备SIL验证中的参数估计偏差分析

为提高安全联锁系统(SIS)不可用度计算的准确性,减少SIL验证的不确定性偏差,研究参数估计置信度分别为70％和90％时功能安全标准IEC61508的恒定失效率算法与实际非恒定失效率(威布尔分布)算法结果的偏差.结果表明:在70％置信度时,采用指数分布算法计算PFDavg,比威布尔分布算法的计算结果偏大,2者的相对偏差...     

长江中下游夏季极端降水事件频次的统计降尺度模拟与预估

利用CMIP5三个耦合模式的历史模拟及不同情景预测结果、NCEP/NCAR再分析资料和长江中下游观测降水资料,采用统计降尺度方法对长江中下游夏季极端降水频次进行模拟和预估。首先,通过计算相关的方法,获取建立统计降尺度预测模型所需的预测因子。提取的预测因子同时满足既是观测环流要素场影响极端降水的关键区域,又是模式要素场预报的高技巧区域两个条件;然后,结合挑选出的预测因子,利用多元线性回归方法建立长江中下游极端降水的统计降尺度预测模型,并对模型性能进行检验。交叉检验结果表明,此种统计降尺度方法能对过去长江中下游极端降水变化有较好的再现能力,且多个降尺度模型结果的集合能进一步提高降尺度方法的模拟技巧;最后,将建立的统计降尺度模型应用于CMIP5未来3种不同的排放情景来对极端降水进行未来预估,并对多模式结果进行集合。结果显示,统计降尺度模型预估未来几个年代际长江中下游夏季极端降水频次相对于1986~2005年呈增加趋势,21世纪中、后期高排放情景下极端降水频次增加幅度高于低排放情景。     

亚热带红壤丘陵区湿地松人工林固碳释氧效益研究

用标准样方法对19年生湿地松（〖WTBX〗Pinus elliottii〖WTBZ〗）人工林碳素含量及碳贮量进行了测定。结果表明,湿地松各器官的碳素含量在5092±046%～5438±026%之间波动,按碳含量高低排列为树叶>树枝>树干>树根>树皮,且各器官的碳素含量随年龄的增长而提高。不同林冠层枝、叶碳素含量存在差异,上层叶与下层叶的碳素含量较低,下层枝条碳素含量明显比上、中层枝条高。灌木层、草本层、凋落物层的碳素含量依次为4516±04%、4228±041%、4088±031%,土壤层碳素含量平均为043±004%,且随土壤深度的增加而明显递减。湿地松林生态系统碳贮量为12194 t〖DK〗·hm-2,其中乔木层碳贮量为8618 t〖DK〗·hm-2,占总量的7067%,下木层和凋落物层碳贮量分别为06 t〖DK〗·hm-2(049%) 和886 t〖DK〗·hm-2（727%）。林地土壤（0～60 cm）为263 t〖DK〗·hm-2,占总碳贮量的2157%。乔木层年净固碳量为454 t〖DK〗·hm-2,年净释氧量为1212 t〖DK〗·hm-2。采用造林成本法计算得出试区湿地松林平均每年发挥的净固碳释氧效益达9 034元〖DK〗·hm-2。     

电力产业重构中的可再生能源政策——美国的经验

电力工业进行的市场化重构 ,对可再生能源来说 ,可能是一种机会 ,也可能意味着风险。主要的风险就是在不考虑外部性的情况下进行竞争将使可再生能源处于劣势。这种劣势将导致可再生能源发电量比改革前还少 ,同时大气污染更大 ,温室气体排放更多。但是如果采取适当的政策 ,新的市场也可以为可再生能源的发展创造更多的机会。本文在提出这个问题的基础上 ,介绍并分析了美国在进行电力产业重构时 ,为了促进可再生能源的发展所采用的系统效益费、可再生能源份额标准和绿色市场等三种政策方法     

矿区“生态重建”效益的阶段性及其定量评价探讨

矿区生态重建效益包括经济效益，生态效益，社会效益。准确分析重建投资效果应该以价值形式为基础定量评价生态重建效益。本文阐述了生态重建目标及生态经济系列演变对重建效益配置的作用，分析重建效益的三个阶段及其在不同阶段的特点，在此基础上，运用土地利用结构为主要的评价指标，探讨定量分析和评价生态重建效益的方法。     

遗传模拟退火算法在水质模型参数估值中的应用研究

在传统遗传算法 (GeneticAlgorithms,GA)基础上引入模拟退火技术 (SimulatedAnnealing,SA) ,提出了遗传模拟退火算法 (GSA) ,并将其应用到水质模型参数估值中。计算结果表明 ,GSA法综合了 2种优化方法各自的优点 ,不但克服了传统GA容易早熟的缺点 ,还加强了算法的收敛速度 ,因而具有良好的优化性能。不同的参数估值方法比较进一步验证了新方法的有效性。GSA法在环境优化领域中将具有广阔的应用前景     

GSA法在水质模型参数估值中的应用

在传统遗传算法(Genetic Algorithms,GA)基础上引入模拟退火技术(simulated Annealing,SA),提出了遗传模拟退火算法(GSA)，并将其应用到水质模型参数估值中。计算结果表明，GSA法综合了2种优化方法各自的优点，克服了传统GA容易早熟的缺点，加强了算法的收敛速度，因而具有良好的优化性能。不同的参数估值方法比较，进一步验证了新方法的有效性。     

2014~2016年间郑州市控制PM10和PM2.5污染的健康效益评估

根据郑州市2014~2016年间大气中PM₁₀和PM_2.5年平均浓度数值,采用泊松回归相对危险模型,评估了控制PM₁₀和PM_2.5污染后所能带来的95%置信区间下的健康效应及健康效益.结果表明,2014~2016年间,PM₁₀浓度达到二级限值后所带来的经济效益（以亿元计,括号中为置信区间,下同）分别为181.8（150.4,211.2）、242.5（202.5,279.4）和206.2（173.3,239.2）,分别占郑州市当年生产总值的2.7%、3.3%和2.5%;PM_2.5浓度达标后所带来的经济效益分别为178.8（143.7,211.6）、216.5（174.6,255.3）和172.5（137.8,205.5）,分别占郑州市当年生产总值的2.6%、3.0%和2.1%.PM₁₀和PM_2.5浓度达标后,城镇受益人数高于农村,急性支气管炎减少人数高于其他健康终端,对于慢性支气管炎,成人受益比儿童大,哮喘则相反.慢性支气管炎人数减少带来的健康经济效益最高,其次为哮喘,门诊和住院的健康效益最低.     

基于GWR降尺度的京津冀地区PM2.5质量浓度空间分布估算

卫星遥感估算PM_(2.5)质量浓度研究已较为成熟,但精度还未取得突破性进展.本文利用2017年京津冀地区气溶胶光学厚度(AOD)遥感数据、戈尔德地球观测系统的GEOF气象格网数据以及地面环境监测站PM_(2.5)数据,采用地理加权回归空间降尺度方法,估算京津冀地区的逐月PM_(2.5)质量浓度.基于3种不同的残差插值修正,修正后的PM_(2.5)估算结果均很理想,其中,基于自然邻近残差插值修正后的模型估算结果最优.经验证,在95%的置信水平下,其相关系数r达到0.951,决定系数R~2为0.904,调整后的R~2为0.903,平均预测误差MPE为7.307μg·m~(-3),均方根误差RMSE为11.62μg·m~(-3),相对预测误差RPE为18.35%,说明该模型能客观估算京津冀地区2017年PM_(2.5)质量浓度.2017年PM_(2.5)呈现出南高北低的空间分布特征,南北高低值区域界线与保定市和沧州市的市级行政界线具有较高的一致性.经变异系数分析发现PM_(2.5)在2017年内的稳定性程度与PM_(2.5)质量浓度空间分布呈反向性,即PM_(2.5)质量浓度高的区域稳定性低,年内的变化程度剧烈,而PM_(2.5)质量浓度低的区域稳定性强,年内变化程度弱.