Experimental study on microalgae cultivation in novel photobioreactor of concentric double tubes with aeration pores along tube length direction

Microalgae have been identified as a superior feedstock for biodiesel production and varied tubular photobioreactors are developed for high efficient and scale-up microalgae cultivation. This article presented a novel concentric double tubes using aeration through radial pores along the length direction of inner tube. Experiments on microalgae cultivation were carried out in the novel photobioreactor, and two control groups including concentric double tubes with axial aeration at both ends and common tubular. The biomass productivity of novel photobioreactor increased by 43.6% and 107.4%, respectively, compared with concentric double tubes with axial aeration at both ends and common tubular without aeration. The values of pH shifted from 7.5 to 9.0 for novel photobioreactor, but 7.5 to 8.8 for common tubular, and 7.5 to 9.6 for concentric double tubes with axial aeration. The dissolved oxygen concentration fluctuated between 6.0 and 7.0 mg·L^?1 for novel photobioreactor, but rose from 6.6 to 10.2 mg·L^?1 for the common tubular, and 6.9 to 8.1 mg·L^?1 for the concentric with axial aeration. Results show that the aeration style of novel photobioreactor can make efficient local mixing and maintain smaller range of pH and lower level of dissolved oxygen in case of higher biomass concentration. Moreover, compared with the two control groups, the novel concentric double tubes have advantages on the light/dark cycle frequency, which may be benefit for microalgae cultivation. The novel concentric double tubes presented in this work can give some inspiration for high efficiency microalgae cultivation.     

LCA中清单分析数据的获得

清单分析是ＬＣＡ继目标界定后的一步重要操作,工业量极大,本文从我国具体情况出发,开发了一套获取产品ＬＣＡ清单数据的方法,介绍了通过行业污染系数获取产品的社会数据以及借助企业生产的质量流程图收集和检验企业数据的具体步骤。     

Modeling the Spatially Varying Water Balance Processes in a Semiarid Mountainous Watershed of Idaho1

Stratton, Benjamin T., Venakataramana Sridhar, Molly M. Gribb, James P. McNamara, and Balaji Narasimhan, 2009. Modeling the Spatially Varying Water Balance Processes in a Semiarid Mountainous Watershed of Idaho. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 45(6):1390‐1408. Abstract: The distributed Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model was applied to a research watershed, the Dry Creek Experimental Watershed, near Boise Idaho to investigate its water balance components both temporally and spatially. Calibrating and validating SWAT is necessary to enable our understanding of the water balance components in this semiarid watershed. Daily streamflow data from four streamflow gages were used for calibration and validation of the model. Monthly estimates of streamflow during the calibration phase by SWAT produced satisfactory results with a Nash Sutcliffe coefficient of model efficiency 0.79. Since it is a continuous simulation model, as opposed to an event‐based model, it demonstrated the limited ability in capturing both streamflow and soil moisture for selected rain‐on‐snow (ROS) events during the validation period between 2005 and 2007. Especially, soil moisture was generally underestimated compared with observations from two monitoring pits. However, our implementation of SWAT showed that seasonal and annual water balance partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration, streamflow, soil moisture, and drainage was not only possible but closely followed the trends of a typical semiarid watershed in the intermountain west. This study highlights the necessity for better techniques to precisely identify and drive the model with commonly observed climatic inversion‐related snowmelt or ROS weather events. Estimation of key parameters pertaining to soil (e.g., available water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity), snow (e.g., lapse rates, melting), and vegetation (e.g., leaf area index and maximum canopy index) using additional field observations in the watershed is critical for better prediction.     

The formation and fate of chlorinated organic substances in temperate and boreal forest soils

Background, aim and scope  Chlorine is an abundant element, commonly occurring in nature either as chloride ions or as chlorinated organic compounds (OCls). Chlorinated organic substances were long considered purely anthropogenic products; however, they are, in addition, a commonly occurring and important part of natural ecosystems. Formation of OCls may affect the degradation of soil organic matter (SOM) and thus the carbon cycle with implications for the ability of forest soils to sequester carbon, whilst the occurrence of potentially toxic OCls in groundwater aquifers is of concern with regard to water quality. It is thus important to understand the biogeochemical cycle of chlorine, both inorganic and organic, to get information about the relevant processes in the forest ecosystem and the effects on these from human activities, including forestry practices. A survey is given of processes in the soil of temperate and boreal forests, predominantly in Europe, including the participation of chlorine, and gaps in knowledge and the need for further work are discussed. Results  Chlorine is present as chloride ion and/or OCls in all compartments of temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. It contributes to the degradation of SOM, thus also affecting carbon sequestration in the forest soil. The most important source of chloride to coastal forest ecosystems is sea salt deposition, and volcanoes and coal burning can also be important sources. Locally, de-icing salt can be an important chloride input near major roads. In addition, anthropogenic sources of OCls are manifold. However, results also indicate the formation of chlorinated organics by microorganisms as an important source, together with natural abiotic formation. In fact, the soil pool of OCls seems to be a result of the balance between chlorination and degradation processes. Ecologically, organochlorines may function as antibiotics, signal substances and energy equivalents, in descending order of significance. Forest management practices can affect the chlorine cycle, although little is at present known about how. Discussion  The present data on the apparently considerable size of the pool of OCls indicate its importance for the functioning of the forest soil system and its stability, but factors controlling their formation, degradation and transport are not clearly understood. It would be useful to estimate the significance and rates of key processes to be able to judge the importance of OCls in SOM and litter degradation. Effects of forest management processes affecting SOM and chloride deposition are likely to affect OCls as well. Further standardisation and harmonisation of sampling and analytical procedures is necessary. Conclusions and perspectives  More work is necessary in order to understand and, if necessary, develop strategies for mitigating the environmental impact of OCls in temperate and boreal forest soils. This includes both intensified research, especially to understand the key processes of formation and degradation of chlorinated compounds, and monitoring of the substances in question in forest ecosystems. It is also important to understand the effect of various forest management techniques on OCls, as management can be used to produce desired effects.     

基于Agent的城市污水处理可持续发展工艺选型定量建模研究

从可持续发展的角度分析和研究中国目前的城市污水处理工艺,选出符合中国国情的工艺流程日益成为迫切需要解决的问题.在广泛调研和资料分析的基础上,基于可持续发展的原则,通过对中国城市污水处理的现状进行分析,建立了可供筛选的处理技术数据库,并通过基于生命周期的Agent模型,对每项组合工艺流程进行功能模拟和性能评价,按照所建立的评价模型和指标体系,综合考察各项处理工艺的污染物处理水平、投资成本和附属产物的环境影响等因素.按照可持续发展的技术准则进行判定,从而选择满足可持续发展要求的城市污水处理组合工艺.     

The life cycle of rice: LCA of alternative agri-food chain management systems in Vercelli (Italy)

The Vercelli rice district in northern Italy plays a key role in the agri-food industry in a country which accounts for more than 50% of the EU rice production and exports roughly 70%. However, although wealth and jobs are created, the sector is said to be responsible for environmental impacts that are increasingly being perceived as topical. As a complex and comprehensive environmental evaluation is necessary to understand and manage the environmental impact of the agri-food chain, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology has been applied to the rice production system: from the paddy field to the supermarket. The LCA has pointed out the magnitude of impact per kg of delivered white milled rice: a CO_2eq emission of 2.9 kg, a primary energy consumption of 17.8 MJ and the use of 4.9 m³ of water for irrigation purposes. Improvement scenarios have been analysed considering alternative rice farming and food processing methods, such as organic and upland farming, as well as parboiling. The research has shown that organic and upland farming have the potential to decrease the impact per unit of cultivated area. However, due to the lower grain yields, the environmental benefits per kg of the final products are greatly reduced in the case of upland rice production and almost cancelled for organic rice. LCA has proved to be an effective tool for understanding the eco-profile of Italian rice and should be used for transparent and credible communication between suppliers and their customers.     

Towards greening a university campus: The case of the University of Maribor, Slovenia

The environmental performance of the University of Maribor (Engineering Campus) has been assessed on a life cycle basis. The following activities have been considered in the study: the use and operation of lecture theatres (construction and maintenance, heating, lighting and water consumption) and day-to-day consumption of sundries (paper and plastic bottles). The results indicate that the heating and construction of buildings are the ‘hot spots’ in the system, for most environmental impacts. Different waste management options for the plastic and paper, including recycling, incineration and landfill, have also been compared for environmental impacts and economic costs. The option combining 70% recycling, 29% incineration and 1% landfill has been found to be most economically and environmentally sustainable.     

潮汐循环影响下上覆水环境因子和氮营养盐的变化及其相关关系

潮汐循环对水体理化特征的短期影响是潮汐河口各种理化参数变化的一个重要原因。通过崇明东旺沙堤外低潮滩和东海农场低潮滩采样及环境因子分析，发现崇明东滩各环境因子之间（除浊度外）相关性较好，均呈宽 “U”型变化；东海农场各环境因子之间相关性较差，变化不一致，且盐度、电导率变化与崇明东滩变化相反；受潮汐循环影响，崇明东滩涨潮初期各形态氮有明显释放过程，而东海农场的近底层水体在涨潮初期NH4+ N急剧下降，NOX- N缓慢下降；无论是在崇明东滩还是在东海农场，营养盐浓度受环境因子的共同影响，整个潮汐循环过程中总无机氮（TIN）与盐度呈显著线性负相关，这与整个长江口近岸水体的营养盐负荷相一致，长江上游淡水带来的高负荷营养盐流经河口进入海洋。     

安全仪表系统的应用及发展

探讨安全仪表系统在过程工业中的必要性与重要性,以ISA/S84.01安全仪表系统生命周期为基本框架,介绍安全仪表系统的基本组成和生命周期各阶段的主要工作,阐述安全仪表系统与过程控制系统的异同。研究安全仪表系统设计过程中风险分析与安全完整性水平等的关键技术;总结了目前安全仪表系统所呈现出的新特点、新趋势;指出安全仪表系统未来发展的方向;同时认为安全仪表系统作为一种有效的安全保障措施,应当以风险与危害分析为基础,按照最低合理可行原则,根据对象的不同特点,确定适当的安全完整性水平。该应用研究成果对于安全仪表系统的设计与应用具有一定的指导意义。     

The joint use of LCA and emergy evaluation for the analysis of two Italian wine farms

The aim of this paper is to evaluate two agroindustrial productive processes in their entirety (one organic and one semi-industrial), focusing on the comparison of impacts derived from the inputs and outputs of the system (life cycle assessment, LCA), integrated with a physical evaluation of the resources and natural services, on a common basis (emergy). Methods based on the joint use of LCA and emergy evaluation are useful, as they measure the contribution of environmental services and products to the productive process thus focusing primarily on the environmental impact of emissions and non-renewable energy inputs. The complementarity of the methods used in this paper contributes important elements and information useful for the comprehension of the organization of agriculture within Siena's territory. The results show important elements and useful information: (1) for the comprehension of the two agroecosystems' organization; (2) for the use of the energy flows that determine their development. Moreover, the combined use of emergy and LCA gives a comparative thermodynamic performance evaluation between organic and semi-industrial farming.