A process integration approach to industrial water conservation: a case study for a Chinese steel plant

A systematic approach to optimizing water network has traditionally been utilized to exam and plan water conservation in industrial processes. In the present case study, water-pinch technology was used to analyze and optimize the water network of a steel plant near China's Zhangjiakou city. A system design was developed and a limiting constraint (Cl(-) concentration) was identified based on investigations of water quality then the minimum freshwater and wastewater targets were determined without considering water losses. The analysis was then extended by calculating the additional input of freshwater required to balance the actual water losses. A nearest-neighbor algorithm (NNA) was used to distribute the freshwater and recycled water among each of the plant's operations. The results showed that with some reconstruction of the water network, the flow rates of freshwater and wastewater could be decreased by 57.5% and 81.9%, respectively.     

水环境监测信息集成、共享与决策支持平台构建

以水环境监测数据可靠传输交换与集成、信息规范化处理分析、高效共享与决策支持为应用主线,对水环境监测信息集成、共享与决策支持平台的建设目标、总体架构、主要功能进行了研究,设计了平台的总体架构及主要功能,以实现涉水部门水环境信息的采集、传输、交换、存储、分析、发布、共享、展现等,为环境管理与决策人员、为公众、为各级(国家级流域级省级地市级县级)环境监测业务人员提供信息支撑。     

Bioconcentration and half-life of quinalphos pesticide in rice-fish integration system in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam

In order to determine the distribution and enable the elimination of quinalphos, a popular active pesticide compound used in the Mekong Delta, an experiment was set up in a rice-fish integration system in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Fish was stocked into the field when the rice was two-months old. Quinalphos was applied twice in doses of 42.5 g per 1000 m². Water, fish and sediment samples were collected at time intervals and analyzed by a Gas Chromatography Electron Capture Detector system. The results show that quinalphos residues in fish muscles were much higher than those of the water and the bioconcentration factor (logBCF) was above 2 for the fish. The half-life of first and second quinalphos applications were 12.2 and 11.1 days for sediment, 2.5 and 1.1 days for silver barb, 1.9 and 1.3 days for common carp, and 1.1 and 1.0 days for water, respectively.     

Formalising informal solid waste recycling at the Pomona dumpsite in Harare,Zimbabwe

The role of informal recycling in poverty alleviation and solid waste management in cities in developing countries has been receiving increased attention. This study explores the integration of the informal recycling sector with the Harare City Council's solid waste management system, focusing on the Pomona dumpsite. The extent of this integration was compared with interventions proposed in InteRa, a new way of evaluating the integration of informal recyclers with the waste management systems of cities in developing countries. Our results suggest that the Harare City Council, which had the vision of transforming itself into a world‐class city, failed to fully integrate the informal recycling sector. We suggest to policymakers that complete integration of the informal sector will not necessarily prevent cities from achieving such visions. Rather, addressing the neglected interventions may help in achieving their visions.     

Future implications of urban intensification on residential water demand

Over recent decades Auckland, New Zealand, metropolitan area has vastly expanded as a result of rapid population growth and low-density housing developments. In order to manage the uncontrolled low-density urban sprawl, Auckland Council proposed a compact city model through promoting higher density housing developments. In order to understand the implications of this transition on future residential water demand, this study first evaluated water consumption in three major housing types in Auckland including single houses, low-rise and high-rise apartments. Using the geographic information system, the water consumption information, estimated from a large sample of 60,000 dwellings across Auckland, was subsequently integrated with the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan outlining the future housing composition over different areas in Auckland. Through developing different growth scenarios, the study showed that the housing transition from single houses to more intensified multi-unit houses cannot considerably affect the average per capita water consumption in Auckland.     

反应沉淀一体式矩形环流反应器处理城市污水的影响因素研究

通过中试研究了不同溶解氧浓度、有机负荷、HRT条件下,反应沉淀一体式矩形环流反应器(RPIR)对深圳市南山污水处理厂低C/N城市污水的处理效果。结果表明,在控制溶解氧浓度为1 mg/L、COD容积负荷小于2.5 kg/m3.d、NH4+-N容积负荷不超过0.2 kg/(m3.d)、HRT为4 h时,COD平均去除率可达90%,NH4+-N平均去除率超过80%。RPIR在处理该城市污水过程中具有良好的抗冲击负荷能力,污染物去除效率高,运行稳定。     

京津地区区域一体化程度分析

20世纪50年代以来,全球化背景下世界各国间经济依存度加强,与之相伴生的区域集团化趋势日益显著。北京和天津作为京津冀地区经济实力最强的两个城市,两市的一体化程度研究可以在一定程度反映京津冀一体化的程度,也能对规划京津冀发展提供依据。本文从对区域经济一体化的概念和发展过程的讨论出发,并以京津地区为研究对象,从市场一体化、产业一体化和空间一体化三个方面探讨其一体化整合程度。采用"价格法",利用两市的商品零售价格指数对相对平均价格方差进行分析,得出市场较早具备了一体化的优势条件,近年来发展却不大;分析工业和第三产业各行业的区位商,了解到产业互补潜力尚未充分发挥;同时以京津冀地区的城市分布情况为研究对象,根据费里德曼空间结构的演变阶段理论将其空间一体化程度划分为初级阶段。未来通过政策引导、合理布局和整体规划,京津一体化的发展将成为区域经济发展的主要推动力之一。     

面向突发性水污染事件的三维可视化系统

针对突发性水污染事件的突发性、复杂性与潜在的次生衍生危害等特点,设计并开发了面向突发性水污染事件的三维可视化系统。对建设三维可视化系统的需求进行了分析,提出了系统的四层体系结构,基于三维地理信息系统World Wind组件,采用三维可视化环境建模、海量数据缓存机制以及基础地理信息集成等信息技术,开发了系统的基本应用与高级应用,将系统应用到2005年发生在松花江流域的突发性水污染事件中。实例表明:所设计的三维可视化系统具有集成性、可扩展性和较好三维表现力等特点,支持海量数据与复杂应用的集成与三维展示,为突发性水污染事件的空间模拟和决策支持提供支撑。     

A database for integrated assessment of European agricultural systems

A major bottleneck for data-based policy making is that data sources are collected, managed, and distributed by different institutions, residing in different locations, resulting in conceptual and practical problems. The use of dispersed data for agricultural systems research requires the integration of data sources, which means to ensure consistency in data interpretations, units, spatial and temporal scales, to respect legal regulations of privacy, ownership and copyright, and to enable easy dissemination of data. This paper describes the SEAMLESS integrated database on European agricultural systems. It contains data on cropping patterns, production, farm structural data, soil and climate conditions, current agricultural management and policy information. To arrive at one integrated database, a shared ontology was developed according to a collaborative process, which facilitates interdisciplinary research. The paper details this process, which can be re-used in other research projects for integrating data sources.     

Water Network Synthesis Using Mutation-Enhanced Particle Swarm Optimization

Different techniques for the synthesis of industrial water reuse/recycle networks have been developed in recent process integration research. These tools range from graphical pinch analysis approaches to mathematical programming models. The latter have the advantage of being flexible enough to incorporate various water network constraints, but in many cases these are often non-linear, thus making the identification of global optima difficult. Recent work has demonstrated the effectiveness of metaheuristic algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), for finding good solutions these problems. This work describes the use of a modified PSO for solving mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) models for water network synthesis. By incorporating a mutation operator for the binary variables in the model, the algorithm is able to escape sub-optimal network topologies and proceed towards better solutions than can be found with ordinary PSO. Two case studies involving water recycle/reuse are used to demonstrate the new design methodology.