Sedimentology models from activity concentration measurements: application to the “Bay of Cadiz” Natural Park (SW Spain)

A previous study on seabed sediments of the Bay of Cadiz (SW of Spain) enabled us to identify several relations between sedimentological variables and activity concentrations of environmental radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K. In this paper the study has been extended to a large neighbouring inter-tidal area in order to establish if the above mentioned models can be generalized. As a result we have determined that the measured activity concentrations are closely to the values predicted by the theoretical models (correlation coefficient range = 0.85–0.93).     

Assessment of grate sag inlets in a residential area based on return period and clogging factor

Storm in-sag inlets, which typically have inflow capture efficiency of 100%, can violate the allowable water spread criterion of roadways, thus slowing the traffic movement and contributing to accidents. This is especially evident during severe storms of high return periods and when a storm sewer inlet of grate type is adopted, because it is subject to debris and trash clogging factors. In this study, the water spread on pavement for in-sag grates located in a residential area in Kuwait is analyzed in terms of return period and clogging factor. It is found that for a single grate inlet with a return period of 10 years, a clogging factor of 50% can lead to a water spread value exceeding the local design constraint assigned for residential areas, which is one traffic lane of 4m width. It is also shown that for in-sag locations, a double-grate inlet is more preferable than the single one, because the former tends to reduce the adverse hydraulic effect of total inflow on water spread width. The effect of clogging factor on a multiple-grate inlet located in sag is determined from a simple expression suggested in this study.     

海绵型雨水口初期雨水截污能力优化研究

选用装配式选配截污型雨水口,以土工布、不锈钢筛网和5种不同填料作为过滤模块,配置人工模拟雨水用于试验,研究其在不同截污装置下对初期雨水中悬浮物（SS）、化学需氧量（COD）、氨氮（NH₄ ⁺-N）、总氮（TN）和总磷（TP）等污染物的去除效果,测试其对初期雨水径流污染的削减能力,并综合评价其在实际工程运用中的可行性与经济性。结果表明：在土工布、不锈钢筛网过滤模块中,土工布对SS有较好的去除效果,不锈钢筛网则需将孔径降至0.074 mm时才对SS有较明显的去除效果,但二者对COD、NH₄ ⁺-N、TN和TP的去除效果均较差;以高炉灰焦粒、活化沸石、椰壳生物炭、陶粒、活性炭作为滤料的5种过滤模块均能有效提高初期雨水中COD、NH₄ ⁺-N、TN和TP的去除效果;其中陶粒在达到理想的脱氮除磷效果的同时,也可实现较好的SS和COD去除效果,使用年限与其他过滤模块相差不大,且售价（5~13元/kg）略低于其他过滤模块。

     

Ecological Feasibility Studies in Restoration Decision Making

The restoration of degraded systems is essential for maintaining the provision of valuable ecosystem services, including the maintenance of aesthetic values. However, restoration projects often fail to reach desired goals for a variety of ecologic, financial, and social reasons. Feasibility studies that evaluate whether a restoration effort should even be attempted can enhance restoration success by highlighting potential pitfalls and gaps in knowledge before the design phase of a restoration. Feasibility studies also can bring stakeholders together before a restoration project is designed to discuss potential disagreements. For these reasons, a feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of restoring a tidal freshwater marsh in the Potomac River near Alexandria, Virginia. The study focused on science rather than engineering questions, and thus differed in approach from other feasibility studies that are mostly engineering driven. The authors report the framework they used to conduct a feasibility study to inform other potential restoration projects with similar goals. The seven steps of the framework encompass (1) initiation of a feasibility study, (2) compilation of existing data, (3) collection of current site information, (4) examination of case studies, (5) synthesis of information in a handbook, (6) meeting with selected stakeholders, and (7) evaluation of meeting outcomes. By conducting a feasibility study using the seven-step framework, the authors set the stage for conducting future compliance studies and enhancing the chance of a successful restoration.     

Worldwide Tidal Current Energy Developments and Opportunities for Canada's Pacific Coast

Recent rapid advances of tidal current energy extraction (TCEE) technologies and resource analyses suggest in excess of 20,000 GWh/annum of electricity may be realistically exploitable in the near term off Canada's West Coast. Moreover, because tidal currents have a semi-diurnal (or, in some locations, diurnal) periodicity, and can be predicted and quantified on a spatial and temporal basis, this resource confers a distinct advantage over most other renewables, and, therefore, may achieve supply security.

In this study, TCEE technologies are assessed on the basis of energy delivered, environmental intrusion and economic viability. As such, relevant issues including resource characteristics, site selection, conversion efficiencies, capacity factors, power densities, hydrodynamic feedbacks, and grid integration are addressed.     

Just Add Water and the Colorado River Still Reaches the Sea

A recent article in Environmental Management by All argued that flood flows in North America’s Colorado River do not reach the Gulf of California because they are captured and evaporated in Laguna Salada, a below sea-level lakebed near the mouth of the river. We refute this hypothesis by showing that (1) due to its limited area, the Laguna Salada could have evaporated less than 10% of the flood flows that have occurred since 1989; (2) low flow volumes preferentially flow to the Gulf rather than Laguna Salada; (3) All’s method for detecting water surface area in the Laguna Salada appears to be flawed because Landsat Thematic Mapper images of the lakebed show it to be dry when All’s analyses said it was flooded; (4) direct measurements of salinity at the mouth of the river and in the Upper Gulf of California during flood flows in 1993 and 1998 confirm that flood waters reach the sea; and (5) stable oxygen isotope signatures in clam shells and fish otoliths recorded the dilution of seawater with fresh water during the 1993 and 1998 flows. Furthermore, All’s conclusion that freshwater flows do not benefit the ecology of the marine zone is incorrect because the peer-reviewed literature shows that postlarval larval shrimp populations increase during floods, and the subsequent year’s shrimp harvest increases. Furthermore, freshwater flows increase the nursery area for Gulf corvina (Cynoscion othonopterus), an important commercial fish that requires estuarine habitats with salinities in the range of 26–38‰ during its natal stages. Although flood flows are now much diminished compared to the pre-dam era, they are still important to the remnant wetland and riparian habitats of the Colorado River delta and to organisms in the intertidal and marine zone. Only a small fraction of the flood flows are evaporated in Laguna Salada.     

燃煤电厂袋式除尘器入口烟道烟气温度偏差调整

应用计算流体力学（CFD）方法对某燃煤电厂袋式除尘器入口烟道烟气流场进行了三维数值模拟研究,分析了导致除尘器入口烟道烟气温度偏差的原因,主要是由于回转式空气预热器的工作原理所致。为此,提出了减小除尘器入口烟道烟气温度偏差的方向及措施,为燃煤电厂除尘器入口烟道的改造、设计提供参考。     

燃机进气冷却技术探讨

燃机进气冷却技术是一种提高燃机发电机组在高温环境下出力的关键技术,研究、实践燃机进气冷却技术具有重要意义.探讨了大气温度影响燃机出力、效率的机理,介绍了燃机进气冷却应用的发展过程,并分析对比了燃机进气冷却的主要方式及主要优缺点,可对燃机进气冷却技术的工程应用提供参考.     

装置进气口宽度对不同尺寸油盘火旋风燃烧特性影响的研究

为探究进气口宽度对火旋风燃烧特性的影响,利用自然驱动的四面边墙夹缝式装置对不同进气口宽度使用１５０,２００,２５０ mm 3种直径进行实验研究。由燃料质量随时间变化曲线得出准稳态阶段火旋风的质量燃烧速率;利用摄像机记录火焰的连续图像并获得火焰高度。结果表明:针对实验室小型火旋风（150~250 mm）,在进气口宽度为35 mm左右时,火旋风的燃烧速率最大,即火旋风的燃烧强度存在1个最佳的进气口宽度;当火焰高度达到最高时,环量也存在1个临界值。