The combination of concentrated solar power–chemical looping air separation (CSP-CLAS) with an oxy-fuel combustion process for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture is a novel system to generate electricity from solar power and biomass while being able to store solar power efficiently. In this study, the computer program Advanced System for Process Engineering Plus (ASPEN Plus) was used to develop models to assess the process performance of such a process with manganese (Mn)-based oxygen carriers on alumina (Al2O3) support for a location in the region of Seville in Spain, using real solar beam irradiance and electricity demand data. It was shown that the utilisation of olive tree prunings (Olea europaea) as the fuel—an agricultural residue produced locally—results in negative CO2 emissions (a net removal of CO2 from the atmosphere). Furthermore, it was found that the process with an annual average electricity output of 18 MW would utilise 2.43% of Andalusia’s olive tree prunings, thereby capturing 260.5 k-tonnes of CO2, annually. Drawbacks of the system are its relatively high complexity, a significant energy penalty in the CLAS process associated with the steam requirements for the loop-seal fluidisation, and the gas storage requirements. Nevertheless, the utilisation of agricultural residues is highly promising, and given the large quantities produced globally (~?4 billion tonnes/year), it is suggested that other novel processes tailored to these fuels should be investigated, under consideration of a future price on CO2 emissions, integration potential with a likely electricity grid system, and based on the local conditions and real data.
Anaerobic digestion of corn ethanol thin stillage was tested at thermophilic temperature (55 degrees C) with two completely stirred tank reactors. The thin stillage wastestream was organically concentrated with 100 g/L total chemical oxygen demand and 60 g/L volatiles solids and a low pH of approximately 4.0. Steady-state was achieved at 30-, 20-, and 15-day hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and digester failure at a 12-day HRT. Significant reduction of volatile solids was achieved, with a maximum reduction (89.8%) at the 20-day HRT. Methane yield ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 L methane/g volatile solids removed during steady-state operation. Effluent volatile fatty acids below 200 mg/L as acetic acid were achieved at 20- and 30-day HRTs. Ultrasonic pretreatment was used for one digester, although no significant improvement was observed. Ethanol plant natural gas consumption could be reduced 43 to 59% with the methane produced, while saving an estimated $7 to $17 million ($10 million likely) for a facility producing 360 million L ethanol/y. 相似文献
To ensure science better informs the decision-making process, researchers and policy/program managers need to understand and respect each other's way of working, culture and operational timelines. However, there is little practical guidance on how this should be done and even less documented experience with specific mechanisms that better link these two groups. The published literature on information transfer has largely emphasized the dissemination of standard packages of information to ill-defined constituencies whose needs for scientific information are not well understood. Environment Canada's National Water Research Institute, on behalf of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, led a series of “Linking Water Science to Policy Workshops” as one such mechanism by which recent science could be delivered to practitioners, and practitioners could identify their research needs to scientists and research managers. There is a pressing need to explore and share experiences using creative mechanisms for sustained dialogue and networking between scientists and policy and program managers. The lessons learned from the workshop series and the need for science to continually inform the decision-making process has particular relevance for Canada's Ecosystem Initiatives given their integrated, place-based focus on long-term restoration and protection, and the challenge of continually changing ecosystems.The Canadian Crown reserves the right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright. 相似文献
The communication of science to science users is evolving to an approach that translates knowledge to targeted audiences.
Under this evolution, knowledge brokers play an increasingly important role and users help ‘pull’ the required science to
meet a policy or management imperative. To do this effectively, more insight is required into the knowledge seeking behaviour
of science users and practitioners. The findings from a series of interviews that identify the science needs of Ontario’s
Conservation Authorities (CAs) are presented. Results indicate that emerging functions, such as source water protection and
integrated water resource planning, require more science input than mature functions. Senior CA officials view personal communication
with their knowledgeable staff as the most used, accessible, trustworthy, relevant, shared, and preferable source of science
information. While the internet and media were considered highly accessible, they were not viewed as trustworthy. We found
no relationship between CA size and science use. Further research is needed to identify where junior and intermediate CA staff
obtain their science knowledge from and whether this varies as a function of CA size. Our findings will be of interest to
both policy/program communities and science providers. 相似文献
Plutonium associated with higher molecular weight molecules is presumed to be poorly mobile and hardly plant available. In our present study, we investigate the uptake and effects of Pu treatments on Solanum tuberosum plants in amended Hoagland medium at concentrations of [242Pu] = 100 and 500 nm, respectively. We found a direct proof of oxidative stress in the plants caused by these rather low concentrations. For the confirmation of oxidative stress, we explored the production of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by epifluorescence microscopy. Oxidative stress markers like lipid peroxidation and superoxide radicals (O2??) are monitored through histochemical analysis. The biochemical parameters i.e. chlorophyll and carotenoids are measured as an indicator of cellular damage in the tested plants including the enzymatic parameters such as catalase and glutathione reductase. From our work, we conclude that Pu in low concentration has no significant effects on the uptake of many trace and macroelements. In contrast, the content of O2??, malondialdehyde (MDA), and H2O2 increases with increasing Pu concentration in the solution, while the opposite effects was found for NO, catalase, and glutathione reductase. These findings prove that even low concentration of Pu regulates ROS production and generate oxidative stress in S. tuberosum L. 相似文献
The relationships between soils attributes, soil carbon stocks and vegetation carbon stocks are poorly know in Amazonia, even
at regional scale. In this paper, we used the large and reliable soil database from Western Amazonia obtained from the RADAMBRASIL
project and recent estimates of vegetation biomass to investigate some environmental relationships, quantifying C stocks of
intact ecosystem in Western Amazonia. The results allowed separating the western Amazonia into 6 sectors, called pedo-zones:
Roraima, Rio Negro Basin, Tertiary Plateaux of the Amazon, Javari-Juruá-Purus lowland, Acre Basin and Rondonia uplands. The
highest C stock for the whole soil is observed in the Acre and in the Rio Negro sectors. In the former, this is due to the
high nutrient status and high clay activity, whereas in the latter, it is attributed to a downward carbon movement attributed
to widespread podzolization and arenization, forming spodic horizons. The youthful nature of shallow soils of the Javari-Juruá-Purus
lowlands, associated with high Al, results in a high phytomass C/soil C ratio. A similar trend was observed for the shallow
soils from the Roraima and Rondonia highlands. A consistent east–west decline in biomass carbon in the Rio Negro Basin sector
is associated with increasing rainfall and higher sand amounts. It is related to lesser C protection and greater C loss of
sandy soils, subjected to active chemical leaching and widespread podzolization. Also, these soils possess lower cation exchangeable
capacity and lower water retention capacity. Zones where deeply weathered Latosols dominate have a overall pattern of high
C sequestration, and greater than the shallower soils from the upper Amazon, west of Madeira and Negro rivers. This was attributed
to deeper incorporation of carbon in these clayey and highly pedo-bioturbated soils. The results highlight the urgent need
for refining soil data at an appropriate scale for C stocks calculations purposes in Amazonia. There is a risk of misinterpreting
C stocks in Amazonia when such great pedological variability is not taken into account. 相似文献
Steroid oestrogens (SE) are released by humans and animals into the environment. In the Mekong Delta animal excrement is directly discharged into surface water and can pollute the water. Only a few animal production sites are currently treating the excrement in either biogas plants or vermicomposting systems. The concentration of SE in manures from pigs and cattle was monitored in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Fresh cow faeces had an oestrogen concentration of 3.3 ng E2 eq/g dry weight. The SE concentration in effluent from biogas plants fed with animal manures was 341 ng E2 eq/L. Most of the SE were in the solid phase (77.9–98.7%). Vermicomposting reduced SE to 95% of the original input. 相似文献