Theoretical study of a thermoelectric-assisted vapor compression cycle for air-source heat pump applications

This paper proposes a thermoelectric-assisted vapor compression cycle (TVCC) for applications in air-source heat pump systems which could enhance the heating capacity of the system. Performances of TVCC are calculated and then compared with that of basic vapor compression cycle (BVCC). The simulation results show that when coefficients of performance (COPs) of the two cycles are almost equal, the TVCC under maximum COP condition of the thermoelectric modules still performs better than BVCC by 13.0% in heating capacity through selecting the appropriate intermediate temperature. In addition, the TVCC can also achieve an improvement of 16.4%–21.7% in both the heating COP and capacity when compared with the BVCC with an assistant electric heater that is provided with the equivalent power input of thermoelectric heat exchanger. Thus, the TVCC could be beneficial to the applications in small heat pumps if there is always need for auxiliary electric heat.     

增效过磷酸钙的增效机制及其对玉米生长的影响

利用猪毛、风化煤和腐植酸钠的水解液为增效剂制备了一种增效过磷酸钙,探讨了增效过磷酸钙的增效机制及其对玉米生长的影响。结果表明,蒸馏水浸提条件下,增效过磷酸钙能减缓水溶磷的释放,具备较高的pH值缓冲性。与普通过磷酸钙相比,增效过磷酸钙处理的玉米生物量平均增加了41.9%,吸磷量和吸钙量分别增加了61.7%和27.8%,根系活力增加了24.3%。该研究结果对过磷酸钙生产的技术改进具有指导意义。     

An approach to measure infill matric suction of irregular infilled rock joints under constant normal stiffness shearing

Rock joints infilled with sediments can strongly influence the strength of rock mass. As infilled joints often exist under unsaturated condition, this study investigated the influence of matric suction of infill on the overall joint shear strength. A novel technique that allows direct measurement of matric suction of infill using high capacity tensiometers (HCTs) during direct shear of infilled joints under constant normal stiffness (CNS) is described. The CNS apparatus was modified to accommodate the HCT and the procedure is explained in detail. Joint specimens were simulated by gypsum plaster using three-dimensional (3D) printed surface moulds, and filled with kaolin and sand mixture prepared at different water contents. Shear behaviours of both planar infilled joints and rough joints having joint roughness coefficients (JRCs) of 8–10 and 18–20 with the ratios of infill thickness to asperity height (t/a) equal to 0.5 were investigated. Matric suction shows predominantly unimodal behaviour during shearing of both planar and rough joints, which is closely associated with the variation of unloading rate and volumetric changes of the infill material. As expected, two-peak behaviour was observed for the rough joints and both peaks increased with the increase of infill matric suction. The results suggest that the contribution of matric suction of infill on the joint peak normalised shear stress is relatively independent of the joint roughness.     

园区多能互补供能系统设计方法研究

为提高园区多能互补工程的能源综合利用效率及整体效益，对供能系统设计中的负荷统计、逐时负荷匹配、供能系统、设备选型、容量配置及运行策略等问题进行了分析和总结，提出园区多能互补供能系统设计的基本流程与方法，可为园区多能互补供能系统的设计提供参考。     

Study on the hydrogen storage properties of a TiZrNbTa high entropy alloy

High-entropy alloys (HEAs), as a new class of metallic materials, have received more and more attention due to its excellent mechanical properties. In this study, the hydrogen absorption properties, such as hydrogen absorption capacity, thermodynamics, kinetics and cyclic properties, as well as the hydride structure of a newly designed TiZrNbTa HEA were investigated. The results showed that multiple hydrides including ε-ZrH₂, ε-TiH₂ and β-(Nb,Ta)H were found in the TiZrNbTa HEA after hydrogenation. With the increase of temperature from 293 K to 493 K, the maximum hydrogen absorption capacity decreased from 1.67 wt% to 1.25 wt% and the plateau pressure related with β-(Nb,Ta)H hydrides increased from 1.6 kPa to 14.8 kPa. The formation enthalpy of β-(Nb,Ta)H hydride was determined to be −6.4 kJ/mol, which was less stable than that of NbH and TaH hydrides. The results also showed that the TiZrNbTa HEA exhibited a rapid hydrogen absorption kinetic even at the room temperature with a short incubation time, and the hydrogen absorption mechanism was determined to be the nucleation and growth mechanism. Moreover, the hydrogen absorption capacity at 293 K decreased slowly with the cycle numbers, and remained 86% capacity after 10 cycles. Cracking occurred after hydrogen absorption and became worse with cycles.     

Physicochemical characteristics,antioxidant capacity and thermodynamic properties of purple-fleshed potatos dried by radio frequency energy

Abstract

The impacts of using radio frequency (RF) energy to dry purple-fleshed potatoes were investigated and compared to infrared radiation (IR) and microwave (MW) drying techniques. The gelatinization rate, color, flavor, morphological, and structural characteristics, thermodynamic properties, as well as antioxidant capacity were examined. The results indicated that the drying time of RF (70?min) and MW (21?min) were shorter than IR (105?min). The gelatinization ratio of MW, RF, and IR were 94.4?±?2.0, 88.3?±?1.4, and 64.5?±?1.1%, respectively. The degree of crystallization of purple-fleshed potato powder decreased with all three drying methods. RF-dried potatoes were able to retain higher polyphenols (loss rate: 4.3%), total anthocyanin (3.7%), and total flavonoid content (35.1%), whereas IR showed the lowest retention. The content of polyphenols also decreased significantly. Furthermore, after RF heating, the scavenging of free radicals was higher compared to MW and IR.     

Changes in phenolics,soluble solids,vitamin C,and antioxidant capacity of various cultivars of hardy kiwifruits during cold storage

Food Science and Biotechnology - Hardy kiwifruits (Actinidia arguta) contain various bioactive compounds such as vitamin C and phenolics and can withstand cold temperatures. Changes in soluble...     

How to accelerate green technology diffusion? Directed technological change in the presence of coevolving absorptive capacity

The time window for effective climate change mitigation is closing. Technological change needs to be accelerated to limit global warming to a manageable level. Path dependence of technological change is one explanation for sluggish diffusion of green technologies. Firms acquire capital that differs by technology type and build up type-specific technological know-how needed to use capital efficiently. Path dependence emerges from cumulative knowledge stocks manifested in the productivity of supplied capital and firms’ capabilities. Increasing returns arise from induced innovation feedbacks and learning by doing. Relatively lower endowments with technological knowledge are a barrier to diffusion for new technologies. This paper shows how the evolution of relative stocks of technological knowledge explains different shapes of diffusion curves. Using an eco-technology extension of the macroeconomic agent-based model Eurace@unibi, it is shown how the effectiveness of different climate policies depends on the type and strength of diffusion barriers. Environmental taxes can outweigh lower productivity and subsidies perform better if lacking capabilities hinder firms to adopt a sufficiently mature technology.     

不同煤阶煤孔隙特征及其吸附能力响应

我国是煤炭资源大国，煤层气储量规模相当可观，但煤储层又具有低孔、低渗的不足，照搬国外或常规石油天然气的开采程序和方法已被证实是走不通的。应结合实际，根据不同地质条件、不同煤阶的开采程序，进行孔隙特征研究。煤孔隙特征、连通性和吸附能力对煤层气开采影响尤为重要，为研究煤孔隙结构特征随煤变质程度的变化关系及其吸附能力的响应特点，采取不同地区不同变质程度煤样，进行压汞测试和等温吸附实验。实验结果表明，煤孔隙度和平均孔径均随变质程度增加呈现降低—升高—降低的趋势；煤中孔隙连通性随煤变质程度增加逐渐变差；随煤变质程度增加，其最大吸附能力也呈现降低—升高—降低的总体趋势。