Evaluation of a sulfidogenic system fed with microalgal biomass of Chlorella pyrenoidosa as an electron donor: Sulfate reduction kinetics

In this study, a sulfidogenic reactor fed with microalgal biomass of Chlorella pyrenoidosa as an electron donor was operated in a continuous mode. This study evaluated the influence of various initial sulfate concentration from 1.0 to 2.5 g/L on anaerobic sulfate reduction kinetics by a sulfidogenic enrichment culture predominantly Desulfovibrio sp. VSV2. It was observed that volumetric sulfate reduction rate (VSRR) was consistently increasing with an increase in volumetric sulfate loading rate (VSLR) across the retention time of 7–10 days. For a retention time of 7 days, the maximum VSRR was noted as 0.0050 g/(L.h) with a corresponding VSLR of 0.0089 g/(L.h). When retention time was maintained for 10 days, a maximum sulfate reduction of 65% and a maximum bacterial concentration of 1.632 g/L were achieved for an initial sulfate concentration of 1.5 g/L. It was concluded that VSLR facilitated through both dilution rate and initial sulfate concentration had a significant influence over sulfate reduction kinetics. The results of the study suggested that the microalgal-fed sulfidogenic system could be effectively employed for reduction of sulfate from sulfate-rich wastewater.     

Influence of density on the post-suffusion behavior of gap-graded sand with fines

Suffusion erosion, characterized as the selective detachment and transportation of finer particles by seepage flow, is hazardous to the stability and serviceability of geotechnical structures. The removal of finer particles deteriorates the structure and fabric of the soil, leading to the degradation of its mechanical properties. Studies into the effects of suffusion on mechanical behavior have so far produced disparate results depending on the pre-erosion relative density of the specimens tested. To investigate this issue, small cyclic and monotonic loading tests were performed on intact and eroded gap-graded silty sand specimens in three dispersed density states, using a triaxial cell modified for the purpose of erosion. The variation of Young's modulus showed an inverse relationship with the pre-erosion density of the specimen, as the small strain stiffness decreased in the dense cases and increased in the loose cases. Conversely, Poisson's ratio increased in value as suffusion progressed regardless of the initial density of the specimens. In the contractive phase of monotonic loading, the densification of the coarse soil skeleton by the downward seepage flow resulted in a decrease in contractiveness and an increase in secant stiffness. In the dilative phase, the increase in porosity by the erosion of finer particles reduced the dilatancy and peak strength of the specimens. The results suggest that the pre-suffusion density determines the primary locus of affected mechanical behavior in triaxial compression, which shifts from the contractive phase to the dilative phase with the increase in pre-suffusion density. The critical state strength, inferred using stress–dilatancy theory, was largely unaffected by the erosion of finer particles. As the results indicate, pre-erosion density may be of practical significance in assessing the vulnerability to deterioration and collapse of geotechnical formations and structures subjected to suffusion erosion.     

Post-erosion mechanical responses of internally unstable gap-graded soil under drained torsional simple shear and triaxial compression

Internal erosion is a major threat to hydraulic earth structures, such as river levees and dams. This paper focuses on suffusion and suffosion phenomena which are caused by the movement of fine particles in the granular skeleton due to seepage flow. The present study investigates the impact of internal erosion on the dynamic response under cyclic torsional shear and monotonic responses under triaxial compression and torsional simple shear. A series of experiments, using a gap-graded silica mixture with a fines content of 20%, is performed under loose, medium, and dense conditions using a novel erosion hollow cylindrical torsional shear apparatus. The erosion test results indicate that the critical hydraulic gradient and the rate of erosion are density-dependent, where a transition from suffosion to suffusion is observed as the seepage continues. Regardless of the sample density, variations in the radial strain and particle size distribution, along the specimen height after erosion, are no longer uniform. Furthermore, the dynamic shearing results show that the small-strain shear modulus increases, but the initial damping ratio decreases after internal erosion, probably due to the removal of free fines. In addition, the elastic threshold strain and reference shear strain values are found to be higher for the eroded and non-eroded specimens, respectively. Finally, based on drained monotonic loading, the post-erosion peak stress ratio increases remarkably under triaxial compression, while that under torsional simple shear depends on the relative density where the direction of loading is normal to the direction of seepage. These observations indicate that the horizontal bedding plane becomes weaker, while the vertical one becomes stronger after downward erosion.     

Microscopic Methods for Identification of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria from Various Habitats

This paper is devoted to microscopic methods for the identification of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In this context, it describes various habitats, morphology and techniques used for the detection and identification of this very heterogeneous group of anaerobic microorganisms. SRB are present in almost every habitat on Earth, including freshwater and marine water, soils, sediments or animals. In the oil, water and gas industries, they can cause considerable economic losses due to their hydrogen sulfide production; in periodontal lesions and the colon of humans, they can cause health complications. Although the role of these bacteria in inflammatory bowel diseases is not entirely known yet, their presence is increased in patients and produced hydrogen sulfide has a cytotoxic effect. For these reasons, methods for the detection of these microorganisms were described. Apart from selected molecular techniques, including metagenomics, fluorescence microscopy was one of the applied methods. Especially fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in various modifications was described. This method enables visual identification of SRB, determining their abundance and spatial distribution in environmental biofilms and gut samples.     

Leading edge erosion of wind turbines: Effect of solid airborne particles and rain on operational wind farms

Leading edge erosion (LEE) affects almost all wind turbines, reducing their annual energy production and lifetime profitability. This study presents results of an investigation into 18 operational wind farms to assess the validity of the current literature consensus surrounding LEE. Much of the historical research focuses on rain erosion, implying that this is the predominant causal factor. However, this study showed that the impact of excessive airborne particles from seawater aerosols or from adverse local environments such as nearby quarries greatly increases the levels of LEE. Current testing of leading edge protection coatings or tapes is based on a rain erosion resistivity test, which does little to prove its ability to withstand solid particle erosion and may drive coating design in the wrong direction. Furthermore, it was shown that there is little correlation between test results and actual field performance. A method of monitoring the expected level of erosion on an operational wind turbine due to rain erosion is also presented. Finally, the energy losses associated with LEE on an operational wind farm are examined, with the average annual energy production dropping by 1.8% due to medium levels of erosion, with the worst affected turbine experiencing losses of 4.9%.     

多泥沙河流水电站水轮机转轮内部流动数值模拟

针对多泥沙水电站水轮机转轮的泥沙磨损问题,以HLA351-LJ-275水轮机为模型,对水轮机在设计工况下,运用N-S方程和标准κ-ε湍流模型,利用CFX求解器进行仿真流动模拟。水轮机转轮进口沿叶高20%、50%、80%流面的压力、泥沙速度及泥沙体积分数分布的数值结果表明,水轮机转轮叶片工作面压力大于背面且最小压力高于气化压力。泥沙速度在叶片进水边和出水口位置普遍较高。水轮机转轮叶片工作面的泥沙体积分数大于背面,叶片工作面的泥沙体积分数在叶片出水口普遍较高,叶片背面的泥沙体积分数在叶片进水边普遍较高。研究结果对多泥沙河流水轮机转轮叶片的泥沙磨损评估及维修具有指导意义。     

伞帽用高铬铸铁在热强碱腐蚀环境下的磨损分析

针对氧化铝行业中常用的Cr28和Cr20高铬铸铁伞帽在相同工况条件下的磨损机理进行分析,并对比研究了实际生产中两种失效材料的成分、组织及性能。结果表明,伞帽部件在高温强碱腐蚀条件下受到外界冲刷时,磨损量由微切削磨损与变形磨损这两种机制共同决定。含铬量较高的Cr28高铬铸铁,其冲刷和抗腐蚀磨损性能均优于Cr20高铬铸铁。伞帽服役寿命主要受浆料和表层的铸铁材料两大因素影响。两种试验材料经淬火+回火处理后,基体组织中主要为回火马氏体+M₇C₃型碳化物+少量残留奥氏体,其中含铬量较高的Cr28高铬铸铁中共晶碳化物含量更高,且分布更加弥散,其平均硬度值为64.0 HRC,高于Cr20高铬铸铁的60.2 HRC。最终确定Cr28高铬铸铁作为伞帽材质更能满足氧化铝生产及设备检修周期的需要。     

镓锗铜萃余液综合利用研究与应用

本文针对镓锗铜综合回收系统产出的萃余液,设计通过中和氧化除杂、锌粉置换除铜镉、有机试剂除钴镍、纯碱法生产碱式碳酸锌、高温煅烧生产活性氧化锌和一步法生产元明粉的生产工艺流程,有效的将镓锗铜萃余液分类分离富集,产出具有价值的富集渣和工业产品,进一步提升综合回收经济效益。     

Remediation of oil spill polluted water from Niger Delta Nigeria by sorption onto ammonium sulfate modified Dialium guineense seed husk

The abstraction of crude oil molecules from aqueous solution (produced water) and from real petroleum polluted water (collected from River State, Nigeria) by Dialium guineense Seed Husk (DGSH) and its ammonium sulfate functionalized form (AS-DGSH) was studied using a batch technique. The sorbents were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), BET surface area analysis and the Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crude oil characterization revealed a light crude oil based on the API gravity of 35.6⁰. The Langmuir and Freundlich models gave good fits for crude oil sorption on DGSH and AS-DGSH respectively. The sorbents were found to remove over 50% of crude oil from the real polluted water at the natural pH of 6.1 and showed increase in removal with increase in sorbent dose. The potential of DGSH and its ammonium sulfate modified derivative as effective low cost sorbents for oil spill treatment was established.