A modified Kozeny–Carman equation for predicting saturated hydraulic conductivity of compacted bentonite in confined condition

Kozeny–Carman (KC) equation is a well-known relation between hydraulic conductivity and pore properties in porous material. The applications of KC equation to predicting saturated hydraulic conductivities of sands and non-expansive soils are well documented. However, KC equation is incapable of predicting saturated hydraulic conductivity of expansive soil (e.g. bentonite) well. Based on a new dual-pore system, this study modified KC equation for improving the prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivities of bentonites. In this study, an assumption that inter-layer space (micropore) has limited effect on fluid flow performance of compacted bentonite was adopted. The critical parameters including total porosity and total tortuosity in conventional KC equation were replaced by macroporosity and tortuosity of macropore, respectively. Macroporosity and microporosity were calculated by basal spacing of compacted bentonite, which was estimated by assuming that specific surface area is changeable during saturation process. A comprehensive comparison of bentonite's saturated hydraulic conductivity predictions, including modified KC equation proposed in this study, conventional KC equation, and prediction method based on diffuse double layer (DDL) theory, was carried out. It was found that the predicted saturated hydraulic conductivity of bentonites calculated using modified KC equation fitted the experimental data better than others to a certain extent.     

Experimental study on the permeability and self-healing capacity of geosynthetic clay liners in heavy metal solutions

Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), which have a very low permeability to water and a considerably high self-healing capacity, are widely used in liner systems of landfills. In this study, a series of experimental tests were carried out under complex conditions on typical commercial GCLs from China. In particular, the effects of pH values and lead ions (Pb²⁺) were tested in addition to other factors. The swelling properties of natural bentonite encapsulated between geotextile components in the GCLs were tested first. The swelling capacity was reduced rapidly at pH values < 3 and concentrations of Pb²⁺ >40 mM. Permeability tests on GCLs with different concentrations of lead ions were then performed by using the self-developed multi-link flexible wall permeameter, and data showed that increases in lead ion concentrations greatly improved the permeability. Finally, self-healing capacity tests were conducted on needle-punched GCLs under different levels of damage. Results showed that the GCLs have a good self-healing capacity with small diameter damage holes (2 mm, close to three times the original aperture), but with a damage aperture larger than 15% of the sample area, the self-healing capacity could not prevent leakage; hence, in certain situations it will be necessary to repair the damage to meet the anti-seepage requirement.     

钠基膨润土胶质价测试方法的改进

以两种人工钠化膨润土为研究对象,探讨了文献胶质价测试方法的不合理性、取土量和MgO量这两个关键因素。实验结果表明:用常规100 mL量筒测胶质价时,取土量和MgO量影响较大,有必要针对具体试样做条件试验,最佳条件是1#钠土为取3.00 g土、0.2 g MgO,2#钠土为取5.00 g土、0.33 g MgO。     

无卤阻燃增强硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料的研究

采用聚醚多元醇、聚酯多元醇、多异氰酸酯、泡沫稳定剂、催化剂及发泡剂等为基本原料,以聚磷酸铵(APP)、可膨胀石墨(EG)及膨润土(BT)为阻燃剂及填料,通过一步发泡法制备了无卤阻燃增强硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料。研究了APP、EG、BT对泡沫力学性能、阻燃性能以及泡孔结构的影响。结果表明,APP质量分数为15%,EG为7.5%,膨润土为2.5%时可以制得力学性能和阻燃性能均优良的聚氨酯泡沫塑料。在该条件下,泡沫的压缩强度为0.271 MPa,平均孔径为322μm,极限氧指数达到29.5%。     

有机插层膨润土的制备及吸附性能研究

以溴代十六烷基三甲胺及氯化苄乙氧胺对膨润土原土进行改性,制备了一系列新型的有机插层膨润土材料。通过红外光谱、X-射线衍射及扫描电镜对膨润土及改性膨润土进行了表征,结果表明有机改性剂已经插层到膨润土内,并使其层间距增大。同时对该材料的吸附性能进行了研究,实验结果表明有机插层膨润土能有效的去除水溶液中的Cu2+、Zn2+、Ni 2+、Cd2+金属离子以及有机污染物苯酚。     

膨润土对Pb~(2+)的吸附及铝的影响研究

研究膨润土对水溶液中铅的吸附特性以及铝对铅吸附的影响。通过各组吸附实验,建立膨润土对水溶液中铅离子的吸附最佳条件,天然膨润土对铅的吸附平衡时间约为60 min,其吸附符合一级动力学方程;铅吸附最适p H=9;天然膨润土对水溶液中铅离子的吸附规律符合Freundlich等温方程和Langmuir等温方程,呈显著相关性;加入少量铝离子时,吸附除铅能力增强,但继续增加铝浓度,去除能力降低,该现象主要通过铝盐水解所致的p H变化起调节作用,电中和作用不明显。     

Landfill Lining for Leachate Containment

There is an increasing need for engineered liners to prevent the escape of leachate and to control the migration of landfill gas. This has been influenced by new European and UK legislation and codes of practice.
General principles of site design are explained, followed by a review of the advantages and disadvantages of different liner systems, including mineral liners (natural clay, mudrocks and soil/bentonite admixtures), geomembranes and composite liners.
The need for conservative factors of safety in site design and high standards of quality control, involving full-time supervision and independent certification of the installation works, are considered essential to ensure the effectiveness of the barrier.
There is no one ideal liner material. Composite mineral/geomembrane liners provide the highest degree of security against leakage and, as such, should be considered as 'the norm'rather than for use only in particularly high-risk situations.     

Migration behavior of landfill leachate contaminants through alternative composite liners

Four identical pilot-scale landfill reactors with different alternative composite liners were simultaneously operated for a period of about 540 days to investigate and to simulate the migration behaviors of phenolic compounds (phenol, 2-CP, 2-MP, 3-MP, 4-MP, 2-NP, 4-NP, 2,4-DNP, 2,4-DCP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TeCP, PCP) and heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni) from landfill leachate to the groundwater. Alternative landfill liners of four reactors consist of R1: Compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R2: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R3: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + bentonite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), and R4: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + zeolite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn). Wastes representing Istanbul municipal solid wastes were disposed in the reactors. To represent bioreactor landfills, reactors were operated by leachate recirculation. To monitor and control anaerobic degradation in the reactors, variations of conventional parameters (pH, alkalinity, chloride, conductivity, COD, TOC, TKN, ammonia and alcaly metals) were also investigated in landfill leachate samples. The results of this study showed that about 35-50% of migration of organic contaminants (phenolic compounds) and 55-100% of migration of inorganic contaminants (heavy metals) to the model groundwater could be effectively reduced with the use of bentonite and zeolite materials in landfill liner systems. Although leachate contaminants can reach to the groundwater in trace concentrations, findings of this study concluded that the release of these compounds from landfill leachate to the groundwater may potentially be of an important environmental concern based on the experimental findings.     

Comparing the impact of bentonite addition for both must clarification and wine fining on the chemical profile of wine from Chambave Muscat grapes

The impact of bentonite fining is generally studied on final wines, and few studies have evaluated it throughout the winemaking process. This work studied the fate of proteins and terpenols, the main targets of bentonite addition, during the processing of Chambave Muscat aromatic grapes. The experimental trials were performed in two vintages (2006 and 2007) and included the following processes: bentonite addition to must only (100 g hL^?1 in both vintages), fining of wine only (100 g hL^?1 in both vintages), double bentonite treatment on must and wine (200 and 150 g hL^?1 in 2006 and in 2007, respectively) and no treatment (control). The results demonstrated that the treatment allowing the best removal of protein was the addition of bentonite to must only. Moreover, a lower removal of free terpenols was observed in samples from double treatment compared with wines fined with bentonite only after alcoholic fermentation.     

Incorporation of fish by-product into the semi-continuous anaerobic co-digestion of pre-treated lignocellulose and cow manure,with recovery of digestate's nutrients

Norway's fish processing industry generates large amounts of fish waste every year. The high-risk waste fraction with most of its oil removed has not yet been tested for energy production. The stability of an anaerobic digestion process that incorporates this material with steam exploded Salix and cow manure was tested using mesophilic, semi-continuous laboratory-scale digesters. The effects of recycling the liquid digestate fraction were also investigated. The removal of ammonium (NH₄⁺) and phosphate (PO₄³⁻) from the rejected digestate using struvite precipitation and bentonite adsorption were tested to generate a nutrient-enriched, final solid fertiliser. Adding 20% fish by-product (volatile solids basis) increased methane yields by 35%, while recycling the digestate caused a slight increase. The NH₄⁺–N levels reached 4–5 g l⁻¹ in the reactors with recirculation and fish feed. Although these levels may threaten methanogenesis, the stability of the process was maintained during the entire period due to the good balance between the lignocellulose, proteins and fats provided by the co-digestion mixture and the positive effects of recirculation. The NH₄⁺ and PO₄³⁻ were successfully removed from the rejected liquid digestate. The reductions using struvite reached 87% and 60% (pH 9.5 and Mg²⁺:NH₄⁺:PO₄³⁻ ratio of 1.2:1:1), while bentonite achieved 82% and 52%, respectively.