Photocatalytic cement-based materials: Comparison of nitrogen oxides and toluene removal potentials and evaluation of self-cleaning performance

Using cement-based building materials as a matrix for nano-photocatalysts is an important development for the large scale application of photocatalytic technologies. Air pollution mitigation and self-cleaning surface are two major applications of photocatalytic building materials. In this study, a comparison was made to evaluate the performance of TiO₂ modified concrete surface layers for NO_x and VOC degradation. The self-cleaning performance of TiO₂ modified self-compacting mortars (SCM) developed for decorative applications was also evaluated. The results show that the photocatalytic conversion of toluene by the TiO₂ modified surface layer was not detected, although NO_x could be effectively removed under the same conditions. The presence of toluene did not influence the NO_x removal process. TiO₂ modified SCM were found to be effective in the discoloration of rhodamine B under UV and strong halogen light irradiation. The level of adsorption of the air contaminants onto the active sites of the cement-TiO₂ composite was identified to be the key factor determining the subsequent photocatalytic efficiency.     

Impact of filter media on the performance of full-scale recirculating biofilters for treating multi-residential wastewater

The main objective of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of silica sand, crushed glass, peat, and geotextile as a medium in RBFs in the removal for organic matter, nutrients and bacteria from domestic wastewater based on a field-scale study. In particular, this field-scale study was conducted to treat domestic wastewater from a small community of 10 households from the Municipality of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. The average influent 5d biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations into the field filter system were 381+/-64 (mean+/-standard deviation) and 46+/-21 mg/L, respectively. The results showed that crushed glass could be an effective medium in RBFs since the crushed glass filter produced stable effluent BOD(5) and TSS concentrations of less than 20mg/L. Geotextile was found to be another successful alternative filter medium with the effluent BOD(5) and TSS of 18+/-11 and 11+/-7 mg/L, respectively, even though the porosity of geotexitle filter was as high as 0.90. Peat was not able to provide efficient performance due to its poor BOD(5) and NH(4)(+)-N removals. This study measured the water quality variation at different components of the RBFs. The results of this study showed that the recirculation tank was the main facilitator of the denitrification process. In addition, this study found that RBFs could efficiently treat domestic wastewater for BOD(5) removal under the organic loading rates as high as 0.070 kg/m(2)/d.     

Effect of shock and mixed loading on the performance of SND based sequencing batch reactors (SBR) degrading nitrophenols

The effect of nitrophenolic shock loads on the performance of three lab scale SBRs was studied using a synthetic feed. Nitrophenols were biotransformed by Simultaneous heterotrophic Nitrification and aerobic Denitrification (SND) using a specially designed single sludge biomass containing Thiosphaera pantotropha. Reactors R1, R2 and R3 were fed with 200 mg/L concentration of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (2,4,6-TNP) whereas reactor R was used as a background control. Three nitrophenolic shock loadings of 400, 600 and 800 mg/L d were administrated by increasing the influent nitrophenolic concentration while keeping the hydraulic retention time as 48 h. The shocks were given continuously for a period of 4 days before switching back to normal nitrophenolic loading (200 mg/L d). The reactors were allowed to recover to normal performance level before administrating the next nitrophenolic shock load. The study showed that a nitrophenolic shock load, as high as 600 mg/L d was completely degraded by the 4-NP & 2,4-DNP bioreactors while almost half degraded by the 2,4,6-TNP bioreactor without affecting the reactor’s performance irreversibly. After resuming the normal nitrophenolic loading, it took almost 8-10 days for the reactors to recover from the shock effect. The study was further extended to evaluate the maximum possible mixed nitrophenolic loading (4-NP:2,4-DNP:2,4,6-TNP 1:1:1) to which a reactor (R3) containing 2,4,6-TNP acclimated single sludge biomass can be exposed without hampering the reactor performance irreversibly. The reactor was able to achieve pseudo-steady-state at a mixed nitrophenolic loading of 300 mg/L d with more than 90% removal of all the three nitrophenols, but could remove half of the mixed nitrophenolic loading of 600 mg/L d.     

Optimal performance of base isolated building considering limitation on excessive isolator displacement

The past studies on optimisation of isolation bearings emphasise on the allowable limit on the isolator displacement without incorporating it in the optimisation process. Large bearing displacement of the isolator during strong motion is often linked to isolator damage and pounding to adjacent units. The present study addresses the limitation on the excessive isolator displacement in the optimisation process of the isolator. It is intended not only to assure optimal performance in terms of vibration mitigation, but also to reveal the importance of constraining excessive isolator displacements. The stochastic response required for the optimisation study is evaluated through nonlinear random vibration analysis. The consistency of the optimal response behaviour obtained through stochastic optimisation is validated for recorded earthquake ground motions. A Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB), isolating a multi-story shear building is used to elucidate the effect of this constraint on the optimum parameters and system performance. The results clearly indicate the existence of significant disparities among the conventional unconstrained and the proposed constrained optimisation approach.     

Biological nitrogen removal from municipal landfill leachate: low-cost nitrification in biofilters and laboratory scale in-situ denitrification

The slow leaching of nitrogen from solid waste in landfills, resulting in high concentrations of ammonia in the landfill leachate, may last for several decades. The removal of nitrogen from leachate is desirable as nitrogen can trigger eutrophication in lakes and rivers. In the present study, a low-cost nitrification-denitrification process was developed to reduce nitrogen load especially in leachates from small landfills. Nitrification was studied in laboratory and on-site pilot aerobic biofilters with waste materials as filter media (crushed brick in upflow filters and bulking agent of compost in a downflow filter) while denitrification was studied in a laboratory anoxic/anaerobic column filled with landfill waste. In the laboratory nitrification filters, start-up of nitrification took less than 3 weeks and over 90% nitrification of leachate (NH4-N between 60 and 170mg N l(-1), COD between 230 and 1,300 mg l(-1)) was obtained with loading rates between 100 and 130 mgNH4-N l(-1) d at 25 degrees C. In an on-site pilot study a level of nitrification of leachate (NH4-N between 160 and 270 mg N l(-1), COD between 1,300 and 1,600 mg l(-1)) above 90% was achieved in a crushed brick biofilter with a loading rate of 50mg NH4-N l(-1) d even at temperatures as low as 5-10 degrees C. Ammonium concentrations in all biofilter effluents were usually below the detection limit. In the denitrification column. denitrification started within 2 weeks and total oxidised nitrogen in nitrified leachate (TON between 50 and 150mg N l(-1)) usually declined below the detection limit at 25 degrees C, whereas some ammonium, probably originating from the landfill waste used in the column, was detected in the effluent. No adverse effect was observed on the methanation of waste in the denitrification column with a loading rate of 3.8 g TON-N/t-TS(waste) d. In conclusion, nitrification in a low-cost biofilter followed by denitrification in a landfill body appears applicable for the removal of nitrogen in landfill leachate in colder climates.     

The effect of nitrate on VOC removal in trickle-bed biofilters

In response to the growing concern over volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biofiltration is becoming an established economical air pollution control technology for removing VOCs from waste air streams. Current research efforts are concentrating on improving control over key parameters that affect the performance of gas phase biofilters. This study utilized diethyl ether as a substrate, nitrate as the sole nutrient nitrogen source within two co-currently operated trickle-bed biofilters, for over 200 days. The two pelletized medium biofilters were operated at a low empty bed contact time of 25 s, inlet gas flow rates of 8.64 m³/day, nutrient liquid flow rates of 1 liter/day, and COD loading rates of 1.8 and 3.6 kg/m³ per day, respectively. Operational parameters including contaminant concentration in the gas phase, nutrient nitrate concentration in the aqueous phase, and the frequency of biomass removal were considered. Special attention was given to the effect and the role of nitrate on VOC removal. Throughout the experiment, nitrate persisted in the liquid effluent and the ether removal efficiencies improved with increasing influent nitrate concentration, which suggest that the nitrate diffusion into the biofilms is rate determining. By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the feed to this biofilter from 21% (ambient air) to 50 and 100%, while maintaining an influent ether concentration of 133 ppmv and a feed nitrate concentration of 67 mg-N/liter, the performance of the biofilter was not significantly affected. These results suggest that nitrogen was rate limiting as a growth nutrient rather than as an electron acceptor for the respiration of ether. The results also indicated that removal of excess biomass is necessary to maintain long-term performance. However, the required frequency of biomass removal depends on operating parameters such as loading.     

Modeling of trihalomethane cometabolism in nitrifying biofilters

The computer program AQUASIM was used to model biofilter experiments seeded with Lake Austin, Texas mixed-culture nitrifiers. These biofilters degraded four trihalomethanes (THMs) (trichloromethane (TCM) or chloroform, bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), tribromomethane (TBM) or bromoform) commonly found in treated drinking water. Apparent steady-state data from the biofilter experiments and supporting batch experiments were used to estimate kinetic parameters for TCM, DBCM and ammonia degradation. Subsequently, the model was verified against other experimental biofilter data. To allow for full-scale simulations, BDCM and TBM rate constants were estimated using data from batch kinetic studies. Finally, the model was used to simulate full-scale filter performance under different filter surface loading rates and THM speciation seen in practice. Overall, total THM removals ranged from 16% to 54% in these simulations with influent total THM concentrations of 75-82microg/L, which illustrates the potential of THM cometabolism to have a significant impact on treated water quality.     

模型试验评价原型结构性能的有效性和局限性

结合结构模型试验在结构工程设计与研究中所起的作用,从模型的制作精度、材料特性、试验环境、量测精度、加载技术和试验装置、试件尺寸效应等方面探讨了结构模型试验评价结构性能的有效性和局限性问题。     

Effect of gas empty bed contact time on performances of various types of rotating drum biofilters for removal of VOCs

The effects of gas empty bed contact time (EBCT), biofilter configuration, and types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were evaluated to assess the performance of rotating drum biofilters (RDBs), especially at low EBCT values. Three types of pilot-scale RDBs, a single-layer RDB, a multi-layer RDB, and a hybrid RDB, were examined at various gas EBCTs but at a constant VOC loading rate. Diethyl ether, toluene, and hexane were used separately as model VOC. When EBCT increased from 5.0 to 60s at a constant VOC loading rate of 2.0kgCOD/(m(3)day), ether removal efficiency increased from 73.1% to 97.6%, from 81.6% to 99.9%, and from 84.0% to 99.9% for the single-layer RDB, the multi-layer RDB, and the hybrid RDB, respectively, and toluene removal efficiency increased from 76.4% to 99.9% and from 84.8% to 99.9% for the multi-layer RDB and the hybrid RDB, respectively. When hexane was used as the model VOC at a constant loading rate of 0.25kgCOD/(m(3)day), hexane removal efficiency increased from 31.1% to 57.0% and from 29.5% to 50.0% for the multi-layer RDB and hybrid RDB, respectively. The single-layer, multi-layer, and hybrid RDBs exhibited, respectively, the lowest, middle, and highest removal efficiencies, when operated under similar operational loading conditions. Hexane exhibited the lowest removal efficiency, while diethyl ether displayed the highest removal efficiency. The data collected at the various EBCT values correlated reasonably well with a saturation model. The sensitivity of removal efficiency to EBCT varied significantly with EBCT values, VOC properties, and biofilter configurations. Process selection and design for RDB processes should consider these factors.     

Moisture effects on greenhouse gases generation in nitrifying gas-phase compost biofilters

Gas-phase compost biofilters are extensively used in concentrated animal feeding operations to remove odors and, in some cases, ammonia from air sources. The expected biochemical pathway for these predominantly aerobic systems is nitrification. However, non-uniform media with low oxygen levels can shift biofilter microbial pathways to denitrification, a source of greenhouse gases. Several factors contribute to the formation of anoxic/anaerobic zones: media aging, media and particle structure, air velocity distribution, compaction, biofilm thickness, and moisture content (MC) distribution. The present work studies the effects of media moisture conditions on ammonia (NH₃) removal and greenhouse gas generation (nitrous oxide, N₂O and methane, CH₄) for gas-phase compost biofilters subject to a 100-day controlled drying process. Continuous recordings were made for the three gases and water vapor (2.21-h sampling cycle, each cycle consisted of three gas species, and water vapor, for a total of 10,050 data points). Media moisture conditions were classified into three corresponding media drying rate (DR) stages: Constant DR (wetter media), falling DR, and stable-dry system. The first-half of the constant DR period (0-750 h; MC = 65-52%, w.b.) facilitated high NH₃ removal rates, but higher N₂O generation and no CH₄ generation. At the drier stages of the constant DR (750-950 h; MC = 52-48%, w.b.) NH₃ removal remained high but N₂O net generation decreased to near zero. In the falling DR stage (1200-1480 h; MC = 44-13%) N₂O generation decreased, CH₄ increased, and NH₃ was no longer removed. No ammonia removal or greenhouse gas generation was observed in the stable-dry system (1500-2500 h; MC = 13%). These results indicate that media should remain toward the drier region of the constant DR (in close proximity to the falling DR stage; MC = 50%, approx.), to maintain high levels of NH₃ removal, reduced levels of N₂O generation, and nullify levels of CH₄ generation.     

Effect of some pesticides on nitrogen transformations in soil

It has been observed that the pesticides, phenmedipham and oxamyl, affect the mineralization of nitrogen in soil. Both mineralization and nitrification were sensitive to a number of other pesticides depending on the chemical and biological properties of a particular soil. Concentrations of even 0.5 times the regular field dose of phenmedipham or oxamyl inhibited nitrification in soil.Oxamyl decreased the rate of denitrification. In addition, both chemicals had a harmful effect on nitrogenase activity in soil as measured by the acetylene reduction technique.     

Effect of drop size on sprinkler performance

Much of the water discharged by today’s standard sprinkler is wasted as a result of improper drop size. A new dual nozzle sprinkler holds promise of providing better protection at lower cost and with less water damage. Factory Mutual Research Corporation Note: This paper was presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association in Toronto on May 21, 1970.     

一体式A/O复合反应池脱氮性能的研究

结合太原市经济技术开发区污水处理厂工艺性能试验,重点考察了一体式A/O复合反应池的环境温度、C/N比和硝化液回流比对一体式A/O复合反应池脱氮效果的影响,结果表明:在20℃～35℃时,NH3-N的去除率在70%～80%;当C/N值为3时,NH3-N去除率为79%左右,平均出水TN为12.1 mg/L;当回流比为200%时,NH3-N去除率为98.6%,TN去除率为75.5%。     

Comparative measurements of microbial activity in drinking water biofilters

Tetrazolium reduction assays, phospholipid analysis, and 16S rRNA (rDNA) sequence analysis were applied to assess the distribution, composition and activity of microbial communities developing in biofilters treating non-ozonated and ozonated drinking water. The response of media-attached biomass to both operating temperature (3 degrees C vs. > 12 degrees C) and ozone application point was assessed. As judged by 2-(p-iodo-phenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-s-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT) reduction, the dehydrogenase activity in biofilter systems that were operated with non-ozonated water was 55% lower than in identical filters operating with ozonated water. There was no significant difference between the microbiological activity measured in a biofilter series treating ozonated water and an identical series where ozonated water was introduced at an intermediate point. The biomass levels in biofilter systems that were operated with ozonated water were 47% higher on average than identical systems operated with non-ozonated water. Operating temperature had no significant impact on total biomass levels; however, specific dehydrogenase activity was 70% higher in systems operated at ambient temperatures (> 12 degrees C) than in systems held at 3 degrees C. Phospholipid and rDNA analysis suggests that there was a community structure response to ozone application and operating temperature, but no response to different ozone application points.     

Design and performance charts for single-sludge nitrogen removal systems

The objective of this investigation was to develop a rational design procedure for the single-sludge nitrogen removal system. A set of 19 equations describing all pertinent interrelationships of the system were written and solved simultaneously. The solution was used to develop design and performance charts of the biological treatment system and to examine the effect of various parameters on the results.     

外加剂对干混砂浆性能的影响

由于传统砂浆存在着品种单一,性能低下的缺点,已经越来越不能适应实际工程的需要.干混砂浆正在逐渐被推广应用,干混砂浆外加剂的发展是推广干混砂浆的技术关键.阐述了干混砂浆外加剂的种类及其对干混砂浆性能的影响,并分析了外加剂对砂浆的改性机理.     

粗骨料对混凝土性能影响的概述

针对粗骨料在混凝土中的作用 ,从刚性骨架作用、引发和阻挡裂缝作用等方面进行了介绍 ,分析了粗骨料对混凝土强度及弹性模量的影响 ,以利于改善和提高混凝土的力学性能及耐久性     

机制砂的级配对超高性能混凝土性能的影响

随着超高性能混凝土在建筑领域的应用增多,其成本较高问题逐渐突出。为降低超高性能混凝土成本,利用机制砂配制超高性能混凝土,研究机制砂的级配对超高性能混凝土力学性能及微观形貌的影响。结果表明:采用机制砂可配制出工作性能良好,28 d抗折、抗压分别大于30、160 MPa的试样;机制砂与水泥石基体结合紧密,钢纤维在水泥石基体中分布均匀,致密均匀的结构使试样的力学性能得到较大的提高。     

Effect of industrial wastes on oxidation pond performance

Cadmium, copper, nickel, zinc and hexavalent chromium ions were tested in a benchbioassay experiment for toxicity limits and possible application to experimental oxidation ponds.