NiSe as an effective co-catalyst coupled with TiO2 for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Construction of semiconductor heterojunctions can effectively accelerate the separation of photo-induced charge carriers and thereby enhance photocatalytic activity. Here, NiSe was used as an effective co-catalyst to construct an active NiSe/TiO₂ heterojunction for improving the photocatalytic H₂ production of TiO₂. The resultant 10%NiSe/TiO₂ heterojunction exhibited 11 times higher photocatalytic H₂-production activity than that of bare TiO₂. The NiSe/TiO₂ heterojunction and the photo-reduction of partial Ni²⁺ to Ni⁰ notably accelerated the separation and transfer of photo-excited electron-hole pairs, and thus resulted in obvious improvement of H₂-evolution activity. This work holds promise for the application of NiSe in photocatalysis as a high-efficiency photocatalytic cocatalyst.     

Optimal correlation of non-renewable and renewable generating systems for producing hydrogen and methane by power to gas process

This paper presents an efficient framework for converting renewable energy to gas and reducing Carbon dioxide (CO₂) footprint at the same time. The problem is presented in two levels. The first level is a minimization programming that minimizes operational cost and CO₂ of generators. The CO₂ is forwarded to the second level. In the second level, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is designed to capture CO₂. The CO₂ is combined with Hydrogen and makes Methane (CH₄). The required Hydrogen is obtained from water electrolyzer that is supplied by the solar system. The capacity and size of water electrolyzer, solar system, and CCS is designed by the planning in the second level while this programming maximizes profit from selling Methane. As a result, the first level presents minimization programming (i.e., minimizing cost and CO₂) and the second level presents maximization programming (i.e., maximizing profit). The programming is developed taking into account solar uncertainty. The stochastic programming is implemented to cope with uncertainties. The problem is formulated as binary mixed integer linear programming and solved by GAMS software. The proposed power to gas (P2G) procedure efficiently designs proper solar system and deals with intermittency of solar energy, reduces CO₂ footprint, maximizes profit, and minimizes operational cost of generators at the same time.     

Effects of size and autoclavation of fruit and vegetable wastes on biohydrogen production by dark dry anaerobic fermentation under mesophilic condition

Fermentative hydrogen production from fruit and vegetable wastes (FVWs) through Dry Fermentation Technology (DFT) was studied through three independent experiments in order to find out the effect of particle size and autoclaving pretreatment on bio-hydrogen production from FVWs and as follows: (1) autoclaved FVWs with sizes < 5 cm (experiment I); (2) raw FVWs with sizes < 5 cm (experiment II) and (3) autoclaved FVWs with sizes > 5 cm (experiment III). The assay with autoclaved waste yielded a higher percentage of hydrogen in the headspace of the dry fermenter reaching a maximum value of 44% in experiment I. However, the maximum hydrogen production was obtained in experiment III with 14573 NmL at a yield of 23.53 NmL H₂/gVS. Profiling of the microbial communities by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) indicated that the most prominent species were the genera Clostridium, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus.     

Feasibility of preparing additive manufactured porous stainless steel felts with mathematical micro pore structure as novel catalyst support for hydrogen production via methanol steam reforming

In this paper, an additive manufacturing prepared porous stainless steel felt (AM-PSSF) is proposed as a novel catalyst support for hydrogen production via methanol steam reforming (MSR). In the method, 316 L stainless steel powder with diameter of 15–63 μm is processed by the additive manufacturing technology of selective laser melting (SLM). To accomplish the preparation, the reforming chamber where the AM-PSSF is embedded is firstly divided into an all-hexahedron mesh. Then, the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) unit with mathematical form, high interconnectivity and large specific surface area is mapped into the hexahedrons based on shape function, forming the fully connected three-dimensional (3D) micro pore structure of the AM-PSSF. By correlating the mathematical parameter and the porosity of the TPMS unit, and taking into account the SLM process, the porosity of the AM-PSSF is well controlled. Based on the designed 3D pore structure model, the AM-PSSF is produced using standard SLM process. The application of the AM-PSSF as catalyst support for hydrogen production through MSR indicates that: 1) both the naked and catalyst-coated AM-PSSF have the characteristics of high porosity, large specific surface area and high connectivity; 2) the MSR hydrogen production performance of the AM-PSSF is better than that of the commercial stainless steel fiber sintered felt. The feasibility of AM-PSSF as catalyst support for MSR hydrogen production may pave a better way to balance different requirements for catalyst support, thanks to the excellent controllability provided by AM on both the external shape and the internal pore structure, and to the produced rough surface morphology that benefits the catalyst adhesion strength. In addition, catalyst support with pore structures that are more accommodated with the flow field and the reaction rate of MSR reaction may be prepared in future, since the entire catalyst support structure, from macro scale to micro scale, is under control.     

The inhibitory effect of carbon monoxide contained in hydrogen gas environment on hydrogen-accelerated fatigue crack growth and its loading frequency dependency

The effect of carbon monoxide (CO) contained in H₂ gas as an impurity on the hydrogen-accelerated fatigue crack growth of A333 pipe steel was studied in association with loading frequency dependency. The addition of CO to H₂ gas inhibited the accelerated fatigue crack growth due to the hydrogen. The inhibitory effect was affected by the CO content in the H₂ gas, loading frequency, and crack growth rate. Based on these results, it was revealed that the inhibitory effect of CO was governed by both competition between the rate of fresh surface creation by the crack growth and the rate of coverage of the surface by CO and time for hydrogen diffusion in the material to the crack tip with reduced hydrogen entry by CO.     

α-Lactalbumin/к-casein coassembly with different intermediates of β-lactoglobulin during heat-induced fibril formation

Monomers, homogeneous nuclei and protofibrils are intermediate products during β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) fibril formation, they have different abilities to resist disturbance by other protein agents. The results showed that when β-lg monomer coassembly with α-Lactalbumin (α-la)/к-Casein (к-CN), it would affect β-lg self-assembly to fibril. While homogeneous nuclei and protofibrils coassembly with α-la/к-CN had little effect on fibril formation. Moreover, the result of forming fibril was quite different when β-lg monomers coassembled with α-la and к-CN. Notably, α-la increased the fibril diameter, and к-CN clearly inhibited fibril formation. The reason for the differences was the different binding sites. α-la and к-CN had different effects on β-lg's α-helical structure: α-la did not destroy the β-lg's α-helical structure thus had little effect on fibril formation. While к-CN especially its hydrophobic area, interacted with β-lg via –S-S- during the aggregation, it destroyed β-lg's α-helical structure thus resulted in an inability to form fibrils. This study would expand the application value of dairy protein-based products aggregated at low pH.     

低盐固态酱油原料蒸煮过程中蛋白质变性的研究

低盐固态酱油渣中残留大量蛋白质,造成极大的原料浪费。蒸料时蛋白变性过度不利于发酵中蛋白酶解,降低了原料利用率。基于Osborne分类法,研究了不同蒸煮条件下熟料蛋白质组分的变化规律。结果表明:蒸料后清蛋白和球蛋白首先部分转化为较难溶解的谷蛋白,随着加热程度的增强,谷蛋白转化为不溶的残渣蛋白,降低了熟料蛋白的可利用性。结合熟料消化率作为指标,确定了蛋白质变性适度的蒸煮条件为:80℃润水20min,125℃蒸煮5min,熟料消化率可达73.12%。对生产中提高低盐固态酱油的原料利用率提供了指导意义。     

大斜度井段低沉没度工况排采泵阀动力学特性

目前对于煤系地层天然气井所配套有杆泵泵阀动力特性的研究,主要是移植和借鉴常规油气井抽油泵泵阀的分析方法,多针对油气井开采较高的沉没度,并没有考虑低沉没度和大斜度工况下的泵阀动力学和水力摩阻等参数的影响,也没有揭示水平井泵阀顺利开启所需要的具体条件。为此,综合考虑低沉没度和大斜度等因素耦合的影响,推导造斜段泵阀随井液运动微分方程组,建立有杆泵井液流经泵阀阀隙水力摩阻数学模型,基于数值模拟的方法研究了水平井泵阀动力学、水力摩阻与临界沉没度。研究结果表明:①低沉没度和大斜度耦合作用下,增大冲程和冲次会提高造斜段泵阀阀球的升程、速度和加速度,缩短加速度趋向平缓所用的时间,并且水平井泵阀开启瞬间阀球会出现短暂的周期性波动;②受弹簧力与阀球重力的双重作用,水平井有杆泵的临界沉没度明显低于直井工况且固定阀球伴随弹簧快速复位,这有利于顺利开启水平井的游动阀球和固定阀球并提高泵效;③增大冲程、冲次和泵径会使水平井有杆泵井液流经泵阀水力摩阻及其临界沉没度变大,并且增大冲程更有利于提高低流速井液入泵流速,但同时也会显著地提高临界沉没度。结论认为,该研究成果对于保障煤系地层天然气井连续稳定排采和提高有杆泵的可靠性都具有重要的参考意义。