Laboratory simulated slipstream testing of novel sulfur removal processes for gasification application

The Wabash River Integrated Methanol and Power Production from Clean Coal Technologies (IMPPCCT) project is investigating an Early Entrance Coproduction Plant (EECP) concept to evaluate integrated electrical power generation and methanol production from coal and other carbonaceous feedstocks. Research, development and testing (RD&T) that is currently being conducted under the project is evaluating cost effective process systems for removing contaminants, particularly sulfur species, from the generated gas which contains mainly synthesis gas (syngas), CO₂ and steam at concentrations acceptable for the methanol synthesis catalyst. The RD&T includes laboratory testing followed by bench-scale and field testing at the SG Solutions Gasification Plant located in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Actual synthesis gas produced by the plant was utilized at system pressure and temperature for bench-scale field testing.     

Aerobic degradation by white‐rot fungi of trichloroethylene (TCE) and mixtures of TCE and perchloroethylene (PCE)

BACKGROUND: Trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) are considered among the most important groundwater pollutants around the world. These compounds are usually found together in polluted environments but little is known about the ability of microorganisms to simultaneously degrade TCE and PCE. RESULTS: Data showed that several species of white‐rot fungi, including Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, and Irpex lacteus, degrade substantial levels of TCE in pure culture. T. versicolor was chosen for further study since it degraded higher levels of TCE than the other organisms. Initial glucose concentration and reoxygenation of samples increased the amount of TCE dechlorination, but no significant difference in percentage TCE degradation was observed. T. versicolor was able to degrade 34.1 and 47.7% of PCE and TCE added as mixtures (containing 5 and 10 mg L⁻¹, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The degradation ability of TCE was extended to other species of white‐rot fungi. Percentage degradation as well as chloride release from mixtures of TCE and PCE showed that T. versicolor degrades mixtures of TCE and PCE almost as well as its ability to degrade individually added TCE or PCE. The results suggest the potential promise of T. versicolor for bioremediation of TCE and PCE in the environment. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Biosorption of heavy metals by Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Effects of nutrient conditions

Studies took place to investigate the effects of different nutrient conditions on the biosorption ability and selectivity of heavy metals by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After having grown in media supplemented with additional glucose, ammonium, phosphate or cysteine, the yeast was exposed to an equimolar solution of lead, cadmium, zinc and copper. Lead removal from a mixed solution was significantly higher than that of copper, followed by zinc and cadmium. Generally, yeasts from cysteine-rich media showed greatest sorption capacity whereas phosphate addition influenced zinc selectivity. In addition, glucose, fructose and sucrose as carbon sources were examined. Cultures grown in glucose had a better uptake than those cultivated with fructose at an incubation time of 30 min.     

Thermal and thermoelastic properties of fast extrusion furnace (FEF) carbon black loaded SBR vulcanizates

The effect of FEF carbon black as filler on the thermal capacity c, diffusivity a, and thermal conductivity λ, of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) composites in the temperature range 300–420 K was studied. The filler strongly increases the thermal diffusivity, whilst strongly decreasing the thermal capacity and the thermal conductivity (except at high FEF content ≥80 phr). The influence of the filler on the thermoelastic behaviour of the same composites was also investigated. It was found that the thermoelastic temperature change (ΔT) increased with carbon black concentration as well as the entropy change per unit extension.     

Effects of growth with ethanol on fermentation and membrane fluidity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae HSc was grown with ethanol at concentrations up to 10% (v/v). The immediate effects of additions of externally added ethanol on CO₂ production and O₂ consumption of washed organisms were studied by stopped-flow membrane inlet quadrupole mass spectrometry. Fermentative activities of organisms grown with ethanol (0–5% v/v) showed similar sensitivities to inhibition by ethanol, whereas those grown with 10% (v/v) ethanol had become protected and were markedly less sensitive. The fluidity of subcellular membrane fractions was measured by determination of the temperature dependence of the rotational order parameter of the spin label 5-doxyl stearic acid (free radical) by electron spin resonance. Mitochondria prepared from yeasts grown with 0, 7 and 9% (v/v) ethanol showed similar overall fluidity, although differences in temperature-dependent behaviour indicate altered lipid composition or lateral phase separations. On the other hand the microsomal fraction from organisms grown with 9% ethanol showed a remarkable increase in fluidity. These data suggest that the protective effects of growth with ethanol near the limit of tolerance on fermentative activities may arise from altered plasma membrane fluidity properties.     

Kinetics of phenol oxidation in a trickle bed reactor over active carbon catalyst

The wet air oxidation of phenol over a commercial active carbon catalyst was studied in a trickle bed reactor (TBR) in the temperature and oxygen partial pressure ranges of 120–160 °C and 0.1–0.2 MPa, respectively. The performance of the active carbon was compared in terms of phenol and COD destruction. The weight change of active carbon due to reaction was also measured. Finally, oxic phenol adsorption isotherms were assessed in batch conditions at 25, 125 and 160 °C. In order to use the conversion data obtained from the TBR for a kinetic study, special care was taken to check the kinetic control in the TBR experiments. Several kinetic models including power law or Langmuir–Hinshelwood expressions were considered to describe the catalytic oxidation of phenol over active carbon. The simple power law model with first order dependence on both phenol and oxygen concentration predicted satisfactorily the experimental data not only over the entire range of operating conditions studied, but also outside its validity range. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

担载型含稀土三组份体系在二氧化碳甲烷化反应中的催化性能

用浸渍法制备了一系列氧化锆担载的含稀土Ⅷ族金属催化剂，对其在二氧化碳甲烷化过程中的催化活性作了研究，并用漫反射紫外可见光谱，ＦＴＩＲ等手段对催化剂作了表征。结果表明，含稀土新型催化剂具有催化活性高，目标产物选择性好等优点；稀土主要以氧化物形式存在于催化剂表面，参与对氢及表面含碳物种的吸附及活化；含稀土三组份催化剂的活性与所添加稀土三价离子的４ｆ电子数有关。     

Anaerobic digestion of alkaline black liquor using an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

The anaerobic digestion of alkaline black liquor from a cereal straw pulping mill was studied in batch (serum bottles) and continuous systems (up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor—UASB). The batch digestion studies confirmed that lignin and related compounds (LRC) in the alkaline black liquor were the main inhibitory substances and could not be decomposed by anaerobic bacteria. At organic loading rates of 5–10 kg COD m^?3 day^?1, the UASB reactor achieved 50–60% COD removal efficiencies. Gas production was 2–3 dm³ per dm³ of alkaline black liquor. Two different sludge types were examined in the reactor: granular and cluster-like sludges. Sludge in a cluster, which involved many small granules and flocs, tended to form larger aggregates and possessed good settling ability.     

铸造用CO2硬化冷芯盒材料及工艺的发展

铸造用CO2硬化粘结剂系统具有气硬冷芯盒的优点,同时又具有环保方面的优势。主要介绍了水玻璃-CO2法、聚丙烯酸钠-CO2法、酚醛树脂-CO2法三种工艺。这些工艺方法近年来国内外研究较多,并且取得了很大进展。     

碳纳米管及稀土元素钇(Y)对高Ni含量Ti(C,N)基金属陶瓷组织与性能的影响

研究了不同含量的碳纳米管及0.8%稀土Y对高Ni含量Ti(C,N)基金属陶瓷组织性能的影响.将不同成分的试样分别于1400℃、1410 ℃、1420℃真空烧结,测试抗弯强度、洛氏硬度,观察背散射电子形貌、断口形貌并做能谱分析.结果表明,加入质量分数(下同)为0.8%Y及0.3%～1.0%的碳纳米管时,碳纳米管含量为0.5%的组织较均匀,芯壳结构明显,抗弯强度及硬度均较高.