Improvement of biohydrogen production from brewery wastewater: Evaluation of inocula,support and reactor

This work explores the production of biohydrogen from brewery wastewater using as inoculum a culture produced by natural fermentation of synthetic wastewater and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from the environment. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed good performance as inoculum, as evaluated using assays of between 9 and 16 cycles, with durations of 12 and 24 h, carbohydrate concentrations from 2.79 to 7.22 g L⁻¹, and applied volumetric organic loads from 2.6 to 12.6 g carbohydrate L⁻¹ day⁻¹. The best results were achieved with applied volumetric organic loads of 12.6 g carbohydrate L⁻¹ day⁻¹ and cycle length of 12 h, resulting in mean volumetric productivity of 0.88 L H₂ L⁻¹ day⁻¹, maximum molar flow of 10.80 mmol H₂ h⁻¹, and mean yield of 0.70 mol H₂ mol⁻¹ glucose consumed. The biogas H₂ content was between 18 and 42%, while the mean organic compounds removal and carbohydrate conversion efficiencies were 23 and 81%, respectively. The inoculum produced by natural fermentation was not viable.     

Efficiency and degradation of a copper indium diselenide photovoltaic module and yearly output at a sunny site in Jordan

The present work mainly deals with the testing and modeling of a commercially-available copper indium diselenide (CIS) ST40 module from the former Siemens Solar Industries (SSI). For this purpose, a large quantity of current/voltage characteristics were measured in the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)’s photovoltaic test-facility under different cell temperatures, solar irradiation and air mass, AM, conditions. They were used to develop a semi-empirical efficiency model to correlate all measured data sets. The goal was to make available a model, allowing quick and accurate calculation of the performance of the CIS module under all relevant operating conditions.

For the undegraded state of the module, the efficiency model allowed us to deduce the efficiency at Standard Test Conditions, STC, and its temperature coefficient at STC, which were 11.58% and minus 0.050%/°C, respectively. The output of the undegraded module under STC was found to be 42.4 W, i.e., 6% higher than specified by the manufacturer (40 W). Furthermore, the efficiency does not decrease with increasing air mass. At a cell temperature of 25 °C and a relative air mass of 1.5, the module has a maximum in efficiency of 12.0% at an irradiance of about 650 W/m². This indicates that the series-resistance losses become significant at higher irradiances. Hence, improving the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrode on the front side of the cells might lead to a higher output at high irradiances.

Identical testing and modeling were repeated after having exposed the module to real weather conditions for one year. We found that the STC efficiency was reduced by 9.0%, from 11.58 down to 10.54%. The temperature coefficient of the efficiency had changed from minus 0.050 %/°C to minus 0.039%/°C. These results indicate possible chemical changes in the semiconductor film. The output of the module at STC was reduced by 9.0% from 42.4 W down to 38.6 W.

Using meteorological data from a sunny site in the South of Jordan (Al Qauwairah) and the efficiency model presented here allows us to predict the yearly electricity yield of the CIS module in that area. Prior to degradation, the yield was found to be 362 kWh/m² for the Sun-tracked module; and 265 kWh/m² for the fix-installed module (South-oriented, at an inclination angle of 30°). After degradation the corresponding yields were found to be 334 and 241 kWh/m²; meaning losses of 8.4% and 9.5%, respectively. (Note: all units of energy, kWh, are referred to the active cell area.) Having available efficiency models for other module types, similar predictions of the yield can be made, facilitating the comparisons of the yearly yields of different module types at the same site. This in turn allows selecting the best module type for a particular site.     

循环流化床内气粒两相传热的萘升华模拟实验研究

在循环流化床试验台上对床中气体与颗粒两相间的传热特性进行了试验研究，试验中首次将萘升华热质类比技术应用于循环流化床内气粒两相间传热的研究中，考察了不同的固体颗粒循环量、一次风风速和床料平均粒径对气粒间换热的影响。试验表明：随着一次风风速的增加，循环床中气体和颗粒之间的表现热换系数变大，当固体颗粒循环量增加或颗粒平均粒径减小时，表征相间换热特性的Nu数增大。图5表1参4     

HL增液剂在催化裂化装置上的应用

介绍了HL增液剂在中国石化上海高桥炼油厂催化裂化装置上的使用情况。应用结果表明,在试验期间原料油密度增加和处理量增大的情况下,总液收在Z-18抗焦剂的基础上增加0.4%,催化剂活性提高2.05%,重柴油、油浆减少,液化气增加,改善了FCC产品分布,大大提高了FCC产品总经济效益,同时FCC汽油的硫含量下降了20.02%。     

Light interception, use-efficiency and energy yield of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) grown in a short season area

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has been identified as a potential biomass crop in North America. A two-year study was conducted to characterize leaf area development and estimate radiation-use efficiency (RUE) of switchgrass in eastern Canada. Three cultivars, Cave-in-Rock (CIR), Pathfinder (PF) and Sunburst (SB) were grown in solid stands in a randomized complete block design. Dry matter (DM) yield, leaf area development and light interception were monitored bi-weekly throughout the growing season. Herbage subsamples were hand separated into leaf and sheath-stem fractions. Mean seasonal maximum leaf area indices (LAI) were 6.1, 5.3 and 5.1 for CIR, PF and SB, respectively. By early July of each season the canopies were intercepting about 90% of the incoming light. End of season DM yields were 12.2, 11.5 and 10.6 Mg ha⁻¹ for CIR, PF and SB, respectively. The stem plus leaf sheaths constituted the major component of DM and its accumulation trend parallelled that of total DM. End of season stem-sheath components averaged 764, 714 and 691 of the total g kg⁻¹ DM for CIR, PF and SB, respectively. Energy contents of the switchgrasses averaged 17.4 MJ g⁻¹ DM and did not vary among cultivars or during the season. This translated into total energy yields ha⁻¹ of 216 GJ for CIR, 197 for PF and 186 for SB. Radiation-use efficiencies computed using total incoming solar radiation, for the near linear growth phases, averaged 1.07 g DM MJ⁻¹ for CIR, 0.90 for PF and 0.89 for SB. The respective values based on photosynthetically active radiation were 2.20, 2.00 and 1.96 g DM MJ⁻¹. Changes in LAI, relationships between LAI and light interception and DM yield could all be described by predictive regression equations. These results indicate the potential of switchgrass as a biomass crop in short season areas.     

一种利用蓄满产流模型绘制降雨径流相关图的方法

提出了一种利用蓄满产流数学模型绘制降雨径流相关图的方法,该方法首先根据流域历史资料结合流域自身特性确定蓄满产流模型的结构,并优选出模型参数;其次,利用优选后的蓄满产流模型结合历史数据绘制相关图。黑河流域应用实例表明,应用该方法绘制的相关图简便实用、精度较高。     

Steam reforming of acetic acid for hydrogenproduction: Catalytic performances of Ni and Co supported on Ce0·75Zr0·25O2 catalysts

The catalytic steam reforming of acetic acid over both Ni/ and Co/Ce_0·75Zr_0·25O₂ (CZO) catalysts in the temperature range of 450–650 °C and steam-to-carbon molar ratios of 3–9 was studied. It was found that the complete acetic acid conversion was achieved for all the conditions investigated. Nevertheless, the C–C bond cleavage conversion was attained less than the acetic acid conversion at a given condition due to carbon deposition on the catalyst. However, hydrogen yield was obtained in the same trend as C–C bond cleavage conversion as well. The results revealed that the CZO as an active support prefers to promote the ketonization reaction to the C-C bond cleavage reaction at a lower temperature, and vice versa at a higher temperature. The Ni/CZO catalyst exhibits higher C–C bond cleavage conversion than the Co/CZO catalyst particularly at 650 °C whereas the Co/CZO catalyst is more active for ketonization reaction at low temperatures. However, as an increase in reaction temperature, the Co/CZO catalyst promotes ketonization reaction more pronouncedly toward aldol-condensation reaction thus giving rise to the carbon deposition. The results deduced from the effect of space velocity on the activity and product distribution suggested that the steam reforming of acetic acid over Ni/CZO catalyst is dominated by decomposition of acetic acid, while that of Co/CZO catalyst by ketonization reaction.     

Scintillation properties of Cs2LiLaBr6 (CLLB) crystals with varying Ce concentration

Investigations of Ce³⁺-doped Cs₂LiLaBr₆ (CLLB) crystals show a systematic trend in their scintillation properties with varying Ce concentrations. The concentration studies provide input in the optimization of growth of the CLLB crystals. Scintillation properties viz. radioluminescence, energy resolution, light yield, decay times, and non-proportionality are discussed for samples from 0% to 20% Ce concentration.     

Stable CdS QDs with intense broadband photoluminescence and high quantum yields

Aqueous synthesis of CdS quantum dots (QDs) using thiolactic acid (TLA) as a capping agent was reported. These QDs exhibited excellent colloidal and photostability over a span of 2 years and showed intense broadband and almost white photoluminescence suitable for solid state lighting devices. The photoluminescence (PL) property of the aqueous CdS QDs is optimized by adjusting various processing parameters. The highest quantum yield (QY) achieved for TLA capped CdS QDs of average size 3.5 nm was ∼50%. Luminescence lifetime measurements of CdS-TLA QDs indicated longer lifetimes and a larger contribution of the surface-related emission, indicating removal of quenching defects.     

氧化铜对碳纤维生长的影响

氧化铜对乙炔的聚合生长表现出较高的催化活性。利用弱碱NH_3·H_2O沉淀Cu(Ac)_2,将所得的Cu-(OH)_2真空加热到350℃后通入乙炔气体进行碳纤维的催化生长。再把等量的Cu(OH)_2放入管式炉中,在氢气气氛中升温到350℃后通入乙炔气体催化生长碳纤维。对所得的样品进行SEM、XRD等表征分析。结果表明,无论是铜粒子还是氧化铜都能够催化生长直线型碳纤维,氢气对催化剂的预还原处理能够提高纤维的纯度,纤维的产量受温度影响,并在350℃时达到最大值;温度过高,纤维的产量降低。