| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Moldenhauer, Patrick, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Chemical-looping combustion with heavy liquid fuels in a 10 kW pilot plant
- 2017
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Ingår i: Fuel Processing Technology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-3820. ; 156, s. 124-137
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, chemical-looping combustion was performed with highly viscous vacuum residue. A fuel reactor with a fuel-injection system for liquid fuels was designed and built for a chemical-looping reactor with the nominal fuel input of 10 kWth. The gas velocities in the riser section and at the gas-distribution nozzles of this unit are comparable to those of industrial circulating fluidized-bed boilers. Reference experiments were performed with an ilmenite oxygen carrier and two different fuel blends that contained 40 wt.% and respectively 80 wt.% of vacuum residue in fuel oil 1. Fuel conversion was in line with that of experiments from an earlier campaign, where fuel oil 1 was used as fuel. The fuel contained a significant fraction of sulfur, but no SO2 was detected in the flue gas of the air reactor. More experiments were performed using an oxygen carrier based on calcium manganite. The oxygen carrier was exposed to fluidization at hot conditions (more than 600°C) for about 95 h, out of which fuel was injected during a total of 9.6 h. Undiluted vacuum residue, fuel oil 1 as well as different blends of these two were used as fuel. Furthermore, the parameters fuel flow, fuel-reactor temperature and air flow in the air reactor were varied to observe trends in fuel conversion. The experiments were carried out with a fuel flow corresponding to 4.0-6.2 kWth and an oxygen carrier-to-fuel ratio of about 1300-2000 kg/MWth (fuel-reactor bed mass per thermal fuel-power). With undiluted vacuum residue as fuel and a fuel-reactor temperature of 1000°C, up to 93% of all carbon leaving the fuel reactor was in the form of CO2. Carbon leakage from fuel reactor to air reactor was usually below 1% for all fuel types tested, but no SO2 was detected in the off-gas from the air reactor. The reactivity of the calcium manganite-based material decreased over the course of the experiments, which is likely due to sulfur poisoning. No defluidization or agglomeration problems were experienced over the course of the experimental campaign.
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| 3. |
- Salvador, Christian Mark, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Indoor ozone/human chemistry and ventilation strategies
- 2019
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Ingår i: Indoor Air. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1600-0668 .- 0905-6947. ; 29:6, s. 913-925
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aimed to better understand and quantify the influence of ventilation strategies on occupant-related indoor air chemistry. The oxidation of human skin oil constituents was studied in a continuously ventilated climate chamber at two air exchange rates (1 h-1 and 3 h-1 ) and two initial ozone mixing ratios (30 and 60 ppb). Additional measurements were performed to investigate the effect of intermittent ventilation ("off" followed by "on"). Soiled t-shirts were used to simulate the presence of occupants. A time-of-flight-chemical ionization mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS) in positive mode using protonated water clusters was used to measure the oxygenated reaction products geranyl acetone, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (6-MHO) and 4-oxopentanal (4-OPA). The measurement data were used in a series of mass balance models accounting for formation and removal processes. Reactions of ozone with squalene occurring on the surface of the t-shirts are mass transport limited; ventilation rate has only a small effect on this surface chemistry. Ozone-squalene reactions on the t-shirts produced gas-phase geranyl acetone, which was subsequently removed almost equally by ventilation and further reaction with ozone. About 70% of gas-phase 6-MHO was produced in surface reactions on the t-shirts, the remainder in secondary gas-phase reactions of ozone with geranyl acetone. 6-MHO was primarily removed by ventilation, while further reaction with ozone was responsible for about a third of its removal. 4-OPA was formed primarily on the surfaces of the shirts (~60%); gas-phase reactions of ozone with geranyl acetone and 6-MHO accounted for ~30% and ~10%, respectively. 4-OPA was removed entirely by ventilation. The results from the intermittent ventilation scenarios showed delayed formation of the reaction products and lower product concentrations compared to continuous ventilation.
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| 4. |
- Brandin, Jan, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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A review of thermo-chemical conversion of biomass into biofuels-focusing on gas cleaning and up-grading process steps
- 2017
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- It is not easy to replace fossil-based fuels in the transport sector, however, an appealing solution is to use biomass and waste for the production of renewable alternatives. Thermochemical conversion of biomass for production of synthetic transport fuels by the use of gasification is a promising way to meet these goals.One of the key challenges in using gasification systems with biomass and waste as feedstock is the upgrading of the raw gas produced in the gasifier. These materials replacing oil and coal contain large amounts of demanding impurities, such as alkali, inorganic compounds, sulphur and chlorine compounds. Therefore, as for all multi-step processes, the heat management and hence the total efficiency depend on the different clean-up units. Unfortunately, the available conventional gas filtering units for removing particulates and impurities, and also subsequent catalytic conversion steps have lower optimum working temperatures than the operating temperature in the gasification units.This report focuses on on-going research and development to find new technology solutions and on the key critical technology challenges concerning the purification and upgrading of the raw gas to synthesis gas and the subsequent different fuel synthesis processes, such as hot gas filtration, clever heating solutions and a higher degree of process integration as well as catalysts more resistant towards deactivation. This means that the temperature should be as high as possible for any particular upgrading unit in the refining system. Nevertheless, the temperature and pressure of the cleaned synthesis gas must meet the requirements of the downstream application, i.e. Fischer-Tropsch diesel or methanol.Before using the gas produced in the gasifier a number of impurities needs to be removed. These include particles, tars, sulphur and ammonia. Particles are formed in gasification, irrespective of the type of gasifier design used. A first, coarse separation is performed in one or several cyclone filters at high temperature. Thereafter bag-house filters (e.g. ceramic or textile) maybe used to separate the finer particles. A problem is, however, tar condensation in the filters and there is much work performed on trying to achieve filtration at as high a temperature as possible.The far most stressed technical barriers regarding cleaning of the gases are tars. To remove the tar from the product gas there is a number of alternatives, but most important is that the gasifier is operated at optimal conditions for minimising initial tar formation. In fluid bed and entrained flow gasification a first step may be catalytic tar cracking after particle removal. In fluid bed gasification a catalyst, active in tar cracking, may be added to the fluidising bed to further remove any tar formed in the bed. In this kind of tar removal, natural minerals such as dolomite and olivine, are normally used, or catalysts normally used in hydrocarbon reforming or cracking. The tar can be reformed to CO and hydrogen by thermal reforming as well, when the temperature is increased to 1300ºC and the tar decomposes. Another method for removing tar from the gas is to scrub it by using hot oil (200-300ºC). The tar dissolves in the hot oil, which can be partly regenerated and the remaining tar-containing part is either burned or sent back to the gasifier for regasification.Other important aspects are that the sulphur content of the gas depends on the type of biomass used, the gasification agent used etc., but a level at or above 100 ppm is not unusual. Sulphur levels this high are not acceptable if there are catalytic processes down-stream, or if the emissions of e.g. SO2 are to be kept down. The sulphur may be separated by adsorbing it in ZnO, an irreversible process, or a commercially available reversible adsorbent can be used. There is also the possibility of scrubbing the gas with an amine solution. If a reversible alternative is chosen, elementary sulphur may be produced using the Claus process.Furthermore, the levels of ammonia formed in gasification (3,000 ppm is not uncommon) are normally not considered a problem. When combusting the gas, nitrogen or in the worst case NOx (so-called fuel NOx) is formed; there are, however, indications that there could be problems. Especially when the gasification is followed by down-stream catalytic processes, steam reforming in particular, where the catalyst might suffer from deactivation by long-term exposure to ammonia.The composition of the product gas depends very much on the gasification technology, the gasifying agent and the biomass feedstock. Of particular significance is the choice of gasifying agent, i.e. air, oxygen, water, since it has a huge impact on the composition and quality of the gas, The gasifying agent also affects the choice of cleaning and upgrading processes to syngas and its suitability for different end-use applications as fuels or green chemicals.The ideal upgraded syngas consists of H2 and CO at a correct ratio with very low water and CO2 content allowed. This means that the tars, particulates, alkali salts and inorganic compounds mentioned earlier have to be removed for most of the applications. By using oxygen as the gasifying agent, instead of air, the content of nitrogen may be minimised without expensive nitrogen separation.In summary, there are a number of uses with respect to produced synthesis gas. The major applications will be discussed, starting with the production of hydrogen and then followed by the synthesis of synthetic natural gas, methanol, dimethyl ether, Fischer-Tropsch diesel and higher alcohol synthesis, and describing alternatives combining these methods. The SNG and methanol synthesis are equilibrium constrained, while the synthesis of DME (one-step route), FT diesel and alcohols are not. All of the reactions are exothermal (with the exception of steam reforming of methane and tars) and therefore handling the temperature increase in the reactors is essential. In addition, the synthesis of methanol has to be performed at high pressure (50-100 bar) to be industrially viable.There will be a compromise between the capital cost of the whole cleaning unit and the system efficiency, since solid waste, e.g. ash, sorbents, bed material and waste water all involve handling costs. Consequently, installing very effective catalysts, results in unnecessary costs because of expensive gas cleaning; however the synthesis units further down-stream, especially for Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and DME/methanol will profit from an effective gas cleaning which extends the catalysts life-time. The catalyst materials in the upgrading processes essentially need to be more stable and resistant to different kinds of deactivation.Finally, process intensification is an important development throughout chemical industries, which includes simultaneous integration of both synthesis steps and separation, other examples are advanced heat exchangers with heat integration in order to increase the heat transfer rates. Another example is to combine exothermic and endothermic reactions to support reforming reactions by using the intrinsic energy content. For cost-effective solutions and efficient application, new solutions for cleaning and up-grading of the gases are necessary.
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| 5. |
- Halvarsson, Sören, 1956-
(författare)
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Manufacture of straw MDF and fibreboards
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this thesis was to develop an economical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly straw Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) process, capable of full-scale manufacturing and to produce MDF of requested quality. The investigated straw was based on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryzae sativa L.). In this thesis three different methods were taken for manufacture of straw MDF; (A) wheat-straw fibre was blowline blended with melamine-modified urea-formaldehyde (MUF), (B) rice-straw fibre was mixed with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) in a resin drum-blender, and (C) wheat-straw fibre was activated in the blowline by the addition of Fenton’s reagent (H2O2/Fe2+) for production of non-resin MDF panels. The MUF/wheat straw MDF panels were approved according to the requirements of the EN standard for MDF (EN 622-5, 2006). The MDI/rice-straw MDF panels were approved according to requirements of the standard for MDF of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI A208.2-2002). The non-resin wheat-straw panels showed mediocre MDF panel properties and were not approved according to the requirements in the MDF standard. The dry process for wood-based MDF was modified for production of straw MDF. The straw MDF process was divided into seven main process steps. 1. Size-reduction (hammer-milling) and screening of straw 2. Wetting and heating of straw 3. Defibration 4. Resination of straw fibre 5. Mat forming 6. Pre-pressing 7. Hot-pressing The primary results were that the straw MDF process was capable of providing satisfactory straw MDF panels based on different types of straw species and adhesives. Moreover, the straw MDF process was performed in pilot-plant scale and demonstrated as a suitable method for producing straw MDF from straw bales to finished straw MDF panels. In the environmental perspective the agricultural straw-waste is a suitable source for producing MDF to avoid open field burning and to capture carbon dioxide (CO2), the biological sink for extended time into MDF panels, instead of converting straw directly into bio energy or applying straw fibre a few times as recycled paper. Additionally, the straw MDF panels can be recycled or converted to energy after utilization. A relationship between water retention value (WRV) of resinated straw fibres, the thickness swelling of corresponding straw MDF panels, and the amount of applied adhesive was determined. WRV of the straw fibre increased and the TS of straw MDF declined as a function of the resin content. The empirical models developed were of acceptable significance and the R2 values were 0.69 (WRV) and 0.75 (TS), respectively. Reduced thickness swelling of MDF as the resin content is increased is well-known. The increase of WRV as a function of added polymers is not completely established within the science of fibre swelling. Fortunately, more fundamental research can be initiated and likely a simple method for prediction of thickness swelling of MDF by analysis of the dried and resinated MDF fibres is possible.
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| 6. |
- Stedt, Kristoffer, 1991, et al.
(författare)
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Post-harvest cultivation with seafood process waters improves protein levels of Ulva fenestrata while retaining important food sensory attributes
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seaweed aquaculture can provide the growing human population with a sustainable source of proteins. Sea-based cultivation is an effective method for farming seaweeds on a large scale and can yield high biomass output. However, the quality and biochemical composition of the biomass is seasonally dependent, which limits the harvests to certain periods of the year. Here we show the possibility to extend the sea-based cultivation season of Ulva fenestrata when aiming for high protein levels, by post-harvest treatment in herring production process waters. We harvested U. fenestrata at an optimal period in terms of yield, but suboptimal in terms of protein content. We then cultivated the seaweed in onshore tank systems with the nutrient-rich process waters for 14 days. We monitored biomass yield, crude protein content, amino acid composition, and content of the health concerning metals arsenic, mercury, lead, and cadmium, as well as the sensory properties of the dried biomass. After cultivation in the process waters, biomass yields were 30 - 40% higher (210 – 230 g fresh weight) compared to in seawater (160 g fresh weight). Also, the crude protein and amino acid content increased three to five times in the process waters, reaching 12 - 17 and 15 – 21% dry weight, respectively. The protein enriched biomass followed food graded standards for heavy metal content, and consumption of the biomass does not exceed health based reference points. Additionally, no sensory attributes regarded as negative were found. This rapid, post-harvest treatment can help extend the cultivation season of sea-based seaweed farms, maximizing their output of sustainable proteins.
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| 7. |
- Steinhagen, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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Harvest time can affect the optimal yield and quality of sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata) in a sustainable sea-based cultivation : Seasonal Cultivation of Ulva fenestrata
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Marine Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-7745. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Seaweed biomass is a renewable resource with multiple applications. Sea-based cultivation of seaweeds can provide high biomass yields, low construction, operation, and maintenance costs and could offer an environmentally and economically sustainable alternative to land-based cultivations. The biochemical profile of sea-grown biomass depends on seasonal variation in environmental factors, and the optimization of harvest time is important for the quality of the produced biomass. To identify optimal harvest times of Swedish sea-based cultivated sea lettuce (Ulva fenestrata), this study monitored biomass yield, morphology, chemical composition, fertility, and biofouling at five different harvesting times in April - June 2020. The highest biomass yields (approx. 1.2 kg fw [m rope]-1) were observed in late spring (May). The number and size of holes in the thalli and the amount of fertile and fouled tissue increased with prolonged growth season, which together led to a significant decline in both biomass yield and quality during summer (June). Early spring (April) conditions were optimal for obtaining high fatty acid, protein, biochar, phenolic, and pigment contents in the biomass, whereas carbohydrate and ash content, as well as essential and non-essential elements, increased later in the growth season. Our study results show that the optimal harvest time of sea-based cultivated U. fenestrata depends on the downstream application of the biomass and must be carefully selected to balance yield, quality, and desired biochemical contents to maximize the output of future sea-based algal cultivations in the European Northern Hemisphere.
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| 8. |
- Zhou, Ming, et al.
(författare)
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Oligoamine ionic liquids supported on mesoporous microspheres for CO2 separation with good sorption kinetics and low cost
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of CO2 Utilization. - : Elsevier. - 2212-9820 .- 2212-9839. ; 39
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ionic liquids display good CO2 absorption capacity but poor absorption kinetics and high costs. In the present work, we show that these problems can be solved by impregnating the new low cost ionic liquid pentaethylenehexammonium chloride [PEHA][Cl] and the corresponding amine precursor on a low cost mesoporous microsphere support. Nitrogen adsorption/ desorption, high-resolution SEM and thermogravimetric analysis were employed to analyze the structural and thermal properties of the prepared sorbents. The CO2 adsorption and desorption performance was studied by column experiments and mathematical models were fitted to the data. The results showed that sorbents displayed excellent sorption kinetics and capacity, comparable to the best reports in the literature. In addition, the sorbents could be regenerated and displayed high thermal stability. Finally, the costs of the sorbents developed in the present work is much lower than previously reported sorbents. Therefore this novel supported IL system could be promising for industrial CO2 removal and recovery applications.
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| 9. |
- Deshpande, Raghu, 1979-
(författare)
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The initial phase of the sodium bisulfite pulping of softwood dissolving pulp
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The sulfite pulping process is today practised in only a small number of pulp mills around the globe and the number of sulfite mills that use sodium as the base (cation) is less than five. However, due to the increasing interest in the wood based biorefinery concept, the benefits of sulfite pulping and especially the sodium based variety, has recently gained a lot of interest. It was therefore considered to be of high importance to further study the sodium based sulfite process to investigate if its benefits could be better utilized in the future in the production of dissolving pulps. Of specific interest was to investigate how the pulping conditions in the initial part of the cook (≥ 60 % pulp yield) should be performed in the best way.Thus, this thesis is focused on the initial phase of single stage sodium bisulfite cooking of either 100 % spruce or 100 % pine wood chips. The cooking experiments were carried out with either a lab prepared or a mill prepared cooking acid and the temperature and cooking time were varied. Activation energies for different wood components were investigated as well as side reactions concerning the formation of thiosulfate and sulfate.
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| 10. |
- Endrodi, Balázs, et al.
(författare)
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Suppressed oxygen evolution during chlorateformation from hypochlorite in the presenceof chromium(VI)
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of chemical technology and biotechnology (1986). - : Wiley. - 0268-2575 .- 1097-4660. ; 94:5, s. 1520-1527
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Chromium(VI) is a crucial electrolyte component in industrial chlorate production. Due to its toxicity, iturgently needs to be abandoned and its functions fulfilled by new solutions. In the industrial production of sodium chlorate,homogeneous decomposition of the hypochlorite intermediate to chlorate is a key step. As a competing loss reaction,hypochlorite can decompose to oxygen. How chromium(VI) affects these reactions is not well understood.RESULTS: This work shows, for the first time, that chromium(VI) selectively accelerates the chlorate formation from hypochloriteboth in dilute and concentrated, industrially relevant solutions. The effect of the ionic strength and the specific contributionof different electrolyte components were systematically studied. By simultaneously measuring the concentration decayof hypochlorite (UV–vis spectroscopy) and the oxygen formation (mass spectrometry), both the rate and the selectivity of thereactions were evaluated.CONCLUSION: In the presence of chromium(VI) the hypochlorite decomposition is described by the sum of an uncatalyzedand a parallel catalyzed reaction, where oxygen only forms in the uncatalyzed reaction. When removing chromium(VI),the homogeneous oxygen formation increases, causing economic and safety concerns. The need for a catalyst selectivefor chlorate formation is emphasized.
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| 11. |
- H. Moud, Pouya
(författare)
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Catalytic Conversion of Undesired Organic Compounds to Syngas in Biomass Gasification and Pyrolysis Applications
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Reliable energy supply is a major concern and crucial for development of the global society. To address the dependency on fossil fuel and the negative effects of this reliance on climate, there is a need for a transition to cleaner sources. An attractive solution for replacing fossil-based products is renewable substitutes produced from biomass. Gasification and pyrolysis are two promising thermochemical conversion technologies, facing challenges before large-scale commercialization becomes viable. In case of biomass gasification, tar is often and undesired by-product. An attractive option to convert tar into syngas is nickel-based catalytic steam reforming (SR). For biomass pyrolysis, catalytic SR is in early stages of investigation as a feasible option for bio-crude conversion to syngas.The focus of the thesis is partly dedicated to describe research aimed at increasing the knowledge around tar reforming mechanisms and effect of biomass-derived impurities on Ni-based tar reforming catalyst downstream of gasifiers. The work focuses on better understanding of gas-phase alkali interaction with Ni-based catalyst surface under realistic conditions. A methodology was successfully developed to enable controlled investigation of the combined sulfur (S) and potassium (K) interaction with the catalyst. The most striking result was that K appears to lower the sulfur coverage and increases methane and tar reforming activity. Additionally, the results obtained in the atomistic investigations are discussed in terms of naphthalene adsorption, dehydrogenation and carbon passivation of nickel.Furthermore, the thesis describes research performed on pyrolysis gas pre-conditioning at a small-industrial scale, using an iron-based catalyst. Findings showed that Fe-based materials are potential candidates for application in a pyrolysis gas pre-conditioning step before further treatment or use, and a way for generating a hydrogen-enriched gas without the need for bio-crude condensation.
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| 12. |
- Liu, Longcheng, et al.
(författare)
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Solute transport along a single fracture in a porous rock : a simple analytical solution and its extension for modeling velocity dispersion
- 2017
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Ingår i: Hydrogeology Journal. - : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 1431-2174 .- 1435-0157.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A simple and robust solution is developed for the problem of solute transport along a single fracture in a porous rock. The solution is referred to as the solution to the single-flow-path model and takes the form of a convolution of two functions. The first function is the probability density function of residence-time distribution of a conservative solute in the fracture-only system as if the rock matrix is impermeable. The second function is the response of the fracture-matrix system to the input source when Fickian-type dispersion is completely neglected; thus, the effects of Fickian-type dispersion and matrix diffusion have been decoupled. It is also found that the solution can be understood in a way in line with the concept of velocity dispersion in fractured rocks. The solution is therefore extended into more general cases to also account for velocity variation between the channels. This leads to a development of the multi-channel model followed by detailed statistical descriptions of channel properties and sensitivity analysis of the model upon changes in the model key parameters. The simulation results obtained by the multi-channel model in this study fairly well agree with what is often observed in field experiments—i.e. the unchanged Peclet number with distance, which cannot be predicted by the classical advection-dispersion equation. In light of the findings from the aforementioned analysis, it is suggested that forced-gradient experiments can result in considerably different estimates of dispersivity compared to what can be found in natural-gradient systems for typical channel widths.
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| 13. |
- Paulraj, Alagar Raj, 1989-, et al.
(författare)
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NiFeOx as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction (OR) and Evolution (OE) Reaction in Alkaline Media
- 2018
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Ingår i: Catalysts. - : MDPI AG. - 2073-4344. ; 8:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article reports the two-step synthesis of NiFeOx nanomaterials and their characterization and bifunctional electrocatalytic activity measurements in alkaline electrolyte for metal-air batteries. The samples were mostly in layered double hydroxide at the initial temperature, but upon heat treatment, they were converted to NiFe2O4 phases. The electrochemical behaviour of the different samples was studied by linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry on the glassy carbon electrode. The OER catalyst activity was observed for low mass loadings (0.125 mg cm−2), whereas high catalyst loading exhibited the best performance on the ORR side. The sample heat-treated at 250 °C delivered the highest bi-functional oxygen evolution and reduction reaction activity (OER/ORR) thanks to its thin-holey nanosheet-like structure with higher nickel oxidation state at 250 °C. This work further helps to develop low-cost electrocatalyst development for metal-air batteries
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| 14. |
- Shahkarami, Pirouz, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Channel Network Concept — an Integrated Approach to Visualize Solute Transport in Fractured Rocks
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The advection-dispersion equation, ADE, has commonly been used to visualize solute transport in fractured rock. However, there is one key question that has to be addressed before the mathematical form of the so-called Fickian dispersion that underlies the ADE takes on physical meaning in fractures. What is the travel distance, or travel time, required before the Fickian condition is met and the ADE becomes physically reasonable? A simple theory is presented in this study to address this question in tapered channels. It is shown that spreading of solute under forced-gradient flow conditions is mostly dominated by advective mechanisms, though the ADE might be valid in the channels under natural flow conditions. This implies that the use of the ADE and macro dispersion coefficient might be misleading when applied to interpret field tracer experiment results. Furthermore, several concerns are raised in this paper with regard to utilizing the concept of field-scale matrix diffusion coefficient in fractured rocks. The concerns are mainly directed toward the uncertainties and potential bias involved in finding the continuum model parameters.In light of the findings of this study and empirical evidences, it is suggested that it is feasible and more realistic to describe flow and solute transport in fractured rocks as taking place in three-dimensional networks of channels, as embodied in the channel network concept, CN-concept. It is argued that this conceptualization provides a convenient framework to capture the impacts of spatial heterogeneities in fractured rocks and can accommodate the physical mechanisms underlying the behavior of solute transport in such porous media. All these issues are discussed in this paper in relation to analyzing and predicting actual tracer tests in fractured crystalline rocks.
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| 15. |
- Shahkarami, Pirouz, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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Radionuclide migration through fractured rock for arbitrary-length decay chain: Analytical solution and global sensitivity analysis : new
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Hydrology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-1694 .- 1879-2707. ; 520, s. 448-460
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study presents an analytical approach to simulate nuclide migration through a channel in a fracture accounting for an arbitrary-length decay chain. The nuclides are retarded as they diffuse in the porous rock matrix and stagnant zones in the fracture. The Laplace transform and similarity transform techniques are applied to solve the model. The analytical solution to the nuclide concentrations at the fracture outlet is governed by nine parameters representing different mechanisms acting on nuclide transport through a fracture, including diffusion into the rock matrices, diffusion into the stagnant water zone, chain decay and hydrodynamic dispersion. Furthermore, to assess how sensitive the results are to parameter uncertainties, the Sobol method is applied in variance-based global sensitivity analyses of the model output. The Sobol indices show how uncertainty in the model output is apportioned to the uncertainty in the model input. This method takes into account both direct effects and interaction effects between input parameters. The simulation results suggest that in the case of pulse injections, ignoring the effect of a stagnant water zone can lead to significant errors in the time of first arrival and the peak value of the nuclides. Likewise, neglecting the parent and modeling its daughter as a single stable species can result in a significant overestimation of the peak value of the daughter nuclide. It is also found that as the dispersion increases, the early arrival time and the peak time of the daughter decrease while the peak value increases. More importantly, the global sensitivity analysis reveals that for time periods greater than a few thousand years, the uncertainty of the model output is more sensitive to the values of the individual parameters than to the interaction between them. Moreover, if one tries to evaluate the true values of the input parameters at the same cost and effort, the determination of priorities should follow a certain sequence.
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| 16. |
- Shahkarami, Pirouz, 1986-, et al.
(författare)
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The effect of stagnant water zones on retarding radionuclide transport in fractured rocks : An extension to the Channel Network Model
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Hydrology. - : Elsevier. - 0022-1694 .- 1879-2707. ; 540, s. 1122-1135
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An essential task of performance assessment of radioactive waste repositories is to predict radionuclide release into the environment. For such a quantitative assessment, the Channel Network Model and the corresponding computer program, CHAN3D, have been used to simulate radionuclide transport in crystalline bedrocks. Recent studies suggest, however, that the model may tend to underestimate the rock retarding capability, because it ignores the presence of stagnant water zones, STWZs, situated in the fracture plane. Once considered, the STWZ can provide additional surface area over which radionuclides diffuse into the rock matrix and thereby contribute to their retardation.The main objective of this paper is to extend the Channel Network Model and its computer implementation to account for diffusion into STWZs and their adjacent rock matrices.In the first part of the paper, the overall impact of STWZs in retarding radionuclide transport is investigated through a deterministic calculation of far-field releases at Forsmark, Sweden. Over the time-scale of the repository safety assessments, radionuclide breakthrough curves are calculated for increasing STWZ width. It is shown that the presence of STWZs enhances the retardation of most long-lived radionuclides except for 36Cl and 129I.The rest of the paper is devoted to the probabilistic calculation of radionuclide transport in fractured rocks. The model that is developed for transport through a single channel is embedded into the Channel Network Model and new computer codes are provided for the CHAN3D. The program is used to (I) simulate the tracer test experiment performed at Äspö HRL, STT-1 and (II) investigate the short- and long-term effect of diffusion into STWZs. The required data for the model are obtained from detailed hydraulic tests in boreholes intersecting the rock mass where the tracer tests were made.The simulation results fairly well predict the release of the sorbing tracer 137Cs. It is found that over the short time-scale of the tracer experiment, the effect of diffusion into STWZs is not as pronounced as that of matrix diffusion directly from the flow channel, and the latter remains the main retarding mechanism. Predictions for longer time-scale, tens of years and more, show that the effect of STWZs becomes strong and tends to increase with transport time. It is shown that over the long times of interest for safety assessment of radioactive waste repositories, STWZs can substantially contribute to radionuclide retardation, though for the short time-scales the impact is not very strong and is not expected to affect the results of short-term field experiments.
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| 17. |
- Tavast, Daniel, 1978-
(författare)
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Improved Usage of Wood Raw Material through Modification of the Kraft Process
- 2015
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The kraft process is a complex system with many variables, and though the process is fairly well understood, there is still much we do not know. This thesis examines some aspects of the kraft process that could prove to be of interest for the pulp and paper industry, specifically, the impact of wood chip impregnation and of the chemical structure of xylan on spruce kraft pulp. The intent is to suggest modifications to the kraft process as it is used today. The effect of wood chip impregnation varies with the prevalent conditions, and increases the effect of the subsequent kraft cook. Longer impregnation at a lower temperature was found to increase screened pulp yield, reduce shives content, make it possible to reach a certain kappa number at a lower H-factor, and make it possible to reach a certain kappa number at a lower total alkali consumption. Xylan has previously been found to have a strength-enhancing effect on pulp, and the chemical structure of the xylan in question was found to be the main strength-enhancing factor. For spruce xylan, the structure that provides the largest increase in strength is not the same as the structure that increases the yield the most. Removing xylan was determined to have a negative impact on pulp strength. Xylan extracted from agro waste can be used as an additive to increase pulp strength. This could be viable, especially when combined with the production of green plastics from hemicelluloses extracted from the agro waste. A suggested configuration of a future pulp mill is presented, incorporating the following modifications to the now standard kraft cooking system:impregnation at a lower temperature for a longer time;extracting xylan-enriched black liquor at an early stage of the impregnation or cook, and adding this liquor at a late stage of the cook;terminating the cook at a higher kappa number;increasing oxygen delignification to compensate for the increased kappa number at the end of the cook, keeping the kappa number constant going into the bleaching plant; andadding agro-waste xylan during oxygen delignification.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Brandin, Jan, 1958-, et al.
(författare)
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Multi-function catalysts for glycerol upgrading
- 2010
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- During the last three years Biofuel-Solution, a privately held Swedish entity, has developed an IP-portfolio around gas-phase glycerol conversion into medium-value chemicals. The targeted chemicals have large to very large markets, to allow for use by more than a fraction of the glycerol available today without impacting the cost of the product. The reason behind is that glycerol is a by-product from the biofuel industry, including biodiesel and bioethanol. This indicates large production volumes, even though the glycerol is a fraction of the fuel produced. A by-product from any fuel process will be vast and therefore any chemical produced from this side-product will have to have a large market to offset it to. In order to avoid changing the fundamental market behavior, similar to what the biodiesel industry has done to the glycerol market. In the course of this work, several end-products have been targeted. These include plastic monomers, mono-alcohols and energy gases; using acrolein as a common starting point. To produce chemicals with high purity and efficiency, selective and active catalysts are required. For instance, a process for producing propionaldehyde and n-propanol has been developed to the point of demonstration and commercialization building on the gas-phase platform. By developing multi-function catalysts which perform more than one task simultaneously, synergies can be reached that cannot be achieved with traditional catalysts. For instance, by combining catalyst functionalities, reactions that are both endothermic and exothermic can be performed simultaneously. This mean lower inlet reactor temperatures (in this particular case) and a more even temperature distribution. By performing the dehydration of glycerol to acrolein in combination with another, exothermal reaction by-products can be suppressed and yields increased. It also means that new reaction pathways can be achieved, allowing for new ways to produce chemicals and fuels from glycerol. As in the case of ethane production from acrolein, where a catalyst surface has been devised where acrolein is first adsorbed. The actual mechanism is unknown but in speculation, the adsorbed acrolein is decarbonyled into ethylene and carbon monoxide on a first reaction site. The formed carbon monoxide diffuses to another active site, where it reacts with water through the so called water-gas shift reaction to carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Said carbon dioxide leaves as an end-product, and the hydrogen diffuses to another active site where it reacts with ethylene to form ethane. This gives a way of producing energy gases from glycerol in a very compact reactor set-up, effectively reducing footprint and capital cost and increasing productivity of an installation.
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| 20. |
- Dahlin, Sandra, et al.
(författare)
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Chemical aging of Cu-SSZ-13 SCR catalysts for heavy-duty vehicles –Influence of sulfur dioxide
- 2018
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Ingår i: Catalysis Today. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 0920-5861 .- 1873-4308. ; 320, s. 72-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides is an efficient technique for emission abatement in heavy-dutyvehicles. Cu-SSZ-13 SCR catalysts are more active than vanadium-based catalysts at low temperatures, but aremore sensitive to deactivation by sulfur. Consequently, there is a need to study poisoning by sulfur for thiscatalyst material. This experimental investigation focuses on the effect of sulfur on the low-temperature per-formance of Cu-SSZ-13 SCR catalysts. The effect of sulfur exposure temperature, and the influence of the NO 2 /NO x ratio, are considered and two different regeneration temperatures are compared. In addition, catalystsamples from an engine-aged catalyst are evaluated. The SO 2 exposure temperature is shown to have an im-portant impact on the deactivation of the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst. The lowest sulfur exposure temperature (220 °C)results in the most severe deactivation, while the highest temperature during sulfur exposure (400 °C) results inthe lowest degree of deactivation. This was found to be related to the amount of sulfur on the catalyst.Additionally, SO 2 exposure was shown to decrease the N 2 O selectivity. The engine-aged catalyst has a decreasedperformance in terms of both decreased activity and increased N 2 O selectivity. For this catalyst, impurities fromfuel and engine-oil can play a role in the deactivation. Different deactivation mechanisms are seen for the lab-and engine-aged catalysts.
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| 21. |
- Granestrand, Jonas, 1988-, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of the impact of trace elements in FAME biodiesel on diesel oxidation catalyst activity after full lifetime of operation in a heavy-duty truck
- 2024
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Ingår i: Applied Catalysis B. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 0926-3373 .- 1873-3883.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- FAME biodiesel contains some trace amounts of Na, K, P, Ca and Mg. A diesel oxidation catalyst that had been used for an entire regulatory lifetime in a heavy-duty truck was studied, to investigate whether the presence of such trace elements poisons the catalyst. The vehicle-aged catalyst contained high loadings of S, P and Na, as well as a visible layer of soot. Activity in the NO oxidation reaction was severely decreased compared to a fresh catalyst of the same type, while the CO and C3H6 oxidation reactions were less affected. Activity testing after subsequent selective trace element removal procedures was used to decouple the effect of different poisons. Sintering was observed to be the main cause of catalyst deactivation. Of the trace elements present on the catalyst, P had the largest effect on catalyst activity, while the other trace elements had little effect.
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| 22. |
- L. Bergman, Susanna, et al.
(författare)
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In-situ characterization by Near-Ambient Pressure XPS of the catalytically active phase of Pt/Al2O3 during NO and CO oxidation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Applied Catalysis B. - Amsterdam : Elsevier. - 0926-3373 .- 1873-3883. ; 220, s. 506-511
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study concerns near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAP-XPS) studies of a Pt/Al2O3 diesel oxidation catalyst used in exhaust aftertreatment. We apply the technique to an industrial-grade porous catalyst, thus bridging both the pressure and materials gap, and probe the shift in binding energy of Pt 4d under different atmospheres. We observe that oxidizing atmospheres induce a shift in binding energy, corresponding to changes in Pt oxidation state, especially pronounced under an atmosphere of NO and O2. Such changes in Pt oxidation state have previously been linked to dynamic changes in NO oxidation activity.
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| 23. |
- Solis, Jerry Luis
(författare)
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Conversion processes for biofuel production
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Despite the global positive impacts of soybean-, maize- and sugarcane-based (first-generation) liquid biofuels, several drawbacks pertaining to increased use of agricultural land, causing deforestation in some countries and extensive practice of fertilizers have been observed. As a result, developing advanced (second- and third-generation) liquid biofuels have been identified as better alternatives and are considered to be of great importance in the future. These alternative biofuels will help to meet the energy demand by transition to ameliorate and fulfil the energy demand, especially in the transport sector.The actual energy demand for fossil fuels in Bolivia is unsustainable due to its continuous increase. Bolivia has its own fossil fuel resources, but these still fall short of demand, forcing the government to budget for yearly fuel imports. This situation has prompted attempts to achieve energy independence through the production of biofuels. However, it is important that Bolivian energy independence endeavours include a sustainable vision. Bolivia has great potential for local first- and second-generation liquid biofuel production. However, the intensification of liquid biofuel production should focus on second- and third-generation biofuel production to minimize direct and indirect undesired impacts.This thesis considers the development of suitable technology and procedures to produce second-generation liquid biofuels, which can be divided into biodiesel and ethanol production. The proposed biodiesel production includes the development of heterogeneous catalysts that enable the production of biodiesel from edible and non-edible oils (i.e. rapeseed, babassu, and Ricinus oils). These heterogeneous catalysts are based on gel-based mayenite and alumina supports with the co-precipitation of metal oxides of calcium, lithium, magnesium and tin. The synthesized catalysts were characterized using, N2 physisorption, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The experimental design and optimum results indicate that heterogeneous biodiesel production is feasible, being able to produce biodiesel yields ranging from 85% to 100%. Ethanol production was studied using the residues of Schinus molle seeds after the essential oil extraction process, which is available in excess in Bolivia. The biomass was characterized to elucidate its properties using high-performance liquid chromatography and TGA. The biomass was pre-treated with chemical, physical, andVIenzymatic hydrolysis to increase the fermentation yield. To obtain the highest ethanol production, two native yeast strains were isolated and characterized. By using native yeast strains, a high content of ethanol per gram of biomass was achieved. The proposed implementation of the fermentation process could result in a significant global warming potential reduction. The implementation of heterogeneous catalysts to produce biodiesel and residual lignocellulosic biomass to produce ethanol represent a great potential to supply the Bolivian fuel demand. High biodiesel and ethanol yields from second-generation feedstocks are feasible and could help reduce pollution levels and import dependency.
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| 24. |
- Du, Chengjun, 1985
(författare)
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Studies on Diesel sprays under non-reacting and reacting conditions
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Methods for reducing engine-out emissions are urgently needed to mitigate climate change and air pollution. In diesel engines, the quality of fuel-air mixing and the subsequent combustion process strongly affect fuel efficiency and engine-out emissions. However, fuel-air mixing, the subsequent combustion processes, and their dependence on the operating conditions are not yet fully understood. This thesis aims to address this deficiency by analyzing the effects of various orifice geometries and high injection pressures on the characteristics of diesel sprays.The thesis briefly reviews the fundamental physics governing the flow of pressurized fuel through the internal nozzle of a diesel injector, the subsequent formation of the liquid and vapor spray, and the turbulent diffusion combustion processes. The experimental work presented in this thesis can be divided into three main parts. The first focuses on the effects of geometry-induced cavitation on the liquid/vapor phase spray and injection rate evaluation. To this end, a light absorption and scattering technique (LAS) was used to measure the distributions of liquid and vapor sprays formed using nozzles with various geometries. It was found that the vaporization of the diesel spray was controlled by turbulent air mixing. The effects of geometry-induced cavitation on the spray properties were mainly due to differences in the fuel mass flow rate, spray momentum and spreading angle. In addition, the injection rates of cavitating and non-cavitating nozzles were evaluated using the momentum flux measurement method. It was found that failure to account for cavitation caused the injection rate to be overestimated for the cavitating nozzle but not for the non-cavitating nozzle.The second part of the experimental campaign investigates the effect of the injection pressure and nozzle geometry on soot formation and oxidation. A two-dimensional laser extinction method was used to measure time-resolved soot concentrations and soot volume fractions; OH* chemiluminescence imaging was used to measure the lift-off length and measure the distributions of the OH radicals qualitatively; soot luminosity images were used to identify the sooting area in the soot shadowgraph images. It was found that the equivalence ratio in the jet center at the lift-off length (ϕ_cl), which is influenced by the operating conditions, played a critical role in soot formation. Reductions in ϕ_cl thickened the OH zone in the upstream region of the jet, reducing the volume corresponding to the maximum soot volume fraction. The expansion of the OH zone also helped reduce the sooting zone’s width. However, under high sooting conditions (e.g. ϕ_cl>3.5), the sooting zone width in the downstream jet was independent of ϕ_cl. The third part of the thesis investigates combusting and non-combusting sprays formed from different blends of ethanol with diesel fuel. Using 0%-20% ethanol blended with diesel fuels, liquid/vapor phase spray images were captured, the ignition delay was measured, the lift-off length was measured, and natural soot luminosity images were captured. It was found that the differences in the fuels’ composition did not significantly affect the liquid/vapor phase sprays. However, as the ethanol content of the fuel was increased from 0% to 20%, the lift-off length increased and the detectable soot luminescence decreased. This indicates that soot formation declines as the fuel’s ethanol content increases.
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| 25. |
- Finnerman, Oskar, et al.
(författare)
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Reactor modeling assessment for urea-SNCR applications
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat and Fluid Flow. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0961-5539 .- 1758-6585. ; 27:7, s. 1395-1411
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The work investigates the effects of neglecting, modeling or partly resolving turbulent fluctuations of velocity, temperature and concentrations on the predicted turbulence-chemistry interaction in urea-SNCR systems.Design/methodology/approach – Numerical predictions of the NO conversion efficiency in an industrial urea-SNCR system are compared to experimental data. Reactor models of varying complexity are assessed, ranging from one-dimensional ideal reactor models to state-of-the-art CFD simulations based on the DES approach. The models employ the same reaction mechanism, but differ in the degree to which they resolve the turbulent fluctuations of the gas phase. A methodology for handling of unknown experimental data with regard to providing adequate boundary conditions is also proposed.Findings – One-dimensional reactor models may be useful for a first quick assessment of urea-SNCR system performance. It is critical to account for heat losses, if present, due to the significant sensitivity of the overall process to temperature. The most comprehensive DES setup evaluated is associated with approximately two orders of magnitude higher computational cost than the conventional RANS-based simulations. For studies that require a large number of simulations (e.g. optimizations or handling of incomplete experimental data), the less costly approaches may be favored with a tolerable loss of accuracy.Originality/value – Novel numerical and experimental results are presented to elucidate the role of turbulent fluctuations on the performance of a complex, turbulent, reacting multiphase flow.
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