Thermal self-sustainability of biochar production by pyrolysis

The pyrolysis of several agricultural and biofuel production residues (grape residues, sugarcane residues, dried distiller's grain, palm oil residues, apple pomace and forestry residue) has been carried out in a pilot bubbling fluidized bed pyrolyzer operating under a range of temperature from 300 to 600 °C and two vapor residence times (2 and 5 s), with the aim of determining their pyrolysis behavior including products yields and heat balance. The composition of the product gases was determined, from which their heating value was calculated. The liquid bio-oil was recovered with cyclonic condensers. The thermal sustainability of the pyrolysis process was estimated by considering the energy contribution of the product gases and of the liquid bio-oil in relation to the pyrolysis heat requirements. The most promising biomass feedstocks for the sustainable production of biochar were indentified. Furthermore, this study presented the char yield in relation to the excess heat that could be obtained by combusting the gas and bio-oil coproducts of biochar production, as functions of pyrolysis temperature and vapor residence time.     

三峡地区生态农业可持续性综合评价

以重庆三峡生态经济区的19个区县为研究对象,根据该地区农业经济发展情况和主要生态环境问题,从生态农业生产可持续性、经济可持续性、生态可持续性三方面构建生态农业可持续性评价指标体系,并借助SPSS因子分析方法建立生态农业可持续性评价模型,实现对重庆三峡生态经济区各区县生态农业可持续性的综合评价,为生态农业建设提供一定依据.结果表明,受农业经济发展水平、农业集约化水平、土地资源丰度和农业生态环境影响,19个区县间农业生态可持续性差异较大,长寿区综合得分最高,为1.124,奉节县、酉阳县、巫溪县、巫山县、城口县生态农业可持续性最低.     

Sustainability and renewable energies – a critical look at photovoltaics

The current status of photovoltaic modules from wafer‐based Si and thin films of Si, CuInGaSe₂ (CIGS), CdTe and III–V compound semiconductors in terms of efficiencies and market volumes is shortly summarized and evaluated with respect to sustainability. We discuss the critical raw materials such as gallium, indium and germanium. These materials are either incorporated into the absorber layers or used as substrate materials, i.e. Ge in the case of III–V semiconductor based cells. On a 100 GW per year production level the availability of indium and tellurium will limit the growth of the respective photovoltaic technology. Alternative materials are on the horizon, such as the kesterite‐type materials which offer the possibility to replace In and Ga in CuInGaSe₂, but it may take a long period of time for modules of these materials to reach the production‐level efficiencies of today's established technologies. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

海域使用权客体研究

海域使用权的客体符合传统民法上物的基本特征,也具备一定的特殊性。在性质上,海域使用权的客体为集合物,而非单一物。根据科学发展观所包含的科学发展与保护利用相结合原则,作为海域使用权客体的海域范围,应不仅局限于《海域使用管理法》第2条的界定,而应从外向度界定和内向度界定上适当扩张,从而更好地维护国家主权和实现海域的使用价值。     

中国县(市)可持续发展能力变化趋势研究

基于可持续发展能力评价指标体系, 利用快速评估方法, 对全国2339个县(市)1990?2005年间可持续发展能力的动态变化进行研究。结果表明, 1990?2005年中国平均可持续发展指数由0.38增为0.50, 可持续发展能力呈上升趋势。不同区域可持续发展能力等级结构比较结果表明, 1990?2005年中国东、中、西部可持续发展能力均呈上升趋势, 可持续发展等级由低向高转变。东部地区可持续发展能力高于中、西部地区。通过城乡可持续发展能力等级结构比较分析, 表明52个主要城市可持续发展能力远高于县域地区, 以点状和带状为特征的城市圈和城市群对可持续发展能力的促进作用明显。     

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Isolation of Cellulose Nanofibre and Enhancement Properties in Biopolymer Composites

The physical properties, such as the fibre dimension and crystallinity, of cellulose nanofibre (CNF) are significant to its functional reinforcement ability in composites. This study used supercritical carbon dioxide as a fibre bundle defibrillation pretreatment for the isolation of CNF from bamboo, in order to enhance its physical properties. The isolated CNF was characterised through zeta potential, TEM, XRD, and FT-IR analysis. Commercial CNF was used as a reference to evaluate the effectiveness of the method. The physical, mechanical, thermal, and wettability properties of the bamboo and commercial CNF-reinforced PLA/chitin were also analysed. The TEM and FT-IR results showed the successful isolation of CNF from bamboo using this method, with good colloidal stability shown by the zeta potential results. The properties of the isolated bamboo CNF were similar to the commercial type. However, the fibre diameter distribution and the crystallinity index significantly differed between the bamboo and the commercial CNF. The bamboo CNF had a smaller fibre size and a higher crystallinity index than the commercial CNF. The results from the CNF-reinforced biocomposite showed that the physical, mechanical, thermal, and wettability properties were significantly different due to the variations in their fibre sizes and crystallinity indices. The properties of bamboo CNF biocomposites were significantly better than those of commercial CNF biocomposites. This indicates that the physical properties (fibre size and crystallinity) of an isolated CNF significantly affect its reinforcement ability in biocomposites. The physical properties of isolated CNFs are partly dependent on their source and production method, among other factors. These composites can be used for various industrial applications, including packaging.     

The Chemical Composition of Oils and Cakes of Ochna serrulata (Ochnaceae) and Other Underutilized Traditional Oil Trees from Western Zambia

Currently, the negative effects of unified and intensive agriculture are of growing concern. To mitigate them, the possibilities of using local but nowadays underused crop for food production should be more thoroughly investigated and promoted. The soybean is the major crop cultivated for vegetable oil production in Zambia, while the oil production from local oil-bearing plants is neglected. The chemical composition of oils and cakes of a three traditional oil plant used by descendants of the Lozi people for cooking were investigated. Parinari curatellifolia and Schinziophyton rautanenii oils were chiefly composed of α-eleostearic (28.58–55.96%), linoleic (9.78–40.18%), and oleic acid (15.26–24.07%), whereas Ochna serrulata contained mainly palmitic (35.62–37.31%), oleic (37.31–46.80%), and linoleic acid (10.61–18.66%); the oil yield was high (39–71%). S. rautanenii and O. serrulata oils were rich in γ-tocopherol (3236.18 μg/g, 361.11 μg/g, respectively). The O. serrulata oil also had a very distinctive aroma predominantly composed of p-cymene (52.26%), m-xylene (9.63%), γ-terpinene (9.07%), o-xylene (7.97), and limonene (7.23%). The cakes remaining after oil extraction are a good source of essential minerals, being rich in N, P, S, K, Ca, and Mg. These plants have the potential to be introduced for use in the food, technical, or pharmaceutical industries.     

Isotopes to assess sustainability of overexploited groundwater in the Souss–Massa system (Morocco)

Groundwater depletion and changes in isotopic and chemical contents constitute the main indicators of overexploitation, recharge, and flow paths in the Souss–Massa aquifer. These indicators highlight processes concerning sustainability of water resources in the aquifer (e.g. surface/groundwater interaction, recharge processes, and marine intrusion). The spatial variation of stable and radioactive isotopic contents indicates a mixing of modern and old water within the system. Recent recharge was observed mainly along the Souss River (the major surface-water drainage in the study area) and in the irrigated areas. Mapping of chemical and isotopic variation shows that the area is affected by abstraction, irrigation water return, and the evolution of modern recharge in time and space. The processes, distribution, and timing of groundwater flow are influenced by short- and long-term effects; long-term recharge is dependent on climatic conditions. This study can be used to make informed decisions about water-resource allocation and alternative management practices.