A novel approach to the acoustic characterisation of porous road surfaces

Porous road surfaces offer an effective means of reducing the generation and propagation of noise from road traffic. However, the porosity of these surfaces can deteriorate over time, leading to a reduction in their noise reducing properties. Efficient methods are therefore required for monitoring this performance. Existing techniques for performing in-situ measurements of acoustic absorption are unsuitable for use within the traffic stream. Static measurements using time domain Maximum Length Sequence (MLS) based techniques have been demonstrated to offer advantages over traditional techniques, presenting the opportunity for measurements under dynamic conditions. This paper describes the design of a system for carrying out dynamic MLS-based measurements. Results are presented which demonstrate that stable dynamic measurements can be carried out at speeds of up to 30 km/h.     

Chromatographic characterization of thermally upgraded products from alternative fuels

An overview is presented of the analytical approaches developed by our research group over the last ten years for analysis of alternative fuel, both biomass and fossil. The alternative fuels are analyzed successively by PLC-8 (preparative liquid chromatography–group-type) fractionation and high resolution gas chromatography. Some of the possibilities for fractionation and characterization of alternative fuels are herein exemplified with sugar cane bagasse pyrolysis products.     

A History of Fischer-Tropsch Wax Upgrading at BP—— from Catalyst Screening Studies to Full Scale Demonstration in Alaska

Conversion of Fischer-Tropsch wax into high quality synthetic crude or finished transportation fuels such as premium diesel has been studied over the past 15 years within BP. Catalyst screening and selection was carried out in dedicated micro-reactors and pilot plants, whose designs are critical to the performance selection. Variation in catalyst composition and defining the gas to oil feed ratios with the operating temperature are a few of the parameters studied. Product selection and maximizing diesel yield combined with stability (catalyst life) were the ultimate drivers. The selected catalyst was then tested under commercial conditions in a dedicated 300 barrel per day demonstration plant. The products were also tested in engines to assess their combustion characteristics.     

Raman detection of hydrohalite formation: Avoiding accidents on icy roads by deicing where salt will not work

The common substance Hydrohalite has a role to play in as diverse areas as Geology, Earth Climatology, Universe Cosmology, and Cryobiology. In this review, the occurrences under very different occasions are described. These relations are not commonly appreciated. During the work, we realized that there is yet an aspect that has been overlooked. Hydrohalite formed sometimes on icy roads resists common salt deicing procedures. Also, hydrohalite can be detected by rather simple Raman spectroscopy instrumentation. It means that it is possible to avoid accidents on icy roads in the following way: Common salt deicing trucks may be equipped with “artificial intelligence” based on a duel deicing system that switches between normal NaCl deicing and non-NaCl deicing based on Raman spectroscopy. The advantages are first of all less traffic accidents and lower environmental impact and corrosion from NaCl, but disadvantages are increased costs of investments and consumption of non-NaCl deicing agents.     

Aqueous-phase catalytic hydrogenation of furfural to cyclopentanol over Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcites derived catalysts: Model reaction for upgrading of bio-oil

A series of Cu-Mg-Al hydrotalcites derived oxides with a (Cu+Mg)/Al mole ratio of 3 and varied Cu/Mg mole ratio (from 0.07 to 0.30) were prepared by co-precipitation and calcination methods, then they were introduced to the hydrogenation of furfural in aqueous-phase. Effects of Cu/Mg mole ratio, reaction temperature, initial hydrogen pressure, reaction time and catalyst amount on the conversion rate of furfural as well as the selectivity toward desired product cyclopentanol were systematically investigated. The conversion of furfural over calcined hydrotalcite catalyst with a Cu/Mg mole ratio of 0.2 was up to 98.5% when the reaction was carried out under 140 °C and the initial hydrogen pressure of 4 MPa for 10 h, while the selectivity toward cyclopentanol was up to 94.8%. The catalysts were characterized by XRD and SEM. XRD diffraction of all the samples showed characteristic pattern of hydrotalcite with varied peak intensity as a result of different Cu content. The catalytic activity was improved gradually with the increase of Cu component in the hydrotalcite.     

电催化氧化制备2,5-呋喃二甲酸

在第75届联合国大会上,我国承诺力争在2030年前实现碳达峰、2060年前实现碳中和。主要由光合作用产生的生物质将在双碳目标中扮演重要角色,通过高效转化可衍生出一系列替代化石产品的高值化学品。其中,2,5-呋喃二甲酸(FDCA)由于具有与石油基对苯二甲酸(TPA)相似的共轭碳环和二酸结构,可替代TPA用于合成热稳定性能、气体阻隔性能更优的生物基呋喃聚酯,大幅降低聚酯行业对化石资源的严重依赖。此外,FDCA在医药、香料、金属配位化学方面也有广泛应用,从而被认为是12种最具潜力的生物基平台化合物之一。FDCA通常可由5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)通过催化氧化进行合成。相比于需要贵金属催化剂、高温和高压条件、以化学势作为驱动力的传统热催化方法,电催化氧化采用电极电势作为主要驱动力,是更为绿色和高效的新颖合成方法。本综述对电催化氧化制备FDCA反应所用的贵金属、过渡金属和非金属催化剂进行了总结与分析,梳理了催化剂设计和反应机理的研究脉络,并指出了该领域发展所面临的挑战与机遇。     

激光雷达辅助驾驶道路参数计算方法研究

针对特定场景辅助驾驶的需求,构建道路场景车载激光雷达三维扫描系统,并设计基于三维激光点云的道路参数提取与计算方法,包括路面宽度、横杆或桥梁或隧道限高、拐弯半径等等,为辅助判断道路的可通过性提供决策依据。测试和对比实验表明,所设计算法效果稳定、精度良好,在效率和自动化程度上有一定优势,可为辅助驾驶提供非常有益的决策参数。     

基于加权流量介数中心性的路网脆弱性分析——以无锡市为例

针对当前路网脆弱性研究中缺乏对真实交通状况考量的问题,在复杂网络理论的基础上,结合交通流量信息,提出了基于加权流量介数中心性的路网脆弱性分析方法。首先计算路网拓扑抽象图中各节点的最短路径介数中心性,然后使用流量数据对相应区域最短路径介数中心性加权,综合得到最终的脆弱性指标结果。以无锡市为例,对其实际交通路网脆弱性进行了计算,结果表明,该方法能综合反映静态全局路网结构与动态局部通行信息和现实交通情景下的路网脆弱性。     

杭州不同功能区道路灰尘中污染物的分布和有效性

比较研究了杭州城市的工业区、商业区、居民区、公园和附近农村道路灰尘中重金属(Pb、Cu、Cd、Zn、Hg)、P和有机物的积累情况,测定了灰尘分散到水中后污染物在溶液、悬浮物和沉积物中的分配情况。结果表明,不同功能区城市灰尘中污染物含量有较大的变异:重金属一般以工业区和商业区为最高;P以居民区和商业区为最高,而有机物以公园和居民区最高;灰尘中污染物含量随粒径减小而增加。当灰尘分散至水中后,重金属等污染物大部分以沉积相形式存在,少量以溶解相和悬浮相存在;溶解态重金属的比例均较低,平均在0.5%以下,其中ρ(Hg)、ρ(Cd)>ρ(Zn)、ρ(Cu)>ρ(Pb)。而生物有效态(双酸提取)重金属占其总量的比例平均在12%~29%之间,由高到低顺序为Zn,Cd,Cu,Hg,Pb。     

生物质快速热解制备液体燃料

本文回顾了生物质快速热解液化技术的国内外研究现状,重点叙述了初级生物油的化学组成和燃料性质,指出生物油是一种复杂的含氧有机混合物,具有水分含量高、氧含量高、热值低、酸含量高、安定性差和化石燃油不互溶等独特的性质;针对这些性质,介绍了几种常用的生物油精制提炼方法,包括催化裂解、催化加氢、高温热解气过滤、添加助剂、催化酯化、柴油乳化以及制备富氢合成气与费托合成,并分析了各种精制技术发展的关键问题。