Numerical and Experimental Investigation On The Prevention of Co Deflagration

The exhaust gases from industrial furnaces contain a huge amount of heat and chemical enthalpy. However, it is hard to recover this energy since exhaust gases invariably contain combustible components such as carbon monoxide (CC). If the CO is unexpectedly ignited during the heat recovery process, deflagration or even detonation could occur, with serious consequences such as complete destruction of the equipment. In order to safely utilize the heat energy contained in exhaust gas, danger of its explosion must be fully avoided. The mechanism of gas deflagration and its prevention must therefore be studied. In this paper, we describe a numerical and experimental investigation of the deflagration process in a semi-opened tube. The results show that, upon ignition, a low-pressure wave initially spreads within the tube and then deflagration begins. For the purpose of preventing deflagration, an appropriate amount of nitrogen was injected into the tube at a fixed position. Both simulation and experimental results have shown that the injection of inert gas can successfully interrupt the deflagration process. The peak value of the deflagration pressure can thereby be reduced by around 50%. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

渤海湾海岸带表层沉积物中黑炭和多环芳烃的分布特征

黑碳（BC）是生物质和化石燃料不完全燃烧产生的高度聚合的碳质混合物，包括木炭 （char/charcoal）和烟炱碳（soot）等形式。黑碳产生后大部分储存在燃烧原地，而烟炱碳 由于粒径较小，易进入大气，滞留一到数周后回到地表。部分土壤黑碳随河流和大气的搬 运作用进入海洋环境，主要汇集在海岸带沉积物中。由于黑碳涉及到气候变化、碳循环、 环境危害、人体健康等诸多问题而成为当前气候与环境领域的研究热点。黑碳在环境介质 中比较稳定，因而可以较好的指示人类能源使用及其对环境质量的影响；同时黑碳具有很 强的吸附性，能显著影响周围介质中持久性有机污染物(如多环芳烃等)的赋存状态和生态 毒理效应。 多环芳烃（PAHs）是指两个或两个以上的苯环以稠环形式结合的芳香族化合物，主要 来源于含碳物质的不完全燃烧过程，在环境中广泛存在。由于PAHs 具有潜在的致癌性、 致畸性和致突变性（“三致”效应）而在环境研究领域中备受关注。另外由于具有主体的 同源性，PAHs 可以指示BC 的来源和环境过程。 海岸带沉积物是包括BC 和PAHs 在内的众多污染物在环境地球化学迁移过程中的主 要载体和归宿，由于受到陆地和海洋双重作用，海岸带对环境污染物尤其敏感。环渤海地 区是我国北方的社会经济中心，工业、农业和交通发达、人口稠密，污染严重。前人的研 究表明渤海湾的BC 和PAHs 污染程度明显高于我国其他海岸带，但受限制于采样区域和 样品数量，不能全面地反应BC 和PAHs 在渤海湾海岸带的分布状况及人类活动对海岸带 环境质量的影响。 本次研究在渤海湾海岸带潮间带、近海及主要入海河流系统布设了多条采样剖面，采 集表层沉积物样品85 个。首先，对国际上较为常用的化学热氧化法（CTO-375）处理沉积 物黑碳样品的方法进行了比对实验和优化，然后对全部样品进行黑碳分析；利用GC-MS 方法对样品中的PAHs（USEPA 的16 种优控物）进行了定量检测；对全部沉积物样品还进 行了粒度分析。 结果表明，该区域内黑碳的含量为0.09 到22.8 mg/g dw，其中，潮间带样品的BC 平 均含量为0.52 ± 0.39 mg/g dw，近海样品为0.84 ± 0.38 mg/g dw，河流样品（海河样品除外） 为1.88 ± 0.89 mg/g dw。BC占总有机碳的比例在潮间带、近海、河流区域分别为18.4 ± 8.3%、 14.5 ± 5.3%、14.2 ± 4.1%。潮间带黑碳存在明显的“北高南低”的趋势（以天津港码头和 海河为界），与近海和河流样品的BC 浓度有相似的变化趋势，反映了BC 在海岸带的运移 扩散具有一定的继承性；河流输入可能是近岸沉积物BC 的主要来源。同时，潮间带沉积 物粒度分析结果表明“北区细”(以粘土质粉砂主)而“南区粗”(以砂为主)，反映了两个区 域不同的水动力条件和沉积环境，可能是造成BC 浓度空间分异的主要原因。 摘要 II 多环芳烃的含量分布为33.1-7658.7 ng/g dw，其中，潮间带样品的PAHs 平均含量为 147.0 ng/g dw，近海样品为170.9 ng/g dw，河流样品（海河样品除外）为1228.5 ng/g dw。 主要成分均为三环和四环多环芳烃。PAHs 也呈现出了与BC 相似的“北高南低”的趋势， 多环芳烃与黑碳的相关性研究表明两者相关性较好（R2=0.59），表明多环芳烃和黑碳的同 源性和继承性。运用比值法（菲/蒽，荧蒽/芘，低环/高环等）对多环芳烃的来源解析显示， 整个研究区域内多环芳烃主要为燃烧源。

Hexabromocyclododecane-induced developmental toxicity and apoptosis in zebrafish embryos

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is widely used as a brominated flame retardant, and has been detected in the aquatic environment, wild animals, and humans. However, details of the environmental health risk of HBCD are not well known. In this study, zebrafish embryos were used to assess the developmental toxicity of the chemical. Four-hour post-fertilization (hpf) zebrafish embryos were exposed to various concentrations of HBCD (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1) until 96 h. Exposure to 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1 HBCD significantly increased the malformation rate and reduced survival in the 0.5 and 1.0 mg L-1 HBCD exposure groups. Acridine orange (AO) staining showed that HBCD exposure resulted in cell apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was significantly induced at exposures of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg L-1 HBCD. To test the apoptotic pathway, several genes related to cell apoptosis, such as p53, Puma, Apaf-1, caspase-9, and caspase-3, were examined using real-time PCR. The expression patterns of these genes were up-regulated to some extent. Two anti-apoptotic genes, Mdm2 (antagonist of p53) and Bcl-2 (inhibitor of Bax), were down-regulated, and the activity of capspase-9 and caspase-3 was significantly increased. The overall results demonstrate that waterborne HBCD is able to produce oxidative stress and induce apoptosis through the involvement of caspases in zebrafish embryos. The results also indicate that zebrafish embryos can serve as a reliable model for the developmental toxicity of HBCD. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of three pairs of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) enantiomers on Hep G2 cell

Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) are additive brominated flame retardants mainly used in plastics and textiles. At the present time, these compounds are found in almost all environmental and human samples. In order to evaluate the environmental safety and health risk of HBCDs, the enantiomerically pure alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HBCD were prepared using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a PM-P-CD column and the cytotoxicities of their enantiomers were evaluated in Hep G2 cells. Results from the 3-(4,5-dimethylthioazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), resazurin reduction and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assays showed a good agreement that the order of cytotoxicity was gamma-HBCD >= beta-HBCD > alpha-HBCD, and that significantly lower cell viability and higher LDH release were observed in all (+)-enantiomers ((+) alpha-, (+) beta- and (+) gamma-HBCD) than the corresponding (-)-forms ((-) alpha-, (-) beta- and (-) gamma-HBCD). Additionally, the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by these HBCD enantiomers were detected. The positive correlation between the LDH release and ROS formation demonstrated that the toxic mechanism might be mediated by oxidative damage. These results suggest that environmental and human health risks of HBCDs must be evaluated at the level of individual enantiomers. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

DE-71-induced apoptosis involving intracellular calcium and the Bax-mitochondria-caspase protease pathway in human neuroblastoma cells In vitro

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used extensively as flame-retardants and are ubiquitous in the environment and in wildlife and human tissue. Recent studies have shown that PBDEs induce neurotoxic effects in vivo and apoptosis in vitro. However, the signaling mechanisms responsible for these events are still unclear. In this study, we investigated the action of a commercial mixture of PBDEs (pentabrominated diphenyl ether, DE-71) on a human neuroblastoma cell line, SK-N-SH. A cell viability test showed a dose-dependent increase in lactate dehydrogenase leakage and 3-(4,5-dimethylthia-zol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide reduction. Cell apoptosis was observed through morphological examination, and DNA degradation in the cell cycle and cell apoptosis were demonstrated using flow cytometry and DNA laddering. The formation of reactive oxygen species was not observed, but DE-71 was found to significantly induce caspase-3, -8, and -9 activity, which suggests that apoptosis is not induced by oxidative stress but via a caspase-dependent pathway. We further investigated the intracellular calcium ([Ca2+](i)) levels using flow cytometry and observed an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration with a time-dependent trend. We also found that the N-methyl d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK801 (3 mu M) significantly reduced DE-71-induced cell apoptosis. The results of a Western blotting test demonstrated that DE-71 treatment increases the level of Bax translocation to the mitochondria in a dose-dependent fashion and stimulates the release of cytochrome c (Cyt c) from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm. Overall, our results indicate that DE-71 induces the apoptosis of ([Ca2+](i)) in SK-N-SH cells via Bax insertion, Cyt c release in the mitochondria, and the caspase activation pathway.

Detection of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) from O'ahu, Hawai'i

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been detected for the first time at a range from 231.58 to 685.61 ng g(-1) lipid weight in the muscles of tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus) collected from O'ahu, an island of the geographically isolated Hawaiian archipelago.

Apoptosis induction on human hepatoma cells Hep G2 of decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209)

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are an important class of halogenated organic brominated flame retardants. Because of their presence in abiotic and biotic environments widely and their structural similarity to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), concern has been raised on their possible adverse health effects to humans. This study was designed to determine the anti-proliferative, apoptotic properties of decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE-209), using a human hepatoma Hep G2 line as a model system. Hep G2 cells were cultured in the presence of PBDE-209 at various concentrations (1.0-100.0 mu mol/L) for 72 h and the percentage of cell viability was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The results showed that PBDE-209 inhibited the cells viability in time and concentration-dependent characteristics at concentrations (10.0-100.0 mu mol/L). We found that anti-proliferative effect of PBDE-209 was associated with apoptosis on Hep G2 cells by determinations of morphological changes, cell cycle and apoptosis. Mechanism study showed that PBDE-209 could increase the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration-dependently. Antioxidant N-acetylcyteine partially inhibited the increase of ROS. The mechanism for its hepatoma-inhibitory effects was the induction of cellular apoptosis through ROS generation. In addition, activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release increased when the cells incubated with PBDE-209 at various concentrations and times. These results suggested that PBDE-209 had the toxicity activity of anti-proliferation and induction of apoptosis in tumor cells in vitro. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estrogenic effects from household stoves

With the application of a genetically modified yeast, estrogen receptor-activating compounds were detected in the soot and emission gas of a wood-burning household stove. The EC50 value of 17beta-estradiol was divided by the EC50 value of soot, and the obtained relative estrogenic value for raw soot was 2.37E-5, indicating that soot was about 100,000 times less estrogenic than 17beta-estradiol. Chemical analysis revealed that alkyl phenol, benzonic acid, and PAHs represented the major constituents in the most potent fractions of the soot. Along with PAHs, other constituents might also contribute to the estrogenicity of soot. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Development of a self-thermal insulation miniature combustor

A novel miniature cylindrical combustor, whose chamber wall is made of porous material, has been designed and experimented for reducing heat loss and enhancing flame stability. The combustor has the function of reducing wall heat loss, extending residence time and avoiding radical chemical quenching with a self-thermal insulation concept in which heat loss reduction is obtained by the opposite flow directions between thermal energy transfer and mass flow. The methane/air mixture flames formed in the chamber are blue and tubular in shape. Between the flames and the porous wall, there is a thin unburned film that plays a significant role in reducing the flames' heat loss and keeping the flames stable. The porous wall temperature was 150-400 degrees C when the temperatures of the flames and exhaust gas were more than 1200 degrees C. When the equivalence ratio phi < 1.0, the methane conversion ratio was above 95%; the combustion efficiency was near 90%; and the overall sidewall heat loss was less than 15% in the 1.53 cm(3) chamber. Moreover, its combustion efficiency is stable in a wider combustion load (input power) range.

Modeling of a coal-fired slagging combustor: Development of a slag submodel

In a slagging combustor or furnace, the high combustion temperature makes the molten slag layer cover the wall and capture the particles. If these particles contain combustible matter, they will continue to burn on the running slag. As a result, the total amount of ash deposition will be much greater than that in dry-wall combustors and the total heat flux through the deposition surface will change greatly. Considering the limitations of existing simulation methods for slagging combustion, this paper introduces a new wall burning model and slag flow model from the analysis; of particle deposition phenomena. Combined with a conventional combustion simulation program, the total computational frame is introduced. From comparisons of simulation results from several kinds of methods with experimental data, the conclusion is drawn that the conventional simulation methods are not very suitable for slagging combustion and the wall burning mechanism should be considered more thoroughly.

Measurement of trace phosphorus in dichlorosilane by high-temperature hydrogen reduction gas chromatography

Dichlorosilane, a gas at normal temperature with a boiling point of 8.3 degrees C, is very difficult to sample and detect using conventional methods. We reduced phosphorus in dichlorosilane to PH3 by hydrogen at high temperature, then PH3 was separated from chlorosilanes by NaOH solution and from other hydrides by chromatographic absorption. Thus the problem of interference of chlorosilanes and other hydrides was overcome and PH, was measured by a double flame photometric detector at 526 nm. This method was sensitive, reliable and convenient and the sensitivity reached as low as 0.04 mu g/l.

Single steady frequency and narrow line width external cavity semiconductor laser

A single longitudinal mode and narrow line width external cavity semiconductor laser is proposed. It is constructed with a semiconductor laser, collimator, a flame grating, and current and temperature control systems. The one facet of semiconductor laser is covered by high transmission film, and another is covered by high reflection film. The flame grating is used as light feedback element to select the mode of the semiconductor laser. The temperature of the constructed external cavity semiconductor laser is stabilized in order of 10(-3)degreesC by temperature control system. The experiments have been carried out and the results obtained-the spectral fine width of this laser is compressed to be less than 1.4MHz from its original line-width of more than 1200GHz and the output stability (including power and mode) is remarkably enhanced.

Spatial resolved temperature measurement based on absorption spectroscopy using a single tunable diode laser

A novel method based on wavelength-multiplexed line-of-sight absorption and profile fitting for non-uniform flow field measurement is reported. A wavelength scanning combing laser temperature and current modulation WMS scheme is used to implement the wavelength-multiplexed-profile fitting method. Second harmonic (2f) signal of eight H2O transitions features near 7,170 cm(-1) are measured in one period using a single tunable diode laser. Spatial resolved temperature distribution upon a CH4/air premixed flat flame burner is obtained. The result validates the feasibility of strategy for non-uniform flow field diagnostics by means of WMS-2f TDLAS.

Extinction of lean near-limit methane/air flames at elevated pressures under normal- and reduced-gravity

perimentally at evaluated pressures and under normal- and micro-gravity conditions utilizing the 3.5 s drop tower of the National Microgravity Laboratory of China. The results showed that under micro-gravity conditions the natural convection is minimized and the flames become more planar and symmetric compared to normal gravity. In both normal- and micro-gravity experiments and for a given strain rate and fuel concentration, the flame luminosity was found to enhance as the pressure increases. On the other hand, at a given pressure, the flame luminosity was determined to weaken as the strain rate decreases. At a given strain rate, the fuel concentration at extinction was found to vary non-monotonically with pressure, namely it first increases and subsequently decreases with pressure. The limit fuel concentration peaks around 3 and 4 atm under normal- and micro-gravity, respectively. The extinction limits measured at micro-gravity were in good agreement with predictions obtained through detailed numerical simulations but they are notably lower compared to the data obtained under normal gravity. The simulations confirmed the non-monotonic variation of flammability limits with pressure, in agreement with previous studies. Sensitivity analysis showed that for pressures between one and 5 atm, the near-limit flame response is dominated by the competition between the main branching, H + O2 ? OH + O, and the pressure sensitive termination, H+O2+M? HO2 + M, reaction. However, for pressures greater than 5 atm it was determined that the HO2 kinetics result in further chain branching in a way that is analogous to the third explosion limit of H2/O2 mixtures. 2010 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.