Study on methane hydration process in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor

The methane hydration process is investigated in a semi-continuous stirred tank reactor. Liquid temperatures and reaction rates without stirrer are compared with those occurring with stirrer, while at the same time better stirring conditions of the methane hydration process are given by the experiments. Some basic data of fluid mechanics, for example, stirring Reynolds number, Froucle number and stirrer power, are calculated during the methane hydration process, which can be applied to evaluate stirrer capacity and provide some basic data for a scaled up reactor. Based on experiment and calculations in this work, some conclusions are drawn. First, the stirrer has great influence on the methane hydration process. Batch stirring is helpful to improve the mass transfer and heat transfer performances of the methane hydration process. Second, induction time can be shortened effectively by use of the stirrer. Third, in this paper, the appropriate stirring velocity and stirring time were 320 rpm and 30 min, respectively, at 5.0 MPa, for which the storage capacity and reaction time were 159.1 V/V and 370 min, respectively. Under the condition of the on-flow state, the initial stirring Reynolds number of the fluid and the stirring power were 12,150 and 0.54 W, respectively. Fourth, some suggestions, for example, the use of another type of stirrer or some baffles, are proposed to accelerate the methane hydration process. Comparing with literature data, higher storage capacity and hydration rate are achieved in this work. Moreover, some fluid mechanics parameters are calculated, which can provide some references to engineering application.

Rapid optimization of process conditions for cultivation of transgenic Laminaria japonica gametophyte cells in a stirred-tank bioreactor

Batch cultivation for transgenic kelp gametophyte cells was investigated in an online controlled 5 L stirred-tank photo-bioreactor to rapidly optimize the process conditions by monitoring the rate of increase of pH. The transgenic kelp gametophytes with heterologous gene encoding hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) could rapidly grow in the bioreactor. Optimal temperature and agitation rate for bioreactor cultivation of gametophytes were 15 degrees C and 200 rpm. Optimal incident light intensities depended on the initial cell densities. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All fights reserved.

垃圾渗滤液场外硝化－原位反硝化脱氮协同填埋场温室气体减排

垃圾卫生填埋是国内外城市垃圾的主要处置方法。垃圾渗滤液是渗入填埋场垃圾的降水混合垃圾降解过程中产生的物质而形成的混合物，是垃圾填埋场向环境排放的主要污染物。渗滤液由于其所含高浓度有机和无机污染物，且其中很多物质有生物毒性或难生物降解，难于治理。特别是到填埋晚期，渗滤液中高浓度的氨氮更是增加了治理的难度。渗滤液场外硝化－原位反硝化是填埋场氮管理的新途径。本文利用从环境中筛选出优势硝化功能菌对渗滤液中的高浓度氨氮进行生物硝化，经硝化后的渗滤液回灌至以垃圾柱模拟的生物反应器填埋场，在填埋场内实现原位反硝化。 上述目标通过以下两部分来实现： 第一部分：渗滤液场外硝化。首先从污水厂的硝化污泥中富集并筛选出硝化功能菌，在模拟氨氮废水中优化。将驯化的硝化功能菌接种于连续式完全混合反应器（CSTR）进行高氨氮渗滤液硝化研究。在200余天的连续运行中，反应器硝化和有机物去除效果良好。在最大氨氮负荷和有机物负荷分别为0.65 g N l-1 d-1 和3.84 g COD l-1 d-1时，氨氮和COD去除率分别高于99%和57%。实验过程中发现，游离氨（FA）和溶解氧（DO）浓度对反应器中亚硝酸盐的积累影响很大。 第二部分：渗滤液原位反硝化。本文利用一个垃圾填充柱模拟生物反应器填埋场，研究了硝化渗滤液回灌对垃圾降解的影响，和回灌的硝化渗滤液中TON（总氧化态氮）对填埋场生物反应器产甲烷作用的影响。最后利用变性梯度凝胶电泳（DGGE）分析了硝化渗滤液回灌对垃圾填埋场菌群结构的影响。结果表明：回灌的TON被完全还原，反硝化为主要反应，最大TON负荷为28.6 mg N kg-1 TS d-1。当垃圾柱TON负荷大于11.4 mg N kg-1 TS d-1时，出现了产甲烷抑制，抑制作用随TON负荷的增加而加强。在此过程中，反硝化逐渐代替产甲烷作用成为填埋场内垃圾降解的主要反应，且更多产生的是清洁的氮气，而非温室气体甲烷。直到实验结束时，回灌硝化渗滤液的垃圾柱的甲烷产量仅相当于对照的2.5%，并且回灌的硝化渗滤液还加速了填埋场垃圾的降解与稳定。通过DGGE进行菌群结构分析发现，由于TON对填埋场的长期作用，反硝化菌增多而产甲烷菌减少。 Landfill still remains the chief method for MSW management around the world. Leachate is a mixture of rainfall permeating through landfill and organic and inorganic matters generated during decomposition of the wastes in the landfills, characterized as highly complicated and refractory wastewater. Ex-situ nitrification and sequential in-situ denitrification represents a novel approach to nitrogen management at landfills. In the present paper, nitrification was carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) inoculated with nitrifying bacteria which were isolated from municipal WWTP of Chengdu city. The nitrified leachate from CSTR was recirculated to a lab-scale municipal solid waste (MSW) column where in-situ denitrification took place. The above object was achived through two parts as following: First, ex-situ nitification of leachate. After acclimated in simulated wastewater for 3 month, nitrifying bacteria isolated from WWTP nitrifying sludge were added to the CSTR for nitrification. The results over 200 days showed that the maximum nitrogen loading rate (NLR) and the maximum organic loading rate (OLR) was 0.65 g N l-1 d-1 and 3.84 g COD l-1 d-1, respectively. The ammonia and COD removal was over 99% and 57%, respectively. Moreover, the effects of free ammonia (FA) and dissolved oxygen (DO) on nitrification were investigated. Second, in-situ denitrification was studied in a municipal solid waste (MSW) column. Variation of nitrified leachate and its effects on the decomposition of municipal solid waste (MSW) were studied in a lab-scale MSW column to which nitrified leachate was recirculated. Additionally, DGGE was employed to investigate the microbial community of both MSW columns. The results suggested: complete reduction of total oxidized nitrogen (TON) was obtained with maximum TON load of 28.6 mg N kg-1 TS d-1 and denitrification was the main reaction responsible. Methanogenesis inhibition was observed while TON load was over 11.4 mg N kg-1 TS d-1 and the inhibition was enhanced with the increase of TON load. Denitrification gradually took over methanogenesis to become the main reaction responsible for decomposition of MSW while nitrogen gas, a clean byproduct, was generated instead. Till the end of the experiment, the average weekly methane production in the denitrification column was as low as 2.5% of that of the control, and the rate of decompition and stability of MSW was accelerated by the recirculation of the nitrified leachate.Owing to long term exposure of nitrified leachate to landfill, denitrifying bacteria increased and methanogen decreased.

High selectivity of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene in an oxygen permeable membrane reactor

An oxygen permeable membrane based on Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8-Fe0.2O3-delta is used to supply lattice oxide continuously for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene with selectivity as high as 90% at 650degreesC.

Simulation of Free-Surface Flow in a Tank Using the Navier-Stokes Model and Unstructured Finite Volume Method

Modelling free-surface flow has very important applications in many engineering areas such as oil transportation and offshore structures. Current research focuses on the modelling of free surface flow in a tank by solving the Navier-Stokes equation. An unstructured finite volume method is used to discretize the governing equations. The free surface is tracked by dynamically adapting the mesh and making it always surface conforming. A mesh-smoothing scheme based on the spring analogy is also implemented to ensure mesh quality throughout the computaiton. Studies are performed on the sloshing response of a liquid in an elastic container subjected to various excitation frequencies. Further investigations are also carried out on the critical frequency that leads to large deformation of the tank walls. Another numerical simulation involves the free-surface flow past as submerged obstacle placed in the tank to show the flow separation and vortices. All these cases demonstrate the capability of this numerical method in modelling complicated practical problems.

Sediment incipience in turbulence generated in a square tank by a vertically oscillating grid

The failure of hydraulic structures in many estuaries and coastal regions around the world has been attributed to sediment transport and local scour. The sediment incipience in homogenous turbulence generated by oscillating grid is studied in this paper. The turbulent flow is measured by particle tracer velocimetry (PTV) technique. The integral length scale and time scale of turbulence are obtained. The turbulent flow near the wall is measured by local optical magnification. The sediment incipience is described by static theory. The relationship of probability of sediment incipience and the turbulent kinetic energy were obtained experimentally and theoretically. The distribution of the turbulent kinetic energy near the wall is found to obey the power law and the turbulent energy is further identified as the dynamic mechanism of sediment incipience.

The effects of coil current distribution in a cylindrical electron-cyclotron-resonance reactor

Using a 2-D hybrid model, the authors have found that external currents play an important role in the plasma parameters in the reactor. The plasma density, temperature and electrostatic potential would be significantly influenced by the applied external currents.

Behavior of ar plasma formed in a high-density plasma source - an ecr reactor

In order to develop the ultra-large scale integration(ULSI), low pressure and high density plasma apparatus are required for etching and deposit of thin films. To understand critical parameters such as the pressure, temperature, electrostatic potential and energy distribution of ions impacting on the wafer, it is necessary to understand how these parameters are influenced by the power input and neutral gas pressure. In the present work, a 2-D hybrid electron fluid-particle ion model has been developed to simulate one of the high density plasma sources-an Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma system with various pressures and power inputs in a non-uniform magnetic field. By means of numerical simulation, the energy distributions of argon ion impacting on the wafer are obtained and the plasma density, electron temperature and plasma electrostatic potential are plotted in 3-D. It is concluded that the plasma density depends mainly on both the power input and neutral gas pressure. However, the plasma potential and electron temperature can hardly be affected by the power input, they seem to be primarily dependent on the neutral gas pressure. The comparison shows that the simulation results are qualitatively in good agreement with the experiment measurements.

The induction plasma chemical reactor: Part I. Equilibrium model

A mathematical model is presented for the numerical simulation of the flow, temperature, and concentration fields in an rf plasma chemical reactor. The simulation is performed assuming chemical equilibrium. The extent of validity of this assumption is discussed. The system considered is the reaction of SiCl4 and NH3 for the production of Si3N4.

The induction plasma chemical reactor: Part II. Kinetic model

A kinetic model has been developed for the prediction of the concentration gelds in an rf plasma reactor. A sample calculation for a SiCl4/H2 system is then performed. The model considers the mixing processes along with the kinetics of seven reactions involving the decomposition of these reactants. The results obtained are compared to those assuming chemical equilibrium. The predictions indicate that an equilibrium assumption will result in lower predicted temperature fields in the reactor. Furthermore, for the chemical system considered here, while differences exist between the concentration fields obtained by the two models, the differences are not substantial.