替代燃料二甲醚的燃烧特性及其污染物甲醛的生成消耗机理研究

化石燃料的不可再生性决定了其不能长久为全球经济和科技的发展提供能源动力，从可持续发展和能源战略的角度考虑，能够替代石油及其衍生品的清洁替代燃料研究已经成为提高能源供应安全、改善环境污染问题、应对气候变化的重要措施，对替代燃料的研究和应用已经成为各方关注和开发的热点。 二甲醚(DME、CH3OCH3)是一种最简单的醚类，它不含C-C健，可以由天然气、煤、生物质燃料等大量制备，而且具有较高的辛烷值(55-60)，较低的碳氢化合物、CO排放，没有PM排放，因而被认为是一种非常有发展前景的发动机替代燃料，已经受到了广泛的关注。但是，在发动机燃用DME的实验研究表明，在其排气中有非常规污染物甲醛(HCHO)、乙醛(CH3CHO)，甲酸甲酯(HCOOCH3)等排放，这些有机污染物会对环境和人类健康产生严重的危害，在环保要求日益严格的趋势下，这就制约了二甲醚的规模化应用。因此，对二甲醚燃烧性能、氧化中间产物甲醛等的产生和排放机理、相关污染物抑制技术需要进行着重研究，这对二甲醚燃料规模化应用、相关二甲醚燃烧器设计、燃烧性能的优化以及污染物控制技术的研究等都有着重要的理论指导意义和参考价值。 为了充分理解二甲醚燃料的燃烧特性、非常规污染物甲醛的产生和消耗机理，本文以实验和二甲醚化学反应动力学机理为指导，对二甲醚预混燃烧的燃烧特性、相关污染物和甲醛产生和消耗的机理做了详细的研究；并针对二甲醚燃料的不同应用背景，对二甲醚燃料低温下的氧化和甲醛生成特性、DME与LPG掺混燃烧特性和甲醛生成消耗机理进行了深入的研究，具体工作有： 研究了二甲醚预混燃烧特性、火焰中甲醛等污染物的产生特性，建立了火焰中甲醛取样、测量的方法和实验平台。并对当量比和燃料流量对二甲醚预混燃烧的燃烧特性、甲醛生成特性影响进行了考察，实验结果表明二甲醚是一种优良的替代燃料，在二甲醚火焰中甲醛是其重要的中间产物，甲醛浓度分布与当量比和预混气流速密切相关。当量比一定时，随着预混气流速的增加，火焰中甲醛产生的范围变窄，且甲醛浓度峰值逐渐移向燃烧器出口，而甲醛产生的浓度峰值数值上相差不大，甲醛在形成峰值后被快速消耗，其浓度在0.1mm内下降到几乎为零；在二甲醚流量一定时，随着当量比的增加，火焰中产生了更多的甲醛，火焰中甲醛分布的范围也变宽，而且当量比越大，甲醛的消耗也变缓，在当量比为0.8时，甲醛浓度从峰值到被消耗距离变为2mm，远大于当量比0.6和0.7下0.1mm的消耗距离。 对二甲醚预混燃烧进行数值研究和化学动力反应机理分析后发现，在二甲醚燃烧中，二甲醚的氧化反应途径主要是通过脱氢生成CH3OCH2和在高温下的直接裂解反应而进行，其中脱氢反应是低温下二甲醚消耗的主要途径，而在高温反应阶段(T>1000K)，DME的直接裂解和燃料的脱氢反应共同起主导作用；非常规污染物甲醛通过DME脱氢产物CH3OCH2的裂解和外部氧化而生成，在高温时通过DME直接裂解后被氧化产生；甲醛的消耗反应则是通过与H、O、OH和CH3基的氧化反应而完成，其中与O、OH基的反应在燃烧中起主要作用。因此二甲醚燃烧中甲醛的抑制关键在燃烧中甲醛的消耗阶段，采取有效的技术措施，如优化燃烧器结构提高二甲醚燃烧室内的温度、在燃烧区保证充足的氧气供应等措施，加快甲醛的消耗速度以促进其被完全氧化，可以实现二甲醚燃烧中甲醛的零排放。 针对柴油发动机燃用DME燃料时，燃料在燃烧室停留时间过短，造成部分未燃二甲醚随尾气排放，对DME在低温下(<800K)的氧化特性和甲醛生成特性进行了实验研究。结果表明，二甲醚在200℃左右就开始发生氧化反应，在200~400℃温度范围内被氧化而生成大量中间产物甲醛，且在此温度范围内甲醛不易被氧化分解，而发动机尾气温度（一般在200~600℃之间）处于甲醛最易生成的范围，因此未燃二甲醚在尾气中发生低温氧化反应生成的甲醛，是发动机燃用DME而排放高浓度甲醛的重要来源。研究结论为柴油发动机燃用DME抑制非常规污染物甲醛的排放提供了新的参考。 DME作为替代燃料，部分替代及与其他石化系燃料掺混燃烧是目前的重要应用方向，对DME与LPG掺混燃烧特性和甲醛生成特性进行了实验研究，结果表明，在DME与LPG掺混燃烧中，固定当量比和燃料质量流量的条件下，两种燃料存在一个最佳掺混比，在此掺混比例下，混合燃料着火提前，燃料燃烧性能最佳；DME与LPG混合燃料中，二甲醚是燃烧中甲醛产生的主要来源，控制DME的完全氧化和燃烧是抑制DME与LPG掺混燃烧排放甲醛的主要途径，这为更好地应用DME与LPG混合燃料提供了参考。 能否清洁高效燃烧是决定替代燃料DME应用规模和途径中的关键任务，本文对DME燃烧特性、非常规污染物甲醛的生成排放特性、低温下DME的氧化特性、DME与LPG掺混燃烧特性的研究，从不用的应用方向和领域对DME清洁高效燃烧进行了探讨和研究，研究成果可以为清洁高效利用二甲醚、抑制甲醛排放，以及开发相关燃烧技术、燃烧器提供实验依据和理论指导。本文在DME燃烧特性和非常规污染物甲醛的产生与排放方面取得了具有创新性的研究结果。

Hot spot formation outside of the fusion-fuel core

An alternative fast-ignition method is proposed involving the formation of a hot spot outside the precompressed fusion-fuel core by a series of shocks driven directly by the light pressure of laser pulses of increasing intensities. It is shown that a hot spot, which can be of different material from that of the fuel core, with temperature similar to 10 keV and density similar to 200 g/cm(2), can be formed. Being an electrically neutral plasma, the hot spot can easily be sent into the fuel core. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

Burning Low Volatile Fuel in Tangentially Fired Furnaces with Fuel Rich/Lean Burners

Pulverized coal combustion in tangentially fired furnaces with fuel rich/lean burners was investigated for three low volatile coals. The burners were operated under the conditions with varied value N-d, which means the ratio of coal concentration of the fuel rich stream to that of the fuel lean stream. The wall temperature distributions in various positions were measured and analyzed. The carbon content in the char and Nox emission were detected under various conditions. The new burners with fuel rich/lean streams were utilized in a thermal power station to burn low volatile coal. The results show that the N-d value has significant influences on the distributions of temperature and char burnout. There exists an optimal N-d value under which the carbon content in the char and the Nox emission is relatively low. The coal ignition and Nox emission in the utilized power station are improved after retrofitting the burners.

Two-Phase Flow In Fuel Cells In Short-Term Microgravity Condition

A visual observation of liquid-gas two-phase flow in anode channels of a direct methanol proton exchange membrane fuel cells in microgravity has been carried out in a drop tower. The anode flow bed consisted of 2 manifolds and 11 parallel straight channels. The length, width and depth of single channel with rectangular cross section was 48.0 mm, 2.5 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively. The experimental results indicated that the size of bubbles in microgravity condition is bigger than that in normal gravity. The longer the time, the bigger the bubbles. The velocity of bubbles rising is slower than that in normal gravity because buoyancy lift is very weak in microgravity. The flow pattern in anode channels could change from bubbly flow in normal gravity to slug flow in microgravity. The gas slugs blocked supply of reactants from channels to anode catalyst layer through gas diffusion layer. When the weakened mass transfer causes concentration polarization, the output performance of fuel cells declines.

Experimental Studies on Scramjet Tested in a Freejet Facility

Two different type scramjet models with side-wall compression and top-wall compression inlets have been tested in HPTF (Hypersonic Propulsion Test Facility) under the experimental conditions of Mach number 5.8, total temperature 1700K, total pressure 4.5MPa and mass flow rate 3.5kg/s. The liquid kerosene was used as main fuel for the scramjets. In order to get fast ignition in the combustor, a small amount of hydrogen was used as a pilot. A strut with alternative tail was employed for increasing the compression ratio and for mixing enhancement in the side-wall compression case. Recessed cavities were used as a flameholder for combustion stability. The combustion efficiency was estimated by one dimensional theory. The uniformity of the facility nozzle flow was verified by a scanning pitot rake. The experimental results showed that the kerosene fuel was successfully ignited and stable combustion was achieved for both scramjet models. However the thrusts were still less than the model drags due to the low combustion efficiencies.

Two-phase Flow in Fuel Cells in Short-term Microgravity Condition

A visual observation of liquid-gas two-phase flow in anode channels of a direct methanol proton exchange membrane fuel cells in microgravity has been carried out in a drop tower. The anode flow bed consisted of 2 manifolds and 11 parallel straight channels. The length, width and depth of single channel with rectangular cross section was 48.0 mm, 2.5 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively. The experimental results indicated that the size of bubbles in microgravity condition is bigger than that in normal gravity. The longer the time, the bigger the bubbles. The velocity of bubbles rising is slower than that in normal gravity because buoyancy lift is very weak in microgravity. The flow pattern in anode channels could change from bubbly flow in normal gravity to slug flow in microgravity. The gas slugs blocked supply of reactants from channels to anode catalyst layer through gas diffusion layer. When the weakened mass transfer causes concentration polarization, the output performance of fuel cells declines.

Two-Phase Flow In Anode Flow Field Of A Small Direct Methanol Fuel Cell In Different Gravities

An in-situ visualization of two-phase flow inside anode flow bed of a small liquid fed direct methanol fuel cells in normal and reduced gravity has been conducted in a drop tower. The anode flow bed consists of 11 parallel straight channels. The length, width and depth of single channel, which had rectangular cross section, are 48.0, 2.5 and 2.0 mm, respectively. The rib width was 2.0 mm. The experimental results indicated that when the fuel cell orientation is vertical, two-phase flow pattern in anode channels can evolve from bubbly flow in normal gravity into slug flow in microgravity. The size of bubbles in the reduced gravity is also bigger. In microgravity, the bubbles rising speed in vertical channels is obviously slower than that in normal gravity. When the fuel cell orientation is horizontal, the slug flow in the reduced gravity has almost the same characteristic with that in normal gravity. It implies that the effect of gravity on two-phase flow is small and the bubbles removal is governed by viscous drag. When the gas slugs or gas columns occupy channels, the performance of liquid fed direct methanol fuel cells is failing rapidly. It infers that in long-term microgravity, flow bed and operating condition should be optimized to avoid concentration polarization of fuel cells.

Direct acceleration of solid-density plasma bunch by ultraintense laser

The interaction of a petawatt laser with a small solid-density plasma bunch is studied by particle-in-cell simulation. It is shown that when irradiated by a laser of intensity >10(21) W/cm(2), a dense plasma bunch of micrometer size can be efficiently accelerated. The kinetic energy of the ions in the high-density region of the plasma bunch can exceed ten MeV at a density in the 10(23)-cm(-3) level. Having a flux density orders of magnitude higher than that of the traditional charged-particle pulses, the laser-accelerated plasma bunch can have a wide range of applications. In particular, such a dense energetic plasma bunch impinging on the compressed fuel in inertial fusion can significantly enhance the nuclear-reaction cross section and is thus a promising alternative for fast ignition.

Precipitation of nanocrystals in glasses by electron irradiation: An alternative path to form glass ceramics?

This letter demonstrates an alternative method to form gallium silicate glass ceramics using high-energy electron irradiation. Compared with glass ceramics obtained from the conventional thermal treatment method, the distribution and crystal sizes of the precipitated Ga2O3 nanoparticles are the same. An advantage of this method is that the spatial distribution of the precipitated nanoparticles can be easily controlled. However, optically active dopants Ni2+ ions do not participate in the precipitation during electron irradiation. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.

Transparent colloid containing upconverting nanocrystals: An alternative medium for three-dimensional volumetric display

We report an alternative medium of transparent upconverting colloid containing lanthanide ion doped NaYF4 nanocrystals for three-dimensional (3D) volumetric display. The colloids exhibit tunable upconversion luminescence with a wide spectrum of colors by adjusting the doping concentrations of the nanocrystals and the compositions of the colloids. Our preliminary experimental result indicates that an upconverting colloid-based 3D volumetric display using a convergent, near infrared laser beam to induce a localized luminescent spot near the focus is technically feasible. Therefore arbitrary 3D objects can be created inside the upconverting colloid by use of computer controlled 3D scanning systems. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America

Alternative cold response modes in Chlorella (Chlorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae) from Antarctica

Chlorella was known to show enhanced antifreeze capability after cold hardening. We isolated Chlorella strains NJ-7 and NJ-18, which display alternative cold response modes from rock surfaces in Antarctica. On the basis of 18S ribosomal (rRNA) sequences, NJ-7 is an Antarctic type of Chlorella vulgaris; NJ-18 is also a 'true' Chlorella species but differs from any previously reported species in structure. NJ-7 partially retained the enhancing effects of low temperature cultivation on freeze tolerance, which correlates with an increase of C18:3-fatty acid content and up-regulation of two antifreeze protein genes. NJ-18, however, showed stable freeze tolerance regardless of the precultivation temperature. We propose that cold response modes vary widely in Chlorella and that the adaptation of C. vulgaris to Antarctica may serve as a model system for the evolution of antifreeze mechanisms in a single species of photosynthetic microorganism.

Gene structure and transcription of IRF-2 in the mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi with the finding of alternative transcripts and microsatellite in the coding region

The gene of interferon regulatory factor-2 (IRF-2) has been cloned from the mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi). The IRF-2 gene has 6,418 nucleotides (nt) and contains eight exons and seven introns, encoding two mRNAs. The two IRF-2 mRNAs each contained an open reading frame of 873 nt, which both translate into the same 291 amino acids but differed in their 5' untranslated region: one mRNA was transcribed initially from the exon 1 bypassing exon 2, while the other was transcribed from the exon 2. The microsatellites (CA repeats) could be found in the carboxyl terminal region of mandarin fish IRF-2, which result in the truncated form molecules. The microsatellites' polymorphism was investigated, and eight alleles were found in 16 individuals. The microsatellites were also examined in IRF-2 of several freshwater perciform fishes. The transcription of the IRF-2 in different tissues with or without poly inosine-cytidine stimulation was analyzed by real-time PCR, and the constitutive transcription of both molecules could be detected in all the tissues examined.

A screening study on persistent bioaccumulation toxins (PBT) in fuel combustion soot

Persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs) are organic substances that are persistent, bioaccumulative and can cause severe toxic effects (e.g. potential oncogens, mutagenic, endocrine disrupters) to human health or environment which are the ones that need special attention. PBT chemicals could be released to the environment from several types of sources and are ubiquitous in environment. However, fast and efficiency monitoring and assessment methods to investigate PBTs in environment are still lacking. In this study, a cleaning-up procedure of analyzing PBTs in fuels combustion soot was developed and its performance was assessed through comparing the chromatograms of crude extracts with their cleaned extracts after the cleaning-up procedure. The results showed that polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were the main components in fuel combustion soot and the clean-up procedure developed in this paper can be well used as the method of analyzing PBTs in fuels combustion soot.

Inhibition of progesterone receptor activity in recombinant yeast by soot from fossil fuel combustion emissions and air particulate materials

Numerous environmental pollutants have been detected for estrogenic activity by interacting with the estrogen receptor, but little information is available about their interactions with the progesterone receptor. In this study, emission samples generated by fossil fuel combustion (FFC) and air particulate material (APM) collected from an urban location near a traffic line in a big city of China were evaluated to interact with the human progesterone receptor (hPR) signaling pathway by examining their ability to interact with the activity of hPR expressed in yeast. The results showed that the soot of a petroleum-fired vehicle possessed the most potent anti-progesteronic activity, that of coal-fired stove and diesel fired agrimotor emissions took the second place, and soot samples of coal-fired heating work and electric power station had lesser progesterone inhibition activity. The anti-progesteronic activity of APM was between that of soot from petroleum-fired vehicle and soot from coal-fired establishments and diesel fired agrimotor. Since there was no other large pollution source near the APM sampling sites, the endocrine disrupters were most likely from vehicle emissions, tire attrition and house heating sources. The correlation analysis showed that a strong relationship existed between estrogenic activity and anti-progesteronic activity in emissions of fossil fuel combustion. The discoveries that some environmental pollutants with estrogenic activity can also inhibit OR activity indicate that further studies are required to investigate potential mechanisms for the reported estrogenic activities of these pollutants. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presence of estrogenic activity from emission of fossil fuel combustion as detected by a recombinant yeast bioassay

Estrogenic activities of emission samples generated by fossil fuel combustion were investigated with human estrogen receptor (ER) recombinant yeast bioassay. The results showed that there were weak but clear estrogenic activities in combustion emissions of fossil fuels including coal, petroleum, and diesel. The estrogenic relative potency (RP) of fossil fuel combustion was the highest in petroleum-fired car, followed by coal-fired stove, diesel-fired agrimotor, coal-fired electric power station. On the other hand, the estrogenic relative inductive efficiency (RIE) was the highest in coal-fired stove and coal-fired electric power station, followed by petroleum-fired car and diesel-fired agrimotor. The estrogenic activities in the sub-fractions from chromatographic separation of emitted materials were also determined. The results indicated that different chemical fractions in these complex systems have different estrogenic potencies. The GC/MS analysis of the emission showed that there were many aromatic carbonyls, big molecular alcohol, PAHs and derivatives, and substituted phenolic compounds and derivatives which have been reported as environmental estrogens. The existence of estrogenic substances in fossil fuel combustion demands further investigation of their potential adverse effects on human and on the ecosystem. The magnitude of pollution due to global usage of fossil fuels makes it imperative to understand the issue of fossil fuel-derived endocrine activities and the associated health risks, particularly the aggregated risks stemmed from exposure to toxicants of multiple sources. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.