Search results for "WASTE"

Simplified Interception/Evaporation Model

2021

It is known that at the event scale, evaporation losses of rainfall intercepted by canopy are a few millimeters, which is often not much in comparison to other stocks in the water balance. Nevertheless, at yearly scale, the number of times that the canopy is filled by rainfall and then depleted can be so large that the interception flux may become an important fraction of rainfall. Many accurate interception models and models that describe evaporation by wet canopy have been proposed. However, they often require parameters that are difficult to obtain, especially for large-scale applications. In this paper, a simplified interception/evaporation model is proposed, which considers a modified …

The mixed capacitated general routing problem with turn penalties

2011

In this paper we deal with the mixed capacitated general routing problem with turn penalties. This problem generalizes many important arc and node routing problems, and it takes into account turn penalties and forbidden turns, which are crucial in many real-life applications, such as mail delivery, waste collection and street maintenance operations. Through a polynomial transformation of the considered problem into a Generalized Vehicle routing problem, we suggest a new approach for solving this new problem by transforming it into an Asymmetric Capacitated Vehicle routing problem. In this way, we can solve the new problem both optimally and heuristically using existing algorithms. A powerfu…

A comparative economic analysis of torrefied pellet production based on state-of-the-art pellets

2017

Abstract Torrefied pellets have fuel properties superior to those of conventional wood pellets and potentially allow greater rates of co-firing and thus larger reductions in net CO 2 emissions. Despite the growing amount of scientific output on torrefaction, the economic feasibility of torrefied pellet production is still a topic of considerable uncertainty. This is an obstacle for decision makers looking to implement sustainable energy policies. This paper compares the economics of torrefied pellets to conventional wood pellets. Working backwards from demonstrated pellet properties, this work attempts to answer the following question: Based on state-of-the-art torrefied pellets, what would…

Carbon sequestration potential and soil characteristics of various land use systems in arid region

2019

Abstract Soils contain one of the largest carbon (C) pools in the biosphere with the greatest potential of C sequestration to mitigate climate change impacts. The present study aimed at comparing C sequestration potential of various land use systems including forestlands, croplands, agroforests, and orchards in the arid region of Pakistan. Soil samples from the layers of 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, and 60–80 cm depths were collected and analysed for soil physico-chemical properties namely texture, pH, EC, NPK-soil, organic matter (SOM), and soil organic C (SOC). Additionally, the above and below ground plant biomass and C contents were estimated. Results revealed that the highest C sequestration po…

Toxicity of waste gasification bottom ash leachate

2011

Abstract Toxicity of waste gasification bottom ash leachate from landfill lysimeters (112 m3) was studied over three years. The leachate of grate incineration bottom ash from a parallel setup was used as reference material. Three aquatic organisms (bioluminescent bacteria, green algae and water flea) were used to study acute toxicity. In addition, an ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) assay was performed with mouse hepatoma cells to indicate the presence of organic contaminants. Concentrations of 14 elements and 15 PAH compounds were determined to characterise leachate. Gasification ash leachate had a high pH (9.2–12.4) and assays with and without pH adjustment to neutral were used. Gasifi…

The Carini experimental station for wastewater reuse in agricolture.

1992

Reverse electrodialysis heat-engine: Case studies of improving energy efficiency through recovery of low temperature excess heat

2018

Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) is a technology for generating electricity from the difference in salinity between two solutions. RED is usually applied to natural water streams with different salinities, like seawater vs. freshwater. In the RED Heat-to-Power project we explore the option of using artificial water solutions operating in a closed loop where the difference in salinity is regenerated in a separation step powered by heat at temperature ranges between 60 and 100°C. We call this system Reverse Electrodialysis Heat Engine (RED HE). In this paper, first we summarise the possible system configurations and the overall amount of excess heat available in Europe for powering the RED HE pr…

Energy Transduction in Anaerobic Bacteria

2013

Anaerobic or facultatively anaerobic bacteria are able to grow in the absence of molecular oxygen by fermentation, anaerobic respiration, anoxygenic photosynthesis, and some other membrane-dependent reactions. Fermentation uses substrate-level phosphorylation for adenosine diphosphate phosphorylation, whereas the other processes rely on the formation of a H + or Na + potential over the membrane and a membrane-potential-driven ATP synthase. In growth reactions providing only a small free energy change, the latter reactions and use of a membrane potential is the preferred mechanism for energy conservation. Fermentation reactions supply products of biotechnological interest like short chain fa…

Transcriptional regulation and energetics of alternative respiratory pathways in facultatively anaerobic bacteria

1998

Abstract The facultatively anaerobic Escherichia coli is able to grow by aerobic and by anaerobic respiration. Despite the large difference in the amount of free energy that could maximally be conserved from aerobic versus anaerobic respiration, the proton potential and Δg ′ Phos are similar under both conditions. O 2 represses anaerobic respiration, and nitrate represses fumarate respiration. By this the terminal reductases of aerobic and anaerobic respiration are expressed in a way to obtain maximal H + e − ratios and ATP yields. The respiratory dehydrogenases, on the other hand, are not synthesized in a way to achieve maximal H + e − ratios. Most of the dehydrogenases of aerobic respirat…

Effect of changes in the cellular energy state on glucose transport activity in Brevibacterium flavum

2000

Abstract The effect of changes in cellular energy state on 6[14C]glucose uptake and activity of the phosphoenolpyruvate:glucose phosphotransferase system (PTS) in Brevibacterium flavum RC 115 cells was investigated. Energy generation in cells was varied by adding an inhibitor of cellular respiration (potassium cyanide) and an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation (pentachlorophenol) to the cell culture as well as by changing thiamine concentration in the bacterial growth medium. The results showed that glucose uptake in ‘respiring’ cells was inversely correlated with bacterial respiration activity: uptake declined with excess ATP generation and increased with lower ATP synthesis caused by …