Denitrification with natural gas and various new growth media

Biological denitrification was investigated in an attached growth reactor system using several growth media, denitrifying cultures and natural gas (95% methane) as a carbon source. In order to establish a baseline of operation, initial experiments were conducted with a bed of 2–3 mm sand and methanol as a carbon source using a methylotrophic denitrifying culture and then the system was compared with natural gas using various methane utilising cultures. Compared to methanol, performance with methane was considerably lower. In order to improve denitrification with methane a plastic medium (Etapak, surface area 200 m²/m³) was placed above the sand bed (which increased the surface area for bacteria growth in the upper part of the bed), and a new methanotrophic mixed culture (NCIMB-code 11085) was introduced to the system. This combination resulted in a 27% higher denitrification efficiency. Experiments were continued by systematically varying the operating conditions to obtain highest denitrification using methane gas and replacing the Etapak media with different plastic media of higher surface area, but keeping the NCIMB culture unchanged. Other media tested were Pall-rings (surface area 319 m²/m³), IP-spacers (surface area 500 m²/m³) and granular activated carbon (GAC-code: Norit PK 1–3). Best results were obtained with IP-spacers which, surprisingly, are designed for use in the concrete industry rather than as a bacterial support medium. These produced nitrate removal efficiencies of up to 93% at 0.6 m/h or 55% at 1.6 m/h water filtration rates. Run times of 10 days or more to a limiting headloss of about 1.0 m,were usually achieved before “bumping” or back-washing to reduce headloss. Effluent turbidities were generally below 1.0 NTU. Tests for bacteria present with GAC media and COD removal with IP spacers were also carried out. Results are discussed with operational conditions and denitrification efficiencies achieved.     

深层隧道排水系统中深隧泵站的设计与优化

武汉市大东湖核心区污水传输系统工程采用深层隧道排水系统,隧道末端为北湖深隧泵站,其设计规模为100×10⁴m³/d,为压力流泵站,地下深度为46.35 m,净提升高度为16.1~22.4 m。泵组采用6台离心泵(4用2备),单泵流量Q=2.79~3.87 m³/s,水泵扬程H=196.3~304.4 k Pa。在北湖深隧泵站的设计过程中,采用了计算流体动力学(CFD)模拟分析、物理模型试验、水锤分析及结构振动分析等方法,并根据分析结果对其设计方案进行了优化。     

Fine-spray (water mist) protection of shipboard engine rooms

Twenty-three fire tests were conducted to determine the ability of current fine-spray (water mist) technologies to extinguish fires specified in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) fire test procedure for engine rooms greater than 3000 m³. The tests were conducted using nozzle installed at a 5 m height and 1·5 m spacing in a large test facility (2800 m² area and 18 m height). Two types of nozzles were tested: a low pressure nozzle operating between 1·2 and 1·5 MPa with flow per nozzle between 12·0 and 13·41/m and a multi-nozzle high-pressure prototype consisting of seven nozzles operating at 6·9 MPa flowing at 5·3 1/m per prototype. These nozzles were selected because they had been shown to extinguish IMO fire tests in enclosures with a protected area of 83 m² and a ceiling height of 4·5 m. The fire tests selected from the IMO procedure included 6 MW diesel spray fires on top of the IMO engine mock-up, a shielded 6 MW diesel spray fire adjacent to the mock-up, a 1 MW shielded diesel spray fire adjacent to the mock-up, and a wood crib within a 2 m² pan filled with heptane. In tests in which no additional enclosure surrounded the nozzles other than the test facility, fires were not significantly affected by the water mist using either nozzle. To further investigate mist-system capabilities, a ceiling was then placed directly over the nozzles at a 5 m height covering an area of 188 m². Using 90 high-pressure prototype nozzles, the test fires were not extinguished. A 940 m³ enclosure was then formed by dropping tarpaulins to the floor from the ceiling. A 4 m² vent was placed in the wall. With the 90 high-pressure prototype nozzles, the 6 MW spray fire on top of the mock-up was extinguished. When the 6 MW fire was shielded beside the mock-up, the fire was not extinguished. With the vent closed, the 6 MW shielded spray fire was extinguished. Under the same test conditions, a 1 MW shielded diesel spray fire and a 0·1 m² heptane pool fire were not extinguished. The fire test results indicated that protection of engine rooms with volumes of about 1000 m³ is possible by optimizing current fine-spray technology while significantly larger volumes will require improved discharge characteristics.     

Determination of the natural stress state in a Brazilian rock mass by back analysing excavation measurements: a case study

The Serra da Mesa Hydroelectric Power Plant, located in the Tocantins river, 210 km north of Brasilia, Brazil, has been completed and power (1200 MW) has been generated since 1998. This project includes one of the largest underground structures in Brazil, totalling 550,000 m³ of underground excavations in rock for the hydraulic circuit which was excavated in very high quality granite. Geotechnical investigations, laboratory tests and geological mapping showed that the rock mass could be considered as a continuous, homogeneous, isotropic and linearly elastic (CHILE) material.

In situ tests, for obtaining the natural stress tensor, namely hydraulic fracturing and small flat jack tests (SFJ), were executed. The hydraulic fracturing tests were performed in two boreholes, at the planned position of the future underground structures. SFJ were executed in a test gallery especially constructed for the purpose. These latter tests confirmed the in situ rock stress data obtained from the hydraulic fracturing tests.

This paper presents a new technique for interpretation of the SFJ results. This is achieved by inputting the SFJ measurements into a 3D program that compiles the influence matrix of the excavated rock mass domain and then, via the least square technique, the determination of the stress tensor. All the equations are fully developed and the methodology is presented in its entirety. The successful application of the methodology is also presented, with comparisons between the results obtained and the in situ stress tensor determined by other methods.     

Sorption kinetics of heavy oil into porous carbons

Sorption kinetics of heavy oil into porous carbons was evaluated by a concept of liquid sorption coefficient obtained from the weight increase of heavy oil with sorption time, which was measured by a wicking test. Exfoliated graphite, carbonized fir fibers and carbon fiber felts were used as porous materials. It was found that the liquid sorption coefficient of fibrous carbons was twice larger than that of exfoliated graphite. Such a difference in the liquid sorption coefficient between the exfoliated graphite and two fibrous carbons was caused by a difference in effective sorption porosity and tortuosity between them. For the exfoliated graphite and carbonized fir fibers, the liquid sorption coefficient and the effective sorption porosity were strongly dependent on their density. The maximum values of both liquid sorption coefficient and effective sorption porosity of the exfoliated graphite were shown at the bulk density around 16 kg/m³. The liquid sorption coefficient of the carbonized fir fibers increased with increasing the density in the range from 6 to 30 kg/m³. When the carbonized fir fibers were densified above 30 kg/m³, the sorption rate was saturated. On the other hand, the sorption kinetics into the carbon fiber felt was almost independent of the bulk density, because the density of the carbon fiber felt is not effective for the pore structure. The effect of bulk density on the sorption kinetics could be supported from an analysis of pore structure of the porous carbons with different densities, which was measured by mercury porosimeter.     

三维激光扫描技术在溜井测量中的应用

以三维激光扫描技术为依托,分析与研究某矿溜井的垮塌位置与破坏特征,根据溜井的现场情况制定测量方案,通过三维激光扫描仪采集溜井垮塌位置点云数据,得到溜井破坏位置完整的原始点云数据.并且通过点云数据建立溜井及周边环境的精细化三维模型,实现溜井的可视化.最后根据模型数据剖面处理,得到结论:2号溜井在不同中段的井壁都存在垮塌现...     

Adsorption of trace metals on aluminium oxide: A simulation of processes in freshwater systems by close approximation to natural conditions

The interaction of the trace metals Cu, Co, Zn, Ni, Pb and Cd with aluminium hydroxide precipitated in-situ from homogeneous solution was studied. Using total concentrations of 10⁻⁴ M Al, 10⁻⁷ M Zn, Cu, Co, Ni and 10⁻⁸ M Pb and Cd a removal of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd from solution occurred together with Al, while Co and Ni concentrations in solution remained unchanged. The binding of Cu, Pb and Zn, Cd is in agreement with the effect predicted by using published (resp. evaluated for Zn and Cd), values for stability constants of surface complexes on preformed Al₂O₃-suspension. The different behaviour of these elements and of Co and Ni is expected from the hydrolysis and adsorption tendencies. The experimental conditions correspond to natural conditions in lake waters, where due to the pH-dependent solubility of aluminium hydroxide, in-situ precipitation may occur and cause the scavenging of trace elements.     

循环剪切作用下泥质软岩本构模型研究

库区微震频发现象使泥质软岩受循环剪切动力作用。基于分数阶西原模型,将Able黏壶进行改进,获得相应条件下的本构模型,并通过泥质软岩试样循环剪切试验对该本构模型进行了验证。研究表明:①原有分数阶西原本构模型可归纳为本模型正弦函数(循环作用)为零时的特殊解;②模型表现出较好的适用性(R²∈(0.96,0.98)),且方程曲线具备试验曲线的“单双拐点”特征;③模型主要影响因素为分数阶阶数n,其中稳定型方程n∈(0,0.6)、破坏型方程n∈(0.6,1.0);④随n的增加,抗剪模量G与黏滞系数η大致呈现降低趋势,可较好反映宏观现象;⑤从参数扰动的角度解释了以往文献出现的η随n增加可能表现出的无规律波动现象。研究成果可为微震条件下含泥质软岩边坡长期稳定性控制提供理论参考。     

地应力对深部回采巷道布置方向的影响分析

为分析地应力对深部回采巷道布置方向的影响,在参考相关文献和实测淮南矿区7个深部矿井20组地应力的基础上,获得高水平构造应力赋存特征。针对某深部矿井首采面两回采巷道布置方位与最大水平应力一致时,断面收缩仍然严重,对比Tresca理论与Gale理论,确定前者更适合分析此类巷道变形破坏状态。按点的应力状态计算不同侧压下巷道最优布置方位与最大水平主应力夹角β,得到首采面两巷的β为45°。根据巷道帮、顶应力差值越大围岩稳定性越差,进一步探究了β从0°偏转为12°,其围岩变形的应力差影响程度降至91%。接替面工程实践表明:初期支护方案相同时巷道围岩变形略有改善,后期支护方案改为帮、顶角增加两根锚索外加信号柱及时补强后支护效果良好,研究结果为类似条件下巷道布置与围岩控制提供了一定参考。     

Evaluation of simple methods for assessing the uniaxial compressive strength of rock

Published data on 48 different rocks are used to evaluate the correlations between the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) values and the corresponding results of point load, Schmidt hammer, sound velocity and impact strength tests. The variability of test results for each test and each rock type was evaluated by calculating the coefficient of variation. Using the method of least squares regression, the UCS values were correlated with the other test values. Also, the test methods were evaluated by plotting the estimated values of compressive strength vs. the measured values of compressive strength for each test. The results indicate that the least variability is shown in the impact strength test. So, among the test methods included in this study, the impact strength test is the most reproducible test; but the variability of test results for the other test methods is within acceptable limits for most engineering purposes. Strong linear relations between the point load strength index values and the UCS values were found for the coal measure rocks and the other rocks included in this study. The Schmidt hammer and the sound velocity tests exhibit significant non-linear correlations with the compressive strength of rock. In the sound velocity test, the data points are scattered at higher strength values. There is no clear relation between the impact strength values and the compressive strength values for the coal measure rocks. A weak non-linear correlation was found between the impact strength values and the compressive strength values for the other rocks. All test methods evaluated in this study, except the impact strength, provide reliable estimate of the compressive strength of rock. However, the prediction equations derived by different researchers are dependent on rock types and test conditions, as they are in this study.     

瓦斯抽采钻孔双胶囊配合带压粘液封孔新技术

针对工作面煤巷扰动裂隙的客观存在,瓦斯抽采钻孔封孔质量难以满足钻孔密封检验要求、抽采瓦斯浓度和流量偏低等问题,提出了双胶囊配合带压粘液的封孔新技术,并双胶囊中间段采取了加长加粗的改进技术。其基本原理是采用高压胶囊封堵瓦斯气室同时配合低压胶囊封堵粘液,粘液封堵钻孔裂隙,实现抽采钻孔的彻底密封。通过理论分析,确定了合理的封孔工艺参数,并进行了现场工业性试验。结果表明,提出的双胶囊配合带压粘液封孔技术可增加封孔深度和提高封孔质量,使瓦斯抽采浓度提高40%~60%,平均瓦斯流量提高15 m³/min左右,且高浓度抽采周期可达两个月。     

浅埋房式采空区下长壁采场动载矿压发生机制

为了揭示浅埋房式采空区对下位煤层开采矿压显现的控制机制,降低工作面过房式采空区的动压显现强度和压架风险,以神东矿区霍洛湾煤矿2-2煤层房式采空区下3-1煤层长壁开采工作面动压特征为研究对象,将3-1煤层覆岩结构分为四类,利用理论分析和相似材料模拟等方法,系统研究了不同覆岩结构类型运动特征、力学模型及对3-1煤层长壁工作面的动压控制机制。结果表明:房式采空区稳定房柱下易形成上下位关键层双悬臂梁结构,双悬臂梁结构协同失稳是形成动载矿压的主要原因;房柱失稳区主关键层形成的不稳定砌体梁结构及靠近大煤柱未失稳的房柱随下位煤层开采滑落失稳是导致长壁工作面动载矿压发生的原因;当3-1煤层工作面上覆前方为房柱失稳区时,工作面推出集中煤柱时的动载矿压是由于大煤柱两侧关键块已提前滑落失稳,两关键块间无作用力,倒梯形岩柱与亚关键层联合失稳作用结果;当3-1煤层工作面上覆前方为房柱稳定区时,工作面推出集中煤柱时,动载矿压是由房柱失稳所致。     

Blast vibration damage to underground coal mines from adjacent open-pit blasting

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of heavy blasting in open-pit coal mines on the stability of adjoining underground coal mine workings. Investigations were carried out at seven coal mines in India. Strata monitoring instruments, viz. borehole extensometers, convergence indicators, strain bars, stress capsules and load cells were installed in the roof and pillar. Monitoring of strata behaviour was carried out before and after the blasts. Arrangements were made to mount the transducers of seismographs in the roof and pillars to monitor vibration. Altogether, 202 production blasts were conducted and 622 vibration data were recorded.

The maximum peak particle velocity (PPV) recorded was 372.8 mm/s with the associated frequency of 78 Hz. At this magnitude of vibration, a coal block of 0.38 m³ detached from the roof. Minor damage in the form of loosened coal chips falling from the roof and the pillars was noticed at PPV level of 113 mm/s. Major damage was observed when the magnitude of PPV exceeded 181.9 mm/s. The damage is classified into three groups, viz. major damage, minor damage and no damage. The vibration levels in no damage zone are taken as safe level of vibration, The threshold value of vibration for the safety of underground workings is recommended based on the RMR of the roof rock.

It was also observed that the roof of underground roadways vibrated with 1.1–2.58 times higher amplitude of vibration compared to the pillars, The amplification was further higher at junctions. Monitoring of underground strata behaviour indicated, in all the mines, some amount of divergence between the roof and floor just after the blast, but, later on it was followed by convergence and most of the divergence that occurred was restored.     

邢台市南水北调召马地表水厂工程设计

邢台市召马地表水厂是南水北调中线工程的配套项目,总工程规模为35×10⁴m³/d,其中一期规模为15×10⁴m³/d,预留二期规模为20×10⁴m³/d,包括新建地表水厂及相应配水管网。水源取自丹江口水库,水质优良,净水采用机械混合池→小网格反应池→双层平流沉淀池→Ⅴ型滤池常规处理+臭氧活性炭滤池深度处理组合工艺,出厂水采用二氧化氯与紫外线多级屏障消毒,确保供水水质安全。实际运行效果表明,各设备设施均运转稳定,水厂出水水质优于《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB 5749—2006)的要求。工程总投资为70 442万元,经营成本为0.76元/m³(不包括南水北调水资源费)。     

沿空送巷煤柱在锚杆支护下的稳定性研究

为了在提高煤炭资源采出率的同时保证巷道的稳定性,提出在陈四楼煤矿2216工作面二2煤层采用留小煤柱沿空送巷技术。本文通过平面应变模型试验和FLAC^3D数值模拟计算,分析了在锚杆支护下不同宽度煤柱的破坏状态、应力分布及巷道围岩变形等因素,进而确定沿空送巷的合理煤柱宽度。研究表明,留设煤柱是沿空送巷围岩的一个重要承载结构,选择5 m煤柱作为窄煤柱护巷能够保证巷道的使用安全并具有相对较高的采出率,而帮锚采用全锚支护能够使锚杆的支护效应得到更为充分的发挥。     

Anaerobic digestion of wine distillery wastewater in down-flow fluidized bed

In down-flow fluidization, particles with a specific density smaller than the liquid are fluidized downward by a concurrent flow of liquid. This paper describes the application of the down-flow (or inverse) fluidization technology for the anaerobic digestion of red wine distillery wastewater. The carrier employed was ground perlite, an expanded volcanic rock. Before starting-up the reactor, physical and fluidization properties of the carrier material were determined. 0.968 mm perlite particles were found to have a specific density of 280 kg m⁻³ and a minimum fluidization velocity of 2.3 m h⁻¹. Once the down-flow anaerobic fluidized bed system reached the steady-state, organic load was increased stepwise by reducing HRT, from 3.3–1.3 days, while maintaining constant the feed TOC concentration. The system achieved 85% TOC removal, at an organic loading rate of 4.5 kg TOC m³ d⁻¹. It was found that the main advantages of this system are: low energy requirement, because of the low fluidization velocities required; there is no need of a settling device, because solids accumulate at the bottom of the reactor so they can be easily drawn out, and particles with high-biomass content, whose specific density have become larger than 1000 kg m⁻³ can be easily recovered.     

Some geological and geotechnical factors affecting the performance of a roadheader in an inclined tunnel

The factors affecting the performance of 90 kW-shielded roadheader is investigated in detail in a tunnel excavated for Nuh Cement Factory. The first part of the tunnel is horizontal and the second part is inclined with 9° and excavated uphill. Tunnel passes through a formation of the Upper Cretaceous age with nodular marl, carbonated claystone, thin and thick laminated limestone. Water ingress changes from 0 to 11 l/min. In six different zones it is found that the rock compressive strength changed from 20 to 45 MPa, tensile strength from 1 to 4 MPa, specific energy from 11 to 16 MJ/m³, plastic limit from 15% to 29%, liquid limit from 27% to 43% and water absorption from 4% to 18% in volume.

Detailed in situ observations show that in dry zones for the same rock strength the inclination of the tunnel and the strata help to increase the instantaneous cutting rate from 10 to 25 solid bank m³/cutting hour. The effect of water on cutting rate is dramatic. In the zones where the plastic limit and the amount of Al₂O₃ is low, instantaneous cutting rate increases from 34 to 50 solid bank m³/cutting hour with increasing water content from 3.5 to 11 l/min. However, in the strata having high water absorption characteristic and high amount of Al₂O₃, cutting rate decreases considerably due to the sticky mud, causing problem to the cutterhead. Excavation, muck loading and support works are performed separately due to safety concerns in the wet and inclined sections which reduced the machine utilization time from 38% to 8%. The information gathered is believed to form a sound basis in contributing the performance prediction of roadheaders in difficult ground conditions.     

Pre-acidification in anaerobic sludge bed process treating brewery wastewater

The effect of pre-acidification on anaerobic granule bed processes treating brewery wastewater was the focus of a comparison study employing two configurations, (a) a single stage upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) and (b) an upflow acidification reactor in series with a methanogenic UASB. The pre-acidification reactor achieved 20±4% SCOD removal and 0.08±0.003 L of methane produced per gram of SCOD removal at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 0.75–4 h. Butyric acid was not detected and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were mainly acetic and propionic acids. The acidification ratio was about 0.42±0.02 g SCFAs as COD/g of influent COD.

Both systems’ critical loading rate to achieve 80% COD removal was established at 34–39 kg COD/m³ of total sludge bed volume per day. SCOD removal efficiency of 90±3% was achieved by both systems at an organic loading rate of 25±1 kg COD/m³ of total sludge bed volume per day, indicating that the installation of an acidification reactor had no effect in terms of the maximum granular activity, biomass granulation and the settleability of granules. At an organic loading rate of 67 kg COD/m³ of total sludge bed volume per day at an HRT of 1 h, the series system outperformed the single UASB by a removal of 62 compared to 57%.     

Dominant rock properties affecting the penetration rate of percussive drills

Percussive blast hole drills were observed in eight rock types at an open pit mine and three motorway sites. The net penetration rates of the drills were calculated from the performance measurements. Rock samples were collected from the drilling locations and the physical and mechanical properties of the rocks were determined both in the field and in the laboratory. The penetration rates were correlated with the rock properties. The uniaxial compressive strength, the Brazilian tensile strength, the point load strength and the Schmidt hammer value exhibit strong correlations with the penetration rate. Impact strength shows a fairly good correlation with penetration rate. Weak correlations between penetration rate and both elastic modulus and natural density were found. Any significant correlation between penetration rate and P-wave velocity was not found.It was concluded that, among the rock properties adopted in this study, the uniaxial compressive strength, the Brazilian tensile strength, the point load strength and the Schmidt hammer value are the dominant rock properties effecting the penetration rate of percussive drills. Theoretical specific energy as defined by different research workers is proved also to be well correlated with penetration rate of percussive drills which verifies basic theoretical works on the subject. In addition, the point load and the Schmidt hammer test can practically be used in the field as a predictive tool for the estimation of penetration rate.     

岩体中弹性波传播尺度效应的初步分析

含缺陷岩体具有尺度效应,此类岩体中传播的弹性波也有尺度效应。对现场测点 EC37-201-06 ,在 3.0 ´ 3.2 m² 的范围内采用动态有限元方法进行了 15 种尺度的弹性波传播规律的分析研究。对现场测点 EC37-101-06 ,在 1.2 ´ 1.2 m² 的范围内采用准静态有限元方法进行了 60 种尺度的弹性波波速与围压及计算尺度的关系的计算分析。前者采用了射线理论分析思想,而后者采用等效介质分析思想,得到了相应的弹性波的尺度效应,但二者规律有差异。为建立二者间的联系,也为了工程应用,基于量纲理论分析方法,给出了一个半理论的波速与入射波频率的计算公式。与现场声波和地震波测试结果,以及考虑随机分布单节理散射模型的计算结果进行比较,初步分析结果表明,此公式基本可行。