Experimental study on mitigating wind erosion of calcareous desert sand using spray method for microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation

Wind erosion is one of the significant natural calamities worldwide, which degrades around one-third of global land. The eroded and suspended soil particles in the environment may cause health hazards, i.e. allergies and respiratory diseases, due to the presence of harmful contaminants, bacteria, and pollens. The present study evaluates the feasibility of microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique to mitigate wind-induced erosion of calcareous desert sand (Thar desert of Rajasthan province in India). The temperature during biotreatment was kept at 36 °C to stimulate the average temperature of the Thar desert. The spray method was used for bioaugmentation of Sporosarcina (S.) pasteurii and further treatment using chemical solutions. The chemical solution of 0.25 pore volume was sprayed continuously up to 5 d, 10 d, 15 d, and 20 d, using two different concentration ratios of urea and calcium chloride dihydrate viz 2:1 and 1:1. The biotreated samples were subjected to erosion testing (in the wind tunnel) at different wind speeds of 10 m/s, 20 m/s, and 30 m/s. The unconfined compressive strength of the biocemented crust was measured using a pocket penetrometer. The variation in calcite precipitation and microstructure (including the presence of crystalline minerals) of untreated as well as biotreated sand samples were determined through calcimeter, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX). The results demonstrated that the erosion of untreated sand increases with an increase in wind speeds. When compared to untreated sand, a lower erosion was observed in all biocemented sand samples, irrespective of treatment condition and wind speed. It was observed that the sample treated with 1:1 cementation solution for up to 5 d, was found to effectively resist erosion at a wind speed of 10 m/s. Moreover, a significant erosion resistance was ascertained in 15 d and 20 d treated samples at higher wind speeds. The calcite content percentage, thickness of crust, bulk density, and surface strength of biocemented sand were enhanced with the increase in treatment duration. The 1:1 concentration ratio of cementation solution was found effective in improving crust thickness and surface strength as compared to 2:1 concentration ratio of cementation solution. The calcite crystals formation was observed in SEM analysis and calcium peaks were observed in EDX analysis for biotreated sand.     

Ammonia production using iron nitride and water as hydrogen source under mild temperature and pressure

Ammonia generation was studied in the reaction between water and nitrogen-containing iron at 323 K and atmospheric pressure. Similar to metallic Fe, the interstitial compound Fe₃N reduced water through Fe oxidation to produce hydrogen gas, while the N combined with atomic hydrogen to produce ammonia as a byproduct. The addition of carbon dioxide to this system accelerated the reaction with concomitant consumption of carbon dioxide. The promoted ammonia production upon addition of carbon dioxide can be attributed to the generation of atomic hydrogen from the redox reaction of carbonic acid and Fe, as well as removal of used Fe from the reaction system through the formation of a soluble carbonato complex. When carbonate was added to the reaction system, the production rates of ammonia and hydrogen increased further. The results here confirmed that ammonia can be synthesized from iron nitride under mild conditions by utilizing carbon dioxide.     

Blends of Bio-Based Poly(Limonene Carbonate) with Commodity Polymers

In this study, blends of the bio-based poly(limonene carbonate) (PLimC) with different commodity polymers are investigated in order to explore the potential of PLimC toward generating more sustainable polymer materials by reducing the amount of petro- or food-based polymers. PLimC is employed as minority component in the blends. Next to the morphology and thermal properties of the blends the impact of PLimC on the mechanical properties of the matrix polymers is studied. The interplay of incompatibility and zero-shear melt viscosity contrast determines the blend morphology, leading for all blends to a dispersed droplet morphology for PLimC. Blends with polymers of similar structure to PLimC (i.e., aliphatic/aromatic polyester) show the best performance with respect to mechanical properties, whereas blends with polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate) are too brittle and polyamide 12 blends show very low elongations at break. In blends with Ecoflex (poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)) and Arnitel EM400 (copoly(ether ester)) with poly(butylene terephthalate) hard and polytetrahydrofuran soft segments) a threefold increase in E-modulus can be achieved, while keeping the elongation at break at reasonable high values of ≈200%, making these blends highly interesting for applications.     

Thermal transport and chemical conversion in single reacting sorbent particles

The effects of particle size and carbon dioxide concentration on chemical conversion in engineered spherical particles undergoing calcium oxide looping are investigated. Particles are thermochemically cycled in a furnace under different carbon dioxide concentrations. Changes in composition due to chemical reactions are measured using thermogravimetric analysis. Gas composition at the furnace exit is evaluated with mass spectroscopy. A numerical model of thermal transport phenomena developed previously is adapted to match the physical system investigated in the present study. The model is used to elucidate effects of reacting medium characteristics on particle temperature and reaction extent. Experimental and numerical results show that (1) an increase in particle size results in a decrease in carbonation extent, and (2) the carbonation step consists of fast and slow reaction regimes. The reaction rates in the fast and slow carbonation regimes increase with increasing carbon dioxide concentration. The effect of carbon dioxide concentration and the distinction between the fast and slow regimes become more pronounced with increasing particle size.     

Synthesis of highly efficient,structurally improved Li4SiO4 sorbents for high-temperature CO2 capture

Li₄SiO₄ sorbents for high-temperature CO₂ removal have drawn extensive attention owing to their potential application in carbon capture and storage (CCS). The major challenge in the application lies in the poor CO₂ capture performance under realistic conditions of low CO₂ concentrations, owing to the dense structure and poor porosity. In this work, Li₄SiO₄ sorbents were prepared with porous micromorphologies and large contact areas using a variety of organometallic Li-precursors, achieving fast CO₂ sorption kinetics, high capacity and excellent cyclic stability at a low CO₂ concentration (15?vol%). It was found that a high conversion of ~?74% was maintained for pure Li₄SiO₄ even after 100 sorption/desorption cycles. Moreover, by doping with Na₂CO₃ to reduce the CO₂ diffusion resistance, the conversion of the sorbent was further enhanced to 93.2%. The enhancement mechanism of alkali carbonate have been proven here to be ascribed to the formation of the eutectic melt of Li/Na carbonates, the existence and function of which has been confirmed in this study.     

动态评价技术在塔河碳酸盐岩缝洞型油气藏中的应用

塔河油田奥陶系油气藏是大型碳酸盐岩溶洞型油气藏，其储渗空间主要为大小不同的溶洞、裂缝带、溶蚀孔隙等组成，该油气藏具有极强的非均质性，单纯用静态资料来认识这类油气藏是非常困难。文章提出利用生产动态资料和信息进行该类型油气藏研究的新思路，利用人工神经网络技术在处理非线性相关参数预测方面的优势，并以渗流理论为基础，结合试井成果，选用已知油井的产量、油嘴、油压、含水率、气油比、原油密度等6个开发动态参数作为样品输入数据，推导出影响油气藏开发的重要参数（地层系数）与生产信息的关系，建立了人工神经网络预测储层参数的结构模型。通过塔里木盆地塔河油气田实例研究，说明了利用动态信息评价油气藏技术在碳酸盐岩缝洞型油气藏储层预测和非均质性分析等方面具有较高的实用价值。     

川东北飞仙关组碳酸盐岩气藏产能影响因素及压裂酸化新技术探讨

川东北地区飞仙关组碳酸盐岩气藏的储集层条件起好，不论直井还是水平井均可获高产工业气流，投产前的解堵酸化均可实现大幅度增产。在分析介绍该地区气藏地质特征的基础上，全面剖析了影响产能的主要因素，并对多功能深部酸化技术方案和稠化酸加砂压裂技术方案进行了具体探讨。     

湘中海相浅层湘冷1井酸压工艺研究及应用

湘冷1井具有气层埋藏浅（400m-500m）、纵向上裂隙发育的特点，属低孔、低渗的含泥质灰岩致密储层。大量室内实验和研究采用“前置液酸压＋闭合酸化”工艺技术，并优选了相应降阻酸和闭合酸配方。通过酸压实现了该井工业油气流的突破，取得了明显的增产效果，为新区海相浅层气的开发探索出了一套成熟的改造增产措施。     

一种分析碳酸盐岩孔隙系统数字图像的新方法

碳酸盐岩的孔隙类型多，孔径变化范围大，孔隙系统结构复杂，研究难度大。长期以来，是利用光学显微镜法、毛细管压力分析法、岩石孔隙系统复制法和图像分析仪法等方法或其中几种方法配合来研究碳酸盐岩孔隙系统。随着计算机图像技术的迅速发展和日益完善，借助该项技术通过碳酸盐岩孔隙系统数字图像来研究碳酸盐岩孔隙系统已经成为现实。文章提出一种研究碳酸盐岩孔隙系统数字图像的新方法。通过样品光薄片的光学显微镜（OM）数字图像和环境扫描电子显微镜（ESEM）数字图像二值化识别孔隙；构造孔隙度、孔隙贡献率和孔隙形状参数的计算公式用于数字图像分析，得到孔隙大小分布和孔隙形状分布。在此基础上，总结碳酸盐岩孔隙参数对其渗透率的控制作用。与传统的孔隙系统研究方法相比，该方法与计算机图像技术紧密结合，具有定量、快速的明显优势。     

论四川盆地天然气勘探前景

中石油及其前身已在四川盆地从事天然气勘探开发工作50余年,截至2005年底累计探明天然气地质储量逾8400×10⁸m³,累计生产天然气超过2300×10⁸m³,年产量现已超过120×10⁸m³,已成为国内目前最大的产气区。对于该盆地进一步勘探前景如何的命题,从以下4个方面给予了论证：一是资源丰富、勘探成果持久不衰，近期仍有大发现；二是要辩证地认识盆地油气地质的复杂性，探索新规律，解放新领域；三是寻求地质认识和勘探技术进步是勘探突破的关键；四是继续以盆地两大地质体系（海相古隆起体系及陆相前陆盆地体系）和8套裂缝-孔隙性储集层（中上寒武统白云岩、石炭系白云岩、上二叠统长兴组生物礁白云岩、下三叠统飞仙关组鲕状白云岩、下三叠统嘉陵江组粒屑白云岩、中三叠统雷口坡组藻粒白云岩、上三叠统须家河组长石岩屑石英砂岩和中上侏罗统红层砂岩）为对象获取更多的天然气资源量及优质储量。据此得出结论：四川盆地天然气勘探前景是广阔的，但勘探难度会逐步加大。