Pilot Installation Research Articles

Technological and economic aspect of Refuse Derived Fuel pyrolysis

Abstract The article presents the results of RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel) examination in order to use it for energy purpose. RDF material was subjected to thermogravimetric analysis. The TGA analysis confirmed the multi-component nature of tested material. It also indicated that the mixture consists of a minimum of 2 types of materials: biomass and thermoplastic polymers. The pyrolysis was conducted as a batch process with the use of a processing furnace supplied by the IZO Company. RDF sample was pyrolysed under 900 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere. Obtained char and gaseous sample, as well as raw material, were subjected to elemental and gas chromatographic analysis. Furthermore, using ANSYS CHEMKIN-PRO software, numerical simulations of these samples were conducted. Based on the results of composition of pyrolysis gas, the numerical model was validated. Next, modelling of chemical composition of gas from RDF pyrolysis for a pilot installation working in Poland was performed. In addition, the evaluation of the investment costs for the exemplary installation for the thermal conversion of RDF using pyrolysis was made. For this purpose, dynamic methods of investment project assessment were used, which take into account the distribution of anticipated revenues and expenses related to a given investment project over time.

Mathematical modeling in education process, research and low-energy metallurgical technologies

The article presents a retrospective of scientific and educational activities of the Chair “Applied Information Technologies and Programming”. At the time of organization (in 1980), the Chair’s staff has set a task: to create specialists of a new plan (problem programmers) who simultaneously possess methods of research and mathematical description of specific objects (including metallurgical ones) and computer programming. By special order of the RSFSR Ministry of Higher Education, a new specialization was created in experimental order: “Computer support and computers in metallurgy”, which after 20 years of pedagogical experiment developed into the specialty “Information systems and technologies (by industry)”. The Chair was the first to produce such specialists not only in the region, but also in the country, and this experience was then adopted by other universities. The staff of the newly created Chair was one of the first in the country to create mathematical models of metallurgical processes, and then simulators and training systems based on them. An activity-based approach to learning based on a mathematical model of specific subject area was adopted as a pedagogical concept. Many years of experience in applying this approach has shown its high effectiveness. For the first time in metallurgy, a concept and a set of models of fundamentally new metallurgical process and unit with elements of self-organization was developed, characterized by an order of magnitude lower specific volume and one and a half times less energy consumption. Together with the designers and specialists of ZapSibMetKombinat (West Siberian Metallurgical Plant), a large-scale pilot installation of JER unit process was created, which confirmed the correctness of the proposed concept, worked out the main design points, and showed the practical feasibility of a number of new technologies developed. In a new process creating, software and tool systems were worked out: an algorithm for calculating the interrelated parameters of the process and the unit, the “Engineeringmetallurgy” system, a system for modeling complex heat transfer processes, and a system for simulating the particle level using the Monte Carlo method.

The Impact of Microstructure of Filtration Materials on Its Auto-Activation for Manganese Removal from Groundwater

The study investigates the impact of pore structure parameters of three chemically non-active filtration materials on the auto-activation time and the height of the filtration zone for manganese removal from groundwater. At a technical scale, the activation is a long process which may require a period of up to three months. The process can be shortened by the use of porous filtration materials. In this study, three filtration materials (silica sand, chalcedonite sand, GAC—granulated activated carbon) were investigated using subcritical nitrogen adsorption and mercury injection capillary pressure measurements. These methods provide a comprehensive evaluation of pore structure parameters, including specific surface area (SSA), micro- and mesopore volumes, and an extended range of pore size distribution (PSD). The studied materials provided a wide range of micro- and mesopore volumes as well as SSA. In order to investigate the auto-activation time of filtration material—the time required to achieve the requested quality of the filtrate—and the height of the filtration zone, a pilot experiment was conducted for 1950 h. The pilot installation consisted of three-meters-high (10 cm diameter) filtration columns filled with the tested filtration materials. The results indicate that the internal pore structure and the investigated auto-activation parameters are correlated. Both auto-activation time and the size of the filtration zone were influenced by the mesopore volume and the associated SSA of the tested materials. The micropore volume was less effective in improving the autoactivation parameters. The research results indicated the importance of pore structure characteristics which should be considered prior to time-consuming pilot and technological tests.

Data on ion-exchange membrane fouling by humic acid during electrodialysis.

This data paper aims to provide data on the effect of the process settings on the fouling of an electrodialysis pilot installation treating a sodium chloride solution (0.1 M and 0.2 M) in the presence of humic acid (1 g/L). This data was used by “Colloidal fouling in electrodialysis: a neural differential equations model” [1] to construct a predictive model and provides interpretive insights into this dataset. 22 electrodialysis fouling experiments were performed where the electrical resistance over the electrodialysis stack was monitored while varying the crossflow velocity (2.0 cm/s - 3.5 cm/s) in the compartments, the current applied (1.41 A - 1.91 A) to the stack and the salt concentration in the incoming stream. The active cycle was maintained for a maximum of 1.5 h after which the polarity was reversed to remove the fouling layer. Additional data is gathered such as the temperature, pH, flow rate, conductivity, pressure in the different compartments of the electrodialysis stack. The data is processed to remove the effect of temperature fluctuations and some filtering is performed. To maximise the reuse potential of this dataset, both raw and processed data are provided along with a detailed description of the pilot installation and sensor locations. The data generated can be useful for researchers and industry working on electrodialysis fouling and the modelling thereof. The availability of conductivity and pH in all compartments is useful to investigate secondary effects of humic acid fouling such as the eventual decrease in membrane permselectivity or water splitting effects introduced by the fouling layer.

Core–Shell Composites Based on Partially Oxidized Blend of Detonation Synthesis Nanodiamonds

The results of a study on the production of graphite–diamond nanocompositions by partial oxidation of a detonation synthesis blend in aqueous solutions of nitric acid under pressure in the temperature range 120–230°C are presented. A part of the graphite shell was subjected to selective oxidation. According to the results of kinetic studies in a 400 mL autoclave, an oxidation process scheme is proposed, which is based on a radical chain reaction involving nitrogen dioxide and carbon of graphite/graphene shell on the surface of the particles. The synthesis conditions for the main types of graphite–diamond nanocomposites of various oxidation states are determined. On a pilot installation in a swinging titanium autoclave of a 12 L capacity, experimental batches of the product were accumulated, which made it possible to assess the possibility of scaling the developed laboratory process.

Pilot installation for applying protective coating on the surface of the agricultural equipment

Agricultural machinery is operated in difficult conditions and severe environment. Due to contact with road surfaces, soil, plants, fuels and lubricants, as well as fertilizers and pesticides, when changing temperature conditions and under the influence of a number of other factors, surfaces of agricultural machinery become old and corroded, which reduces their performance and worsens some of its parameters. Most agricultural machines are operated from 10-15 to 55-60 days during the year, and for the remaining time, they are subject to high-quality storage. During long-term storage, the dimensions of parts change due to corrosion, as well as the quality of their material decreases due to structural transformations and residual deformations caused by the machine’s own weight. Efficiency and its service life can increase by 10-15% due to the application of a protective coating on the surface of agricultural machines, which reduces the influence of external factors on their safety. The use of a developed spray gun in the design of a hydraulic installation for applying a protective coating on the surface of agricultural machinery allows one to reduce unit costs by 13.8% and electricity costs by 12.3%. The economic effect of using a hydraulic coating system with the developed spray gun will amount to 75,539.3 rubles per year when processing 124.9 m2 of agricultural machinery surface.

Pyrolysis of Radioactive Spent Resins in the PRIME Installation

Montair and Belgoprocess developed the pilot PRIME (Pyrolysis Resins In Mobile Electric) Installation for treatment of spent resins in one single reactor without pre-treatment and without intermixing of other waste, allowing for easy traceability and isotopic characterization of the end product. Both low level waste (LLW, < 2 mSv/h) and medium level waste (MLW, > 2 mSv/h) can be treated in the installation. The PRIME pilot installation is designed to treat 2 batches of 100 litre of saturated ion exchange resins over a period of 24 hours. The pyrolysis reactor contains a special design mechanical stirrer and can operate at a temperature of up to 600°C under inert conditions. As a result, the organic molecules will decompose at an accelerated rate until only carbon-rich and mineralised product free of hydrocarbons remains. Gases that are released during drying and pyrolysis are treated in a thermal oxidizer, which uses an innovative, electrically heated design instead of a traditional natural gas- or fuel oil secondary combustion chamber design. After passing through the thermal oxidizer, the gases are cooled down to saturation temperature and treated in the wet scrubbing system. An induced draft fan keeps the system under negative pressure to prevent the possibility of any off-gas leakage out of the system. The pyrolysing reactor and oxidiser are fully electrically powered which creates also a higher safety level. A series of tests were performed successfully with wet cationic resins, anionic resins and a mixture of both. The results of these tests are described in the presentation. For intellectual property protection, the system and process of pyrolysis of organic waste and the system of thermal oxidation of pyrolysis gases described in this paper are patent pending.

Progressive Vortex Pump: A New Artificial Lift Pumped Method

SummaryThis paper reports the first experience on applying progressive vortex pumping (PVP) as an artificial lift solution in the oil industry. From a conceptual point of view, progressive vortex pumps are rotodynamic devices that elevate fluid mixtures by converting kinetic energy to potential energy, which is a result of an inducing vortex within each pumping stage. The solution proposed in this paper was inspired by pumps used in the automotive industry (Lochman and Bryce 1980; Yu 1995) and adapted for pumping multiphase mixtures from oil-producing reservoirs. The pilot installation of this technology occurred in an onshore field, located northeast of Brazil. There is a brief description about some specificities of the progressive vortex pump (including features of the production scenario, surface and subsurface installations, and the results observed during the first 4 months of operation), which was installed in an unprecedented way in an oil production well. This paper also addresses some relative advantages of PVP over other artificial lift pumping methods, such as electric submersible pumping (ESP). However, overall efficiency needs to be improved when compared to competing methods such as ESP.

Recovery of Stabilizer Glass in Innovative MBT Installation-An Analasys of New Technological Procedure.

The data published by the European Container Glass Federation shows that the EU28 average collection rate for recycling of glass containers has grown to a rate of 76%. However the stabilizer produced at mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) installations at landfills still contains large amounts of recyclable glass. An industrial-scale study has been undertaken in order to assess the possibility of recovering this glass from the stabilizer. A new pilot installation was built at the MBT plant in Marszów, Poland. Tests were conducted on stabilizer samples produced at the plant (13 samples) and others collected from several MBT plants based in Poland (six samples). Processing the stabilizer on the designed line made it possible to recover on average 68.4 ± 7.0% of the glass contained in it from Marszów samples and 58.4 ± 14.2% in the case of samples acquired from other MBT installations. It is demonstrated that the concentrate quality largely depends on the stabilizer’s moisture content. A concentrate with glass content from 98.0% to 99.5% was obtained for samples of low-moisture stabilizers (for 14 out of 19 samples). The product was accepted by glass recycling plants due to its low level of contamination with other materials and its appropriate particle size.

Laboratory and In-Situ Testing of Integrated FBG Sensors for SHM for Concrete and Timber Structures.

Long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) plays an important role in the safety of public transport infrastructure such as bridges or tunnels and warns in the event of any emerging problem. This article describes development and testing of system based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors that can detect changes in strain and temperature. The first phase of the research has been focused on the development of new fiber optic sensors for the monitoring of concrete structures and their investigation in laboratory conditions. The work also shows novel applicability of the same FBG technology for glulam structures. Mechanical loading tests of the concrete beam as well as glulam beam with embedded sensors were carried out. Data measured by developed fiber optic sensors were compared with the readings from reference sensors as well as with the analytically calculated values. The achieved results proved good agreement between the measured data, analytical data and reference methods. In second phase of the research, the pilot installation of the sensors was carried out on the newly constructed prestressed-concrete bridge. The bridge was monitored throughout pre-stressing phase and monitoring continued after the completion of the construction works. Problems with the fragility of the sensors occurred during the measurements, but the obtained results provide a good basis for further improvement of the system.

ВЫБОР ЭФФЕКТИВНОЙ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ УТИЛИЗАЦИИ ОСАДКОВ СТОЧНЫХ ВОД

The article deals with the problem of efficient use of water resources. Factors affecting wastewater treatment and the problem of waste disposal have been identified. It has been established that economic methods should be coordinated with the environmental state in order to rationally manage water resources. The purpose: to reduce the negative environmental burden on water resources by choosing a rational method for the disposal of wastewater sediment. Studies include an analysis of existing methods of wastewater treatment and disposal of sludge. It has been established that the use of the technology for the most complete processing of sewage sludge,utilization of sludge to obtain raw materials for recycling can significantly reduce operating costs. It is accepted as the optimal method to consider the technology of utilization by glazing the sediment, allowing obtaining a granular fraction of raw materials used in the construction industry. An example of the practical implementation of the technology of glazing dehydrated sit cake is presented by a pilot installation at the Shchelkovsite of the sewer treatment plant, as a result of which the amount of wastewater sediment was reduced by almost 25 times.

Thermal Treatment of Municipal Waste in Poland on Example of RDF Pyrolysis

In the face of the constant tightening of environmental regulations, alternative sources of fuels and energy are being increasingly sought. The European Union strives to introduce waste-free or low-waste closed-loop technologies using material and energy recovery to manage natural resources in a rational manner. Therefore, European regulations require member states to progressively restrict the amount of landfill waste. In Poland, these requirements have been included in the Act on waste and the Act on order and cleanliness in the commune. In addition, since 1 January 2016, it has been forbidden to store waste with a calorific value exceeding 6 MJ/kg, which is why in recent years there has been an increase in interest in the thermal transformation of municipal waste. Therefore, the article presents the current shape of waste management in Poland, and also introduces the dominant form of RDF management in the cement industry. Nevertheless, the capacity of cement plants is limited, and the energy use of fuels from waste encounters difficulties related to a significant reduction in pollutant emissions, which is why the use of modern installations for the thermal conversion of waste such as pyrolysis and gasification is increasingly considered. Taking into account the promising energy properties of secondary fuels obtained during the pyrolysis process, the chemical composition of gas from RDF pyrolysis was modeled for a pilot installation operating in Poland using CHEMKIN-PRO software. Determination of the combustible components allowed the calorific value of pyrolytic gas to be estimated, ranging from 28.2 - 28.7 MJ/m3. The obtained calorific value is much higher than the average calorific value of RDF (11-18MJ/kg) [1], which encourages wider use of the waste pyrolysis process in order to obtain secondary fuels with promising energy parameters. It will contribute to a further reduction in the amount of deposited waste, and thus to creating environmentally-friendly closed-loop waste management.

Integration of target analyses, non-target screening and effect-based monitoring to assess OMP related water quality changes in drinking water treatment

The ever-increasing production and use of chemicals lead to the occurrence of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) in drinking water sources, and consequently the need for their removal during drinking water treatment. Due to the sheer number of OMPs, monitoring using targeted chemical analyses alone is not sufficient to assess drinking water quality as well as changes thereof during treatment. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) based non-target screening (NTS) as well as effect-based monitoring using bioassays are promising monitoring tools for a more complete assessment of water quality and treatment performance. Here, we developed a strategy that integrates data from chemical target analyses, NTS and bioassays. We applied it to the assessment of OMP related water quality changes at three drinking water treatment pilot installations. These installations included advanced oxidation processes, ultrafiltration in combination with reverse osmosis, and granular activated carbon filtration. OMPs relevant for the drinking water sector were spiked into the water treated in these installations. Target analyses, NTS and bioassays were performed on samples from all three installations. The NTS data was screened for predicted and known transformation products of the spike-in compounds. In parallel, trend profiles of NTS features were evaluated using multivariate analysis methods. Through integration of the chemical data with the biological effect-based results potential toxicity was accounted for during prioritization. Together, the synergy of the three analytical methods allowed the monitoring of OMPs and transformation products, as well as the integrative biological effects of the mixture of chemicals. Through efficient analysis, visualization and interpretation of complex data, the developed strategy enabled to assess water quality and the impact of water treatment from multiple perspectives. Such information could not be obtained by any of the three methods alone. The developed strategy thereby provides drinking water companies with an integrative tool for comprehensive water quality assessment.

A Demand Response Implementation in Tertiary Buildings Through Model Predictive Control

In this article, a cloud-based architecture developed for the control of dispatchable resources of active users is proposed. This architecture assumes the availability of renewables, dispatchable loads, and storage resources in a demand response framework. The integration of a metering infrastructure with the cloud is a relevant aspect. The proposed methodology is based on model predictive control (MPC) and is solved by mixed-integer linear programming to take into account nonlinearities and discontinuities introduced by cost functions and storage systems. The control strategy was actually implemented on a pilot installation in a public school, requiring retrofit interventions, with particular regard to energy monitoring and cloud communication. An experimental gateway prototype was installed allowing communication between field and cloud control tiers. Experimental results are conducted to assess economic gains deriving by employing MPC when compared to rule-based ordinary controllers. Computational timings and communication latencies confirm the feasibility of the approach.

Theoretical analysis of the thermal conversion of RDF fuel in the context of Waste Management

The European Union strives to introduce waste-free or low-waste closed-loop technologies using material and energy recovery to manage natural resources in a rational manner. Therefore, European regulations require member states to progressively restrict the amount of landfill waste. The article presents the current shape of waste management in Poland, and also introduces the dominant form of RDF management in the cement industry. Nevertheless, the capacity of cement plants is limited, and the energy use of fuels from waste encounters difficulties related to a significant reduction in pollutant emissions, which is why the use of modern installations for the thermal conversion of waste such as pyrolysis and gasification is increasingly considered. Taking into account the promising energy properties of secondary fuels obtained during the pyrolysis process, the chemical composition of gas from RDF pyrolysis was modeled for a pilot installation operating in Poland. Determination of the combustible components allowed the calorific value of pyrolysis gas to be estimated, ranging from 28.2 - 28.7 MJ/m3. The obtained calorific encourages wider use of the waste pyrolysis process in order to obtain secondary fuels with promising energy parameters. It will contribute to a further reduction in the amount of deposited waste, and thus to creating environmentally-friendly closed-loop waste management.

Ultrafiltration concentration of whey in a pilot plant

Experimental data on the retention coefficient and the output specific flow are obtained. The test solutions were goat and cow's milk whey after obtaining cheese. The description, general view and technological scheme of a pilot installation of a tubular type are given. The studies were carried out on semipermeable tubular type ultrafiltration membranes manufactured by AO "ZAVKOM". Based on the studies, graphical dependences of the retention coefficient on the specific output stream were constructed and analyzed. During the analysis, it was noted that with an increase in the output specific flow of the solvent, the retention coefficient decreases. The reason for this is the boundary layers of fat and protein formed in the near-membrane layers, which prevents the passage of protein molecules through the pores of the membrane. Also during the experiment, it was noted that goat milk serum has a more oily structure and requires prior separation. For the theoretical calculation of the retention coefficient and specific output stream, mathematical expressions are developed and numerical values of the values of empirical coefficients are obtained. The developed mathematical expressions describe the experimental data with good confidence. The obtained experimental and calculated data can be used with great reliability in the calculations of mass-transported flows of substances through semipermeable membranes, as well as in engineering methods for calculating and predicting the effectiveness of the use of membrane processes for the concentration of whey.

Six artificial recharge pilot replicates to gain insight into water quality enhancement processes

The processes that control water quality improvement during artificial recharge (filtering, degradation, and adsorption) can be enhanced by adding a reactive barrier containing different types of sorption sites and promoting diverse redox states along the flow path, which increases the range of pollutants degraded. While this option looks attractive for renaturazing reclaimed water, three issues have to be analyzed prior to broad scale application: (1) a fair comparison between the system with and without reactive barrier; (2) the role of plants in prevention of clogging and addition of organic carbon; and (3) the removal of pathogens. Here, we describe a pilot installation built to address these issues within a waste water treatment plant that feeds on water reclaimed from the secondary outflow. The installation consists of six systems of recharge basin and aquifer with some variations in the design of the reactive barrier and the heterogeneity of the aquifer. We report preliminary results after one year of operation. We find that (1) the systems are efficient in obtaining a broad range of redox conditions (at least iron and manganese reducing), (2) contaminants of emerging concern are significantly removed (around 80% removal, but very sensitive to the compound), (3) pathogen indicators (E. coli and Enterococci) drop by some 3–5 log units, and (4) the recharge systems maintained infiltration capacity after one year of operation (only the system without plants and the one without reactive barrier displayed some clogging). Overall, the reactive barrier enhances somewhat the performance of the system, but the gain is not dramatic, which suggests that barrier composition needs to be improved.

Development and Pilot Installation of a Scalable Environmental Sensor Monitoring System for Freeze–Thaw Monitoring under Granular-Surfaced Roadways

The freeze–thaw cycle is one of the major sources of damage to granular-surfaced roadways, especially in areas where the timing of heavy agricultural traffic coincides with that of spring thawing. To help local roads agencies plan better for annual budgets and frost embargos, it is useful to be able to predict the frost depth and number of freeze–thaw cycles under a given roadway based on continually updated weather and soil data. Computational modeling can help in this regard, and may be conducted by collecting data on weather and the thermal and hydraulic properties of the soil, as well as soil temperature, moisture, and suction, and using the data directly in the analyses. In order to obtain accurate field data for model calibrations and predictions, an appropriate sensor network and data acquisition system must be carefully planned and installed. This article details the development and installation procedures for one such system of sensors for subgrade temperature, water content, and matric suction, and presents lessons learned throughout the process. Various issues are discussed relating to selection of the sensor and data acquisition system, laboratory and field checks, borehole sensor installation tools, and post-installation troubleshooting and monitoring. To ensure a successful installation beneath the granular roadway, laboratory and field trials were first performed. Salient details of a pilot installation in Hamilton County, IA are provided to guide others developing and scaling similar subgrade sensor systems.

Pilot Tests and Fouling Identification in the Ultrafiltration of Model Oily and Saline Wastewaters

Abstract This paper evaluates ceramic membrane performance and fouling mechanisms in the ultrafiltration of model oil-in-water solutions with addition of NaCl. First, the work estimated the effect of main process parameters, i.e. transmembrane pressure, cross-flow velocity and NaCl content in the feed on oil rejection and permeate flux using 23 experimental design. The ultrafiltration experiments were carried out using pilot installation with commercial tubular ceramic 300 kDa membrane. Ultrafiltration data obtained using experimental design technique was used to determine the regression coefficients of polynomial equations. These equations give information on non-conjugated as well as conjugated effects of two operating parameters and one feed parameter on ceramic membrane performance in ultrafiltration process of model oil-in-water-NaCl solutions. Moreover, these equations can help to determine optimal conditions for ultrafiltration process from the point of view of membrane permeability and selectivity. Next, ultrafiltration results were analyzed using resistance-in-series model. It was found that the process is membrane resistance limited. It was also stated that, resistance caused by reversible fouling is greater than irreversible fouling resistance. Finally, pore blocking models based on modified Hermia’s equation were used to determine membrane fouling mechanism responsible for permeate flux decline with ultrafiltration time. In investigated system ceramic membrane fouling was caused by complete and intermediate pore blocking mechanisms.

Groundwater heat pump feasibility in shallow urban aquifers: Experience from Cardiff, UK

Ground source heat pumps have the potential to decarbonise heating and cooling in many urban areas. The impact of using shallow groundwater from unconsolidated sedimentary aquifers for heating in urban areas is often modelled, but rarely validated from field measurements. This study presents findings from the ‘Cardiff Urban Geo-Observatory’ project. This study focuses on an experimental open loop ground source heat pump scheme retrofitted to a school building. Field monitoring for three years between 2015 and 2018 provided data on the environmental impact of the scheme on aquifer conditions. Average aquifer thermal degradation in the first three years was kept below 2 °C, with a maximum change of 4 °C measured during the heating season. The numerically modelled predictions of thermal degradation around the production and injection wells are compared with long-term field monitoring data, providing new insights into both aquifer, and user, behaviour. The Seasonal Performance Factor (SPFH4) of the pilot installation was 4.5 (W13/W50) in the monitoring period. An initial thermal resource estimation of the wider aquifer volume suggests that lowering the temperature of the aquifer by 8 °C could generate equivalent to 26% of the city's 2020 heating demand, but achievable heat extraction would in reality, be less. The study concludes that large parts of the aquifer can sustain shallow open loop ground source heat pump systems, as long as the local ground conditions support the required groundwater abstraction and re-injection rates. Future schemes can be de-risked and better managed by introduction of a registration of all GSHP schemes, with open sharing of investigation, design and performance monitoring data, and by managing thermal interference between systems using spatial planning tools.