Enhanced CO2 electrolysis with synergistic doping in Perovskite cathode

Traditional metal and cermet cathodes are easily oxidized when performing CO2 electrolysis without flowing reducing gas, resulting in the degradation of electrolysis performance. Ceramic cathode would demonstrate the durable performance...

RECOGNITION OF GAS-AIR MIXTURES BY A SINGLE GAS SENSOR BASED ON TIN DIOXIDE NANOWHISKERS

Нитевидные нанокристаллы диоксида олова были выращены методом физического осаждения из паровой фазы и перенесены на контактную систему методом замороженной капли. Полученные сенсоры обладают газочувствительностью, воздействие паров газов-восстановителей приводит к увеличению их проводимости. Показано, что существует долговременный дрейф проводимости сенсора при воздействии пробы. Исследована концентрационная зависимость чувствительности сенсора к парам этанола, ацетона и пропанол-2 при температуре 300 °С. На основе анализа концентрационных зависимостей проводимости рассчитаны энергии десорбции частиц, а также положения донорных уровней, индуцированных при адсорбции газов-восстановителей, относительно акцепторного уровня кислорода. Показано, что рассчитанные параметры имеют существенно меньший по сравнению с проводимостью временной дрейф. Использование указанных параметров позволяет распознавать газовоздушные смеси, т.е. однозначно отнести одну из трех исследованных проб к её классу. Tin dioxide nanowhiskers were grown by physical vapor deposition and transferred to the contact system by the frozen drop method. The sensors demonstrate gas-sensitivity. Exposing sensors to the atmosphere contained vapors of reducing-gases leads to an increasing of their conductivity. A long-term drift of the sensor conductivity during reducing-gas exposition was shown. A sensitivity response vs concentration for ethanol, acetone, and propanol-2 vapors at temperature 300 °C was investigated. Desorption energies of the particles and the positions of the donor levels induced by adsorption of reducing gases particles were calculated by analysis of the conductivity vs concentration dependence. The calculated parameters had a significantly smaller time drift in comparison with the conductivity. Using of these parameters makes possible to recognize gas-air mixtures: classify the each of three studied samples to one of classes.

Prediction and caution after COVID-19 crisis: The ecological and epidemiological risks of financial speculation

Since the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide, optimistic ecological and economic analyses have arisen. On one hand, the lockdowns that have taken place are pointed out as a means of reducing gas emissions, environmental exploitation, and consequently, factors that reduce the risk of zoonoses. On the other hand, macroeconomic policies that support state intervention in the economy and social benefits are seen as a signal for a more social and eco-friendly organized capitalism. The objective of our article is to call for caution on these predictions, indicating a post-pandemic countertrend according to which the relationship between economy and environment might be even more unstable and conflictual after the pandemic. Here, we discuss the relevance of Karl Marx’s fictitious capital concept as a fundamental key to thinking about financial market pressures on the environment. Hereby, we aim to raise the concern that the financial policies adopted in the course of the crisis have encouraged speculative instruments that lead to the overaccumulation of fictitious capital. This, in turn, requires the increased exploitation and expropriation of the environment in order to realize the overaccumulated rights and claims on future surplus value. Thus, we argue that the risk of environmental destruction will not be reduced as claimed by optimistic assumptions, but on the contrary will increase in the next few years. Such a risk does not dismiss, but rather suggests that new zoonoses may also arise.

Soot Formation Numerical Simulation in Reducing Gas Generators of Oxygen-Methane Liquid Rocket Engines

A method for numerical simulation of operating processes in reducing gas generators with calculation of the condensed phase (soot) formation process detailed structure has been developed. It is assumed that soot is formed from gas-phase fuel in two stages. At the first stage, active radical nuclei are formed, and at the second stage, carbon black particles are formed from these nuclei. Numerical modeling of processes, fuel mixing and combustion, as well as soot formation in model reducing oxygen-methane gas generators with gas-liquid coaxial mixing elements of jet-jet type has been performed. Gas generators of this type can be used in promising oxygen-methane liquid rocket engines operating on open and closed circuits with reducing gas generators, as well as on the gas-gas circuit having reducing and oxidizing gas generators. A comparative analysis of soot formation features in gas generators with single- and multi-nozzle mixing heads has been performed. It is shown that a decrease in the pitch between the mixing elements leads to a significant change in the mixture formation processes, fuel combustion and the flow of combustion products (all other conditions being equal), which significantly reduces the intensity of condensed phase formation in reducing gas generators. The numerical simulation method will be used for studies of fuel combustion and condensed phase formation in regenerative gas generators of modern and advanced liquid rocket engines at the stages of development, design and improvement

Separation of ferromanganese ore components by non-contact and contact carbothermic reduction

The possibility of joint selective solid-phase reduction of iron and phosphorus in ferromanganese ore has been experimentally confirmed. The experiments were carried out in a Tamman laboratory furnace at a temperature of 1000 °C and holding for two and five hours. The article presents results of the study of phase composition and phases' quantitative ratio of the reduction products, as well as chemical composition of the phases. It was established that reduction roasting in CO atmosphere provides a transition from oxide phase to metal phase only of iron and phosphorus. At the same time, the concentration of manganese oxide MnO increases in the ore oxide phase. The use of solid carbon as a reducing agent under the same conditions leads to transition to the metallic phase together with iron and phosphorus of a part of manganese. Based on the obtained data, it is proposed to selectively reduce iron and phosphorus at a temperature of 1000 °C with a reducing gas. Gas reduction will make it possible to use existing gas furnaces, in particular, multi-pod furnaces, for metallization of iron and phosphorus in ferromanganese ore, and natural gas, including hydrogen -enriched gas, and even pure hydrogen, as a reducing agent and energy carrier. Due to this, at the stage of ore metallization in production of manganese alloys, greenhouse gas CO2 emissions can be reduced. The results of the work can be used in the development of theoretical and technological bases for processing ferromanganese ores with a high content of phosphorus, which are not processed by existing technologies.

Energy lost in endothermic reactions in the production of clay blocks in a continuous kiln

In Ocaña, Norte de Santander, Colombia, the production of ceramic materials is done in a traditional and empirical manner, generating heat losses, low productivity and product quality, and increased emissions of polluting gases into the environment. A virtual instrument for temperature data acquisition was developed and the firing process was monitored in two loading doors of a Hoffman kiln. 29040 blocks were produced, and 1370.76 kg of pulverized charcoal were consumed. The firing process lasted sixty-two hours and the virtual instrument was programmed to record data every 5 minutes. The energy supplied to the brick kiln was 340.16x106 kJ and the heat due to loading of the products and heat lost in the endothermic reactions of the clay was 107.71x106 kJ and 105.71x106 kJ respectively, representing 31.66% and 31.08% of the energy supplied. The results have made it possible to establish trends in the temperatures and energy consumed in the endothermic reactions in the clay. This will allow the implementation of coal quality and grinding procedures, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing gas emissions into the environment, thus avoiding acute respiratory diseases.

Understanding and Modeling Gas Breakthrough in the Karachaganak Gas Condensate Field

Field production constrained with surface facilities on gas handling have to deal with well rates optimization by reducing gas oil ratio of the field production. This means the best way of reducing gas oil ratio on field level is not by closing wells with the highest gas oil ratio but chocking back wells where gas breakthrough occurred and GOR of a well is rate dependent [1]. In this paper, authors modeled and analyzed wells with gas breakthrough in single porosity and dual porosity sector models. The analysis showed single porosity models underestimate severity of gas breakthrough and fail to predict rate dependent GOR of a well in the field. Also, based on the sector model using machine-learning technique an empirical equation was developed to estimate rate dependent GOR of a well which can be further used in field level production optimization exercise to reach maximum liquid production under gas processing constraints.