Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy最新文献

The release of synthetic dyes from the textile industry into aquatic environments poses a significant threat due to their carcinogenic properties. Photocatalytic treatment methods have emerged as efficient alternatives for addressing dye contamination in water. In this study, we investigate the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles under UV irradiation. ZnO nanopowders were synthesized via the sol–gel process and characterized for their structural, optoelectronic, optical, and chemical properties to demonstrate their suitability for photocatalytic degradation. Photocatalytic experiments were conducted using pure ZnO nanoparticles as catalysts, resulting in a degradation efficiency of 72.3% for methylene blue. Characterization techniques, such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and FTIR confirmed the presence of ZnO bonds and the uniform distribution of nanoparticles with small grain sizes. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations using the modified Becke–Johnson (mBJ) approximation revealed a direct band gap of 3 eV for ZnO, confirming its potential for photocatalysis. These findings underscore the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles, highlighting their potential for use in photocatalysis applications. This study contributes to the growing body of research aimed at addressing environmental challenges associated with dye contamination in water.

The question on whether natural resources are a curse or not remain with no satisfactory answer. There are two opposing school of thoughts on the role of natural resources rent in fostering sustainable development, that is, the natural resource curse and Rostow's hypothesis. The study uses the data of the 15 natural resources-rich African countries, for the period ranging from 1990 to 2021. The Methods of Moments Quantile Regression with fixed effects, a contemporary method that gives heterogeneous results across quantiles is employed to ensure robust outcomes. Cross-sectional dependence, dynamics and heterogeneity are catered for in the model. The major results presented in this research shows that the rule of law is fundamental in reducing pollution. Energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources is also observed to strongly lower the emission of carbon. Most importantly, the study results depict that natural resources rent exacerbates carbon emission; hence, supporting the postulations of the resources curse hypothesis that natural resources are counter-productive. We also show that economic growth, along with non-renewable energy worsens pollution. The major policies presented in this research are to promote renewable energy use, rule of law and efficient use of energy to attain sustainable development. This research bridges the gap in the literature by examining the effects of natural resources rent on carbon emission, a study that has not been widely covered. The present research also brings the importance of governance in reducing pollution in the natural resources-rich African countries.

Hydrogen is believed to be the most potential energy-resources in the coming time due to its high energy density and zero greenhouse gas footprint. Among all types of hydrogen production processes, bio-based hydrogen (biohydrogen) generation processes are found to be relatively cleaner than the other processes. In this review article current biohydrogen generation processes are critically reviewed to understand the critical factors associated with the hydrogen generation along with the challenges to be eliminated. In this review the factor like types of substrates, their pretreatment, bioreactor design, and other parametric influences on the overall biohydrogen production is discussed. Also, impact of different catalyst in hydrogen production has been discussed in this topic. The review indicated that most of the current hydrogen-research are focused on the development of processes with high yield. However, one of the major drawbacks of biohydrogen process is purification of H₂ from the gaseous mixture produced by microbial strains. To establish the biohydrogen production processes as promising as it considered to be there needs to have a robust purification system. Also, this review highlights that more rigorous research on the biohydrogen storage and its hazard analysis is necessary to meet the future expectation of hydrogen use in mass-scale.

The current study examines how mass and heat transfer affect mobility of Jeffrey fluid while taking sun radiation across the vertical plate into account. In the polyvinyl alcohol water base fluid, the study combines gyrotactic organisms with copper nanoparticles. Microorganisms classified as gyrotactic respond to gravitational and viscous forces by swimming and orienting themselves, which results in the formation of patterns known as bioconvection, which is the result of the collective movement of these microorganisms. The main goals are to address the growing uses of solar plates by creating a unique mathematical model for flow and thermal properties of the parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) installed on solar panel. Sunlight is directed onto a single focal line by curved mirrors in PTSCs, which heat the fluid moving over the plate at this focused line. The momentum, heat, and mass equations are solved by the model using Fourier and Fick's laws. The Laplace transform is then used to convert the solution sets into dimensionless Partial differential equation (PDE) for the velocity, energy, and mass fields. The innovative aspect of this model is its in-depth examination of non-Newtonian nanofluids, which are boosted by the addition of gyrotactic organisms and copper nanoparticles to increase heat transfer efficiency. The impacts of several factors on flow characteristics, including the Lewis number, mass Grashof number, Grashof number for bioconvection, magnetic and electric parameters, Peclet number, chemical reaction parameter, and Prandtl number, are shown graphically. Increasing the radiation parameters and volume fraction results in a noticeable improvement in the temperature profile. By demonstrating the superior heat transfer capabilities of non-Newtonian nanofluids in solar energy applications, this work advances the field. It is particularly relevant to microchip cooling, solar energy systems, and thermal energy systems. In summary, the work provides a comprehensive model that advances our understanding of heat and mass transfer in non-Newtonian nanofluids that are exposed to ambient sunlight. In the future, the model will be employed in real solar energy systems to confirm its effectiveness. The findings have applications in the development of temperature control technology and solar energy systems that are more effective.

The world faces tremendous socio-economic and environmental challenges, and to address these, the UN provides a global framework in the form of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which can also be applied to the business sector. India's BRR (Business Responsibility Report) system guides corporate sustainability; however, it lacks a clear alignment with the SDGs. In order to address this knowledge gap, this study creates a mapping system that can better align Indian companies' sustainability practices with the SDGs. The study, employing a hybrid methodology, conducts a sustainability content analysis with Critical Hermeneutic Analysis (CHA) to design and develop the mapping system incorporating SDGs and respective targets and indicators. The mapping system is applied to three Indian companies of different sizes. This demonstrates that the application is possible, although not being considered by the Indian business sector while using BRR. Through this mapping approach applied in the case of India, the study demonstrates the potential for replicability for SDG inclusion in other nations as well. In addition, the findings provide new insights for policymakers and business leaders to improve SDGs' integration in corporate reporting, promoting sustainable practices.

In order to investigate the evolution law of coal temperature during the gestation process of coal and gas outburst, laboratory experiments and numerical simulation approaches were employed. Infrared thermal radiation experiments on the surface of outburst coal during uniaxial loading and failure of coal were conducted. A coal and gas thermal-hydromechanical coupling model considering the endothermic effect of desorption was established. Numerical simulation of uniaxial loading of gas-containing coal was implemented to study the influences of deformation energy, frictional heat, and adsorption/desorption endothermic effects on coal temperature. The results indicate that the temperature of coal samples during the uniaxial loading and failure process generally exhibits a stepwise temperature increase. In the initial stage, the elastic thermal effect leads to a slow and fluctuating rise in the temperature of coal samples. During the yield and plastic deformation stages, frictional heat causes a rapid increase in the temperature of coal samples. With the increase of the loading rate, the increment of the temperature of coal samples gradually decreases and reaches the peak when the loading stress is 70% of the peak stress. According to the numerical calculation results, with the increase of the loading rate, the temperature reduction caused by gas desorption relatively decreases. By comparing the experimental results and numerical simulation results, it is found that the temperature reduction caused by desorption is greater than the temperature increments caused by deformation energy and frictional heat. The desorption endothermic effect and frictional heat effect are the dominant factors controlling the temperature variation of coal during the gestation process of outburst. The research achievements have significant theoretical significance and practical value for revealing the temperature evolution mechanism during the gestation process of coal and gas outburst, predicting coal and gas outburst, and protecting the atmospheric environment.

This study meticulously examined the impact of preheated tallow biodiesel on the performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine. Employing a single-cylinder, water-cooled diesel engine configured with exhaust gas recirculation in this investigation, exhaust gas temperature (EGT) could be used to preheat the biodiesel, reducing its viscosity and density. This improvement in viscosity and density could enhance the injection process, which is often hindered by the higher density and viscosity of biodiesel compared with diesel fuel. The investigation achieved a peak preheat temperature of 70°C for the biodiesel, leading to notable improvements in brake thermal efficiency and brake power, particularly under high-load conditions. A significant reduction in emissions was observed, with hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide levels decreasing by 46.87% and 50%, respectively, when using preheated biodiesel. To refine the engine's performance further, this study utilized response surface methodology (RSM) for the optimization of operational parameters, including injection timing, engine load, and biodiesel preheat temperatures. Optimal conditions were identified at an injection timing of 21° before top dead centre, a preheat temperature of 64°C, and an engine load of 45.45% for which output response was 18.68% brake thermal efficiency, 307°C EGT, 0.0247% vol. CO, 15.32 ppm hydrocarbons, and 131.37 ppm nitrogen oxides (NOx). The successful implementation of preheated tallow biodiesel signifies a crucial step forward in the pursuit of a more sustainable and efficient transportation industry. This advancement holds the promise of reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels, thereby contributing to the global efforts towards achieving a more environmentally friendly energy landscape.

Ultrasonic disintegration based on lysis-cryptic growth improves sludge characteristics. Many factors affect ultrasonic disintegration of the excess sludge. This study aimed to provide better insight into ultrasonic disintegration effects on excess sludge at different energy levels, probes, and times. The results demonstrated that ultrasonic disintegration with 13 and 25 mm probes released significant amounts of chemical oxygen, and the degree of disintegration (DD_COD) significantly (p < 0.001) increased with specific energy (E_S) input. The results indicated that the total coliform (TC), fecal coliform (FC), and Escherichia coli (EC) counts increased at lower energy levels and decreased at higher energy levels. Consequently, bacterial inactivation significantly (p < 0.001) increased. According to the EPA 40 CFR 503 regulation, ultrasonic disintegration based on lysis-cryptic growth produces Class B biosolid and can be recommended as a process to reduce pathogens. This study examined that the tip diameter of the probe is an important parameter for ultrasonic disintegration. At the same sonication time and amplitude, probes with smaller tip diameters produced greater cavitation density, whereas probes with larger tip diameters produced less cavitation intensity. Additionally, probes with larger tip diameters were less costly at higher E_S levels so that they could be integrated into full-scale applications at higher E_S levels.

The current study aims to experimentally investigate the thermal performance of three identical solar air collectors manufactured from three different metals: aluminum, zinc, and steel. The study conducted environmental and economic analyses of the three proposed solar air collectors over a month. The aluminum solar air collector demonstrated superior performance, achieving a maximum thermal efficiency of 24.46%, while the steel and zinc solar air collectors recorded thermal efficiencies of 21.57% and 18.16%, respectively. The exergy efficiency ranges for aluminum from 0.95% to 13.54%, zinc absorber plate exhibits from 0.63% to 11.89%, and steel from 0.6% to 9.98%. The aluminum solar air collector revealed high monthly cost savings of about $1429.6/month, followed by zinc ($1203.8) and steel ($963.4) solar air collectors. Environmental analysis to showed savings entering the atmosphere per month showed that the aluminum reduced about 19,795 kg CO₂/month, Zinc solar air heat 16,668 kg CO₂/month, and the steel solar air collector recorded 13,339 kg CO₂/month. In this study, the absorber plate made of aluminum was the most efficient material, followed by zinc and steel. That confirms its suitability for designing efficient solar air heating systems in areas with high solar radiation intensity, such as Tunisia, and provides a clear direction for future research and development in manufacturing solar air collectors.

Balancing the growing demand for mobility on congested city roads presents a significant challenge in urban areas. One potential solution is a shift towards electric-based mass transit systems, moving away from personal vehicles. This shift would alleviate traffic congestion and reduce emissions caused by traditional transit systems. However, implementing large-scale e-mobility in developing countries has several challenges, including an unreliable electricity grid and limited power sources. Additionally, passenger comfort and system reliability are also raised concerns. Accomplishing sustainable e-mobility in an urban scenario needs cost-effective generation with controlled emissions. This study primarily computes power generation costs and emissions from plants like coal-dominated and renewable energy resources. These two generation plant scenarios would help to understand the exact numbers of generation cost, emission reduction, and health cost reduction in case a nation plans to shift towards green energy. The analysis's findings demonstrate that using solar-powered energy sources can reduce carbon pollution to 124.96 g/km while releasing relatively few additional pollutants. Furthermore, during 10 years from 2020 to 2030, the generating cost of e-buses powered by solar PVs is a meager 0.93 million. The anticipated yearly costs for energy generation and health care are 0.875 million and 0.2 million in Indian rupees, respectively. All of these factors are predicted to have substantially reduced, making it clear that moving towards renewable resources in the future could lower overall health expenses and make energy more affordable.