Greenhouse gases abatement by catalytic dry reforming of methane to syngas over samarium oxide-supported cobalt catalyst

Anthropogenic activities often result in the emissions of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) which are the principal components of greenhouse gases. The mitigation of these gases to avert further occurrence of global warming has attracted a lot of research interest. In this study, the potential of greenhouse gases abatement via catalytic CO₂ (dry) reforming of methane to syngas over samarium oxide-supported cobalt (20 wt% Co/80 wt% Sm₂O₃) catalyst was investigated. The 20 wt% Co/80 wt% Sm₂O₃ material was synthesized via wet impregnation method and characterized using different instrument techniques. The methane dry reforming reaction, as well as its kinetics over the catalyst, was studied in a stainless steel fixed-bed continuous flow reactor at feed (CH₄:CO₂) ratios range of 0.1–1.0, temperature range of 923–1023 K and gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 30,000 h^?1. The 20 wt% Co/80 wt% Sm₂O₃ catalyst showed promising catalytic activity evident from the highest CH₄ and CO₂ conversion of ~71 and ~74% as well as the highest hydrogen (H₂) and carbon monoxide (CO) yield of ~62 and ~73%, respectively. Moreover, the methane dry reforming over the 20 wt% Co/80 wt% Sm₂O₃ catalyst produces H₂/CO ratio close to unity hence suitable for use as a chemical intermediate for synthesis of oxygenated fuels. The kinetic data obtained from the methane dry reforming were fitted to power law model. Apparent activation energies of 88.62, 80.12, 108.12 and 100.91 kJ mol^?1 were obtained for CH₄, CO₂, H₂ and CO, respectively. The characterization of the spent 20 wt% Co/80 wt% Sm₂O₃ catalyst after 4 h of time-on-stream has confirmed the presence of amorphous carbon which can easily be gasified.     

Numerical simulation on excavation-induced damage of rock under quasi-static unloading and dynamic disturbance

During the excavation of underground opening, the rock may experience a complex loading path that includes the highly confined compression before excavation, unloading of confining stress and further disturbance of dynamic loading after excavation. By using Rock Failure Process Analysis for Dynamics (RFPA-Dynamics), the failure of rock sequentially subjected to this complex loading path is numerically simulated, in order to examine the rock failure mechanism induced by excavation. The RFPA-Dynamics is firstly used to reproduce the failure of rock under confined compression, followed by unloading of confining pressure, and it is validated against with the existing experimental observation. Then, the failure characteristics of rock specimen sequentially subjected to the quasi-static triaxial loading, unloading of confining pressure and dynamic disturbance are numerically simulated, where the effect of magnitude of axial loading and confining pressure, and duration and amplitude of the dynamic disturbance on the final failure patterns of rock are examined. The numerical results indicate that the arc-shaped spalling damage zone is prone to develop with the increase in the axial pressure and lateral pressure coefficient. As for the effect of dynamic disturbance, the contribution of duration and amplitude of dynamic disturbance on the energy input are similar, where the area of damage zone increases with the energy input into the rock specimen. In this regard, the area of the damage zone is influenced by both the magnitude of in situ stress and waveform of dynamic disturbance. This study denotes that it is of great significance to trace the complex loading path induced by excavation in order to capture the rock failure mechanism induced by underground excavation.     

An integrated technology for gas control and green mining in deep mines based on ultra-thin seam mining

With the increasing demand for coal resources, coal mining has gradually entered into the deep strata of coal seams. Although the increase in mining depth improves energy security, it is associated with severe hazards, especially coal and gas outburst. Protective seam mining is an efficient method for gas control and has been widely used in major coal-producing countries. However, studies on deep ultra-thin protective seam (thickness 0.1–1 m, average thickness 0.5 m) mining and its related problems have been rarely reported. Focusing on the challenges resulting from deep mining (mining depth >1100 m) and the research gap, a coal and gas co-exploitation technique, which combines the gas control technology and green mining (including coal preparation and backfilling), has been proposed in this work. Significant benefits have been achieved in the twelfth coal mine of the Pingdingshan coalfield (study area) following the implementation of this technique. The application of the gas control technology markedly improved the gas drainage efficiency, promoted increased gas utilization, and reduced the greenhouse gas emission, providing notable economic and environmental benefits. In addition, implementation of green mining improved the coal quality, relieved the burden of the transport system, and, in particular, effectively prevented surface subsidence, thus protecting the ecological environment of the mining area, which offered significant economic, environmental, and social benefits. The practice in the twelfth coal mine could be used as a valuable example for coal mines with similar geological conditions.     

Stress distribution characteristic analysis and control of coal and gas outburst disaster in a pressure-relief boundary area in protective layer mining

Coal and gas outburst disasters in coal seams are becoming more serious as coal mines extend deeper underground in China. Furthermore, the protective coal seam mining technology featured by economic efficiency has been proven to be the most effective and widely applied method for the prevention of coal and gas outburst disasters. However, the determinations of the protective area coal and gas outburst prevention in a pressure-relief boundary area are fundamental issues that research should be focused on. The technical method for determining stress distribution in pressure-relief boundary area during protective coal seam mining is put forward in this paper. The method is based on a stress-seepage coupled relationship within a gas-containing coal seam. The method includes complex lab experiments and on-site measurements at the Qingdong Coal Mine. The final data illustrate that the permeability and vertical stress in the pressure-relief boundary area of the coal sample form a negative exponential function relationship. Additionally, the permeability of the coal sample within the abovementioned area is significantly different compared with that located at the center of the pressure-relief area. In the pressure-relief boundary area, the gas pressure distribution gradient is 0.0375 MPa/m, while the vertical stress distribution gradient registers 0.56 MPa/m. Under this condition, coal and gas outburst disasters are prone to be triggered. Therefore, effective precautions against coal and gas outburst disasters can be put forward in accordance with stress distribution characteristics within the abovementioned “boundary area.”     

Submersion simulation in a typical debris flow watershed of Jianzhuangchuan catchment,Loess Plateau

Debris flow is one of the most serious and frequent geological disasters that occur in the Loess Plateau. The outbreak of a debris flow is sudden, ferocious, swift, and destructive. The characteristics and mechanism of debris flow were explored in this study via survey, numerical simulation, and simulation analysis in a Loess Plateau area (Huangling County, Shaanxi Province, China). Numerical models and formulas corresponding to the occurrence and movement mechanism were established based on the HEC-RAS, HEC-GeoRAS, and SWAT results. The range of debris flow deposition was determined through capturing the debris flow free surface. A hydrological model and critical rainfall threshold were determined in order to provide technical support for debris flow forecasting in the Loess Plateau. The results suggest that 10-year floods do not submerge any portion of the basin. One village area was affected by the 100-year flood (total area of 0.648 km²) while four villages areas were submerged by the 1000-year flood (total area of 1.39 km²). The method presented here may provide a reliable scientific basis for mitigating loss due to debris flow hazards.     

地震岩相识别概率表征方法

储层岩相分布信息是油藏表征的重要参数,基于地震资料开展储层岩相识别通常具有较强的不确定性.传统方法仅获取唯一确定的岩相分布信息,无法解析反演结果的不确定性,增加了油藏评价的风险.本文引入基于概率统计的多步骤反演方法开展地震岩相识别,通过在其各个环节建立输入与输出参量的统计关系,然后融合各环节概率统计信息构建地震数据与储层岩相的条件概率关系以反演岩相分布概率信息.与传统方法相比,文中方法通过概率统计关系表征了地震岩相识别各个环节中地球物理响应关系的不确定性,并通过融合各环节概率信息实现了不确定性传递的数值模拟,最终反演的岩相概率信息能够客观准确地反映地震岩相识别结果的不确定性,为油藏评价及储层建模提供了重要参考信息.模型数据和实际资料应用验证了方法的有效性.     

Identifying gravity anomalies caused by granitic intrusions in Nanling mineral district,China: a multifractal perspective

Several power‐law relationships of geophysical potential fields have been discussed recently with renewed interests, including field value–distance () and power spectrum–wavenumber () models. The singularity mapping technique based on the density/concentration–area (C–A) power‐law model is applied to act as a high‐pass filter for extracting gravity and magnetic anomalies regardless of the background value and to detect the edges of gravity or magnetic sources with the advantage of scale invariance. This is demonstrated on a synthetic example and a case study from the Nanling mineral district, Southern China. Compared with the analytic signal amplitude and total horizontal gradient methods, the singularity mapping technique provides more distinct and less noisy boundaries of granites than traditional methods. Additionally, it is efficient for enhancing and outlining weak anomalies caused by concealed granitic intrusions, indicating that the singularity method based on multifractal analysis is a potential tool to process gravity and magnetic data.     

长江经济带开发与保护空间格局构建及其分析路径

长江流域经济—社会—生态系统完整,是中国国土空间开发最重要的东西轴线,在区域发展总体格局中具有重要战略地位。当下,为应对全球经贸格局重组、国家与区域经济社会转型以及资源环境约束趋紧等新形势,国家提出依托长江黄金水道,构建横贯东西、辐射南北、通江达海、经济高效、生态良好的中国经济新支撑带,这就要求长江经济带形成人口资源环境协调的均衡化开发与保护格局。本文基于“点—轴”、分区式与多中心网络式等空间组织结构,明确空间格局的推演逻辑与思路。进而,在区域差异性分析与空间开发适宜性评价基础上,认为长江经济带需重点构建以“一轴两翼,三区六廊”为主体的开发格局、以“六大片区”为主体的农业发展格局、以“五大屏障”为主体的生态安全格局,并提出不同区域差异化发展导向、路径与制度建议,以及今后长江经济带空间结构需进一步研究的主要科学问题。     

2008-2013年库姆塔格沙漠及阿尔金山降水特征

库姆塔格沙漠极端干旱,而其南部阿尔金山比较湿润.研究库姆塔格沙漠及南部阿尔金山的降水特征,对揭示库姆塔格沙漠水源补给机制和地貌形成原因具有重要作用.本文利用中国自动气象站与CMORPH融合逐时降水量0.1°网格数据集,分析了库姆塔格沙漠及阿尔金山的降水特征.结果表明:(1)库姆塔格沙漠降水主要集中在夏季,其他季节降水较少;而阿尔金山降水主要集中在春、秋两季,并存在一条降水量大值带,3月范围最大而夏季消失;(2)阿尔金山对库姆塔格沙漠的水源补给作用主要体现在春、秋两季,夏季降水基本与库姆塔格沙漠持平,春季降水超出库姆塔格沙漠最多;(3)阿尔金山各月平均逐小时降水量演变特征有很大不同,冬季12、1月及夏季6、7月每月逐时降水演变特征以"凌晨型"为主,可能与凌晨云顶辐射冷却引起的大气层结不稳定有关;春、秋两季每月逐时降水演变特征以"午后-黄昏型"为主, 可能与午后太阳辐射地面加热引起的大气层结不稳定有关;2、8月是两种类型的过渡时期.本文研究结果可为探索库姆塔格沙漠水源补给机制以及"羽毛状沙丘"独特的沙漠景观形成原因提供一定的参考依据.     

天山北坡城市群城市综合承载力评价

天山北坡城市群是新疆打造丝绸之路经济带核心区的重要载体和节点。以新疆“十二五”规划中天山北坡经济带所覆盖的12个城市为研究对象,从人口、生态环境、资源、经济、公共服务、交通等6个维度构建评价体系,运用改进的熵值法、变异系数等对2011-2013年天山北坡城市群城市综合承载力进行分析。结果表明:天山北坡城市群城市综合承载力空间分异明显且呈固化趋势;资源和经济是造成各城市综合承载力差距的主要原因;生态环境与资源为承载力首要制约因素且二者均超载严重;城市群生态-生产-生活承载力耦合协调度整体有所改善,但情况依旧较差。