Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 130). Also available via the Internet.

Dissertation presented in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / This study was mainly a response to a challenge faced by ESKOM in its coal-fired power stations. In spite of using high purity water to drive the turbines, the latter were damaged by ‘pitting’, possibly related to acids generated at high temperatures. In the light of this a relatively simple method for determination of short chain organic acids was identified by comparing the efficacies of several methods. It was found that high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method preceded by derivatization (with o-nitrophenyl hydrazine) is suitable for analyzing mixtures of simple acids at ppb levels. Calibration was effected by using methanoic acid (formic acid), ethanoic acid (acetic acid), propanoic acid (propionic acid) and butanoic acid (butyric acid). The HPLC instrument used was from Thermo Separations with P2000 pump, SN 4000 interface and UV1000 with a column heater. A comparative study between the HPLC methods using ion exclusion and partition chromatography was carried out in order to find a suitable method that can be used with aqueous environmental samples. The two essential columns that were used were ion exclusion Phenomenex Rezex OA column and a Nucleodur C8 column. The method of partition chromatography using a C8 column showed the most success using a mobile phase consisted of acidified water using HCl (pH4.5) along with a 60:40 Acetonitrile/Methanol mixture. Both isocratic and gradient programs were utilized. Limits of detection were improved from 800ppb (formic acid), 480ppb (acetic), 350ppb (propionic) and 680ppb (butyric acid) to 25ppb (acetic), 60ppb (propionic) and 90ppb (butyric). Samples used in analysis were collected from the main stream, economiser, condensers, polishing plant and turbines of the Tutuka Power Station in Mpumalanga province and analysed using with final developed method / Eskom Tertiary Support Programme. Durban University of Technology

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University

Burning of fossil fuels by coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) is one of the largest sources of environmental mercury in the United States and there have been conflicting reports of local impacts due to CFPPs in the US. Illinois has 23 coal-fired electrical generating plants that may be contributing to elevated environmental mercury concentrations that have contributed to mercury advisories for 13 bodies of water located throughout the state. The objective of the current study is to determine if there is a pattern of total mercury concentrations in sediment and tadpoles collected from ponds located upwind and downwind of 4 coal-fired electrical generating plants in Illinois. Baldwin, Joppa, Newton, and Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC) coal-fired power plants were chosen for study. Three sediment samples were collected from ponds located 3-5, 8-10, and 13-15 km downwind and from ponds located 3-5 km upwind of each power plant and analyzed for total mercury concentration. Temperature of overlying water (C), pH, oxidation-reduction potential (mV), and texture were determined for each sediment sample. Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana) or Green frog (Lithobates clamitans) tadpoles were collected opportunistically from 29 of the 44 ponds chosen for study. Each tadpole was identified to species and Gosner stage, and then weighed and measured for total length prior to total mercury analysis. For Baldwin, Joppa, and SIPC power plants, no significant pattern of total mercury could be determined from either sediment or tadpole data. For Newton power plant, total mercury concentrations were significantly greater 3-5 km downwind for sediment, and 8-15 km downwind for tadpoles compared to concentrations at upwind locations. Sediment total mercury concentrations were not significantly correlated with any of the characteristic variables (e.g. pH). Tadpole total mercury was significantly negatively correlated with length and weight, but not significantly correlated with any of the sediment variables. Sediment and tadpole concentrations were not significantly correlated.

Little is known about the impact of marine renewable energy installations upon the marine environment and those who use it. Harnessing marine energy will involve the offshore siting of energy extraction devices and their associated infrastructure. This will alter the local environment and substantially modify use and access for a variety of marine stakeholders, potentially leading to conflict. Using the Ecosystem Approach (EA) as a conceptual framework, this thesis aimed to answer the question: What is the potential for conflict between the marine renewable energy industry and marine stakeholders, and how can this be mitigated? The research consisted of three components which used a variety of methods: i) stakeholder identification through a review of the literature and use of a novel interactive mapping method; ii) an investigation of the potential consequences for the priority stakeholder which used a mail survey and in-depth interviews; and iii) an exploration of potential mitigation which used ecosystem modelling. The stakeholder most likely to be affected by marine renewable energy device (MRED) deployment was the fishing industry. Potential consequences included: navigation and safety hazards, loss of access and alternative employment. Further exploration revealed that a loss of livelihood was the all-encompassing concern for fishers, and that skills shortages (transferable skills) may mean that should a loss of livelihood occur there may not be acceptable alternative employment. The modelling exercise indicated that it is not currently possible to definitively predict whether any opportunities which may be created by MRED installation will mitigate any negative effects, and that exclusion zones may actually decrease catches for most fleets. The findings of this study have implications for ‘conflict-free’ development of the marine renewable energy industry. To address this, several policy recommendations were offered as regards to operationalising the EA in terms of marine renewable energy.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-01-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:21:00Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 alexandre_db_me_botfca.pdf: 3742670 bytes, checksum: 98e41e6dc4b4d0b4dc5de6f363be576f (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O Brasil é o país que possui uma das maiores reservas mundiais de hidroenergia, em razão da quantidade imensa de rios em seu território. Em diversas áreas isoladas, tais como grupos populacionais dispersos em áreas rurais, a mais importante alternativa de produção e utilização de energia renovável é representada pelas Micro, Mini e Pequenas Centrais Hidrelétricas, que promovem oferta de energia elétrica utilizando pequenos aproveitamentos hidroenergéticos. Para pequenos aproveitamentos, o projetista de uma central hidrelétrica deve, ao definir o tipo de turbina hidráulica, fixar-se nos rotores Pelton, Francis e Kaplan e nas turbinas Banki, por serem os mais freqüentemente encontrados na prática usual. O projeto destes aproveitamentos hidroenergéticos requer muitos detalhes, regras e cálculos matemáticos que exigem tempo e conhecimento do assunto, tornando desejável uma ferramenta que forneça, de forma rápida e clara, a informação sobre os dados envolvidos no dimensionamento de equipamentos. Na sociedade moderna, tal necessidade de informação é constantemente suprida pela informática, com o uso de softwares específicos para o assunto em foco. Com esta idéia, foi desenvolvido o presente trabalho, considerando-se que a criação de um software que atende aos requisitos dos projetos de aproveitamentos hidroenergéticos executa o papel importante de ser uma ferramenta de desenvolvimento da eletrificação rural. Este trabalho pretende, especificamente para geração de energia elétrica através de pequenas centrais hidrelétricas, estabelecer um roteiro completo para pré-dimensionar turbinas hidráulicas, implementar este roteiro em sistema computacional, e criar uma interface de software de fácil uso. A partir das variáveis: vazão do rio, altura de queda do rio, e altitude local, as quais são fornecidas pelo usuário... / Brazil is the country that possesses one of the largest world reservations of hydraulic power, in reason of the immense amount of rivers in its territory. In diverse isolated areas, such as dispersed population groups in rural areas, the most important alternative of production and use of renewable energy is represented by the Micro, Mini and Small Hydroelectric Power Stations, that promote offer of electric energy using small uses hydroelectric power. For small uses, the planner of hydroelectric power plants, when defining the type of hydraulic turbine, to fix itself in the Pelton, Francis and Kaplan rotors and in the Banki turbines, for they be more frequently the found in the usual practice. The project of these uses hydroelectric power requests many details, rules and mathematical calculations that demand time and knowledge of the subject, turning desirable a tool that supplies, in a fast and simple form, the information on the data involved in the sizing of equipment. In the modern society, such need of information constantly is supplied by computer science, with the use of specific software for the subject in focus. With this idea, the present work was developed, being considered that the creation of a software that assists to the requirements of the projects of uses hydroelectric power executes the important paper of being a tool of development of the rural electrification. This work intends, specifically for generation of electric energy through small Hydroelectric Power Stations, to establish a complete guide of orientation for to make initial calculations of the dimensions of hydraulic turbines, to implement this guide of orientation in computational system, and to create an interface of software of easy use. Starting from the variables: outflow of the river, height of fall of the river, and local altitude, which is supplied by the user... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

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