scholarly journals Atmospheric mercury in the Latrobe Valley, Australia: Case study June 2013

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Schofield ◽  
Steven Utembe ◽  
Caitlin Gionfriddo ◽  
Michael Tate ◽  
David Krabbenhoft ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Low Rank ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
P Value ◽  
Major Power ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Mercury Emissions ◽  
Power Stations

Gaseous elemental mercury observations were conducted at Churchill, Victoria, in Australia from April to July, 2013, using a Tekran 2537 analyzer. A strong diurnal variation with daytime average values of 1.2–1.3 ng m–3 and nighttime average values of 1.6–1.8 ng m–3 was observed. These values are significantly higher than the Southern Hemisphere average of 0.85–1.05 ng m–3. Churchill is in the Latrobe Valley, approximately 150 km East of Melbourne, where approximately 80% of Victoria’s electricity is generated from low-rank brown coal from four major power stations: Loy Yang A, Loy Yang B, Hazelwood, and Yallourn. These aging generators do not have any sulfur, nitrogen oxide, or mercury air pollution controls. Mercury emitted in the 2015–2016 year in the Latrobe Valley is estimated to have had an externalized health cost of $AUD88 million. Air pollution mercury simulations were conducted using the Weather Research and Forecast model with Chemistry at 3 × 3 km resolution. Electrical power generation emissions were added using mercury emissions created from the National Energy Market’s 5-min energy distribution data. The strong diurnal cycle in the observed mercury was well simulated (R2 = .49 and P value = 0.00) when soil mercury emissions arising from several years of wet and dry deposition in a radius around the power generators was included in the model, as has been observed around aging lignite coal power generators elsewhere. These results indicate that long-term air and soil sampling in power generation regions, even after the closure of coal fired power stations, will have important implications to understanding the airborne mercury emissions sources.

scholarly journals Implementation of a Microgrid Scheme Using a MVDC Connection between Gapado Island and Marado Island in South Korea

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Jinhong Ahn ◽  
Eel-Hwan Kim
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power System ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Solar Power ◽  
Major Power ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Diesel Generators ◽  
Wind Power Generators ◽  
The Impact

In this paper, we propose a microgrid (MG) implementation method through Medium-Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) connection between Gapado Island and Marado Island in Korea. MVDC is a facility that can be efficiently applied between small power generation complexes. The structure of power generation facilities is mainly supplied by diesel generators, while solar and wind power generators supply additional power. An Energy Storage System (ESS) is also used to reduce the output fluctuations of wind and solar power generation. Since power systems in such areas are low-voltage and low-power distribution systems, problems can arise in terms of power management due to power generators with variable output characteristics such as solar power and wind power generators. In addition, when a major power source such as a diesel generator is dropped, the power system collapses. However, these problems can be solved by interchanging the power between the micro-grids through the connection of MVDCs. With the MVDC connected, we verify the impact of the power system on Marado Island and Gapado Island due to the input and opening of solar, wind and diesel generators. The proposed configuration uses the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation program.

Rapidly changing coal-related city-level atmospheric mercury emissions and their driving forces

2021 ◽  
pp. 125060
Author(s):  
Yaqin Guo ◽  
Lin Xiao ◽  
Bin Chen ◽  
Zhujuan Wu ◽  
Huanxin Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Driving Forces ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Mercury Emissions

scholarly journals Association between household air pollution and child mortality in Myanmar using a multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression with robust variance

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juwel Rana ◽  
Rakibul M. Islam ◽  
Md Nuruzzaman Khan ◽  
Razia Aliani ◽  
Youssef Oulhote
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Child Mortality ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Household Air Pollution ◽  
P Value ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Under Five ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Clean Cookstoves

AbstractHousehold air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel use (SFU) for cooking is a major public health threat for women and children in low and middle-income countries. This study investigated the associations between HAP and neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality in Myanmar. The study consisted of 3249 sample of under-five children in the households from the first Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Fuel types and levels of exposure to SFU (no, moderate and high) were proxies for HAP. We estimated covariate-adjusted relative risks (aRR) of neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality with 95% confidence intervals, accounting for the survey design. The prevalence of SFU was 79.0%. The neonatal, infant, and under-five child mortality rates were 26, 45, and 49 per 1000 live births, respectively. The risks of infant (aRR 2.02; 95% CI 1.01–4.05; p-value = 0.048) and under-five mortality (aRR 2.16; 95% CI 1.07–4.36; p-value = 0.031), but not neonatal mortality, were higher among children from households with SFU compared to children from households using clean fuel. Likewise, children highly exposed to HAP had higher risks of mortality than unexposed children. HAP increases the risks of infant and under-five child mortality in Myanmar, which could be reduced by increasing access to clean cookstoves and fuels.

scholarly journals Assessing the Respiratory Effects of Air Pollution from Biomass Cookstoves on Pregnant Women in Rural India

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 183
Author(s):  
Raj Parikh ◽  
Sowmya R. Rao ◽  
Rakesh Kukde ◽  
George T. O'Connor ◽  
Archana Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Central India ◽  
Respiratory Illness ◽  
Biomass Fuel ◽  
Second Hand Smoke ◽  
Rural India ◽  
P Value ◽  
Liquefied Petroleum Gas ◽  
Respiratory Effects

Background: In India, biomass fuel is burned in many homes under inefficient conditions, leading to a complex milieu of particulate matter and environmental toxins known as household air pollution (HAP). Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable as they and their fetus may suffer from adverse consequences of HAP. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a noninvasive, underutilized tool that can serve as a surrogate for airway inflammation. We evaluated the prevalence of respiratory illness, using pulmonary questionnaires and FeNO measurements, among pregnant women in rural India who utilize biomass fuel as a source of energy within their home. Methods: We prospectively studied 60 pregnant women in their 1st and 2nd trimester residing in villages near Nagpur, Central India. We measured FeNO levels in parts per billion (ppb), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ-C) scores, and the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale. We evaluated the difference in the outcome distributions between women using biomass fuels and those using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) using two-tailed t-tests. Results: Sixty-five subjects (32 in Biomass households; 28 in LPG households; 5 unable to complete) were enrolled in the study. Age, education level, and second-hand smoke exposure were comparable between both groups. FeNO levels were higher in the Biomass vs. LPG group (25.4 ppb vs. 8.6 ppb; p-value = 0.001). There was a difference in mean composite SGRQ-C score (27.1 Biomass vs. 10.8 LPG; p-value < 0.001) including three subtotal scores for Symptoms (47.0 Biomass vs. 20.2 LPG; p-value< 0.001), Activity (36.4 Biomass vs. 16.5 LPG; p-value < 0.001) and Impact (15.9 Biomass vs. 5.2 LPG; p-value < 0.001). The mMRC Dyspnea Scale was higher in the Biomass vs. LPG group as well (2.9 vs. 0.5; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Increased FeNO levels and higher dyspnea scores in biomass-fuel-exposed subjects confirm the adverse respiratory effects of this exposure during pregnancy. More so, FeNO may be a useful, noninvasive biomarker of inflammation that can help better understand the physiologic effects of biomass smoke on pregnant women. In the future, larger studies are needed to characterize the utility of FeNO in a population exposed to HAP.

Metal-like electrical conductivity in LaxSr2−xTiMoO6 oxides for high temperature thermoelectric power generation

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (18) ◽  
pp. 5872-5879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandvi Saxena ◽  
Tanmoy Maiti
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Energy Conversion ◽  
Thermoelectric Power ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Energy Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Power Generators ◽  
Thermoelectric Power Generation

Increasing electrical conductivity in oxides, which are inherently insulators, can be a potential route in developing oxide-based thermoelectric power generators with higher energy conversion efficiency.

scholarly journals A Study on the Improvement of Efficiency by Detection Solar Module Faults in Deteriorated Photovoltaic Power Plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myeong-Hwan Hwang ◽  
Young-Gon Kim ◽  
Hae-Sol Lee ◽  
Young-Dae Kim ◽  
Hyun-Rok Cha
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Failure Detection ◽  
Solar Module ◽  
Thermal Images ◽  
Power Stations ◽  
Photovoltaic Power ◽  
Manufacturing Technologies ◽  
Pv Power Generation

In recent years, photovoltaic (PV) power generation has attracted considerable attention as a new eco-friendly and renewable energy generation technology. With the recent development of semiconductor manufacturing technologies, PV power generation is gradually increasing. In this paper, we analyze the types of defects that form in PV power generation panels and propose a method for enhancing the productivity and efficiency of PV power stations by determining the defects of aging PV modules based on their temperature, power output, and panel images. The method proposed in the paper allows the replacement of individual panels that are experiencing a malfunction, thereby reducing the output loss of solar power generation plants. The aim is to develop a method that enables users to immediately check the type of failures among the six failure types that frequently occur in aging PV panels—namely, hotspot, panel breakage, connector breakage, busbar breakage, panel cell overheating, and diode failure—based on thermal images by using the failure detection system. By comparing the data acquired in the study with the thermal images of a PV power station, efficiency is increased by detecting solar module faults in deteriorated photovoltaic power plants.

scholarly journals Speciated Atmospheric Mercury during Haze and Non-haze Days in an Inland City in China

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianqian Hong ◽  
Zhouqing Xie ◽  
Cheng Liu ◽  
Feiyue Wang ◽  
Pinhua Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Central China ◽  
Mercury Emissions ◽  
Gaseous Elemental Mercury ◽  
Enhanced Production ◽  
Mercury Transport ◽  
Haze Pollution ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Haze Days

Abstract. Long-term continuous measurements of speciated atmospheric mercury were conducted at Hefei, a mid-latitude inland city in east central China, from July 2013 to June 2014. The mean concentrations (± standard deviation) of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and particle-bound mercury (PBM) were 3.95 ± 1.93 ng m−3, 2.49 ± 2.41 pg m−3 and 23.3 ± 90.8 pg m−3, respectively, during non-haze days, and 4.74 ± 1.62 ng m−3, 4.32 ± 8.36 pg m−3 and 60.2 ± 131.4 pg m−3, respectively, during haze days. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) analysis suggested that the atmospheric mercury pollution during haze days was caused primarily by local mercury emissions, instead of via long-range mercury transport. In addition, the disadvantageous diffussion during haze days will also enhance the level of atmospheric mercury. Compared to the GEM and RGM, change in PBM was more sensitive to the haze pollution. The mean PBM concentration during haze days was 2.5 times that during non-haze days due to elevated concentrations of particulate matter. A remarkable seasonal trend in PBM was observed with concentration decreasing in the following order in response to the frequency of haze days: autumn, winter, spring, summer. A distinct diurnal relationship was found between GEM and RGM during haze days, with the peak values of RGM coinciding with the decline in GEM. Using HgOH as an intermediate product during GEM oxidation, our results suggest that NO2 aggregation with HgOH could explain the enhanced production of RGM during the daytime in haze days. Increasing level of NOx will potentially accelerate the oxidation of GEM despite the decrease of solar radiation.

Energy Analysis of Low-Rank Coal Pre-Drying Power Generation Systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1194-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shangjian Hu ◽  
Chengbo Man ◽  
Xuezhong Gao ◽  
Jianwen Zhang ◽  
Xueyuan Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Energy Analysis ◽  
Low Rank ◽  
Low Rank Coal ◽  
Power Generation Systems

Gaseous mercury in coastal urban areas

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne L. Soerensen ◽  
Henrik Skov ◽  
Matthew S. Johnson ◽  
Marianne Glasius
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Marine Boundary Layer ◽  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Atmospheric Mercury ◽  
Mercury Deposition ◽  
Mercury Emissions ◽  
Gaseous Elemental Mercury ◽  
Gaseous Mercury ◽  
Range Transport ◽  
Aquatic Food

Environmental context Mercury is a neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in the aquatic food web. Atmospheric emissions from urban areas close to the coast could cause increased local mercury deposition to the ocean. Our study adds important new data to the current limited knowledge on atmospheric mercury emissions and dynamics in coastal urban areas. Abstract Approximately 50% of primary atmospheric mercury emissions are anthropogenic, resulting from e.g. emission hotspots in urban areas. Emissions from urban areas close to the coast are of interest because they could increase deposition loads to nearby coastal waters as well as contribute to long range transport of mercury. We present results from measurements of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) in 15 coastal cities and their surrounding marine boundary layer (MBL). An increase of 15–90% in GEM concentration in coastal urban areas was observed compared with the remote MBL. Strong RGM enhancements were only found in two cities. In urban areas with statistically significant GEM/CO enhancement ratios, slopes between 0.0020 and 0.0087 ng m–3 ppb–1 were observed, which is consistent with other observations of anthropogenic enhancement. The emission ratios were used to estimate GEM emissions from the areas. A closer examination of data from Sydney (Australia), the coast of Chile, and Valparaiso region (Chile) in the southern hemisphere, is presented.

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