Study on atomic sodium release from pulverised coal particles in a pre-mixed natural gas flame
Atomic sodium release during coal combustion has been shown to be a significant factor in fouling and corrosion of heat transfer surfaces within industrial coal-fired boilers. Although there has been significant research into the final forms of sodium from combustion, information about the release of sodium is limited. An initial study of the release of atomic sodium from pulverised coal particles in a pre-mixed natural gas flame was conducted using planar laser induced fluorescence, PLIF. Measurements were made of the intensity of sodium fluorescence, coal particle velocities and gas phase temperature within the flame in a purpose-designed laminar flame facility that provides similar time-temperatures history to coal particles in their early stages of combustion in an industrial coal-fired boiler. The velocity of the coal particles was measured to be about 6.1 m/s using particle streak velocimetry obtained from the natural luminescence of the hot particles and a 2.25 ms gate of the CCD camera. Temperatures were measured using thermocouples, and the maximum measured temperature was ~1500 °C. Calibration of the sodium fluorescence was not undertaken, but useful information was obtained of the release rate of sodium atoms from combusting pulverised coal particles.
Mineral matter and trace-element vaporization in a laboratory-pulverized coal combustion system.
The composition and size distribution of fly ash produced by burning a Montana lignite at two temperatures, 2050 and 2450, were determined. The ash showed a bimodal size distribution with a submicron fraction that was significantly enriched in the volatile trace species. The amount of submicron aerosol increased markedly with combustion temperature, from 4% of the ASTM ash value of the coal at 2050 K to 20% at 2450 K, supporting the hypothesis that the enrichment in more volatile species of the smaller ash particles is due to a process of vaporisation and recondensation of mineral constituents.
Urea removal strategies for dialysate regeneration in a wearable artificial kidney.
The availability of a wearable artificial kidney (WAK) that provides dialysis outside the hospital would be an important advancement for dialysis patients. The concept of a WAK is based on regeneration of a small volume of dialysate in a closed-loop. Removal of urea, the primary waste product of nitrogen metabolism, is the major challenge for the realization of a WAK since it is a molecule with low reactivity that is difficult to adsorb while it is the waste solute with the highest daily molar production. Currently, no efficient urea removal technology is available that allows for miniaturization of the WAK to a size and weight that is acceptable for patients to carry. Several urea removal strategies have been explored, including enzymatic hydrolysis by urease, electro-oxidation and sorbent systems. However, thus far, these methods have toxic side effects, limited removal capacity or slow removal kinetics. This review discusses different urea removal strategies for application in a wearable dialysis device, from both a chemical and a medical perspective.