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Hydraulic fracturing is widely applied for economical gas production from shale reservoirs. Still, the swelling of the clay micro/nano pores due to retained fluid from hydraulic fracturing causes a gradual reduction of gas production. Four different gas-bearing shale samples with different mineralogical characteristics were investigated to study the expected shale swelling and reduction in gas permeability due to hydraulic fracturing. To simulate shale softening, these shale samples were immersed in deionized (DI) water heated to 100 °C temperature and subjected to 8 MPa pressure in a laboratory reactor for 72 hours to simulate shale softening. The low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and density measurements were performed on the original and treated shale to determine the changes in micro and nano pore structure. The micro and nano pore structures changed, and the porosity decreased after shale treatment. The porosity decreased by 4% for clayey shale, while for well-cemented shale the porosity only decreased by 0.52%. The findings showed that the initial mineralogical composition of shale plays a significant role in the change of micro and nano pores and the pore structure alteration due to retained fluid from hydraulic fracturing. A pore network model is used to simulate the permeability of shale used in this study. To define pore structure properties, specific factors such as porosity, pore size, pore throat distribution, and coordination number were used. Furthermore, the anisotropy characteristics of shale were integrated into the model via a coordination number ratio. Finally, the change in permeability due to shale softening was determined and compared with untreated with the progress of shale softening. The simulation showed that the permeability of Longmaxi shale could decrease from 3.82E–16 m2 to 4.71E–17 m2 after treatment.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a family of highly toxic emerging contaminants that have caught the attention of both the public and private sectors due to their adverse health impacts on society. The scientific community has been laboriously working on two fronts: (1) adapting already existing and effective technologies in destroying organic contaminants for PFAS remediation and (2) developing new technologies to remediate PFAS. A common characteristic in both areas is the separation/removal of PFASs from other contaminants or media, followed by destruction. The widely adopted separation technologies can remove PFASs from being in contact with humans; however, they remain in the environment and continue to pose health risks. On the other hand, the destructive technologies discussed here can effectively destroy PFAS compounds and fully address society’s urgent need to remediate this harmful family of chemical compounds. This review reports and compare widely accepted as well as emerging PFAS destruction technologies. Some of the technologies presented in this review are still under development at the lab scale, while others have already been tested in the field.

Microplastics (MP) are plastic particles less than 5 mm in size. There are two categories of MP: primary and secondary. Primary or microscopic-sized MP are intentionally produced material. Fragmentation of large plastic debris through physical, chemical, and oxidative processes creates secondary MP, the most abundant type in the environment. Microplastic pollution has become a global environmental problem due to their abundance, poor biodegradability, toxicological properties, and negative impact on aquatic and terrestrial organisms including humans. Plastic debris enters the aquatic environment via direct dumping or uncontrolled land-based sources. While plastic debris slowly degrades into MP, wastewater and stormwater outlets discharge a large amount of MP directly into water bodies. Additionally, stormwater carries MP from sources such as tire wear, artificial turf, fertilizers, and land-applied biosolids. To protect the environment and human health, the entry of MP into the environment must be reduced or eliminated. Source control is one of the best methods available. The existing and growing abundance of MP in the environment requires the use of multiple strategies to combat pollution. These strategies include reducing the usage, public outreach to eliminate littering, reevaluation and use of new wastewater treatment and sludge disposal methods, regulations on macro and MP sources, and a wide implementation of appropriate stormwater management practices such as filtration, bioretention, and wetlands.

In this paper, nonlinearity associated with intense ultrasound is studied by using the one-dimensional motion of nonlinear shock wave in an ideal fluid. In nonlinear acoustics, the wave speed of different segments of a waveform is different, which causes distortion in the waveform and can result in the formation of a shock (discontinuity). Acoustic pressure of high-intensity waves causes particles in the ideal fluid to vibrate forward and backward, and this disturbance is of relatively large magnitude due to high-intensities, which leads to nonlinearity in the waveform. In this research, this vibration of fluid due to the intense ultrasonic wave is modeled as a fluid pushed by one complete cycle of piston. In a piston cycle, as it moves forward, it causes fluid particles to compress, which may lead to the formation of a shock (discontinuity). Then as the piston retracts, a forward-moving rarefaction, a smooth fan zone of continuously changing pressure, density, and velocity is generated. When the piston stops at the end of the cycle, another shock is sent forward into the medium. The variation in wave speed over the entire waveform is calculated by solving a Riemann problem. This study examined the interaction of shocks with a rarefaction. The flow field resulting from these interactions shows that the shock waves are attenuated to a Mach wave, and the pressure distribution within the flow field shows the initial wave is dissipated. The developed theory is applied to waves generated by 20 KHz, 500 KHz, and 2 MHz transducers with 50, 150, 500, and 1500 W power levels to explore the effect of frequency and power on the generation and decay of shock waves. This work enhances the understanding of the interactions of high-intensity ultrasonic waves with fluids.

This paper discusses the feasibility of sustainable management of municipal solid waste without food waste. Many governments, states and cities are aware of the adverse impacts of food waste on the...

An experimental programme was developed to investigate the influence of three viscous–dominant contaminants on the stress–strain response of clay soils. Four degrees of contamination (by weight) – that is, C c = 2, 4, 6 and 8% – were examined. Natural and contaminated samples were prepared at their respective Proctor optimum condition and further subjected to unconfined compression tests. The dimensional analysis concept was implemented to quantify the stress–strain response. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the proposed dimensional models was also performed to examine the impact of various contamination scenarios on the strength properties. Lubrication at the particle contact level caused by the viscous nature of the contaminant agent portrayed a significant role in describing the stress–strain response. The stress–strain relationship was adversely affected by contamination. Peak strength and stiffness were inversely related to contaminant viscosity μ c and C c, with the former representing a more dominant role. An increase in μ c and/or C c, however, promoted a notable improvement in the ductility. The predictive capacity of the proposed dimensional models was examined and validated by statistical techniques. The proposed models contain a limited number of fitting parameters, which can be calibrated by minimal experimental effort and hence implemented for predictive purposes.

The lower 12·875 km of the Passaic River (NJ, USA) is heavily contaminated due to industrial activities – specifically heavy metal extraction from chromium (Cr)-ore-processing plants and production of pesticides and herbicides. Conventional methods for remediating contaminated sediments have limited application due to the tidal action and urban development of the contaminated section of the Passaic River. Hence, this study proposes an in situ technology using ultrasound and ozone (O3) nanobubbles to remediate the sediments. Ultrasound is capable of desorbing heavy metals from soil, and ozone can oxidise the released heavy metals to a form that is mobile for ease of extraction. Nanobubbles are used as an effective ozone delivery method for the oxidation of heavy metals. Bench-scale tests were performed to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed technology. Ozone nanobubbles increased the solubility of ozone in water and reduced wastage. Also, due to the high ozone concentrations in water, chromium oxidation increased. A synthetic soil with a grain size distribution similar to that of actual river sediments was artificially contaminated with chromium and used in this research. Test results showed a 97·54% chromium removal efficiency, suggesting the feasibility of the proposed technology for pilot-scale studies.

Electro-osmosis is an established method of dewatering fine soils, sediments, and sludge (SSS). The efficiency of electro-osmotic treatment is controlled by the electrical resistance of the system. Due to an increase in SSS resistance during treatment, its cost efficiency is reduced, limiting the widespread use of this technique. The aim of this paper is to discuss the main reasons for the increase in SSS resistance during treatment and then to analyze the most recent and widely spread modifications to classical electro-osmotic treatment that attempt to combat these issues and improve the efficiency of the technique. These modifications to electro-osmotic treatment are polarity reversal, an intermittent current, the injection of chemical solutions at the electrodes, and the use of geo-synthetics. The paper discusses the relevant research on the above adaptations, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are evaluated and compared using the available laboratory and field tests in the literature on electro-osmotic dewatering research. All four methods of modification are shown to provide significant improvements and can be successfully translated to the field for greater use. However, the improvements they bring about may not be sufficient to warrant their general use in geotechnical applications.

Hydraulic fracturing is widely applied to economical gas production from shale reservoirs. Still, the gradual swelling of the clay micro/nanopores due to retained fluid from hydraulic fracturing causes a gradual reduction of gas production. Four different gas-bearing shale samples were investigated to quantify the expected shale swelling due to hydraulic fracturing. These shale samples were subject to heated deionized (DI) water at 100°C temperature and 1.2 MPa pressure in a laboratory reactor for 72 hours to simulate shale softening. The low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and density measurements were performed on the original and treated shale to determine the micro and nanopore structure change. The micro and nanopore structures changed during shale swelling, and the porosity decreased after shale treatment. The porosity decreased by 4% for clayey shale, while for well-cemented shale the porosity only decreased by 0.52%. The findings showed that the initial mineralogical composition of shale plays a significant role in the swelling of micro and nanopores and the pore structure alteration due to retained fluid from hydraulic fracturing. A pore network model was used to compare the permeability due to shale softening. The permeability results show a reduction from 3.76E-16 m2 to 2.62E-17 m2 after treatment based on the simulations.

The permeability of shale is a significant and important design parameter for shale gas extraction. The shale gas permeability is usually obtained based on Darcy flow using standard laboratory permeability tests done on core samples, that do not account for different transport mechanisms at high pressures and anisotropic effects in shales due to nano-scale pore structure. In this study, the permeability of shale is predicted using a pore network model. The characteristics of pore structure can be described by specific parameters, including porosity, pore body and pore throat sizes and distributions and coordination numbers. The anisotropy was incorporated into the model using a coordination number ratio, and an algorithm that was developed for connections of pores in the shale formation. By predicting hydraulic connectivity and comparing it with several high-pressure permeability tests, the proposed three-dimensional pore network model was verified. Results show that the prediction from the anisotropic pore network model is closer to the test results than that based on the isotropic pore network model. The predicted permeability values from numerical simulation using anisotropic pore network model for four shales from Qaidam Basin, China are quite similar to those measured from laboratory tests. This study confirmed that the developed anisotropic three-dimensional pore network model could reasonably represent the natural gas flow in the actual shale formation so that it can be used as a prediction tool.

Pollution prevention is an approach for generating less waste using fewer toxic chemicals while conserving water and energy. Even though pollution prevention practices have been encouraged for over thirty years, many smaller businesses have not considered or adopted such techniques. This study examines the effect of a community-based approach designed to emphasize the benefits to the health and economic well-being of urban communities when source reduction practices are implemented by businesses in the community. Partnering with existing community groups in Newark and Jersey City, NJ, technical assistance was provided to small and medium-sized businesses under grant funding from Region 2 of the US Environmental Protection Agency. In this research, 32 small and medium-sized businesses were evaluated for source reduction opportunities and implementation plans were drawn up. After these businesses implemented operational changes, emission and cost savings were determined and reported back to respective small business owners as well as to the communities during community meetings designed to encourage additional participation. Based on 32 case studies, several measurable benefits were achieved, including the yearly saving of 932 pounds of hazardous waste, 3917 pounds of non-hazardous waste, 13.62 metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE) of greenhouse gases and $5335 USD. The initial findings suggest that community-based programs such as this can be beneficial but must be sustained over a period of time. One issue that was repeatedly observed, and is likely widely believed, is the concern of small business operators that cooperation with any group funded by a government program may lead to the assessment of fines or penalties for environmental violations. This concern limits the willingness of many smaller businesses to participate. The findings of this study suggest that a sustained community-based program may overcome that concern through demonstration of the benefit to the business and the community, and through credibility building achieved by regular community reporting and the absence of official intervention.

© 2021 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Mechanical properties, such as the hardness H, Young's modulus E, creep modulus C, and fracture toughness Kc, are essential parameters in the design of hydraulic fracturing systems for prospective shale gas formations. In this study, a practical methodology is presented for obtaining these properties through microindentation experiments combined with quantitative observations of the mineralogical phases using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with backscattered electron (BSE) imaging, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. We apply this method in the case of three types of Longmaxi shales with different mineralogies (i.e. carbonate-, clay-, and quartz-rich, respectively), which allows us to determine the characteristic indentation depth, hc = 8–10 μm, beyond which the mechanical response of the carbonate-rich shale is homogeneous and independent of its complex heterogeneous microstructure. Moreover, exploiting the results of a large number of indentation tests, we demonstrate that the indentation modulus M of the shale increases as a power-law of hardness H, and its creep modulus C increases linearly with H. We also compute the fracture toughness Kc from the indentation data by assuming a perfectly plastic behavior of the sample. Our results are in good agreement with independent measurements of Kc determined by microscratch tests. Finally, further tests on quartz- and clay-rich samples of the Longmaxi shale suggest further variations in the samples’ mechanical properties depending on their burial conditions and the mechanical properties of their dominant mineral phases.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are pollutants that have demonstrated a high level of environmental persistence and are very difficult to remediate. As the body of literature on their environmental effects has increased, so has regulatory and research scrutiny. The widespread usage of PFAS in industrial applications and consumer products, complicated by their environmental release, mobility, fate, and transport, have resulted in multiple exposure routes for humans. Furthermore, low screening levels and stringent regulatory standards that vary by state introduce considerable uncertainty and potential costs in the environmental management of PFAS. The recalcitrant nature of PFAS render their removal difficult, but existing and emerging technologies can be leveraged to destroy or sequester PFAS in a variety of environmental matrices. Additionally, new research on PFAS remediation technologies has emerged to address the efficiency, costs, and other shortcomings of existing remediation methods. Further research on the impact of field parameters such as secondary water quality effects, the presence of co-contaminants and emerging PFAS, reaction mechanisms, defluorination yields, and the decomposition products of treatment technologies is needed to fully evaluate these emerging technologies, and industry attention should focus on treatment train approaches to improve efficiency and reduce the cost of treatment.

The shortage of water resources has seriously restricted the development of cities. Unconventional water resources is of great significance for sustainable development. As a city lack of water, Los Angeles plans to develop reclaimed water as an important component of urban water supply under the conditions of drought and over exploitation of groundwater. In order to provide a basis for urban reclaimed water construction planning, this paper developed a system dynamic model to provide scientific suggestions for the planning of reclaimed water. According to the analysis of Los Angeles water system, the model divides the system into reclaimed water system, urban water consumption system, urban water supply system and water supply cost system. The degree of water shortage, urban water supply, water supply cost, and reclaimed water production were chosen as the model index for the requirement of plan design. The historical data was employed to verify the model, indicating that the model is reliable. Then the plans under different rates of growth of reclaimed water were designed. According to the comprehensive analysis of the model index, the second plan was considered to be the optimal one: increase the local water supply in Los Angeles to 50 percent of the total by 2035 and reduce purchases by 50 percent. Finally, Reclaimed water accounts for 30% of the city’s water supply, meanwhile, water supply costs decline 10%.

An integrated drainage information, analysis and management system (DIAMS) was developed and implemented for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). The purpose of the DIAMS is to provide a useful tool for managers to evaluate drainage infrastructure, to facilitate the determination of the present costs of preserving those infrastructures, and to make decisions regarding the optimal use of their infrastructure budgets. The impetus for DIAMS is the culvert information management system (CIMS), which is developed to manage the data for culvert pipes. DIAMS maintains and summarizes accumulated inspection data for all types of drainage infrastructure assets, including pipes, inlet/outlet structures, outfalls and manufactured treatment devices. DIAMS capabilities include identifying drainage infrastructure, maintaining inspection history, mapping locations, predicting service life based on the current condition states, and assessing present asset value. It also includes unit cost values of 72 standard items to estimate the current cost for new assets with the ability to adjust for future inflation. In addition, DIAMS contains several different repair, rehabilitation and replacement options to remedy the drainage infrastructure. DIAMS can analyze asset information and determine decisions to inspect, rehabilitate, replace or do nothing at the project and network levels by comparing costs with risks and failures. Costs may be optimized to meet annual maintenance budget allocations by prioritizing drainage infrastructure needing inspection, cleaning and repair. DIAMS functional modules include vendor data uploading, asset identification, system administration and financial analysis. Among the significant performance feature of DIAMS is its proactive nature, which affords decision makers the means of conducting a comprehensive financial analysis to determine the optimal proactive schedule for the proper maintenance actions and to prioritize them accordingly. Benefits of DIAMS include long-term savings that accrue by adopting optimized preventive maintenance strategies and facilitating compliance with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and federal storm water regulations.

Aluminosilicate gels form geopolymers and nanocrystalline zeolites which have comparable strength properties, making them a potential replacement for ordinary Portland cement. The study explores the use of two untreated industrial wastes, Class-F fly ash and red mud, for synthesizing geopolymeric material at ambient synthesis conditions. The high alkalinity present in the red mud was exploited for the dissolution of silica in the fly ash and red mud. The mechanical, mineralogical, microstructural, and pore characteristics were analyzed and the contributions of curing period, Si/Al, Na/Al, and liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios on the compressive strength of the end products were also investigated. The alkalinity of the system due to the red mud was adequate for the dissolution of raw fly ash and the subsequent formation of aluminosilicate gels. The strength of the end product was directly proportional to the initial Si/Al ratio and the specimens with highest fly ash content exhibited highest compressive strength values after 28 days of curing. Furthermore, fly ash contributed to the formation and distribution of interstitial and capillary pores in the aluminosilicate matrix. The lowest L/S ratio of the initial mix resulted in the end product with the highest unconfined compressive strength.

India, the second largest agro-based economy with year-round crop cultivation, generates a large amount of agricultural waste, including crop residues. In the absence of adequate sustainable management practices, approximately 92 seems a very small number of metric tons of crop waste is burned every year in India, causing excessive particulate matter emissions and air pollution. Crop residue burning has become a major environmental problem causing health issues as well as contributing to global warming. Composting, biochar production and mechanization are a few effective sustainable techniques that can help to curtail the issue while retaining the nutrients present in the crop residue in the soil. The government of India has attempted to curtail this problem, through numerous measures and campaigns designed to promote sustainable management methods such as converting crop residue into energy. However, the alarming rise of air pollution levels caused by crop residue burning in the city of Delhi and other northern areas in India observed in recent years, especially in and after the year of 2015, suggest that the issues is not yet under control. The solution to crop residue burning lies in the effective implementation of sustainable management practices with Government interventions and policies. This manuscript addresses the underlying technical as well as policy issues that has prevented India from achieving a long-lasting solution and also potential solutions that have been overlooked. However, effective implementation of these techniques also requires us to look at other socioeconomic aspects that had not been considered. This manuscript also discusses some of the policy considerations and functionality based on the analyses and current practices. The agricultural waste sector can benefit immensely from some of the examples from other waste sectors such as the municipal solid waste (MSW) and wastewater management where collection, segregation, recycling and disposal are institutionalized to secure an operational system. Active stakeholder involvement including education and empowerment of farmers along with technical solutions and product manufacturing can also assist tremendously. Even though the issue of crop residue burning touches many sectors, such as environment, agriculture, economy, social aspects, education, and energy, the past governmental efforts mainly revolved around agriculture and energy. This sectorial thinking is another barrier that needs to be broken. The government of India as well as governments of other developing countries can benefit from the emerging concept of nexus thinking in managing environmental resources. Nexus thinking promotes a higher-level integration and higher level of stakeholder involvement that goes beyond the disciplinary boundaries, providing a supporting platform to solve issues such as crop residue burning.

Most river sediments are contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants and cause significant environmental damage and health risks. This research is evaluated an in-situ sediment remediation method using ultrasound and ozone nanobubbles to remove organic and inorganic chemicals in contaminated sediments. Contaminated sediment is prepared by mixing synthetic fine sediment with an organic (p-terphenyl) and an inorganic chemical (chromium). The prepared contaminated sediment is treated with ultrasound and ozone nanobubbles under different operating conditions. For the samples with the maximum initial concentration of 4211 mg/kg Cr and 1875 mg/kg p-terphenyl, average removal efficiencies are 71% and 60%, respectively, with 240 min of sonication with 2-min pulses, whereas 97.5% and 91.5% removal efficiencies are obtained for the same, respectively, as a single contaminant in the sediment. For the same maximum concentrations, the highest removal of p-terphenyl is 82.7% with 127.2 J/ml high energy density, and for Cr, it is 77.1% using the highest number of the treatment cycle and ozone usage with 78.75/ml energy density. The Cr highest removal efficiency of 87.2% is recorded with the reduced initial concentration of 1227 mg/kg with the highest treatment cycles. The Cr removal efficiency depends on the availability of oxidizing agents and the number of washing cycles of sediments, whereas P-terphenyl degradation is most likely influenced by the combined effects of oxidation and ultrasound-assisted pyrolysis and combustion of organics.

The stability of nanobubbles in electrolyte solutions under different ion valence values was studied using deionized water, NaCl, Na2SO4, Na3PO4, CaCl2, and FeCl3. Nanobubbles were generated using hydrodynamic cavitation, and bubbles were tested for size and zeta potential. All the samples were stable for one week with no significant deviation in either bubble size or zeta potential values. The variation of size and zeta potential among six samples can be attributed to the solution properties and was mainly dependent on solution pH and the cation valency. The ion profiles revealed that the cation concentration at the bubble surface was higher than that of bulk, confirming that the bubbles were negatively charged for neutral and high pH values ( ≥ 4 ) under low valency cation adsorption. The high valency cations have the potential to neutralize or completely reverse the bubble charge. Anions or co-ions have minimal effect on the surface potential or the surface charge. The calculated internal pressures of bubble were unrealistically high, suggesting that the surface tension should be lower than that of water for nanobubble solutions. The interaction energy profile shows no significant energy barrier that overcomes the attractive van der Waals forces for all the solutions, except NaCl which had a 1.87 × 10−20 J barrier at a 5 nm separation distance. However, with the recorded stable bubbles, the calculation of the attractive van der Waals forces produced unrealistic values indicating that the Hamaker constant used for the calculation may not be valid at the nanobubble gas-liquid interface. This revealed that nanobubbles should contain exceptional interfacial properties that need to be carefully investigated and evaluated.

Many developing countries have inadequate Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management systems due to lack of not only the awareness, technologies, finances, but also a proper governance that is able to enforce and monitor the regulations. Not all the solutions practiced by and in developed countries fit to the developing country contexts. The local conditions and limitations must always be taken into account when proposing waste management options for developing countries. The excessively high organic waste fraction in MSW and relatively inexpensive labor markets available in developing countries are two of the strengths that have not yet been utilized fully. This manuscript is an attempt to point out the benefits we receive from the above two strengths if we establish organic waste buyback programs. This can only become successful if we find solutions to: (1) collect source-separated organic waste, and then (2) find stable markets for the products made from organic waste. Compost or biogas could be the best bet developing countries can consider as products. However, there must be some policy interventions to support buyback programs at the waste collection stage as well as at the product marketing stage. Implementation of such organic waste buyback centers that can offer some incentives can indirectly motivate residents to do source separation. This will in turn also help promote more recycling, as any waste bin that has no organics in it is much easier for anyone (e.g., waste pickers) to look for other recyclables. Developing country settings such as the Green Container composting program in Cajic&aacute, Colombia, and buyback centers in South Africa that are presented later in the manuscript are thought to be the places where the concept can be implemented with little effort. The environment, economy, and society are considered to be the three dimensions (or pillars) of sustainability. Interestingly, the organic waste buyback centers solution has positive implications on all three aspects of sustainability. Thus, it also supports the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN), by making specific contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as zero hunger (SDG 2), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), climate action (SDG 13), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), and sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11).

Extreme weather conditions(i.e. snow storm) in winter time have caused significant travel disruptions and increased delay and traffic accidents. Snow plowing and salt spreading are the most common counter-measures for making our roads safer for motorists. To assist highway maintenance authorities with better planning and allocation of winter maintenance resources, this study introduces an analytical model to estimate the required number of trucks for spreading operation subjective to pre-specified service time constraints considering road geometry, weather and traffic. The complexity of the research problem lies in dealing with heterogeneous road geometry of road sections, truck capacities, spreading patterns, and traffic speeds under different weather conditions and time periods of an event. The proposed model is applied to two maintenance yards with seven road sections in New Jersey (USA), which demonstrates itself fairly practical to be implemented, considering diverse operational conditions.

Anaerobic digestion is a technology that has been used by humans for centuries. Anaerobic digestion is considered to be a useful tool that can generate renewable energy and significant research interest has arisen recently. The underlying theory of anaerobic digestion has been established for decades; however, a great deal of current research is directed towards the optimization of anaerobic digestion under diverse digestion conditions. This review provides a summary of the processes underlying anaerobic digestion, commonly-utilized measurements of anaerobic sludge, operating parameters of anaerobic digesters, and methods of acceleration and optimization used to improve process efficiency. Recent developments in addition to older research are considered to provide a general but comprehensive summary of accumulated knowledge in the theory of anaerobic digestion, as well as considerations in the efficient operation of digesters. We have determined that the numerous factors pertinent to the design and operation of batch-based anaerobic digesters must each be considered to ensure the maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness of a digester provided its respective operating conditions.

The low-viscosity stabilizer, colloidal silica CS, is extensively used as a grouting material in the construction of grout curtains to prevent fluid movements. It is a low viscosity and nontoxic material, which is suitable for injection to stabilize/solidify fine grained soils. It is also used in the in situ treatment of hazardous waste as a stabilizer/solidifier. Once the CS solution is injected into contaminated soil, it moves through the pores inside the soil matrix and initiates the stabilization/solidification process. The viscosity of the CS mixture increases while it moves until complete solidification occurs. In this paper, the transport of CS during injection was simulated at the microscopic level to understand the stabilization/solidification process. The microscopic behavior/movement of CS stabilizer inside anisotropic granular soil during grouting was simulated by numerically solving the Navier-Stokes equation. The change in gel viscosity with time was used to model the movement of CS during injection. A model parameter vmin, the minimum velocity for CS to become a solid, was introduced. The simulation showed that during the grouting of fine sands, solidification starts at the soil surface and expands to fill the majority of voids within 1.2 h. The simulation of CS grouting of different soil types, soil compaction levels, and soil anisotropies showed the impact of soil parameters such as grain size distribution, void ratio and anisotropy on velocity contours and the final solidification. This microscopic model can be further improved to be used in the design of grout curtains, especially for the determination of the ability to grout soils and the size of stabilizer plume in such stabilization projects.

The gas flow in shale matrix is of great research interests for optimized shale gas extraction. The gas flow in the nano-scale pore may fall in flow regimes such as viscous flow, slip flow and Knudsen diffusion. A 3-dimensional nano-scale pore network model was developed to simulate dynamic gas flow and to describe the transient properties of flow regimes. The proposed pore network model accounts for the various size distributions and low connectivity of shale pores. The pore size, pore throat size and coordination number obey normal distribution and the average values can be obtained from shale reservoir data. The gas flow regimes were simulated using an extracted pore network backbone. The numerical results show that apparent permeability is strongly dependent on pore pressure in the reservoir and pore throat size, which is overestimated by low-pressure laboratory tests. With the decrease of reservoir pressure, viscous flow is weakening, then slip flow and Knudsen diffusion are gradually becoming dominant flow regimes. The fingering phenomenon can be predicted by micro/nano-pore network for gas flow, which provides an effective way to capture heterogeneity of shale gas reservoir.

Air sparging (AS) is an in-situ groundwater remediation technique for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contaminated sites. Knowledge of effect of the injected air on air flow patterns and extent of the zone known as zone of influence (ZOI) is crucial for design of in situ air sparging. The two main objectives of this research are to study transition of air flow patterns and characteristics of ZOI under different air injection pressures during centrifugal tests and to find the scaling factors for centrifugal tests under different gravitational levels (N times gravitational force). In this research, the modeling of models test was first performed to validate centrifugal technique for simulating air sparging. Then, a set of two-dimensional (2D) centrifugal modeling tests were performed under various gravitational levels to study the transition of air flow patterns and characteristics of ZOI during air sparging. The centrifugal model tests showed that the observed 2D ZOI was truncated-cone under v...

The transport of non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in unsaturated soils and groundwater is an important research topic in geo-environmental engineering. In this paper, the mechanism of light NAPLs (LNAPLs) transport in subsurface system is briefly introduced, and the mass transport equations, fluid flow equations, and the constitutive model of relative permeability - saturation - capillary pressure are discussed. Then the numerical method is introduced to simulate the multiphase flow problems in porous media, and the tempo-spatial distribution of LNAPLs is obtained. Moreover, different boundary conditions are employed in numerical simulation to investigate its effect on transport behavior. To verify the numerical data, centrifugal tests are conducted to model the LNAPLs, migration in unsaturated soils and groundwater. The calculation results are agreeable with the experimental findings of centrifugal modeling, which indicates that LNAPLs from leaking point move downwards due to gravity force, and...

When particles are subjected to an acoustic field particle trajectories depend on the particle and fluid compressibility and density values. Hence a combination of acoustic and flow fields on particles can be used to deflect and trap, or to segregate and/or fractionate fine particles in fluid suspensions. Using particle physics in an acoustic field, a mathematical model was developed to calculate trajectories of deflected particles due to the application of acoustic standing waves. The resulting second order ordinary differential equation was quite stiff and hence difficult to solve numerically and did not have a closed form solution. The analysis of the above equation showed that the basic problems with numerical solutions could not be ameliorated through the use of standard rescaling techniques. A combination of phase space and asymptotic analysis turns out to be far more useful in obtaining approximate solutions. An approximate solution was derived which enabled the calculation of the particle trajectories and concentration at collection planes in the acoustic field. Analysis of the solution showed that all the particles move toward the pressure node to which the particles are supposed to move. Particles with 2 μm diameter took approximately 20 s to reach that node. Then at the bench scale, the above technology was implemented by building a flow chamber with two transducers at opposite ends to generate an acoustic standing wave. SiC particle trajectories were tracked using captured digital images from a high-resolution microscope. The displacements of SiC particles due to an acoustic force were compared with the mathematical model predictions. For input power levels between 3.0 and 5.0 W, the experimental data were comparable to mathematical model predictions. Hence it was concluded that the proposed approximate solution was both quantitatively and qualitatively closer to experimental results than the simplified form ignoring the second order term reported in the literature.

This paper describes the research funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation to develop an automated technology to monitor segregation during construction of hot-mix asphalt concrete pavements. A Laser-based system was used to measure surface texture and to detect segregation. Two segregated test sections and a control test section were tested to evaluate the applicability of Laser texture method to detect and quantify segregation. Laser texture data were gathered from all three sections. Ratios of texture in segregated areas to that in nonsegregated areas were set as the basis for detection of different levels of segregation. By combining the level of segregation and extent of segregation, an AREA index was developed to determine the acceptability of a pavement section. Based on AREA index, pay adjustment factors were proposed to reduce the payment to account for loss of pavement life due to segregation. Further remedial actions were proposed to correct segregated pavement sections with acceptable AREA index. Based on the above concepts, Windows-based computer program NJTxtr was developed to detect and quantify segregation. This computer program uses the Laser-equipment-collected pavement texture data and determines whether the pavement section is acceptable or unacceptable based on the level of segregation within a pavement section, and provides bonus or penalties to the contractor. The paper describes a novel technology using laser and associated software for construction quality control of asphalt concrete pavements. The proposed methodology was applied to detect segregation in an interstate highway section in New Jersey, and this section was repaved based on visual observation and recommendation from this study.

Centrifuge modeling appears useful for studying geo-environmental problems such as pollutant migration in subsurface systems. In this study, centrifuge tests were conducted to simulate a gasoline spill from a leaking underground storage tank (UST) and the subsequent subsurface migration of the gasoline. When the centrifugal acceleration reached the desired g level, the gasoline was released from the UST and then it migrated in the unsaturated soil for a prototype time equivalent to 1 year. After the centrifuge tests, soil samples were collected using sampling tubes and the concentrations of individual constituents in the light nonaqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) were directly measured by means of gas chromatograph analysis. Two types of unsaturated soils were used to study the migration patterns of LNAPLs in unsaturated porous media. Centrifuge test data show that the migration pattern of LNAPLs is related to the soil type and the physical properties of individual constituents in the LNAPLs.

Extremely low permeability due to nano-scale pores is a distinctive feature of gas transport in a shale matrix. The permeability of shale depends on pore pressure, porosity, pore throat size and gas type. The pore network model is a practical way to explain the macro flow behavior of porous media from a microscopic point of view. In this research, gas flow in a shale matrix is simulated using a previously developed three-dimensional pore network model that includes typical bimodal pore size distribution, anisotropy and low connectivity of the pore structure in shale. The apparent gas permeability of shale matrix was calculated under different reservoir pressures corresponding to different gas exploitation stages. Results indicate that gas permeability is strongly related to reservoir gas pressure, and hence the apparent permeability is not a unique value during the shale gas exploitation, and simulations suggested that a constant permeability for continuum-scale simulation is not accurate. Hence, the reservoir pressures of different shale gas exploitations should be considered. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the contributions to apparent permeability of a shale matrix from petro-physical properties of shale such as pore throat size and porosity. Finally, the impact of connectivity of nano-scale pores on shale gas flux was analyzed. These results would provide an insight into understanding nano/micro scale flows of shale gas in the shale matrix.

Taiwan is a county under rapid development. Excavation in thousands of construction sites generated a huge amount of soils. In many cases, the soils are disposed randomly such that they are termed abandoned soils. A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate for reuse options of these soils: sub-grade construction, cement block production, structural concrete production, and asphalt concrete production. Five soils, representing predominant soil types in Taiwan were selected in this study. The compaction test results demonstrated that all five soils were suitable for subgrade construction. The compression tests for cement mortar showed that all soils produced mixes with strengths higher then 3.45 MPa and may be used to make cement blocks. The compressive strength test results of soil concrete samples showed that all soils except for the mix having 100% of soil No. 5 produced strengths higher than 17.25 MPa. The wet/dry durability test showed that the pozzolanic action of the soil concrete samples continued beyond 28 days and there seemed to be no detrimental effects. A comprehensive mix design was performed for each soil type and also developed a control mixture to test the use of abandoned soils in hot mix asphalt concrete. The study demonstrated that with proper design even clayey soils can be used to produce construction materials.