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AbstractThe wet desulfurization yields slurry with a moderate temperature and stable supply and thus holds promise for waste heat utilization. However, the corrosive nature and solid particle content of desulfurization slurry from the wet desulfurization process pose potential erosion challenges in waste heat utilization heat exchangers, which is an aspect scarcely explored in the existing literature. The present study aimed to investigate the erosion characteristics in desulfurization slurry heat exchangers using numerical simulation approaches, which can offer crucial insights for practical application in low-grade energy recovery. The result identified slurry mass flow rate and composition as essential factors of erosion distribution. Higher mass flow rates enhance heat transfer efficiency. Still, paradoxically, lower flow rates lead to more pronounced erosion, with a slurry mass flow rate of 35 kg/s resulting in nearly double the erosion compared to the benchmark condition of 56 kg/s. This phenomenon is ascribed to lower fluid velocities in the heat tubes, where the influence of changed velocity diminishes, but slurry exhibits more stable flow at higher mass flow rates. Furthermore, it is also observed that both elevated solids content and particle size lead to an increase in erosion rates. The difference in erosion caused by solid particles with particle sizes in the range of 200–350 µm is marginal. The heat exchanger structure and arrangement also impact fluid flow and erosion. While the difference in fluid flow between vertically and horizontally arranged heat exchangers is negligible, the erosion was significantly reduced to 1/10 in the vertical arrangement. The no-tube-in-window heat exchangers, designed to minimize vibration, exhibit reduced heat transfer capacity alongside diminished and more uniform erosion. The augmentation of tube passes reduces overall erosion but focalizes severe erosion at the slurry inlet, which presents a potential design solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As global climate change continues, drought episodes have become increasingly frequent. Studying plant stress tolerance is urgently needed to ensure food security. The common ice plant is one of the model halophyte plants for plant stress biology research. This study aimed to investigate the functions of a newly discovered transcription factor, Homeobox 7 (HB7), from the ice plant in response to drought stress. An efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method was established in the ice plant, where ectopic McHB7 expression may be sustained for four weeks. The McHB7 overexpression (OE) plants displayed drought tolerance, and the activities of redox enzymes and chlorophyll content in the OE plants were higher than the wild type. Quantitative proteomics revealed 1910 and 495 proteins significantly changed in the OE leaves compared to the wild type under the control and drought conditions, respectively. Most increased proteins were involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, photosynthesis, glycolysis, pyruvate metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. Some were found to participate in abscisic acid signaling or response. Furthermore, the abscisic acid levels increased in the OE compared with the wild type. McHB7 was revealed to bind to the promoter motifs of Early Responsive to Dehydration genes and abscisic acid-responsive genes, and protein–protein interaction analysis revealed candidate proteins responsive to stresses and hormones (e.g., abscisic acid). To conclude, McHB7 may contribute to enhance plant drought tolerance through abscisic acid signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhejiang Province is both the birthplace of the theory that both the mountain of gold and silver and the lushmountain with lucid waters are required (also known as the Two Mountains theory) and the first ecological province in China. The study on the vegetation ecological quality of Zhejiang can be used as an important reference for the construction of ecological civilization. Based on multi - source remote sensing data and meteorological observation data, this study investigated the spatio - temporal variations of vegetation ecological quality in Zhejiang during 2000-2020, as well as their response to climate factors and human activities. The results show that: (1) Both the fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and the net primary production (NPP) in Zhejiang showed an upward trend during 2000-2020, with significantly increased vegetation greenness; (2) The vegetation eco - environmental quality in Zhejiang showed a fluctuating upward trend during 2000-2020, with the vegetation ecological quality indices (VEQIs) of mountainous areas significantly higher than those of basin and plain areas; (3) The dominant factor driving the VEQI variations in Zhejiang during 2000-2020 is human activities, while climate factors occupied a dominant position only in some areas of southwestern Zhejiang. This study deepens the understanding of the spatio - temporal variations of vegetation ecological quality in Zhejiang and their driving factors and, thus, is of great significance for the construction of ecological civilization in Zhejiang and even other regions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]