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Reliable and objective data regarding building stock is essential for predicting and analyzing energy demand and carbon emission. However, China's building stock data is lacking. This study proposes a set of China building floor space estimation method (CBFSM) based on the improved building stock turnover model. Then it measures China's building stocks by vintage and type from 2000 to 2015, as well as building energy intensity (national level and provincial level) and energy-efficient buildings. Results showed that total building stocks increased significantly, rising from 35.2 billion m2 in 2000 to 63.6 billion m2 in 2015, with the average growth rate 4.0%. The deviations were well below 10% by comparing with China Population Census, which validated the reliability of CBFSM and the results. As for energy intensity, urban dwellings and rural dwellings showed relatively stable and increasing trend respectively. The commercial building energy intensity saw a downward trend during “12th Five Year Plan” period. This indicated the effectiveness of building energy efficiency work for commercial buildings since 2005.38.6 billion m2 residential dwellings and 5.7 billion m2 commercial buildings still need to be retrofitted in future. CBFSM can overcome shortages in previous studies. It can also provide Chinese government with technical support and data evidence to promote the building energy efficiency work.

While distorting the octahedral structure is generally recognized to regulate the electronic structure and functionalities of correlated perovskite oxides such as rare-earth nickelates (ReNiO3), the potential influence of the alignment of these distorted octahedrons has not yet been studied. Herein, we demonstrate the improvement in the water oxidation (OER) electrocatalysis of rare-earth co-occupied SmxNd1−xNiO3, wherein the potential orbital reconfiguration owing to the disordering of NiO6 octahedra alignments was previously overlooked. The orbital reconfigurations of Ni-3d and O-2p for SmxNd1−xNiO3 owing to disordered NiO6 octahedral alignment is depicted by combining near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The resultant centralized p–d hybridization largely enhances OER electrocatalytic activity; in particular, the current density of Sm0.5Nd0.5NiO3 is enhanced by ten times compared to the well investigated nickelate catalyst NdNiO3. The exploration of the OER mechanism using DFT calculation reveals the participation of the lattice oxygen (OL) in the OER, as is further confirmed through a probe reaction in TMAOH electrolyte. By quantifying the diffusion coefficient of OL, the highest OER electrocatalytic activity of Sm0.5Nd0.5NiO3 is demonstrated to be associated with a ∼300% enhancement in the diffusion coefficient of OL as compared to NdNiO3. The enhancement of OER electrocatalysis via rare-earth co-occupation is further demonstrated to be intrinsic by measuring the electrochemical surface area and reproducing such enhancement in rare-earth co-occupied bulk samples. We highlight the additional freedom in optimizing the electrocatalysis reactivity of ReNiO3 associated with the alignment in their NiO6 octahedra, in addition to the already known perspectives, such as iso-valent or aliovalent doping, defect controlling, and strain engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reliability of the predictions of a mathematical model is a prerequisite to its utilization. A multiphase porous media model of intermittent microwave convective drying is developed based on the literature. The model considers the liquid water, gas and solid matrix inside of food. The model is simulated by COMSOL software. Its sensitivity parameter is analysed by changing the parameter values by ±20%, with the exception of several parameters. The sensitivity analysis of the process of the microwave power level shows that each parameter: ambient temperature, effective gas diffusivity, and evaporation rate constant, has significant effects on the process. However, the surface mass, heat transfer coefficient, relative and intrinsic permeability of the gas, and capillary diffusivity of water do not have a considerable effect. The evaporation rate constant has minimal parameter sensitivity with a ±20% value change, until it is changed 10-fold. In all results, the temperature and vapour pressure curves show the same trends as the moisture content curve. However, the water saturation at the medium surface and in the centre show different results. Vapour transfer is the major mass transfer phenomenon that affects the drying process.

Simple Summary: In this study, we describe the well-preserved fossil seed cones of Nothotsuga found in the Mula Basin, Litang County, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. By detailed morphological comparisons, a new fossil species, Nothotsuga mulaensis Z. Li et J. L. Dong sp. nov. is named. This discovery suggests that Nothotsuga had a more northern distribution during the Miocene. In addition, it suggests that the Mula region had a humid and warm climate during this period. The ancient landform presents an intermountain lake basin, which would have been surrounded by higher mountains. After the Miocene, due to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, Nothotsuga was either unable to adapt to the extinction of the local environmental or was able to migrate to several scattered places in southern China. In this paper, we describe a new fossil species, Nothotsuga mulaensis Z. Li & J.L. Dong sp. nov. The discovery of the fossil species was based on well-preserved fossil seed cones that were found in the Mula Basin in Xiamula village, Litang County, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. The shapes of these fossils were characterized by ovate seed cones, rhombic or suborbicular scales with auriculate bases, and the bracts were ligulate-spathulate in shape. This finding suggests that Nothotsuga once had a wide distribution range in China and that it also inhabited the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP). Nothotsuga mulaensis was distributed in an intermountain lake basin, at altitudes from 2000 to 2300 m, in a warm and humid environment. This finding also suggests that the eastern TP may have provided good habitat for Nothotsuga during the Miocene. In addition, we propose that the uplift, accompanied by the severe cooling and aridification that occurred after the Miocene, caused the disappearance of this species of Nothotsuga in the eastern TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]