Solid-Recovered Fuel to Liquid Conversion Using Fixed Bed Gasification Technology and a Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Unit – Case Study

In order to utilise energy-rich solid waste, its liquid conversion into valuable hydrocarbon (HC) chains is one of the ways followed worldwide to decrease the oil processing and waste landfilling at the same time. The unique fixed bed updraft gasification reactor with an oscillating circular grate, situated in VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic, can generate up to 90 m3·h−1 of CO and H2-rich synthetic gas. Such valuable mixture is suitable for the gas to liquid conversion in Fischer–Tropsch Micro Catalyst Bed (F-T MCB) unit, where more complex substances of higher temperature and pressure form in the environment. This article focuses on solid-recovered fuel (SRF) gained as a mixture of industrial and communal waste sources. Gasification of such material in the fixed bed reactor can produce approximately 600 and 250 m3 of CO and H2, respectively, per ton of SRF in the abided gasification conditions. The gas, retrieved from the process, undergoes a thermochemical reaction on the surface of a catalyst within the reactor of the Fischer–Tropsch unit. As a result, a highly valued HC liquid is achieved from the suitable, non-recyclable waste treatment. Cobalt and iron catalysts in their plain form, as well as the catalysts enriched with Mn/K enhancers are put in comparison in this study. The quality and quantity of the synthesis product are examined and the technological aspects of both units are described. The amount of HC synthesis product ranges from 18 to 45 kg per ton of fuel. The composition tends to form HC chains in favour of groups of alcohols and alkanes.This work was prepared within the projects ‘Innovation for Efficiency and Environment –Growth’, identification code LO1403, with financial support from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) in the framework of the National Sustainability Programme, and ‘Maximazing Efficiency of Energogas Cleaning’, identification code SP2020/113. Also, the publication has been prepared using the results achieved with the infrastructure in open-access mode within the project ‘Efficient Use of Energy Resources Using Catalytic Processes’, identification code LM2015039, which has been financially supported by the MEYS of the Czech Republic within the targeted support of large infrastructures. The project has been integrated into the National Sustainability Programme I of MEYS through the project Development of the UniCRE Centre (LO1606)

Processing of the VP1/2A Junction Is Not Necessary for Production of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Empty Capsids and Infectious Viruses: Characterization of “Self-Tagged” Particles

The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) capsid protein precursor, P1-2A, is cleaved by 3C(pro) to generate VP0, VP3, VP1, and the peptide 2A. The capsid proteins self-assemble into empty capsid particles or viruses which do not contain 2A. In a cell culture-adapted strain of FMDV (O1 Manisa [Lindholm]), three different amino acid substitutions (E83K, S134C, and K210E) were identified within the VP1 region of the P1-2A precursor compared to the field strain (wild type [wt]). Expression of the O1 Manisa P1-2A (wt or with the S134C substitution in VP1) plus 3C(pro), using a transient expression system, resulted in efficient capsid protein production and self-assembly of empty capsid particles. Removal of the 2A peptide from the capsid protein precursor had no effect on capsid protein processing or particle assembly. However, modification of E83K alone abrogated particle assembly with no apparent effect on protein processing. Interestingly, the K210E substitution, close to the VP1/2A junction, completely blocked processing by 3C(pro) at this cleavage site, but efficient assembly of “self-tagged” empty capsid particles, containing the uncleaved VP1-2A, was observed. These self-tagged particles behaved like the unmodified empty capsids in antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and integrin receptor binding assays. Furthermore, mutant viruses with uncleaved VP1-2A could be rescued in cells from full-length FMDV RNA transcripts encoding the K210E substitution in VP1. Thus, cleavage of the VP1/2A junction is not essential for virus viability. The production of such engineered self-tagged empty capsid particles may facilitate their purification for use as diagnostic reagents and vaccines

Mercury emission from three lignite-fired power plants in the Czech Republic

The main aim of the research was to estimate mercury emissions from three selected power plants in the Czech Republic, where lignite is burnt, as well as to conduct a comprehensive measurement of Hg in fuels, fly ash and desulfurization products. The average concentrations of the mercury in fuel were as follows: for Power Plant 1 it was 0.19 +/- 0.01 mg/kg, in the case of power plants 2 and 3 it was 0.24 +/- 0.03 mg/kg and 0.23 +/- 0.02 mg/ kg, respectively. The average concentrations of mercury in the flue gas, at the stack, were the following: for Power Plant 1-19.5 +/- 2.9 mu g/m(N)(3), for Power Plant 1-19.9 +/- 3.0 mu g/m(N)(3) and for power plant 3-23.5 +/- 3.5 mu g/ m3N. In all three cases, the mercury emission level exceeds the planned permissible emission level, 7 mu g/m(N)(3). The percentage of the mercury removed by means of the flue gas purification systems installed in the power plants varied from approximately 30 to 53%. The efficiency of mercury removal with the fly ash in the electrostatic precipitators ranged from 2 to 52%. The efficiency of mercury removal in the SO2 removal systems ranged from about 1 to 30%.Web of Science212art. no. 10662

Framework for information management in an European LTER Network – experiences from ALTER-Net

The paper summarizes the work and results of ALTER-Net in the field of information management and knowledge transfer which aimed to facilitate data sharing. Data sharing can broadly be considered through three aspects: technical, content, and legal. Within ALTER-Net the focus of information management was on the technical aspect. The proposed information management framework consists of the following components: metadata collection (LTER InfoBase), definition of a common domain model and ontology (SERONTO) and the technical concept of the data integration framework. The semantic mediation system, as important part of the data integration framework, based on existing tools was successfully tested using SERONTO as the common ontology for integration. The paper highlights the experiences of ALTER-Net in the fields of (1) the technical framework for data management, (2) the support and collection of metadata about the LTER infrastructure, (3) the work on anthologies as the common domain model, and (4) the proof of concept for the semantic mediation system. LTER contributes to the inquiry into how to manage the continuity of digital data and how to create a sustainable information infrastructure for all levels of the LTER Europe network including the site, platform and network level responsibilities