Sepradyne/Reduce High Vacuum Thermal Process for Destruction of Dioxins in Ineel/Werf Fly Ash.

This study investigated the use of an indirectly heated, high temperature (900 C), high vacuum (28'' Hg) rotary kiln, developed and patented by Raduce, Inc. (subsidiary of Sepradyne Corp.), to treat a dioxin contaminated mixed waste incinerator ash from the Idaho National Engineering Lab (INEEL) Waste Experimental Reduction Facility (WERF). A 500 cm{sup 3} bench-scale rotary vacuum thermal desorption and destruction unit (DDU) was used at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to demonstrate this thermal treatment process. Dioxins and furans were successfully decomposed at both low (450 C) and high (700-800 C) temperature regimes. In addition, substantial volume and mass reduction of the ash was achieved. Stabilization of the nonvolatile residues by a post-treatment encapsulation process may be required to reduce the leachability of RCRA metals to levels below the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) requirements

Updated radiative forcing estimates of 65 halocarbons and nonmethane hydrocarbons

The direct radiative forcing of 65 chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, hydrofluoroethers, halons, iodoalkanes, chloroalkanes, bromoalkanes, perfluorocarbons and nonmethane hydrocarbons has been evaluated using a consistent set of infrared absorption cross sections. For the radiative transfer models, both line-by-line and random band model approaches were employed for each gas. The line-by-line model was first validated against measurements taken by the Airborne Research Interferometer Evaluation System (ARIES) of the U.K. Meteorological Office; the computed spectrally integrated radiance of agreed to within 2% with experimental measurements. Three model atmospheres, derived from a three-dimensional climatology, were used in the radiative forcing calculations to more accurately represent hemispheric differences in water vapor, ozone concentrations, and cloud cover. Instantaneous, clear-sky radiative forcing values calculated by the line-by-line and band models were in close agreement. The band model values were subsequently modified to ensure exact agreement with the line-by-line model values. Calibrated band model radiative forcing values, for atmospheric profiles with clouds and using stratospheric adjustment, are reported and compared with previous literature values. Fourteen of the 65 molecules have forcings that differ by more than 15% from those in the World Meteorological Organization [1999] compilation. Eleven of the molecules have not been reported previously. The 65-molecule data set reported here is the most comprehensive and consistent database yet available to evaluate the relative impact of halocarbons and hydrocarbons on climate change

Measurement and Modeling of Particle Radiation in Coal Flames

This work aims at developing a methodology that can provide information of in-flame particle radiation in industrial-scale flames. The method is based on a combination of experimental and modeling work. The experiments have been performed in the high-temperature zone of a 77 kWth swirling lignite flame. Spectral radiation, total radiative intensity, gas temperature, and gas composition were measured, and the radiative intensity in the furnace was modeled with an axisymmetric cylindrical radiation model using Mie theory for the particle properties and a statistical narrow-band model for the gas properties. The in-flame particle radiation was measured with a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer connected to a water-cooled probe via fiber optics. In the cross-section of the flame investigated, the particles were found to be the dominating source of radiation. Apart from giving information about particle radiation and temperature, the methodology can also provide estimates of the amount of soot radiation and the maximum contribution from soot radiation compared to the total particle radiation. In the center position in the flame, the maximum contribution from soot radiation was estimated to be less than 40% of the particle radiation. As a validation of the methodology, the modeled total radiative intensity was compared to the total intensity measured with a narrow angle radiometer and the agreement in the results was good, supporting the validity of the used approach

Multimodal Communication in a Noisy Environment: A Case Study of the Bornean Rock Frog Staurois parvus

High background noise is an impediment to signal detection and perception. We report the use of multiple solutions to improve signal perception in the acoustic and visual modality by the Bornean rock frog, Staurois parvus. We discovered that vocal communication was not impaired by continuous abiotic background noise characterised by fast-flowing water. Males modified amplitude, pitch, repetition rate and duration of notes within their advertisement call. The difference in sound pressure between advertisement calls and background noise at the call dominant frequency of 5578 Hz was 8 dB, a difference sufficient for receiver detection. In addition, males used several visual signals to communicate with conspecifics with foot flagging and foot flashing being the most common and conspicuous visual displays, followed by arm waving, upright posture, crouching, and an open-mouth display. We used acoustic playback experiments to test the efficacy-based alerting signal hypothesis of multimodal communication. In support of the alerting hypothesis, we found that acoustic signals and foot flagging are functionally linked with advertisement calling preceding foot flagging. We conclude that S. parvus has solved the problem of continuous broadband low-frequency noise by both modifying its advertisement call in multiple ways and by using numerous visual signals. This is the first example of a frog using multiple acoustic and visual solutions to communicate in an environment characterised by continuous noise

Sepradyne/Raduce High Vacuum Thermal Process for Destruction of Dioxins in Ineel/Werf Fly Ash.

This study investigated the use of an indirectly heated, high temperature (900 C), high vacuum (28 inch Hg) rotary kiln, developed and patented by Raduce, Inc. (subsidiary of Sepradyne Corp.), to treat a dioxin contaminated mixed waste incinerator ash from the Idaho National Engineering Lab (INEEL) Waste Experimental Reduction Facility (WERF). A 500 cm{sup 3} bench-scale rotary vacuum thermal desorption and destruction unit (DDU) was used at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) to demonstrate this thermal treatment process. Dioxins and furans were successfully decomposed at both low (450 C) and high (700-800 C) temperature regimes. In addition, substantial volume and mass reduction of the ash was achieved. Stabilization of the nonvolatile residues by a post-treatment encapsulation process may be required to reduce the leachability of RCRA metals to levels below the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) requirements

A New Species of Leptobrachium from the Kelabit Highland, Northwestern Borneo (Anura, Megophryidae)

Four species of endemic Leptobrachium are known from Borneo, two lowland species L. kanowitense and L. abbotti, a montane species L. montanum, and a highland species L. gunungense. Of these, both L. montanum and L. abotti were found to contain several cryptic species by recent molecular studies. The population from Bario, Kelabit Highland of Sarawak, is one such cryptic species and was once called Lineage 2 of L. abbotti. Our morphological survey on this population proved that it has characteristics distinct from all other congeners, and therefore, we describe the Bario population as a new species, Leptobrachium kantonishikawai sp. nov. The new species is distinguished from putative topotypes of L. montanum and L. abbotti, as well as from L. gunungense by having a grayish brown abdomen, usually vermiculated, although sometimes spotted or blotched with white, and some unique morphometric characteristics