A review of mineral carbonation technologies to sequester CO2

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration includes a portfolio of technologies that can potentially sequester billions of tonnes of CO2 per year. Mineral carbonation (MC) is emerging as a potential CCS technology solution to sequester CO2 from smaller/medium emitters, where geological sequestration is not a viable option. In MC processes, CO2 is chemically reacted with calcium- and/or magnesium-containing materials to form stable carbonates. This work investigates the current advancement in the proposed MC technologies and the role they can play in decreasing the overall cost of this CO2 sequestration route. In situ mineral carbonation is a very promising option in terms of resources available and enhanced security, but the technology is still in its infancy and transport and storage costs are still higher than geological storage in sedimentary basins ($17 instead of$8 per tCO2). Ex situ mineral carbonation has been demonstrated on pilot and demonstration scales. However, its application is currently limited by its high costs, which range from $50 to$300 per tCO2 sequestered. Energy use, the reaction rate and material handling are the key factors hindering the success of this technology. The value of the products seems central to render MC economically viable in the same way as conventional CCS seems profitable only when combined with EOR. Large scale projects such as the Skyonic process can help in reducing the knowledge gaps on MC fundamentals and provide accurate costing and data on processes integration and comparison. The literature to date indicates that in the coming decades MC can play an important role in decarbonising the power and industrial sector

Conceptual advancement of socio-ecological modelling of ecosystem services for re-evaluating Brownfield land

Essential environmental resources are rapidly exploited globally, while social-ecological systems at different scales fail to meet sustainable development challenges. Ecosystem services research, which at present predominantly utilizes static modelling approaches, needs better integration with socio-economic dynamics in order to assist a scientific approach to sustainability. This article focuses on Brownfield lands, a unique landscape that is undergoing transformations and provides ecosystem services that remain, at this point in time, mostly unrecognized in public discourse. We discuss the main issues associated with current modelling and valuation approaches and formulate an ecosystem-based integrated redevelopment workflow applied to the assessment of Brownfield redevelopment options.</p

A molecular genetic investigation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome

HLHS is a severe congenital heart defect.  Significant associations have been made between HLHS and terminal deletions of chromosome llq (Jacobsen’s Syndrome: JBS), suggesting that haploinsufficiency of a gene within this region causes HLHS.  The aim of this thesis was to identify the genetic basis of the cardiac component of JBS and potentially isolated cases of HLHS, through the characterisation of patients with HLHS and 11q deletions.  A molecular analysis of 3 patients with JBS was undertaken using loss of heterozygosity analysis and fluorescent chromosome in situ hybridisation to define the minimal region associated with HLHS and other congenital heart defects.  A 6.6 Mb minimal region of deletion associated with HLHS was defined and genes mapping to this region were assessed as candidates for HLHS.  The tight junction protein JAM3 was chosen as a good candidate and investigated further.  JAM3 protein was detected in the foetal aorta and aortic / mitral valves, structures principally disrupted in HLHS.  Furthermore, JAM3 colocalised with Elastin within the aortic valve, a significant finding considering the role of ELN in supravascular aortic stenosis.  Twenty-five patients with HLHS were screened for mutations in JAM3.  This did not conclusively identify any causative mutations, but a total of 4 sequence variants were identified.  Using a separate approach, candidate genes causing HLHS were identified based on mouse gene knockouts that had a HLHS like phenotype.  HANDl and SMAD6 were selected as good candidates and were assessed for mutations in twenty-five patients with HLHS.  No sequence variants were identified in either gene.</p

A molecular genetic investigation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome

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Remote monitoring of Partial Discharge activity within high-voltage rotating machines in hazardous locations

On-line Partial Discharge (PD) testing of rotating machines has traditionally been carried out using pre-installed High Voltage Coupling Capacitor (HVCC) sensors connected at the terminal box of the machine. These provide high impedance to low frequency signals (&lt;10MHz) and low impedance to the high frequency PD pulses (&gt; 10MHz). The use of these sensors allows PD measurements to assess the integrity of the stator winding insulation of the machine to be made without the need to interrupt the running of the machine. Although the HVCC sensor is useful for machine-end capture of PD signals, there is often a need to perform PD testing of a rotating machine some distance away from the machine, such as at the switchgear cable end. Carrying out PD testing of rotating machines at the remote, switchgear end of the feeder cable is advantageous for motors located within Ex, hazardous gas zones, such as within the petrochemical industry and off-shore oil and gas environments. The authors report on preliminary results from PD testing carried out on in-service 10 kV motors which show how different areas of PD activity occurring within the stator windings of the motors can be reliably measured by placing wideband High Frequency Current Transformer (HFCT) sensors at the switchgear end of the supply cable. © 2012 IEEE

A Holistic Combined Electrical and Mechanical Condition Monitoring Technique for Oil and Gas High Voltage Rotating Machines

A new holistic technique for the combined electrical and mechanical condition monitoring (CM) of high voltage (HV) rotating machines has been developed. It is mainly aimed at the oil and gas sector where machine failure can potentially have catastrophic consequences as well as a huge financial cost. The technique combines partial discharge (PD) monitoring, motor current signature analysis (MCSA), power quality (PQ) monitoring and vibration monitoring. The sensors employed include a newly developed tri-band sensor for online partial discharge (OLPD) detection, PQ and MCSA measurements as well as accelerometers for vibration monitoring. The sensors and monitoring modules are complemented by a CM database for trending and benchmarking purposes. Case studies from oil and gas customers emphasize the importance of using a permanent, continuous, combined monitoring solution