Recently, University of Illinois has been working on the front-end engineering design (FEED) of carbon capture facilities for several power plants in Illinois. While carbon capture facilities often would need cooling water for operation, the water demand for power plants carbon capture facilities has not received much attention. For the two real-world FEED design projects (the Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) and the 21st Century Power plant (21CPP)), we comprehensively analyze the water demand and supply risks for the two carbon capture facilities. Both power plants and the associated carbon capture facilities are expected to run for decades and thus climate change would play key role in managing water supply risks which is important for informing the engineering design of water system and cooling system of the carbon capture facilities. Both historic and future hydrologic conditions are examined to determine water supply risks. Future hydrologic conditions are simulated using hydrologic models and global circulation models (GCM) results. The climate scenarios are adopted from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Projection Phase 5 (CMIP5) datasets. Three representative concentration pathways (RCPs), i.e. RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5, are employed for exploring different future carbon dioxide emission scenarios. This work explores the tradeoff between water footprint and carbon footprint of power plants in Illinois and provides scientific information for water management and carbon management and for engineering design of the real-world carbon capture facilities.

How to cite: Zhang, Z., Getahun, E., Keefer, L., Qie, G., and Felipe Prada Sepulveda, A.: Water-energy-carbon nexus in Illinois - water supply risk for carbon capture, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2351, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2351, 2023.

Abstract:

Experimental investigation on flat stepped spillway were conducted with two different width 0.52m and 0.28m on 26.67⁰ slope under nappe flow regimes. The study assessed the rate of energy dissipation at the toe of the spillway for unit discharge, q, ranging from 0.00954m²/s to 0.078854 m²/s for Froude number (F_r) between 0.5 to 0.85. The stepped chute comprised 10 identical steps having 0.10-m step heights and 0.2-m length. It is observed that the rate of energy dissipation at the step edge was relatively observed to be higher in the wider channel. The energy dissipation rate decreased from 3.81% to 26.135% by decreasing the channel width by 46.15% under same unit discharges. It signifies that the width of channel has certain influence on energy dissipation efficiency of spillway under same slope. Therefore, wider channel should be taken for design of stepped spillway under nappe flow regime. The variation in energy dissipation is due to the variation in mean air concentration between two widths. For further validation of these experimental observations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were also used with k-ɛ turbulence model and0.010 m mesh size. 

Keywords: stepped spillway, energy dissipation, channel width, CFD

How to cite: Mishra, R. and Ojha, C. S. P.: Effect Of Channel Width on Energy Dissipation Efficiency of Stepped Spillway, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-919, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-919, 2023.

The produced crude oil from reservoirs usually contains a considerable amount of water which is submitted to large shear rates through production process, and due to the existence of natural surface-active agents in crude oils, stable water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions are formed. Effectively purifying the emulsified crude oil through the electrostatic desalting process plays an important role in reducing its water and water-soluble salts contents, which otherwise exacerbate oil deterioration, equipment corrosion, and catalysts deactivation in subsequent units. The electrostatic desalting process has proved to be an efficient means of separation using electrodes subjected to a high voltage to enhance the coalescence of water droplets. In this study, a mathematical model was developed to simulate the W/O dispersed flow to study the evolution of droplet size distributions in crude oil desalters. The population balance approach was employed to describe the behavior of W/O emulsions in the continuous phase assuming that the process is controlled by two simultaneous physical phenomena; breakage and coalescence of droplets. Experimental results on the W/O system were utilized to validate the mathematical model and the employed numerical technique. The agreement between the developed model and experimental droplet volume size distributions was shown to be satisfactory, confirming the further applicability of the model. The present study can be helpful for optimizing crude oil desalting operating conditions, enhancing efficiency, and decreasing energy and chemical consumption.

How to cite: Kooti, G., Dabir, B., Taherdangkoo, R., and Butscher, C.: Mathematical modeling of dispersed phase behavior of water-in-oil emulsions in electrostatic crude oil desalters, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-3456, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-3456, 2023.

For the formation of oil (PG), a certain geological and geochemical environment of the Earth's Crust is necessary. Geologically, the current PG models are based on a 2-layer model of the Earth's Crust, consisting of Granite and Basalt layers. However, as the drilling of the Kola Superdeep Borehole (SG3) showed, there is no basalt layer on the continents. A model of a 1-layer Earth's Crust was compiled, consisting of a granite layer on the continents and a basalt layer in the Oceans:[1 layer  Мodel of the Earth's Crust Galant (MECG), ( AAPG, Athens 2007; EGU, Vienna 2013,2022;)] сonsist of separated layers of  Granite  and separated layers of  Basalt. This Model of the Earth's Crust Galant (MECG) fundamentally changes the geological and geochemical setting of the Earth's Crust and hence the PG processes. Basalts and Granites are antipodes and therefore fluids migrating from the mantle with the goal of generating oil passing through the Earth's Crust that does not have Basalts but has only Granites will behave differently - respectively. In connection with the change in the geological and geochemical situation, the parameters of the fluid migrating from the mantle will also change: the C-O-H ratio, reactions with the components of the layer, the supply and removal of components, the change in T, the intensity of degassing, the change in the fugacity of O, the depth of the depleted mantle, etc. Since the Kola on the Baltic Shield did not reveal the basalt layer and due to this, the depth [According based on 1 layer Model of the Earth's Crust Galant (MECG), ( AAPG Athens 2007, EGU Vienna 2013)] of the granite layer reaches the mantle deeply and the greater the thickness the thickness of the depleted mantle is greater, from this it can be assumed that the mantle gave up light hydrocarbon components concentrated in the upper horizons of the Lithosphere, and heavy hydrocarbon components still remained in the depleted mantle or are now slowly migrating upward into the granite layer. This may explain that granites contain more light hydrocarbons. Due to the change in the physical and chemical conditions of the Earth's Crust, the PG depth zone changes, expands or localizes, and the composition of the oil changes accordingly. CONCLUSIONS: In connection with the 1-layer model of the Earth's Crust, the energy-material exchange between the domains of the Earth, the Mantle and the Lithosphere changes. Characteristics of the parameters of physic-chemical conditions change. And also the tactics, strategy, philosophy of PG research should change, taking into account the new model of the Earth's Crust.

How to cite: Galant, Y.: The Genesis of Oil in connection with a 1-layer Model of the Earth’s Crust, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-1002, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-1002, 2023.

Due to rapid urbanisation and population, a constant supply of clean and fresh water has come under stress. Raw water must be continuously treated and supplied to satisfy the day-to-day needs for potable water for household use. To find a solution to the issue, several governments worldwide have moved their focus to water and sanitation. Large sewage and effluent treatment facilities are continuously working to treat wastewater, which is the most crucial step in addressing the problem of fresh water. Sludge is the main by-product produced by these treatment plants, which creates a challenge when it comes to disposal. The sludge is processed in the treatment facilities before being disposed of, allowing for better waste management. In the treatment process of the wastewater, from the moment the wastewater enters the treatment facility until the sludge is disposed of, there are multiple points at which emissions are produced. These emissions need to be evaluated and dealt with, as they have the potential to significantly impact climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer. The authors have analysed the emissions using several methodologies, including IPCC inventories, life cycle assessment, and many more. The study's findings indicate that a significant quantity of greenhouse gas emissions (directly and indirectly) and air pollutants are emitted during the process of treating wastewater and disposal of sludge.

How to cite: Vidyarthi, P. K., Arora, P., Blond, N., and Ponche, J.-L.: Assessment of direct and indirect emissions from the wastewater treatment plant and sludge processing: A case study, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-592, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-592, 2023.

Pandemics greatly affect transportation, economic and household activities and their associated air pollutant emissions. In less affluent regions, household energy use is often the dominant pollution source and is sensitive to the affluence change caused by a persisting pandemic. Air quality studies on COVID-19 have shown declines in pollution levels over industrialized regions as an immediate response to pandemic-caused lockdown and weakened economy. Yet few have considered the response of residential emissions to altered household affluence and energy choice supplemented by social distancing. Here we quantify the potential effects of long-term pandemics on ambient fine particulate matter pollution (PM_2.5) and resulting premature mortality worldwide, by comprehensively considering the changes in transportation, economic production and household energy use. We find that a persisting COVID-like pandemic would reduce the global gross domestic product by 11.2% and PM_2.5-related mortality by 9.5%. The global mortality decline would reach 13.0% had the response of residential emissions been excluded. Among the 13 aggregated regions worldwide, the least affluent regions exhibit the greatest fractional economic losses with no comparable magnitudes of mortality reduction. This is because their weakened affluence would cause switch to more polluting household energy types on top of longer stay-at-home time, largely offsetting the effect of reduced transportation and economic production. International financial, technological and vaccine aids could reduce such environmental imbalance.

How to cite: Li, C., Lin, J., Chen, L., Cui, Q., Liu, Y., McDuffie, E. E., Du, M., Kong, H., and Wang, J.: Inter-regional environmental imbalance under lasting pandemic exacerbated by residential response, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-10017, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-10017, 2023.

 Socio-environmental conflicts are the result of an alteration in the natural environment that has repercussions on the interests of the social actors involved. The management of any case depends on the stage of the conflict, the interest in taking advantage of the resource, and the group that takes precedence over the change that this would imply. The environmental factors consist of many climatic, social, and economic variables that result in many types of conflict. For this, so many efforts have already been made to map these incidents at the national and international levels. One such mapping was conducted in the environmental justice atlas, an international compendium of environmental issues. However, little is known about the actors involved in such conflicts. The objective of this work is to identify the resistance actors reported by the Environmental Justice Atlas for Mexico and to search for available information on each of them, as well as the estimated or reported location of their headquarters. The main result was a cartographic mapping of the locations of these actors. The Environmental Justice Atlas registers 151 socio-environmental conflicts in Mexico, in which 485 civil organizations are or were in some way expressing their disagreement or rejection of some projects or megaprojects, while the Mexican government has participated with 171 institutions of the three levels of government, and has been judged and partnered in several of these conflicts; 186 state-owned companies representing the private sector have been identified as the ones responsible for affecting the interests of the actors on the territory and resources of their respective states. From this exercise, it was determined that not all actors have public location information, and even if they do have data, it is difficult to locate them, which could suggest a preference for anonymity when opposing different management of the territory and its resources and the awareness of possible risk in doing so.         

How to cite: González Lezama, M. A., Ramírez Serrato, N., Jácome Paz, M. P., Hernandez Cedeño, I., and Duquino Rojas, L. G.: Characterization of the social elements involved in socio-environmental conflicts in Mexico., EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-10512, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-10512, 2023.

Detection of high pesticide concentrations in sediments and water often leads to prioritizing a site as being ‘at risk’. However, the risk does not depend on pesticide concentration alone, but on other site-specific characteristics also. We developed an indicator that identifies the ‘Level of Concern’ by integrating five such characteristics: (i) pesticide concentrations in surface and groundwater causing risks to ecological health (ii) impacts on human health, (iii) water scarcity, (iv) agricultural production, and (v) biodiversity richness. We applied this framework in an agricultural region of the Lower Ganges Basin in West Bengal, India. We measured concentrations of selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in surface and groundwater within an 8 km² area in 2019. Of 20 banned and restricted OCPs, 11 were detected as a cause of high risk to ecological health and 10 were detected at concentrations above the Accepted Carcinogenic Risk Limit (ACRL) for humans. In the pre-monsoon, the mean concentrations of ΣOCPs in groundwater and surface water were 126.9 ng/L and 104 ng/L,in the monsoon they were 144.7 ng/L and 138 ng/L, and in the post-monsoon 122.1 ng/L and 147 ng/L respectively. In groundwater, no significant seasonal difference was observed in most pesticides. In the surface water, 7 pesticides were significantly higher in the monsoon and post-monsoon, which may be attributed to increased runoff as well as post monsoon application of OCPs. In September 2022we again measured OCP concentrations in surface water and sediment. The mean concentration of 14 of the 20 measured OCPs were found to be significantly lower in the post-pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic time. These lower pesticide concentrations may indicate a reduced use of OCPs in agricultural practices during the pandemic. This area was identified as being at the highest Level of Concern, even though the OCP concentrations alone conformed to general guidelines.

How to cite: Ray, S., Mohasin, P., and Chakraborty, P.: Developing an Indicator of Pesticide Pollution Risk: Integrating the site specific water scarcity, biodiversity and impacts on human Health, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-7429, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-7429, 2023.

This study aims to mitigate As pollution in wetlands by using biochar composites, which are a byproduct of valorizing drinking water treatment sludge (i.e., polyaluminum chloride (PAC) sludge). PAC sludge produced when PAC is used as a coagulant contains various aluminum and iron components because of the high affinity of PAC for heavy metals. Therefore, the valorization of PAC sludge by pyrolysis can be a strategic method to secure environmental safety for sludge utilization by destroying the organic pollutants and immobilizing heavy metals while simultaneously producing biochar composites that can be used as an environmental adsorbent. Biochar composites were fabricated under N₂ and CO₂ environments, systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller/Barrett–Joyner–Halenda analyses, and tested for the adsorption of As species. Both biochar composites exhibited excellent adsorption performance for both inorganic As (As(III) and As(V)) and organic As (dimethylarsinic acid, DMA). A lab-scale microcosm test showed that ~30% of spiked DMA was removed by biochar and that the total As fixed in the sediment decreased by ~20%. In addition, the As speciation results for the sediment and biochar revealed demethylation of the DMA and reduction of As(V) to As(III) by microorganisms, which was confirmed by a microbial growth batch test. Finally, a large-scale field experiment carried out in an artificial ecological wetland ensured that the addition of biochar could reduce the total amount of As to be immobilized in wetland sediment by 19%. In addition, the presence of biochar could alter the migration trend of As species in plants by reducing the amount of organic As to be fixed in the sediment. The aforementioned results demonstrate the practical feasibility of using PAC sludge-derived biochar as an adsorbent for As species.

How to cite: Ryu, J., Han, Y.-S., Cho, D.-W., Kim, S.-J., Cho, Y.-C., Chon, C.-M., Ahn, J. S., and Nam, I.-H.: Fabrication of PAC sludge-valorized biochars and their practical application to the remediation of methyl arsenic in wetlands, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2222, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2222, 2023.

Nano Fe(III) oxide (FO) was employed as an additive material for CO₂-aided pyrolysis of spent coffee grounds (SCG) and its impacts on the syngas (H₂ & CO) generation and biochar adsorption characteristics were examined. Amendment of FO led to 153 and 682% increase of H₂ and CO in pyrolytic process of SCG, respectively, which is deemed to arise from enhanced thermal cracking of hydrocarbons and oxygen transfer reaction mediated by FO. Incorporation of FO successfully created porous structure in the produced biochar. The adsorption tests revealed that the biochar exhibited bi-functional capability to remove both positively charged Cd(II) and Ni(II), and negatively charged Sb(V). The adsorption of Cd(II) and Ni(II) was hardly deteriorated in the multiple adsorption cycles, and the adsorption of Sb(V) was further enhanced through formation of surface ternary complexes. The overall results demonstrated nano Fe(III) oxide is a promising amendment material in CO₂-aided pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass for enhancing syngas generation and producing functional biochar.

How to cite: Cho, D.-W., Jang, J.-Y., Cheong, Y., and Yim, G.-J.: Co-thermochemical conversion of coffee grounds and nano Fe(III) oxides to fabricate metal-biochar for the simultaneous removal of Sb(V), Cd(II), and Ni(II) from  water, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-1700, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-1700, 2023.

Prussian blue analogue (PBA) has been received great attention as a material for radioactive Cs removal because of its high Cs ion adsorption efficiency. In this study, we synthesized PBA with three different transition metal ions (Ni(II), Co(II), and Fe(II) for NiFe-PBA, CoFe-PBA, and FeFe-PBA, respectively) and adjusted their particle sizes and surface areas by controlling the amount of stabilizing agent. They also composited with TiO₂ and then compared the efficiencies of Cs ion adsorption under dark or UV light. The larger the surface areas and the smaller the particle size, the better the Cs ion adsorption, and the NiFe, NiFe-TiO₂ and FeFe-TiO₂ showed additional Cs ion adsorption under UV light irradiation. In particular, NiFe has an adsorption capacity of about 0.8 mmolg^-1 and 1.7 mmolg^-1 under dark and UV light, respectively, which is a result of about twice the increase in the adsorption capacity by UV light irradiation. In addition, the NiFe-TiO₂ nanocomposite shows adsorption capacities of about 0.45 mmolg^-1 and 1.5 mmolg^-1 under dark and UV light, respectively, which is a result of about three times the increase in the adsorption capacity by UV light irradiation. Photo-induced additional adsorption on NiFe showed even with radioactive ¹³⁷Cs adsorption. This enhanced Cs ion adsorption of NiFe happens due to photoinduced charge transfer in NiFe molecular, which leads to additional adsorption of Cs ions. This is very meaningful result because it is first study of photo-induced additional removal of Cs on PBAs.

How to cite: Kim, S., Kim, M., and Eun, S.: Photo-induced enhancement of radioactive 137Cs removal by adsorption on Prussian blue analogues, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 23–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-2500, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-2500, 2023.