Urban ecology and related environmental concerns
A. Pazoki; R. Ghasemzadeh; M. Barikani; M. Pazoki
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The escalating global population, coupled with increased transportation needs and car production, has led to a surge in waste tire generation, reaching billions annually. Recognizing the environmental impact, there's a growing focus on utilizing waste tires as secondary raw ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The escalating global population, coupled with increased transportation needs and car production, has led to a surge in waste tire generation, reaching billions annually. Recognizing the environmental impact, there's a growing focus on utilizing waste tires as secondary raw materials and energy sources. Despite challenges posed by tire resilience and resistance to degradation, the current study advocates for pyrolysis as an eco-friendly method to recycle tires. It explores key process parameters (temperature and residence time) in pyrolysis, emphasizing qualitative and quantitative analyses of resulting oils compared to other products. The goal is to contribute to sustainable tire waste management and resource recovery.METHODS: The study employed Thermogravimetric analysis for rubber's thermal characteristics, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for pyrolysis oil analysis, Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis using a VARIAN CP-3800 instrument, and a bomb calorimeter (Parr 1256) for measuring heat capacity in obtained oils.FINDINGS: The yields of pyrolysis oil, char and gas were 20–32.5, 45-60 and 5-30 wt.%, respectively. The Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis results were ranged from 5-20 that showed that pyrolysis oils consisted mainly of 2,3-dimethylbutene, 2-Methylbutene, t-Isobutyl-4-ethyl-benzene, and 1-m-4-Isopropyl-benzene. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy showed that increasing of aromatic component with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Measuring of highest calorific value of pyrolysis oil was 10309 Cal/g that showed good compatibility with commercial heating oils.CONCLUSION: Pyrolysis oils from waste tires exhibit calorific values comparable to commercial heating oils, suggesting a promising alternative fuel source with versatile compositions. The findings help understanding the feasibility and potential applications of waste tire pyrolysis in sustainable energy solutions.
Sustainable urban infrastructure
M.H. Mosstafavi; A.R. Karbassi; M. Pazoki
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The water field futurology is mostly focused on the water shortage and resulting political-security crises. However, the emphasis of this study is on the water pollution crisis. This study utilizes water decolorization and microbial decontamination as novel and low-risk methods ...
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The water field futurology is mostly focused on the water shortage and resulting political-security crises. However, the emphasis of this study is on the water pollution crisis. This study utilizes water decolorization and microbial decontamination as novel and low-risk methods in water and water resources sanitization with the preservation of the municipal environment approach. Modern oxidation methods for pre-treatment or aid-treatment have well-attained their place in the water and wastewater treatment process to reduce microbial and chemical contamination of water. Applying light, plasma, ozone, and Ultraviolet light is one of the modern and eco-friendly methods for water treatment and disinfection with growing usage.METHODS: In this research, various types of ozone and plasma generators, with the approach of energy consumption reduction, were manufactured for simultaneous decolorization and disinfecting of the water. All these devices consist of three main sections; frequency-increasing circuits, voltage-increasing transformers, and a reactor based on electrical discharge in gas. The simulation was performed using Orcad and PSPICE and Comsol softwares. After designing and simulation, a pilot of each of these three sections was made.FINDINGS: Both plasma and ozone reactors, which act as light tubes with a purple color spectrum were made and optimized for water treatment in the form of tubular tubes and flat cell for volume and surface radiation. Microbial testing of 8 water samples in terms of coliform in laboratory was confirmed by the Iran Environmental Organization mpn/100ml.RESULTS: After computer simulation, all three basic sections of an ozone generator device with a power consumption equal to a 30-watt lightbulb were made and optimized. By 5-minute injection of the ozone generated by this device into the water containing methylene blue as the color contamination index and Escherichia coli as the microbial contamination index, 99% of microbial decontamination was achieved, along with decolorization.CONCLUSION: Various types of plasma devices for decolorization and disinfecting water were made in this research. Due to the light-like nature of the plasma treatment and since the tested water sample was volumetric, and above all, due to the turbidity of the tested water sample, 30 minute of plasma treatment had no comparable effect to the ozonation method. Therefore, generating and injecting ozone was still the most effective method for simultaneous decolorization and microbial decontamination. The discoloration of water samples by ozonation with optimized devices was noticeable in the first minute.