Middle-sized chambers (40cmx40cmx20 cm) and an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) were used for the measurement of net photosynthesis of the grass layer and soil CO2 evolution, in Quercus liaotungensis Koidz. forest, which ...Middle-sized chambers (40cmx40cmx20 cm) and an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) were used for the measurement of net photosynthesis of the grass layer and soil CO2 evolution, in Quercus liaotungensis Koidz. forest, which is a typical temperate forest ecosystem in the mountainous areas of Beijing. Changes of CO2 concentrations in both the atmosphere (2m above canopy) and the forest canopy (2m below the top of the canopy) together with those of net photosynthesis and soil CO2 evolution were also examined, in order to find the characteristics of CO2 exchange between the different components of the temperate forest ecosystem and the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 averaged (323+10) and (330+1) mol mol-1 respectively in summer and autumn. During the 24-hour measurements, large differences as much as -46 and -61 mol mol-1 respectively in the atmosphere and forest were found. Net photosynthesis of the grass layer in summer was (2. 59 9+ 1.05) mol CO2 m-2 S-1, two times of that in autumn, (1.31+0.39) mol CO2 s-1 In summer, there was much more CO2 evolved from soil than in autumn, averaging (5.18+0.75) mol CO2 m-2 s-1 and (1.96 + 0.57) (mol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively. A significant correlation was found between soil CO2 evolution and ground temperature, with F =-0.864 2+0.310 1X,r=0.7164, P<0.001 (n=117). Both the minimal atmospheric CO2 level and the maximum net photosynthesis occurred around 14:00; and an increase in atmospheric CO2 and of soil CO2 evolution during night times were also found to be remarkable.展开更多
The thermogravimetric analyzer and horizontal tube furnace are used to study the effects of operation parameters such as temperature, fuel type, and oxygen concentration on the combustion and NO emission characteristi...The thermogravimetric analyzer and horizontal tube furnace are used to study the effects of operation parameters such as temperature, fuel type, and oxygen concentration on the combustion and NO emission characteristics of the rice husk, rice straw, and peanut shell in the O2/CO2 atmosphere. The results show that the combustion performances of volatile matter and fixed carbon of the three biomasses increase with the increase in the 02 content. The mean NO emission increases sharply when the reaction temperature increases from 700 to 800℃. However, it increases slightly when the temperature exceeds 800 ℃. Meanwhile, the mean NO emission and nitrogen conversion decrease with the increase in the nitrogen content in biomass. The mean NO emission changes little with different oxygen concentrations, and the NO emissions of the three biomasses are all lower than the requirement for the minimum NO emission. Increasing the oxygen concentration favors the biomass combustion in the O2/CO2 atmosphere, and oxygen concentration has little effect on the NO emission.展开更多
How to achieve the objective of reducing CO2 emissions has been an academic focus in China recently. The factors influencing CO2 emissions are the vital issue to accomplish the arduous target. Firstly, three influenti...How to achieve the objective of reducing CO2 emissions has been an academic focus in China recently. The factors influencing CO2 emissions are the vital issue to accomplish the arduous target. Firstly, three influential factors, the energy consumption, the proportion of tertiary industry in gross domestic product （GDP）, and the degree of dependence on foreign trade, are carefully selected, since all of them have closer grey relation with China＇s COz emissions compared with others when the grey relational analysis （GRA） method is applied. The study highlights co-integration relation of these four variables using the co-integration analysis method. And then a long-term co-integration equation and a short-term error correction model of China＇s CO2 emissions are devel- oped. Finally, the comparison is exerted between the forecast value and the actual value of China＇s CO2 emissions based on error correction model. The results and the relevant statistics tests show that the pro- posed model has better explanation capability and credibility.展开更多
The closed-jar incubation method is widely used to estimate the mineralization of soil organic C. There are two C pools （i.e., organic and inorganic C） in calcareous soil. To evaluate the effect of additional carbon...The closed-jar incubation method is widely used to estimate the mineralization of soil organic C. There are two C pools （i.e., organic and inorganic C） in calcareous soil. To evaluate the effect of additional carbonates on CO2 emission from calcareous soil during closed-jar incubation, three incubation experiments were conducted by adding different types （CaCO3 and MgCO3） and amounts of carbonate to the soil. The addition of carbonates significantly increased CO2 emission from the soil; the increase ranged from 12.0~ in the CaCO3 amended soil to 460~0 in the MgCO3 amended soil during a 100-d incubation. Cumulative CO2 production at the end of the incubation was three times greater in the MgCO3 amended soil compared to the CaCO3 amended one. The CO2 emission increased with the amount of CaCO3 added to the soil. In contrast, CO2 emission decreased as the amount of MgCO3 added to the soil increased. Our results confirmed that the closed-jar incubation method could lead to an overestimate of organic C mineralization in calcareous soils. Because of its effect on soil pH and the dissolution of carbonates, HgC12 should not be used to sterili~.e calcareous soil if the experiment includes the measurement of soil CO2 production.展开更多
Biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained by biomass pyrolysis and considered a mean of carbon sequestration. In this research, a sandy calcareous soil from the Farm of the College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, ...Biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained by biomass pyrolysis and considered a mean of carbon sequestration. In this research, a sandy calcareous soil from the Farm of the College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, was amended with either woody waste of Conocarpus erectus L.(CW) or the biochar(BC) produced from CW at rates of 0(control), 10, 30 and 50 g kg-1. The effects of the amendments on soil p H, dissolved organic carbon(DOC), microbial biomass carbon(MBC), CO2 emission and metabolic quotient(q CO2) of the sandy calcareous soil were studied in a 60-d incubation experiment. The results showed that the addition of CW led to a significant decrease in soil p H compared to the control and the addition of BC. The CO2-C emission rate was higher in the first few days of incubation than when the incubation time progressed. The cumulative CO2-C emission from the soil amended with CW, especially at higher rates, was higher(approximately 3- to 6-fold) than that from the control and the soil amended with BC. The BC-amended soil showed significant increases in CO2-C emission rate during the first days of incubation as compared to the non-amended soil, but the increase in cumulative CO2-C emission was not significant after 60 d of incubation. On the other hand, CW applications resulted in considerably higher cumulative CO2-C emission, MBC and DOC than the control and BC applications. With the exception of 0 day(after 1 h of incubation), both CW and BC applications led to lower values of q CO2 as compared to the control. The power function kinetic model satisfactorily described the cumulative CO2-C emission. Generally, the lowest values of CO2 emission were observed in the soil with BC, suggesting that the contribution of BC to CO2 emission was very small as compared to that of CW.展开更多
Based on the logical causal relationship and taking Liaoning Province, China, which is the Chinese traditional industrial base and is in the stage of accelerated urbanisation, as a case study, this study builds the ＇...Based on the logical causal relationship and taking Liaoning Province, China, which is the Chinese traditional industrial base and is in the stage of accelerated urbanisation, as a case study, this study builds the ＇Urbanisation-Energy Consumption-COn Emissions System Dynamics （UEC-SD）＇ model using a system dynamics method. The UEC-SD model is applied to analyse the effect of the ar- banisation process on the regional energy structure and CO2 emissions, followed by simulation of future production and living energy consumption structure as well as the evolutionary trend of CO2 emissions of three urbanisation scenarios （low speed, intermediate speed and high speed） under the assumed boundary conditions in urban and rural areas of Liaoning Province, China. The results show that the urbanisation process can alter production and the living energy consumption structure and thereby change regional CO2 emissions. An increase in the urbanisation rate in case area will lead to regional COz emissions rising in the short term, but when the urbanisation rate approaches 80%, CO2 emissions will reach a peak value and then decrease. Comparison of different urbanisation rates showed that pro- duction and living energy consumption exhibit different directions of change and rules in urban and rural areas. The effect of urbanisa- tion on CO2 emissions and energy structure is not direct, and urbanisation can increase the differences in energy and CO2 emissions between urban and rural areas caused by the industrial structure, technical level and other factors.展开更多
In order to understand the effect of river impoundment on carbon dynamics, a large reservoir in a subtropical area, the Xinanjiang Reservoir, was investigated in detail. CO_2 emissions from the water–air interface wa...In order to understand the effect of river impoundment on carbon dynamics, a large reservoir in a subtropical area, the Xinanjiang Reservoir, was investigated in detail. CO_2 emissions from the water–air interface was studied, as was organic carbon burial in sediment. The results show a significant seasonal difference in CO_2 emissions. River impoundment led to the enhancement of aquatic photosynthesis, generating large amounts of authigenic organic carbon that was then buried in sediment.展开更多
China has set the goal for its CO2 emissions to peak around 2030, which is not only a strategic decision coordinating domestic sustainable development and global climate change mitigation but also an overarching targe...China has set the goal for its CO2 emissions to peak around 2030, which is not only a strategic decision coordinating domestic sustainable development and global climate change mitigation but also an overarching target and a key point of action for China＇s resource conservation, environmental protection, shift in economic development patterns, and CO2 emission reduction to avoid climate change. The development stage where China maps out the CO2 emission peak target is earlier than that of the developed countries. It is a necessity that the non-fossil energy supplies be able to meet all the increased energy demand for achieving CO2 emission peaking. Given that China＇s potential GDP annual increasing rate will be more than 4%, and China＇s total energy demand will continue to increase by approximately 1.0%--1.5% annually around 2030, new and renewable energies will need to increase by 6%-8% annually to meet the desired CO2 emission peak. The share of new and renewable energies in China＇s total primary energy supply will be approximately 20% by 2030. At that time, the energy consumption elasticity will decrease to around 0.3, and the annual decrease in the rate of CO2 intensity will also be higher than 4% to ensure the sustained growth of GDE To achieve the CO2 emission peaking target and substantially promote the low-carbon deve!opment transformation, China needs to actively promote an energy production and consumption revolution, the innovation of advanced energy technologies, the reform of the energy regulatory system and pricing mechanism, and especially the construction of a national carbon emission cap and trade system.展开更多
The flux of carbon dioxide （CO2） from soil surface presents an important component of carbon （C） cycle in terrestrial ecosystems and is controlled by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. In order to better unde...The flux of carbon dioxide （CO2） from soil surface presents an important component of carbon （C） cycle in terrestrial ecosystems and is controlled by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. In order to better understand characteristics of soil CO2 flux （FCO2） in subtropical forests, soil FCO2 rates were quantified in five adjacent forest types （camphor tree forest, Masson pine forest, mixed camphor tree and Masson pine forest, Chinese sweet gum forest, and slash pine forest） at the Tianjiling National Park in Changsha, Hunan Province, in subtropical China, from January to December 2010. The influences of soil temperature （Tsoil）, volumetric soil water content （0soiI）, soil pH, soil organic carbon （SOC） and soil C/nitrogen （N） ratio on soil FCO2 rates were also investigated. The annual mean soil FCO2 rate varied with the forest types. The soil FCO2 rate was the highest in the camphor tree forest （3.53 ± 0.51 μmol m-2 s-I）, followed by, in order, the mixed, Masson pine, Chinese sweet gum, and slash pine forests （1.53 ± 0.25 μmol m-2 sl）. Soil FCO2 rates from the five forest types followed a similar seasonal pattern with the maximum values occurring in summer （July and August） and the minimum values during winter （December and January）. Soil FCO2 rates were correlated to Tsoil and 0soil, but the relationships were only significant for Tsoil. No correlations were found between soil FCO2 rates and other selected soil properties, such as soil pH, SOC, and C/N ratio, in the examined forest types. Our results indicated that soil FCO2 rates were much higher in the evergreen broadleaved forest than coniferous forest under the same microclimatic environment in the study region.展开更多
This study was performed to estimate the emission of non-CO 2 greenhouse gases(GHGs) from biomass burning at a large fire area.The extended methodology adopted the IPCC Guidelines(2003) equation for use on data from t...This study was performed to estimate the emission of non-CO 2 greenhouse gases(GHGs) from biomass burning at a large fire area.The extended methodology adopted the IPCC Guidelines(2003) equation for use on data from the Samcheok forest fire gathered using 30 m resolution Landsat TM satellite imagery,digital forest type maps,and growing stock information per hectare by forest type in 1999.Normalized burn ratio(NBR) technique was employed to analyze the area and severity of the Samcheok forest fire that occurred in 2000.The differences between NBR from pre-and post-fire datasets are examined to determine the extent and degree of change detected from burning.The results of burn severity analysis by dNBR of the Samcheok forest fire area revealed that a total of 16,200 ha of forest were burned.The proportion of the area characterized by a 'Low' burn severity(dNBR below 152) was 35%,with 'Moderate'(dNBR 153-190) and 'High'(dNBR 191-255) areas were at 33% and 32%,respectively.The combustion efficiency for burn severity was calculated as 0.43 for crown fire where burn severity was 'High',as 0.40 for 'Moderate' severity,and 0.15 for 'Low' severity surface fire.The emission factors for estimating non-CO 2 GHGs were separately applied to CO 130,CH 4 9,NO x 0.7 and N 2 O 0.11.Non-CO 2 GHGs emissions from biomass burning in the Samcheok forest fire area were estimated to be CO 44.100,CH 4 3.053,NO x 0.238 and N 2 O 0.038 Gg.展开更多
The current status and trend of CO2 emission from coal-fired power plants in China are introduced. Main flue gas decarbonization technologies and their prospective of applications in China are discussed in two separat...The current status and trend of CO2 emission from coal-fired power plants in China are introduced. Main flue gas decarbonization technologies and their prospective of applications in China are discussed in two separate parts-capture and sequestration. It is stated that the selection of CO2 capture and sequestration technologies relates closely with the geographical location of power plants, with the destination of CO2 being the key. Further, it is suggested that industrialized test centers or test platforms of national or industrial level should be set up.展开更多
Based on the Chinese thermal coal and power generation data,such as ultimate analysis,proximate analysis,low heat value(LHV)on as received basis,power generation volume,thermal coal consumption volume and net coal con...Based on the Chinese thermal coal and power generation data,such as ultimate analysis,proximate analysis,low heat value(LHV)on as received basis,power generation volume,thermal coal consumption volume and net coal consumption rate,several mathematical models for calculating CO 2 reduction by Chinese coal-fired power plants are established.Calculations of the CO 2 emission factor(CEF),the CO 2 emission volume and reduction volume are made according to these models.The calculation results reveal that between 1993 and 2010,the CO 2 emission volume reached 31.069 Gt,reduced by 0.439 Gt,averaging 28.83 Mt each year.展开更多
Understanding the factors affecting the CO 2 emission from agricultural practices is crucial for global warming.A study was performed in an apricot orchard field in the experimental farm of the Harran University,South...Understanding the factors affecting the CO 2 emission from agricultural practices is crucial for global warming.A study was performed in an apricot orchard field in the experimental farm of the Harran University,Southeast Turkey,to i) quantify weekly and seasonal variations of the CO 2 emissions from a Vertisol under apricot orchard;ii) evaluate the difference in CO 2 emission between the area under trees and rows;and iii) assess the relationships between the amounts of CO 2 emissions and environmental parameters for better use and management of the soils from the view point of carbon balance and flux in a semi-arid environment under drip irrigation.Soil CO 2 emission measurements were performed during May 2008 and May 2010,from both under tree crowns (CO 2-UC) and between tree rows (CO 2-BR),on a weekly basis in southeast Turkey with a semi-arid climate.CO 2 emissions were statistically correlated with weather and soil parameters such as air temperature,relative humidity,rainfall,soil water content,and soil temperature at various depths from 5 to 100 cm.The weekly emissions ranged from 82 to 1 110 kg CO 2 ha 1 week 1 and from 96 to 782 kg CO 2 ha 1 week 1 in CO 2-UC and CO 2-BR,respectively.Increase in CO 2 emission in the second year was due to increases in mean air and soil temperatures.The weekly and monthly cumulative CO 2 emissions were positively correlated with the air and soil temperatures.Multiple linear regression analysis explained 35% and 83% variations in average weekly and monthly CO 2 emissions,by using meteorological data.Including the interaction effects of meteorological parameters in regression equations nearly doubled the variance explained by the regression models.According to stepwise regression analysis,soil and air temperatures were found to have the most significant impact on the temporal variability of the soil CO 2 emission.展开更多
Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of ...Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of soil drying and rewetting cycles. To investigate the effects of sporadic addition of water on soil CO2 effux, an artificial precipitation event （3 mm） was applied to a desert shrub ecosystem in the Mu Us Sand Land of the Ordos Plateau in China. Soil respiration rate increased 2.8 4.1 times immediately after adding water in the field, and then it returned to background level within 48 h. During the experiment, soil CO2 production was between 2 047.0 and 7 383.0 mg m^-2. In the shrubland, soil respiration responses showed spatial variations, having stronger pulse effects beneath the shrubs than in the interplant spaces. The spatial variation of the soil respiration responses was closely related with the heterogeneity of soil substrate availability. Apart from precipitation, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen pool were also identified as determinants of soil CO2 loss in desert ecosystems.展开更多
The seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 at surface observation stations in the northern hemisphere is driven primarily by net ecosystem production (NEP) fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems. In addition to NEP from terres...The seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 at surface observation stations in the northern hemisphere is driven primarily by net ecosystem production (NEP) fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems. In addition to NEP from terrestrial ecosystems, surface fluxes from fossil fuel combustion and ocean exchange also contribute to the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2. Here the authors use the Goddard Earth Observing System-Chemistry (GEOS-Chem) model (version 8-02-01), with modifications, to assess the impact of these fluxes on the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 in 2005. Modifications include monthly fossil and ocean emission inventories. CO2 simulations with monthly varying and annual emission inventories were carried out separately. The sources and sinks of monthly averaged net surface flux are different from those of annual emission inventories for every month. Results indicate that changes in monthly averaged net surface flux have a greater impact on the average concentration of atmospheric CO2 in the northern hemisphere than on the average concentration for latitudes 30-90°S in July. The concentration values differ little between both emission inventories over the latitudinal range from the equator to 30°S in January and July. The accumulated impacts of the monthly averaged fossil and ocean emissions contribute to an increase of the total global monthly average of CO2 from May to December.An apparent discrepancy for global average CO2 concentration between model results and observation was because the observation stations were not sufficiently representative. More accurate values for monthly varying net surface flux will be necessary in future to run the CO2 simulation.展开更多
In order to study the diurnal variation of soil CO2 effiux from temperate meadow steppes in Northeast China, and determine the best time for observation, a field experiment was conducted with a LI-6400 soil CO2 flux s...In order to study the diurnal variation of soil CO2 effiux from temperate meadow steppes in Northeast China, and determine the best time for observation, a field experiment was conducted with a LI-6400 soil CO2 flux system under five typical plant communi- ties （Suaeda glauca （Sg）, Chloris virgata （Cv）, Puecinellia distans （Pd）, Leymus chinensis （Lc） and Phragmites australis （Pa）） and an alkali-spot land （As） at the meadow steppe of western Songnen Plain. The results showed that the diurnal variation of soil CO2 effiux exhibited a single peak curve in the growing season. Diurnal maximum soil respiration （Rs） often appeared between 1 1：00 and 13：00, while the minimum occurred at 21：00-23：00 or before dawn. Air temperature near the soil surface （Ta） and soil temperature at 10 cm depth （Tlo） exerted dominant control on the diurnal variations of soil respiration. The time-windows 7：00-9：00 could be used as the optimal measuring time to represent the daily mean soil CO2 effiux at the Cv, Pd, Lc and Pa sites. The daily mean soil CO2 effiux was close to the soil COz effiux from 15：00 to 17：00 and the mean of 2 individual soil CO2 effiux from 15：00 to 19：00 at the As and Sg sites, respectively. During nocturnal hours, negative soil CO2 fluxes （CO2 downwards into the soil） were frequently observed at the As and Sg sites, the magnitude of the negative CO2 fluxes were 0.10-1.55 gmol/（m2.s） and 0.10-0.69 gmol/（m2.s）at the two sites. The results im- plied that alkaline soils could absorb CO2 under natural condition, which might have significant implications to the global carbon budget accounting.展开更多
The aim of this research was to know the impact of planting leguminous cover crops （LCCs） of Mucuna bracteata and Calopogonium mucunoides in oil palm plantation on peatland on reducing CO2 emissions. Atmosphere temp...The aim of this research was to know the impact of planting leguminous cover crops （LCCs） of Mucuna bracteata and Calopogonium mucunoides in oil palm plantation on peatland on reducing CO2 emissions. Atmosphere temperature, peat surface temperature, in-closed chamber temperature and peat surface CO2 fluxes were monitored on two adjacent experimental plots. The first experimental plot was on the newly opened peat surface （NOPS） and another was on the eight years planted oil palm land （EPOL）. The closed chamber techniques adopted from International Atomic Energy Agency （IAEA） （1993） were implemented to trap CO2 emissions emitted from 24 treatment plots at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months observations. Average CO2 fluxes observed on no LCCs plots in the NOPS site were 61.25 ± 8.98, 33.76 ± 2.92 and 33.75 ± 3.45 g/m2.h, while in the EPOL site were 55.38 ± 15.95, 29.90 ± 5.32 and 27.70 ± 4.62 g/mLh at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months monitoring, respectively. Average CO2 fluxes observed on the planted M. bracteata plots in the NOPS site were 68.2 ± 24.5, 12.88 ± 3.70 and 10.40 ± 1.28 g/m2.h, whereas in the EPOL site were 54.04 ± 6.70, 11.45 ± 2.00 and 9.33 ± 3.49 g/m2.h at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months monitoring, respectively. Average CO2 flux observed on the planted C. mucunoides plots in the NOPS site were 66.5 ± 23.7, 15.41 ± 1.51 and 9.74 ± 2.55 g/m2.h, while in the EPOL site were 47.00 ± 5.00, 9.34 ± 1.23 and 10.52 ± 4.80 g/m2.h at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months, respectively. P-value for the experimental sites was 0.008 （〈 0.05）, indicating the significant difference in the level of CO2 fluxes between the sites. P-value for the treatments in the experimental plots was 0.000 （〈 0.05）, indicating markedly different level of CO2 fluxes among treatments. P-value for the age ofM. bracteata and C. mucunoides planted on the experimental plots was 0.000 （〈 0.05）, indicating the significant difference in the level of CO2 fluxes due to the enhanced LCCs age performing at the increase of shading effects. The comparison of CO2 fluxes among experimental plots shows that planting M. bracteata and C. mucunoides on the peatland could reduce CO2 emission.展开更多
In July 2009, the 2005 basic Japanese input/output table was publicized together with its physical transaction table. This research paper analyzed the 2005 IO （input/output） table to create building industry-related...In July 2009, the 2005 basic Japanese input/output table was publicized together with its physical transaction table. This research paper analyzed the 2005 IO （input/output） table to create building industry-related intensities and, at the same time, compared the building industry with industries at large for distribution margins and transportation. The analysis of distribution margins separately for middle and purchaser margins found that middle margins in the building industry are minor at 35% of the averages for all industries, while purchaser margins are sizable at 1.8 times, proving that it is an industry for which local production for local consumption is quite effective. CO2 emissions resulting from transportation in the building industry were calculated and concisely characterized. Although the ratio of transportation CO2 emissions to total CO2 emissions in each industry finds almost no difference between general industries and the building industry, transportation CO2 emissions per production value are two to three times heavier than those from general industries to be justified as a transportation-intensive industry.展开更多
Different VSA （Vacuum Swing Adsorption） cycles and process schemes have been evaluated to find suitable process configurations for effectively separating C02 from flue gases from different industrial sectors. The cy...Different VSA （Vacuum Swing Adsorption） cycles and process schemes have been evaluated to find suitable process configurations for effectively separating C02 from flue gases from different industrial sectors. The cycles were studied using an adsorption simulator developed in our research group, which has been suc- cessfully used to predict experimental results over severa~ years. Commercial zeolite APGIlI and granular ac- tivated carbon were used as the adsorbents. Three-bed VSA cycles with- and without-product purge and 2- stage VSA systems have been investigated. It was found that for a feed gas containing 15% CO2 （representing flue gas from power plants）, high CO2 purities and recoveries could be obtained using a three-bed zeolite APGII1 VSA unit for one stage capture, but with more stringent conditions such as deeper vacuum pressures of 1-3 kPa. 2-stage VSA process operated in series allowed us to use simple process steps and operate at more realistic vacuum pressures. With a vacuum pressure of 10 kPa, final C02 purity of 95.3% with a recov- ery of 98.2% were obtained at specific power consumption of 0.55 MJ. （kg CO2） 1 from feed gas containing 15% C02. These numbers compare very well with those obtained from a single stage process operating at I kPa vacuum pressure. The feed CO2 concentration was very influential in determining the desorption pressure necessary to achieve high separation efficiency. For feed gases containing 〉30% CO2, a singlestage VSA capture process operating at moderate vacuum pressure and without a product purge, can achieve very high product purities and recoveries.展开更多
基金This is a key project of National Natural Science Foundation of China.
文摘Middle-sized chambers (40cmx40cmx20 cm) and an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA) were used for the measurement of net photosynthesis of the grass layer and soil CO2 evolution, in Quercus liaotungensis Koidz. forest, which is a typical temperate forest ecosystem in the mountainous areas of Beijing. Changes of CO2 concentrations in both the atmosphere (2m above canopy) and the forest canopy (2m below the top of the canopy) together with those of net photosynthesis and soil CO2 evolution were also examined, in order to find the characteristics of CO2 exchange between the different components of the temperate forest ecosystem and the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 averaged (323+10) and (330+1) mol mol-1 respectively in summer and autumn. During the 24-hour measurements, large differences as much as -46 and -61 mol mol-1 respectively in the atmosphere and forest were found. Net photosynthesis of the grass layer in summer was (2. 59 9+ 1.05) mol CO2 m-2 S-1, two times of that in autumn, (1.31+0.39) mol CO2 s-1 In summer, there was much more CO2 evolved from soil than in autumn, averaging (5.18+0.75) mol CO2 m-2 s-1 and (1.96 + 0.57) (mol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively. A significant correlation was found between soil CO2 evolution and ground temperature, with F =-0.864 2+0.310 1X,r=0.7164, P<0.001 (n=117). Both the minimal atmospheric CO2 level and the maximum net photosynthesis occurred around 14:00; and an increase in atmospheric CO2 and of soil CO2 evolution during night times were also found to be remarkable.
基金The Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(No.1508085ME73)the Open Foundation of Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education(No.201406)
文摘The thermogravimetric analyzer and horizontal tube furnace are used to study the effects of operation parameters such as temperature, fuel type, and oxygen concentration on the combustion and NO emission characteristics of the rice husk, rice straw, and peanut shell in the O2/CO2 atmosphere. The results show that the combustion performances of volatile matter and fixed carbon of the three biomasses increase with the increase in the 02 content. The mean NO emission increases sharply when the reaction temperature increases from 700 to 800℃. However, it increases slightly when the temperature exceeds 800 ℃. Meanwhile, the mean NO emission and nitrogen conversion decrease with the increase in the nitrogen content in biomass. The mean NO emission changes little with different oxygen concentrations, and the NO emissions of the three biomasses are all lower than the requirement for the minimum NO emission. Increasing the oxygen concentration favors the biomass combustion in the O2/CO2 atmosphere, and oxygen concentration has little effect on the NO emission.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41101569)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project(2011M500965)+5 种基金the Jiangsu Funds of Social Science(11EYC023)the Doctoral Discipline New Teachers Fund(20110095120002)the Jiangsu Postdoctoral Science Foundation Funded Project(1102088C)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(JGJ110763)the Talent Introduction Funds of China University of Mining and Technologythe Sail Plan Funds for Young Teachers of China University of Mining and Technology~~
文摘How to achieve the objective of reducing CO2 emissions has been an academic focus in China recently. The factors influencing CO2 emissions are the vital issue to accomplish the arduous target. Firstly, three influential factors, the energy consumption, the proportion of tertiary industry in gross domestic product （GDP）, and the degree of dependence on foreign trade, are carefully selected, since all of them have closer grey relation with China＇s COz emissions compared with others when the grey relational analysis （GRA） method is applied. The study highlights co-integration relation of these four variables using the co-integration analysis method. And then a long-term co-integration equation and a short-term error correction model of China＇s CO2 emissions are devel- oped. Finally, the comparison is exerted between the forecast value and the actual value of China＇s CO2 emissions based on error correction model. The results and the relevant statistics tests show that the pro- posed model has better explanation capability and credibility.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.40571087 and 40773057)the National Key Technologies Research and Development Program of China during the 11th Five-Year Plan Period(No.2007BAD89B02)
文摘The closed-jar incubation method is widely used to estimate the mineralization of soil organic C. There are two C pools （i.e., organic and inorganic C） in calcareous soil. To evaluate the effect of additional carbonates on CO2 emission from calcareous soil during closed-jar incubation, three incubation experiments were conducted by adding different types （CaCO3 and MgCO3） and amounts of carbonate to the soil. The addition of carbonates significantly increased CO2 emission from the soil; the increase ranged from 12.0~ in the CaCO3 amended soil to 460~0 in the MgCO3 amended soil during a 100-d incubation. Cumulative CO2 production at the end of the incubation was three times greater in the MgCO3 amended soil compared to the CaCO3 amended one. The CO2 emission increased with the amount of CaCO3 added to the soil. In contrast, CO2 emission decreased as the amount of MgCO3 added to the soil increased. Our results confirmed that the closed-jar incubation method could lead to an overestimate of organic C mineralization in calcareous soils. Because of its effect on soil pH and the dissolution of carbonates, HgC12 should not be used to sterili~.e calcareous soil if the experiment includes the measurement of soil CO2 production.
基金supported by the NSTIP Strategic Technologies Program(No.ENV1592-11)in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
文摘Biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained by biomass pyrolysis and considered a mean of carbon sequestration. In this research, a sandy calcareous soil from the Farm of the College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, was amended with either woody waste of Conocarpus erectus L.(CW) or the biochar(BC) produced from CW at rates of 0(control), 10, 30 and 50 g kg-1. The effects of the amendments on soil p H, dissolved organic carbon(DOC), microbial biomass carbon(MBC), CO2 emission and metabolic quotient(q CO2) of the sandy calcareous soil were studied in a 60-d incubation experiment. The results showed that the addition of CW led to a significant decrease in soil p H compared to the control and the addition of BC. The CO2-C emission rate was higher in the first few days of incubation than when the incubation time progressed. The cumulative CO2-C emission from the soil amended with CW, especially at higher rates, was higher(approximately 3- to 6-fold) than that from the control and the soil amended with BC. The BC-amended soil showed significant increases in CO2-C emission rate during the first days of incubation as compared to the non-amended soil, but the increase in cumulative CO2-C emission was not significant after 60 d of incubation. On the other hand, CW applications resulted in considerably higher cumulative CO2-C emission, MBC and DOC than the control and BC applications. With the exception of 0 day(after 1 h of incubation), both CW and BC applications led to lower values of q CO2 as compared to the control. The power function kinetic model satisfactorily described the cumulative CO2-C emission. Generally, the lowest values of CO2 emission were observed in the soil with BC, suggesting that the contribution of BC to CO2 emission was very small as compared to that of CW.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41301637,41101117,41271186)Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.71133003)
文摘Based on the logical causal relationship and taking Liaoning Province, China, which is the Chinese traditional industrial base and is in the stage of accelerated urbanisation, as a case study, this study builds the ＇Urbanisation-Energy Consumption-COn Emissions System Dynamics （UEC-SD）＇ model using a system dynamics method. The UEC-SD model is applied to analyse the effect of the ar- banisation process on the regional energy structure and CO2 emissions, followed by simulation of future production and living energy consumption structure as well as the evolutionary trend of CO2 emissions of three urbanisation scenarios （low speed, intermediate speed and high speed） under the assumed boundary conditions in urban and rural areas of Liaoning Province, China. The results show that the urbanisation process can alter production and the living energy consumption structure and thereby change regional CO2 emissions. An increase in the urbanisation rate in case area will lead to regional COz emissions rising in the short term, but when the urbanisation rate approaches 80%, CO2 emissions will reach a peak value and then decrease. Comparison of different urbanisation rates showed that pro- duction and living energy consumption exhibit different directions of change and rules in urban and rural areas. The effect of urbanisa- tion on CO2 emissions and energy structure is not direct, and urbanisation can increase the differences in energy and CO2 emissions between urban and rural areas caused by the industrial structure, technical level and other factors.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41573064)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFA0601003)
文摘In order to understand the effect of river impoundment on carbon dynamics, a large reservoir in a subtropical area, the Xinanjiang Reservoir, was investigated in detail. CO_2 emissions from the water–air interface was studied, as was organic carbon burial in sediment. The results show a significant seasonal difference in CO_2 emissions. River impoundment led to the enhancement of aquatic photosynthesis, generating large amounts of authigenic organic carbon that was then buried in sediment.
基金supported by Major Program of Humanities and Social Science Base,Ministry of Education(No.10JJD630011)
文摘China has set the goal for its CO2 emissions to peak around 2030, which is not only a strategic decision coordinating domestic sustainable development and global climate change mitigation but also an overarching target and a key point of action for China＇s resource conservation, environmental protection, shift in economic development patterns, and CO2 emission reduction to avoid climate change. The development stage where China maps out the CO2 emission peak target is earlier than that of the developed countries. It is a necessity that the non-fossil energy supplies be able to meet all the increased energy demand for achieving CO2 emission peaking. Given that China＇s potential GDP annual increasing rate will be more than 4%, and China＇s total energy demand will continue to increase by approximately 1.0%--1.5% annually around 2030, new and renewable energies will need to increase by 6%-8% annually to meet the desired CO2 emission peak. The share of new and renewable energies in China＇s total primary energy supply will be approximately 20% by 2030. At that time, the energy consumption elasticity will decrease to around 0.3, and the annual decrease in the rate of CO2 intensity will also be higher than 4% to ensure the sustained growth of GDE To achieve the CO2 emission peaking target and substantially promote the low-carbon deve!opment transformation, China needs to actively promote an energy production and consumption revolution, the innovation of advanced energy technologies, the reform of the energy regulatory system and pricing mechanism, and especially the construction of a national carbon emission cap and trade system.
基金Supported by the National Forestry Public Welfare Research Program of China(Nos.201104005 and 200804030)the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China(No.NCET-10-0151)+1 种基金the 100 Talents Program of Hunan Province,China(No.2011516)Central South University of Forestry and Technology,China(No.0842)
文摘The flux of carbon dioxide （CO2） from soil surface presents an important component of carbon （C） cycle in terrestrial ecosystems and is controlled by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. In order to better understand characteristics of soil CO2 flux （FCO2） in subtropical forests, soil FCO2 rates were quantified in five adjacent forest types （camphor tree forest, Masson pine forest, mixed camphor tree and Masson pine forest, Chinese sweet gum forest, and slash pine forest） at the Tianjiling National Park in Changsha, Hunan Province, in subtropical China, from January to December 2010. The influences of soil temperature （Tsoil）, volumetric soil water content （0soiI）, soil pH, soil organic carbon （SOC） and soil C/nitrogen （N） ratio on soil FCO2 rates were also investigated. The annual mean soil FCO2 rate varied with the forest types. The soil FCO2 rate was the highest in the camphor tree forest （3.53 ± 0.51 μmol m-2 s-I）, followed by, in order, the mixed, Masson pine, Chinese sweet gum, and slash pine forests （1.53 ± 0.25 μmol m-2 sl）. Soil FCO2 rates from the five forest types followed a similar seasonal pattern with the maximum values occurring in summer （July and August） and the minimum values during winter （December and January）. Soil FCO2 rates were correlated to Tsoil and 0soil, but the relationships were only significant for Tsoil. No correlations were found between soil FCO2 rates and other selected soil properties, such as soil pH, SOC, and C/N ratio, in the examined forest types. Our results indicated that soil FCO2 rates were much higher in the evergreen broadleaved forest than coniferous forest under the same microclimatic environment in the study region.
文摘This study was performed to estimate the emission of non-CO 2 greenhouse gases(GHGs) from biomass burning at a large fire area.The extended methodology adopted the IPCC Guidelines(2003) equation for use on data from the Samcheok forest fire gathered using 30 m resolution Landsat TM satellite imagery,digital forest type maps,and growing stock information per hectare by forest type in 1999.Normalized burn ratio(NBR) technique was employed to analyze the area and severity of the Samcheok forest fire that occurred in 2000.The differences between NBR from pre-and post-fire datasets are examined to determine the extent and degree of change detected from burning.The results of burn severity analysis by dNBR of the Samcheok forest fire area revealed that a total of 16,200 ha of forest were burned.The proportion of the area characterized by a 'Low' burn severity(dNBR below 152) was 35%,with 'Moderate'(dNBR 153-190) and 'High'(dNBR 191-255) areas were at 33% and 32%,respectively.The combustion efficiency for burn severity was calculated as 0.43 for crown fire where burn severity was 'High',as 0.40 for 'Moderate' severity,and 0.15 for 'Low' severity surface fire.The emission factors for estimating non-CO 2 GHGs were separately applied to CO 130,CH 4 9,NO x 0.7 and N 2 O 0.11.Non-CO 2 GHGs emissions from biomass burning in the Samcheok forest fire area were estimated to be CO 44.100,CH 4 3.053,NO x 0.238 and N 2 O 0.038 Gg.
文摘The current status and trend of CO2 emission from coal-fired power plants in China are introduced. Main flue gas decarbonization technologies and their prospective of applications in China are discussed in two separate parts-capture and sequestration. It is stated that the selection of CO2 capture and sequestration technologies relates closely with the geographical location of power plants, with the destination of CO2 being the key. Further, it is suggested that industrialized test centers or test platforms of national or industrial level should be set up.
文摘Based on the Chinese thermal coal and power generation data,such as ultimate analysis,proximate analysis,low heat value(LHV)on as received basis,power generation volume,thermal coal consumption volume and net coal consumption rate,several mathematical models for calculating CO 2 reduction by Chinese coal-fired power plants are established.Calculations of the CO 2 emission factor(CEF),the CO 2 emission volume and reduction volume are made according to these models.The calculation results reveal that between 1993 and 2010,the CO 2 emission volume reached 31.069 Gt,reduced by 0.439 Gt,averaging 28.83 Mt each year.
基金Supported by the Harran Universitesi Bilimsel Ara stirma Projeleri Komisyonu (HBAK),Turkey (No. 799)
文摘Understanding the factors affecting the CO 2 emission from agricultural practices is crucial for global warming.A study was performed in an apricot orchard field in the experimental farm of the Harran University,Southeast Turkey,to i) quantify weekly and seasonal variations of the CO 2 emissions from a Vertisol under apricot orchard;ii) evaluate the difference in CO 2 emission between the area under trees and rows;and iii) assess the relationships between the amounts of CO 2 emissions and environmental parameters for better use and management of the soils from the view point of carbon balance and flux in a semi-arid environment under drip irrigation.Soil CO 2 emission measurements were performed during May 2008 and May 2010,from both under tree crowns (CO 2-UC) and between tree rows (CO 2-BR),on a weekly basis in southeast Turkey with a semi-arid climate.CO 2 emissions were statistically correlated with weather and soil parameters such as air temperature,relative humidity,rainfall,soil water content,and soil temperature at various depths from 5 to 100 cm.The weekly emissions ranged from 82 to 1 110 kg CO 2 ha 1 week 1 and from 96 to 782 kg CO 2 ha 1 week 1 in CO 2-UC and CO 2-BR,respectively.Increase in CO 2 emission in the second year was due to increases in mean air and soil temperatures.The weekly and monthly cumulative CO 2 emissions were positively correlated with the air and soil temperatures.Multiple linear regression analysis explained 35% and 83% variations in average weekly and monthly CO 2 emissions,by using meteorological data.Including the interaction effects of meteorological parameters in regression equations nearly doubled the variance explained by the regression models.According to stepwise regression analysis,soil and air temperatures were found to have the most significant impact on the temporal variability of the soil CO 2 emission.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 40730105, 40501072 and 40673067)the National Key Basic Research Program (973 Program) of China (No. 2002CB412503)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-149)
文摘Precipitation is the major driver of ecosystem functions and processes in semiarid and arid regions. In such waterlimited ecosystems, pulsed water inputs directly control the belowground processes through a series of soil drying and rewetting cycles. To investigate the effects of sporadic addition of water on soil CO2 effux, an artificial precipitation event （3 mm） was applied to a desert shrub ecosystem in the Mu Us Sand Land of the Ordos Plateau in China. Soil respiration rate increased 2.8 4.1 times immediately after adding water in the field, and then it returned to background level within 48 h. During the experiment, soil CO2 production was between 2 047.0 and 7 383.0 mg m^-2. In the shrubland, soil respiration responses showed spatial variations, having stronger pulse effects beneath the shrubs than in the interplant spaces. The spatial variation of the soil respiration responses was closely related with the heterogeneity of soil substrate availability. Apart from precipitation, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen pool were also identified as determinants of soil CO2 loss in desert ecosystems.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(Grant No.2006CB403606)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant Nos.KZCX2-YW-143 and KZCX2-YW-202)+1 种基金the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(Grant No.2009AA12Z138)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.40606008,40437017,and 40221503)
文摘The seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 at surface observation stations in the northern hemisphere is driven primarily by net ecosystem production (NEP) fluxes from terrestrial ecosystems. In addition to NEP from terrestrial ecosystems, surface fluxes from fossil fuel combustion and ocean exchange also contribute to the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2. Here the authors use the Goddard Earth Observing System-Chemistry (GEOS-Chem) model (version 8-02-01), with modifications, to assess the impact of these fluxes on the seasonal cycle of atmospheric CO2 in 2005. Modifications include monthly fossil and ocean emission inventories. CO2 simulations with monthly varying and annual emission inventories were carried out separately. The sources and sinks of monthly averaged net surface flux are different from those of annual emission inventories for every month. Results indicate that changes in monthly averaged net surface flux have a greater impact on the average concentration of atmospheric CO2 in the northern hemisphere than on the average concentration for latitudes 30-90°S in July. The concentration values differ little between both emission inventories over the latitudinal range from the equator to 30°S in January and July. The accumulated impacts of the monthly averaged fossil and ocean emissions contribute to an increase of the total global monthly average of CO2 from May to December.An apparent discrepancy for global average CO2 concentration between model results and observation was because the observation stations were not sufficiently representative. More accurate values for monthly varying net surface flux will be necessary in future to run the CO2 simulation.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41501090,41501105)Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities(No.2412015KJ023)
文摘In order to study the diurnal variation of soil CO2 effiux from temperate meadow steppes in Northeast China, and determine the best time for observation, a field experiment was conducted with a LI-6400 soil CO2 flux system under five typical plant communi- ties （Suaeda glauca （Sg）, Chloris virgata （Cv）, Puecinellia distans （Pd）, Leymus chinensis （Lc） and Phragmites australis （Pa）） and an alkali-spot land （As） at the meadow steppe of western Songnen Plain. The results showed that the diurnal variation of soil CO2 effiux exhibited a single peak curve in the growing season. Diurnal maximum soil respiration （Rs） often appeared between 1 1：00 and 13：00, while the minimum occurred at 21：00-23：00 or before dawn. Air temperature near the soil surface （Ta） and soil temperature at 10 cm depth （Tlo） exerted dominant control on the diurnal variations of soil respiration. The time-windows 7：00-9：00 could be used as the optimal measuring time to represent the daily mean soil CO2 effiux at the Cv, Pd, Lc and Pa sites. The daily mean soil CO2 effiux was close to the soil COz effiux from 15：00 to 17：00 and the mean of 2 individual soil CO2 effiux from 15：00 to 19：00 at the As and Sg sites, respectively. During nocturnal hours, negative soil CO2 fluxes （CO2 downwards into the soil） were frequently observed at the As and Sg sites, the magnitude of the negative CO2 fluxes were 0.10-1.55 gmol/（m2.s） and 0.10-0.69 gmol/（m2.s）at the two sites. The results im- plied that alkaline soils could absorb CO2 under natural condition, which might have significant implications to the global carbon budget accounting.
文摘The aim of this research was to know the impact of planting leguminous cover crops （LCCs） of Mucuna bracteata and Calopogonium mucunoides in oil palm plantation on peatland on reducing CO2 emissions. Atmosphere temperature, peat surface temperature, in-closed chamber temperature and peat surface CO2 fluxes were monitored on two adjacent experimental plots. The first experimental plot was on the newly opened peat surface （NOPS） and another was on the eight years planted oil palm land （EPOL）. The closed chamber techniques adopted from International Atomic Energy Agency （IAEA） （1993） were implemented to trap CO2 emissions emitted from 24 treatment plots at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months observations. Average CO2 fluxes observed on no LCCs plots in the NOPS site were 61.25 ± 8.98, 33.76 ± 2.92 and 33.75 ± 3.45 g/m2.h, while in the EPOL site were 55.38 ± 15.95, 29.90 ± 5.32 and 27.70 ± 4.62 g/mLh at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months monitoring, respectively. Average CO2 fluxes observed on the planted M. bracteata plots in the NOPS site were 68.2 ± 24.5, 12.88 ± 3.70 and 10.40 ± 1.28 g/m2.h, whereas in the EPOL site were 54.04 ± 6.70, 11.45 ± 2.00 and 9.33 ± 3.49 g/m2.h at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months monitoring, respectively. Average CO2 flux observed on the planted C. mucunoides plots in the NOPS site were 66.5 ± 23.7, 15.41 ± 1.51 and 9.74 ± 2.55 g/m2.h, while in the EPOL site were 47.00 ± 5.00, 9.34 ± 1.23 and 10.52 ± 4.80 g/m2.h at the 1st, 3rd and 6th months, respectively. P-value for the experimental sites was 0.008 （〈 0.05）, indicating the significant difference in the level of CO2 fluxes between the sites. P-value for the treatments in the experimental plots was 0.000 （〈 0.05）, indicating markedly different level of CO2 fluxes among treatments. P-value for the age ofM. bracteata and C. mucunoides planted on the experimental plots was 0.000 （〈 0.05）, indicating the significant difference in the level of CO2 fluxes due to the enhanced LCCs age performing at the increase of shading effects. The comparison of CO2 fluxes among experimental plots shows that planting M. bracteata and C. mucunoides on the peatland could reduce CO2 emission.
文摘In July 2009, the 2005 basic Japanese input/output table was publicized together with its physical transaction table. This research paper analyzed the 2005 IO （input/output） table to create building industry-related intensities and, at the same time, compared the building industry with industries at large for distribution margins and transportation. The analysis of distribution margins separately for middle and purchaser margins found that middle margins in the building industry are minor at 35% of the averages for all industries, while purchaser margins are sizable at 1.8 times, proving that it is an industry for which local production for local consumption is quite effective. CO2 emissions resulting from transportation in the building industry were calculated and concisely characterized. Although the ratio of transportation CO2 emissions to total CO2 emissions in each industry finds almost no difference between general industries and the building industry, transportation CO2 emissions per production value are two to three times heavier than those from general industries to be justified as a transportation-intensive industry.
基金Supported by the Corporate Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technology Foundation in Australiathe National Natural Science Foundation of China(51074205)
文摘Different VSA （Vacuum Swing Adsorption） cycles and process schemes have been evaluated to find suitable process configurations for effectively separating C02 from flue gases from different industrial sectors. The cycles were studied using an adsorption simulator developed in our research group, which has been suc- cessfully used to predict experimental results over severa~ years. Commercial zeolite APGIlI and granular ac- tivated carbon were used as the adsorbents. Three-bed VSA cycles with- and without-product purge and 2- stage VSA systems have been investigated. It was found that for a feed gas containing 15% CO2 （representing flue gas from power plants）, high CO2 purities and recoveries could be obtained using a three-bed zeolite APGII1 VSA unit for one stage capture, but with more stringent conditions such as deeper vacuum pressures of 1-3 kPa. 2-stage VSA process operated in series allowed us to use simple process steps and operate at more realistic vacuum pressures. With a vacuum pressure of 10 kPa, final C02 purity of 95.3% with a recov- ery of 98.2% were obtained at specific power consumption of 0.55 MJ. （kg CO2） 1 from feed gas containing 15% C02. These numbers compare very well with those obtained from a single stage process operating at I kPa vacuum pressure. The feed CO2 concentration was very influential in determining the desorption pressure necessary to achieve high separation efficiency. For feed gases containing 〉30% CO2, a singlestage VSA capture process operating at moderate vacuum pressure and without a product purge, can achieve very high product purities and recoveries.
