Sustainability Commons^™

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Small Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines And Natural Gas Facility At An Urban University, Mary Kate Ranii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fossil fuels generate the majority of the electricity in the United States and generate pollutants that negatively affect public and environmental health. Renewable energy projects serve as an opportunity for low-pollution and low-carbon electricity; small-scale projects, such as vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs), provide opportunities for generation in urban areas close to consumers. Researchers collected wind speed and directional data from a potential turbine installation site at Duquesne University to better demonstrate the potential benefits in an urban university location. The data was used in a life cycle assessment framework and a social review to better understand the value of …

Design Of Stormwater Bmps For Surface And Groundwater Protection Based On Site-Scale Soil Properties: Phase I, Kelly Kibler, Lisa Chambers, Melanie Beazley

Florida DOT

Much of Earth’s nutrient cycling takes place in soils. Characteristics of soils control physical, chemical, and biological processes that determine rates of nutrient fluxes, storage, or transformation. As remediation of excess nutrients in stormwater runoff is one function of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), the soil profile constitutes one of the most important factors of BMP design. Variation observed in BMP effectiveness (e.g., why one BMP design works effectively in one place and not another) can often be explained by variations in the soil profile, either through direct means or by a soil’s influence on hydraulics of stormwater flow through …

Do-It-Together: Informal Transformative Sustainability Education, Derek Brannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Climate Crisis is an urgent and inescapable reality students are thrust into. Learners must be prepared adequately for their futures, not only for their sakes but also because collective and transformative change is required. Transformative sustainability education provides one pathway to this transformation and focuses on radically altering students’ perceptions about the world and their agency in effecting change on ecological issues. The field of transformative sustainability education is emergent and thus is still fragmented, leaving gaps in the literature. Little research has been conducted on how informal and nonformal university spaces can be used to create transformative experiences …

Bibliometric Analysis Of Sustainability In Gastronomy Research, Nihan Akdemir, Bilsen Bilgili

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Sustainability can be called the ability to be permanent. The economic, social and ecological dimensions of sustainability are important in terms of gastronomy. The rapid development of gastronomy in recent years has led many studies in literature to discuss gastronomy from different perspectives. The aim of this study is to reveal the development of national and international research on sustainability in gastronomy over the years with bibliometric analysis. In this context, Web of Science (WOS) and ULAKBIM TR-Dizin databases were examined in the analysis of the data until February 2023. For this purpose, articles were selected from the relevant sources …

Integrating Sensor Development, Risk Assessment, And Community Engagement To Support Environmental Justice In The Rural Community Of El Tiple, Colombia, David Bahamon Pinzon

All Dissertations

In Colombia, ethnic communities have traditionally been responsible stewards of natural resources. They recognize the importance of these resources for their livelihood, as well as their ancestral and cultural heritage. El Tiple, a rural Afro-Colombian community, has been affected by the incursion of private corporations that promoted the expansion of sugarcane monocrops in their territory. Since the introduction of the monoculture industry, local freshwater sources have been depleted due to intensive water use for irrigation of the sugarcane crops. Additionally, the intensive usage of agrochemicals has been linked with loss of native flora, damages to family farms, and pollution of …

Characterization Of Mechanically Recycled Polylactic Acid (Pla) Filament For 3d-Printing By Evaluating Mechanical, Thermal, And Chemical Properties And Process Performance, Mahsa Shabani Samghabady

All Theses

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer made from renewable resources such as sugar and corn. PLA filament is a popular material used in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D-printing. While this material has many advantages, all the failed parts, support structures, rafts, nozzle tests, and the many prototype iterations during the 3D-printing process contribute to the plastic pollution and release of greenhouse gases. Although PLA is biodegradable, it can take years to degrade in landfills. Instead of throwing away PLA waste and buying new filaments, PLA can be recycled. Amongst the different recycling technologies, mechanical recycling is the most environmentally friendly. …

Towards Sustainable Water Management: Soil Analysis, Modeling, And Sensor Implementation On A Micro-Basin Chile's Los Lagos Region, Tammy N. Huynh

Civil Engineering ETDs

The Los Lagos region of Chile is experiencing ecological and socioeconomic challenges because of climate change. Despite efforts by the agricultural sector to understand and manage water resources, the lack of basic water quantification data affects their ability to effectively plan and implement water management strategies. This research aims to address this critical issue through three key objectives. First, characterize soil properties related to texture and structure in a micro-basin of the Los Lagos region. Secondly, it aims to investigate the hydrologic budget of the micro-basin with an emphasis on soil moisture using the Soil Moisture Routing model (SMR). Lastly, …

Geospatial Wildfire Risk Prediction Using Deep Learning, Abner Alberto Benavides

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This report introduces a thorough analysis of wildfire prediction using satellite imagery by applying deep learning techniques. To find wildfire-prone geographical data, we use U-Net, a convolutional neural network known for its effectiveness in biomedical image segmentation. The input to the model is the Sentinel-2 multispectral images to supply a complete view of the terrain features.

We evaluated the wildfire risk prediction model’s performance using several metrics. The model showed high accuracy, with a weighted average F1 score of 0.91 and an AUC-ROC score of 0.972. These results suggest that the model is exceptionally good at predicting the location of …

Biocrude Production From Lignin In Hydrothermal Medium: Effect Of Rapid Heating And Short Residence Time, Kyoko Hirayama

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study aims to address knowledge gaps in the production of valuable products from waste streams generated during lignocellulosic biofuel production. The primary objective is to develop a process that converts lignin, a byproduct of bioethanol refineries, into a sustainable biolubricant.

The first chapter examines recent advancements in synthesizing biolubricants and investigates their scalability. It explores innovative materials, catalysts, chemical modification approaches, and additives that have emerged in the field. A particular hurdle is the oxidative stability of biolubricants derived from plant oils, which are prone to autooxidation due to their C=C bonds. To overcome this, the study aims to …

The Radical Imagination: Exploring The Intersection Of The Youth-Led Climate Justice Movement And Education, Calla Sneller

Capstone Collection

This paper explores the crossover of the youth-led climate justice movement and education, utilizing The Experiment Digital Climate Change & the Environment as a case study to investigate this crossover globally and locally. A 6-week virtual exchange program designed to connect 100 high school students from 23 countries, The Experiment Digital Climate Change & the Environment aimed to equip youth with radical tools to address the scale of the climate crisis. The study drew on the neo-institutionalism and systems thinking approaches to globalization. Employing qualitative research methods, including a questionnaire and individual interviews, the findings revealed that international relationships improved …

Nickel Recovery From Low-Grade Laterites: Study Of Thermal Pre-Treatments To Improve The Efficiency Of The Hydrometallurgical Process, Johana Borda, Robinson Torres

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The processing of lower-grade laterites to obtain nickel has increased due to the gradual depletion of higher-grade sulphide ore reserves. However, the extraction from laterites has been limited because conventional technologies imply a considerable expense of energy or reagents. In this document, the effect of thermal pre-treatments on a laterite sample is demonstrated to improve nickel leaching under moderate conditions. The influence of agents such as coke, coal and NaCl in the heat treatment was also studied. With the results it is presumed that part of the nickel occluded in the goethite migrates to the iron oxides surface during the …

European Feedback On Post-Mining Seismicity, Isabelle Contrucci, Dalija Namjesnik, Peter Niemz, Paloma Primo, Andrzej Kotyrba, Grzegorz Mutke, Petr Konicek, Pascal Dominique, Tobias Rudolph, Stefan Möllerherm, Jannes Kinscher, Emmanuelle Klein, Simone Cesca

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Following the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015, Europe has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, the abandonment of coal as an energy source, both in terms of consumption and production, will lead to the closure of many mines in the years to come.

Mine closure guidelines to manage residual mining risks already exist in European countries. However, they do not include post-mining seismic risk management due to a lack of sufficient studies and knowledge on this subject. After mining closure, the flooding of the mining works leads to hydromechanical loading of the underground and, in the …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Propagation Of Hydraulic Fractures In Thin Interbedded Tight Sandstones, Yang Fan, Mei Wenbo, Li Liang, Sun Zening, An Qi, Yang Qi, Lu Meiquan, Yang Ruiyue

Coal Geology & Exploration

Thin interbedded tight sandstone reservoirs are characterized by strong vertical heterogeneity due to the superimposed pattern of the deposited sandstones and mudstones. As a result, hydraulic fractures are difficult to propagate vertically to effectively connect the reservoirs. Given this, ascertaining the vertical propagation patterns of hydraulic fractures in thin interbeds is of great significance for the development of thin interbedded tight sandstones. With the thin interbedded tight sandstone reservoirs of the lower Shihezi Formation in the Linxing block, Ordos Basin as a case study, this study built the fracture propagation model of these sandstones. Accordingly, it analyzed the effects of …

Iron Occurrence In Coal Measures And Its Release Mechanism During Water-Rock Interactions: Taking A Mine In The Eastern Grassland As An Example, Wang Tiantian

Coal Geology & Exploration

The mine water with iron out of limit corrodes the water distribution pipeline and the industrial equipment, thereby damaging the liver of human body, and further threatening the human health. The enrichment or dilution of iron in mine water is determined by the iron content and its occurrence in coal measures, as well as its release mechanism during water-coal and water-rock interactions. Herein, 18 groups of coal and rock samples were collected from a mine in the eastern grassland, and had the iron content, occurrence and carrier in the coal measure analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), …

Change Detection Of Open-Pit Mines Based On Fm-Unet++ And Gf-2 Satellite Images, Du Shouhang, Li Wei, Xing Jianghe, Zhang Chengye, She Changchao, Wang Shaoyu, Li Jun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Automatic extraction of land use change information in open-pit mines using the remote sensing and deep learning technology is of great significance for the mining monitoring and ecological environmental protection. A novel deep learning model FM-UNet++ was constructed for the change of land use types in complex and heterogeneous mining scenarios, and the automatic change detection of open-pit mines was achieved using the Gaofen-2 (GF-2) satellite images. Firstly, the change detection dataset of open-pit mine was produced through data surveys and visual interpretation, which was augmented by data enhancement. Secondly, the FM-UNet++ for open-pit mine change detection was constructed by …

Underground Coal Gasification Field Tests In China: History And Prospects, Qin Yong, Yi Tongsheng, Yang Lei, Zhou Yongfeng, Wang Jun, Wang Lingxia

Coal Geology & Exploration

To achieve peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality in China, a low-carbon and efficient coal energy structure is essential for the sustainable energy development of China. Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an important strategy for transforming the coal energy structure in China. Based on the review of previous literature, this study analyzes the exploration history of the UCG field tests in China and delivers the prospects of UCG industrialization in China. The analytical results show that the development and field tests of UCG technologies in China have experienced five stages, namely the initial attempt, silence/recovery, extensive explorations, making technological …

Construction And Engineering Applications Of Block Model For Coal Seam Value Considering The Variations In Coal Seam Thickness And Quality, Liu Feiyue, Yang Ke, Yang Tianhong, Kan Lei, Fu Kai

Coal Geology & Exploration

The variations in coal seam thickness and coal quality parameters (i.e., calorific value, volatile matter, ash content, and sulfur content) determine the spatial distribution of coal prices. The accurate characterization of coal seams’ economic value plays an important role in the rational mining and utilization of coal resources. This study first determined that the geological attributes of coal seams including their thickness and coal quality are regional variables. Based on this, this study discretized geological bodies in the study area using a block model. Then, using a geostatistical method, this study obtained the experimental semivariograms of coal seam thickness and …

Applicability Evaluation Technology Of Perforating Parameters In Different Reservoirs, Bi Gang, Wu Jiemin, Yang Shangyu, Li Mengmeng, Han Fei, Wang Xin, Cui Ying

Coal Geology & Exploration

Perforating parameters have an important impact on the productivity of oil and gas wells. Currently, the optimization of perforating parameters is mostly based on single factor analysis, with no multi-factor comprehensive evaluation analysis performed. In this paper, the finite element simulation method was used to analyze and study the influence law of perforating parameters on wellhead flow under different reservoir conditions. Firstly, a geometric model of pressure drop in reservoir with perforation completion was established to simulate the fluid flow after perforation. In this way, the influence laws of perforating parameters, anisotropy parameters and natural fracture parameters on the pressure …

Construction And Restoration Technology Of Terrain Remodeling Layer In The Restoration Of Ecological Geological Layer In Open-Pit Mining Areas, Zhao Xin, Wang Tong, Li Congcong, Lin Zhongyue, Li Fei, Wang Weichao, Feng Kangning, Yin Yalei, Jiang Zhe

Coal Geology & Exploration

Mining can easily result in a series of change in the geomorphic form, such as irregular mining pits, high and steep slopes, slag hills, primitive soil failure and accumulated water in mining pits in the plateau and alpine mining area, which is in disharmony with the surrounding environment. Such changes of geomorphic form will not only adversely affect the surface ecological environment, but also bring different degrees of influence and damage to the shallow groundwater seepage field and the permafrost. In particular, the geological hazards and disasters such as landslides and collapses may even be resulted in. In response to …

Uav Aerial Triangulation: Point Error Distributions And The Influencing Mechanisms Of Ground Control Points On Its Accuracy, Zha Jianfeng, Zhu Pengcheng, Wu Dejun, Ma Chenyang, Zhong Chongwu, Yin Hongwu, Wang Dong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been an important means of monitoring the surface deformation in mining areas since they are flexible, are insensitive to weather, and can swiftly acquire images of target areas. However, there is an urgent need to improve UAV-based measurement accuracy. Based on a systematic analysis of factors affecting the accuracy of surface measurement points, this study focuses on the influence of the quality of ground control points on the point error distribution and accuracy of aerial triangulation. Firstly, through a large number of repeated observations and experiments, this study investigated the error distributions of the planar …

Research Advances On The Techno-Economic Evaluation Of Ucg Projects, Yi Tongsheng, Qin Yong, Zhou Yongfeng, Wang Lingxia, Jin Jun, Zhou Ze

Coal Geology & Exploration

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is driven by China's development strategy for a clean and efficient coal energy structure. Its industrialization prospect depends on the economic and social benefits of UCG projects. Against this background, this study reviews the research advances on the economic evaluation of UCG projects at home and abroad and summarizes the current insights into the economic competitiveness of UCG projects. Through case analysis, it presents a basic model for the economic evaluation of the UCG-combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) - carbon capture and storage (UCG-CCGT-CCS) system and the main understanding of the model. Furthermore, this study discusses the …

Ucg Industrialization In The Soviet Union: History And Comments, Kong Weimin, Zhou Yongfeng, Yi Tongsheng, Li Ping, Qin Yong, Zhou Ze

Coal Geology & Exploration

China's energy resources are originally poor in oil and gas but rich in coal. The industrialization of underground coal gasification (UCG) technologies, which is an important way of achieving a low-carbon and efficient coal energy structure in China, contributes to the smooth achievement of the peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality in China. This study reviews the history of the field tests and industrialization of UCG technologies in the Soviet Union by systematically referencing and sorting literature, aiming to provide a reference for the present development and industrialization of UCG technologies in China. The results show that the development …

Ucg Pilot Tests In The United States And Their Contributions To Modern Ucg Technologies, Huang Wan, Wang Jun, Wang Lingxia, Yi Tongsheng, Chen Kexin, Qin Yong

Coal Geology & Exploration

The industrialization of underground coal gasification (UCG), which is conducive to the transformation and development of the coal energy structure and the improvement in the low-carbon utilization level of coal resources, is an environmentally friendly energy development technology in line with the sustainable development strategy. The international energy crisis from the 1980s to the 1990s prompted the United States to vigorously develop UCG technologies. Accordingly, this country has successively carried out six series of UCG pilot tests, which contribute greatly to the progress in UCG technologies and provided the critical foundation for the formation of modern UCG technologies worldwide. This …

Ucg Pilot Tests In Eu Countries: A Review Of History And Progress, Jin Lili, Yang Lei, Wu Yarong, Wang Xiaofang, Yi Tongsheng, Qin Yong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an important way of transforming China’s coal energy structure. European Union (EU) countries explored UCG for over 80 years, and their rich experience can be used as a reference for promoting UCG industrialization in China. The UK prepared for UCG pilot tests for the first time in the world. From 1944 to 2014, based on the experience of the former Soviet Union and the United States, EU countries successively implemented at least 12 UCG pilot test projects in three stages, making important contributions to the progress in UCG technologies. They invented the blind-hole method and …

Ucg Engineering Demonstrations In Australia: History And Its Implications, Zhou Ze, Wang Lingxia, Qin Yong, Jin Jun, Yang Lei, Yi Tongsheng

Coal Geology & Exploration

Underground coal gasification (UCG), which is a revolutionary coal mining technology, is an important direction for achieving a low-carbon and efficient coal energy structure in China and is also a potential explorable way to ensure the smooth realization of the peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality in China. Based on a literature survey, this study sorts out the exploration process of UCG technologies in Australia and analyzes the gains and losses using field test cases. The experience in UCG technologies in Australia can provide a reference for the development of the technologies in China. The results show that the …

A New Type Of Ordovician Limestone Karst Water Inrush From The Floor Of Old Goaf: Formation Mechanism And The Prevention And Control Technology, Zhou Shuai, Li Shuqian, Yin Shangxian, Liang Manyu, Meng Haopeng, Qi Rongrong, Li Yuanyuan

Coal Geology & Exploration

The Ordovician limestone water inrush accident occurred in the small coal-pit area in Xin’an Mine of Hebei Fengfeng mining area on October 25^th, which resulted in the production level being flooded, with the coal mine shut-down. Specifically, the accident cause was analyzed, and the concept of Ordovician limestone karst water inrush from the floor of old goaf was proposed, with its difference from the connotation and denotation of water inrush from the old goaf or floor water inrush accidents induced by mining summarized. Then, the water inrush mechanism based on the dynamic evolution of stored energy release from …

Research And Application Of Fracture Mechanics Model Of Stope Roof Under The Coupling Of Direct Roof And Basic Roof, Li Jinhua, Zheng Chengxian, Gu Shuancheng, Wu Baolin, Wang Xiong, Song Yongjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Periodic weighting is a typical characteristic of mine pressure. Accurate prediction of stope periodic weighting step is an important way to effectively reduce the occurrence of stope accidents. Aiming at the influence of the coupling between the basic roof defects and the direct roof on the periodic weighting step, the stope roof was regarded as a finite plate model with cracks. According to the coordinate deformation mechanism of the overburden rock, the fracture mechanics model of the stope roof was established based on the fracture mechanics theory. On this basis, the periodic weighting step function under the coupling between the …

Material Point Method-Based Simulation And Dynamic Characteristic Analysis Of Instability-Induced Landslide Movement: A Case Study Of The Yanguan Landslide In The Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Song Kun, Ruan Di, Lyu Honglin, Han Luyang, Huang Haifeng

Coal Geology & Exploration

The dynamic process and influence range of instability-induced landslide movement have important effects on the risk area division and prevention of landslide hazards. To accurately and systematically analyze the changes in the dynamic characteristics of landsides during their instability-induced movement, this study thoroughly investigated and analyzed the instability-induced movement process of the Yanguan landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, Zigui County, Hubei Province. Through laboratory ring shear tests, this study determined the changing pattern of residual strength and the motion parameters of sliding zone soil under different shear rates. Accordingly, using the material point method (MPM), which is suitable …

Detection Of Near-Surface Cavities Using The 2d Multi-Parameter Full-Waveform Inversion Of Rayleigh Waves, Li Yu, Wang Jingqi, Guan Jianbo, Yan Yingwei

Coal Geology & Exploration

The accurate detection of near-surface low-velocity anomalies (such as cavities), which has always been a valuable and challenging research topic in the field of geophysics, holds great significance for the fine-scale near-surface modeling in urban disaster assessment and the seismic exploration of coalfields under complex conditions. The full-waveform inversion (FWI) of surface waves is suitable for high-precision near-surface modeling. However, there still exist many urgent problems with the modeling in practical applications. To solve the key issues of the FWI of surface waves, such as multi-parameter crosstalk, actual data preprocessing, and source wavelet estimation, this study developed a complete method …