NEW IDEAS AND METHODS ON GEOMECHANICAL SAFETY ANALYSIS OF TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE WASTE REPOSITORIES IN SALT MINE

In view of the need for geomechanical safety analysis of repositories in salt rock, failure criteria,creep rupture criteria,material models,pillar design methods and criteria for the assessment of barrier efficiency as well as investigations of the interaction between hydraulics and mechanics for the case of uncontrolled flooded repositories are necessary. The introduction of damage mechanics and of the Hou/Lux material model including damages into geomechanical safety analysis of repositories in salt rock can reduce some previous deficits in knowledge and modelling. This article will be as a part of geotechnical assessment to introduce the Hou/Lux material model,a new concept of hydro-mechanical coupling and a pillar design method as well as criteria for the assessment of efficiency of geological barriers.

Possible link between long-term and short-term water injections and earthquakes in salt mine and shale gas site in Changning,south Sichuan Basin, China

Late at night on 17 June 2019,a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck Shuanghe Town and its surrounding area in Changning County,Sichuan,China,becoming the largest earthquake recorded within the southern Sichuan Basin.A series of earthquakes with magnitudes up to 5.6 occurred during a short period after the mainshock,and we thus refer to these earthquakes as the Changning M6 earthquake sequence(or swarm).The mainshock was located very close to a salt mine,into which for^3 decades fresh water had been extensively injected through several wells at a depth of 2.7–3 km.It was also near(within^15 km)the epicenter of the 18 December 2018 M5.7 Xingwen earthquake,which is thought to have been induced by shale gas hydraulic fracturing(HF),prompting questions about the possible involvement of industrial activities in the M6 sequence.Following previous studies,this paper focuses on the relationship between injection and seismicity in the Shuanghe salt field and its adjacent Shangluo shale gas block.Except for a period of serious water loss after the start of cross-well injection in 2005–2006,the frequency of earthquakes shows a slightly increasing tendency.Overall,there is a good correlation between the event rate in the Shuanghe area and the loss of injected water.More than 400 M≥3 earthquakes,including 40 M≥4 and 5 M≥5 events,had been observed by the end of August 2019.Meanwhile,in the Shangluo area,seismicity has increased during drilling and HF operations(mostly in vertical wells)since about 2009,and dramatically since the end of 2014,coincident with the start of systematic HF in the area.The event rate shows a progressively increasing background with some fluctuations,paralleling the increase in HF operations.More than 700 M≥3 earthquakes,including 10 M≥4 and 3 M≥5 in spatially and temporally clustered seismic events,are correlated closely with active fracturing platforms.Well-resolved centroid moment tensor results for M≥4 earthquakes were shown to occur at very shallow depths around shale formations with active HF,in agreement with some of the clusters,which occurred within the coverage area of temporary or new permanent monitoring stations and thus have been precisely located.After the Xingwen M5.7 earthquake,seismic activity in the salt well area increased significantly.The Xingwen earthquake may have created a unidirectional rupture to the NNW,with an end point close to the NW-trending fault of the Shuanghe earthquake.Thus,a fault in the Changning anticline might have terminated the fault rupture of the Xingwen earthquake,possibly giving the Xingwen earthquake a role in promoting the Changning M6 event.

Optimum mining method selection using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process–Qapiliq salt mine,Iran

Mining method selection is the first and the most critical problem in mine design and depends on some parameters such as geotechnical and geological features and economic and geographic factors.In this paper,the factors affecting mining method selection are determined.These factors include shape,thickness,depth,slope,RMR and RSS of the orebody,RMR and RSS of the hanging wall and footwall.Then,the priorities of these factors are calculated.In order to calculate the priorities of factors and select the best mining method for Qapiliq salt mine,Iran,based on these priorities,fuzzy analytical hierarchy process(AHP) technique is used.For this purpose,a questionnaire was prepared and was given to the associated experts.Finally,after a comparison carried out based on the effective factors,between the four mining methods including area mining,room and pillar,cut and fill and stope and pillar methods,the stope and pillar mining method was selected as the most suitable method to this mine.

Biomineralization of soil with crude soybean urease using different calcium salts

Calcium salt is an important contributing factor for calcium-based biomineralization.To study the effect of calcium salt on soil biomineralization using crude soybean urease,the calcium salts,including the calcium chloride (CaCl_(2)),calcium acetate ((CH_(3)COO)_(2)Ca) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO_(3))_(2)),were used to prepare the biotreatment solution to carry out the biomineralization tests in this paper.Two series of biomineralization tests in solution and sand column,respectively,were conducted.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed to determine the microscopic characteristics of the precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO_(3)) crystals.The experimental results indicate that the biomineralization effect is the best for the CaCl2 case,followed by (CH_(3)COO)_(2)Ca,and worst for Ca(NO_(3))_(2) under the test conditions of this study (i.e.1 mol/L of calcium salt-urea).The mechanism for the effect of the calcium salt on the biomineralization of crude soybean urease mainly involves: (1) inhibition of urease activity,and (2) influence on the crystal size and morphology of CaCO_(3).Besides Ca^(2+) ,the anions in solution can inhibit the activity of crude soybean urease,and NO_(3)− has a stronger inhibitory effect on the urease activity compared with both CH_(3)COO^(−) and Cl^(−) .The co-inhibition of Ca^(2+) and NO_(3)− on the activity of urease is the key reason for the worst biomineralization of the Ca(NO_(3))_(2) case in this study.The difference in biomineralization between the CaCl_(2) and (CH_(3)COO)_(2) Ca cases is strongly correlated with the crystal morphology of the precipitated CaCO_(3).

Synthesis and kinetics of 2,5-dicyanofuran in the presence of hydroxylamine ionic liquid salts

2,5-Dicyanofuran(DCF)is an important biomass-derived platform compound primarily used to prepare bio-based adiponitrile,which is the key precursor for the synthesis of nylon 66 and 1,6-hexanediisocyanate(HDI).In this study,one-pot,green and safe synthesis of DCF from 2,5-diformylfuran(DFF)and hydroxylamine ionic liquid salts was proposed.Eco-friendly hydroxylamine ionic liquid salts were used as the nitrogen source.Ionic liquid exhibited three-fold function of cosolvent,catalysis and phase separation.The conversion of DFF and yield of DCF reached 100%under the following optimum reaction conditions:temperature of 120℃ for 70 min,volume ratio of paraxylene:[HSO_(3)-b-Py]
HSO4 of 2:1,and molar ratio of DFF:(NH_(2)OH)_(2)
[HSO_(3)-b-Py]
HSO4 of 1:1.5.The reaction mechanism for the synthesis of DCF was proposed,and the kinetic model was established.The reaction order with respect to DFF and intermediate product 2,5-diformylfuran dioxime(DFFD)was 1.06 and 0.16,and the reaction activation energy was 64.07 kJ·mol^(-1) and 59.37 kJ·mol^(-1) respectively.After the reaction,the ionic liquid was easy to separate,recover and recycle.

Synergistic effects of carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage under salt stress

Chinese cabbage(Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) has a long cultivation history and is one of the vegetable crops with the largest cultivation area in China. However, salt stress severely damages photosynthesis and hormone metabolism, nutritional balances, and results in ion toxicity in plants. To better understand the mechanisms of salt-induced growth inhibition in Chinese cabbage, RNA-seq and physiological index determination were conducted to explore the impacts of salt stress on carbon cycle metabolism and photosynthesis in Chinese cabbage. Here, we found that the number of thylakoids and grana lamellae and the content of starch granules and chlorophyll in the leaves of Chinese cabbage under salt stress showed a time-dependent response, first increasing and then decreasing. Chinese cabbage increased the transcript levels of genes related to the photosynthetic apparatus and carbon metabolism under salt stress, probably in an attempt to alleviate damage to the photosynthetic system and enhance CO_(2) fixation and energy metabolism. The transcription of genes related to starch and sucrose synthesis and degradation were also enhanced;this might have been an attempt to maintain intracellular osmotic pressure by increasing soluble sugar concentrations. Soluble sugars could also be used as potential reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavengers, in concert with peroxidase(POD)enzymes, to eliminate ROS that accumulate during metabolic processes. Our study characterizes the synergistic response network of carbon metabolism and photosynthesis under salt stress.

Failure transition of shear-to-dilation band of rock salt under triaxial stresses

Great potential of underground gas/energy storage in salt caverns seems to be a promising solution to support renewable energy.In the underground storage method,the operating cycle unfortunately may reach up to daily or even hourly,which generates complicated pressures on the salt cavern.Furthermore,the mechanical behavior of rock salt may change and present distinct failure characteristics under different stress states,which affects the performance of salt cavern during the time period of full service.To reproduce a similar loading condition on the cavern surrounding rock mass,the cyclic triaxial loading/unloading tests are performed on the rock salt to explore the mechanical transition behavior and failure characteristics under different confinement.Experimental results show that the rock salt samples pre-sent a diffused shear failure band with significant bulges at certain locations in low confining pressure conditions(e.g.5 MPa,10 MPa and 15 MPa),which is closely related to crystal misorientation and grain boundary sliding.Under the elevated confinement(e.g.20 MPa,30 MPa and 40 MPa),the dilation band dominates the failure mechanism,where the large-size halite crystals are crushed to be smaller size and new pores are developing.The failure transition mechanism revealed in the paper provides additional insight into the mechanical performance of salt caverns influenced by complicated stress states.

Mineralogy,microstructures and geomechanics of rock salt for underground gas storage

Rock salt has excellent properties for its use as underground leak‐proof containers for the storage of renewable energy.Salt solution mining has long been used for salt mining,and can now be employed in the construction of underground salt caverns for the storage of hydrogen gas.This paper presents a wide range of methods to study the mineralogy,geochemistry,microstructure and geomechanical characteristics of rock salt,which are important in the engineering of safe underground storage rock salt caverns.The mineralogical composition of rock salt varies and is linked to its depositional environment and diagenetic alterations.The microstructure in rock salt is related to cataclastic deformation,diffusive mass transfer and intracrystalline plastic deformation,which can then be associated with the macrostructural geomechanical behavior.Compared to other types of rock,rock salt exhibits creep at lower temperatures.This behavior can be divided into three phases based on the changes in strain with time.However,at very low effective confining pressure and high deviatoric stress,rock salt can exhibit dilatant behavior,where brittle deformation could compromise the safety of underground gas storage in rock salt caverns.The proposed review presents the impact of purity,geochemistry and water content of rock salt on its geomechanical behavior,and thus,on the safety of the caverns.

AcWRKY28 mediated activation of AcCPK genes confers salt tolerance in pineapple(Ananas comosus)

Unfavorable environmental cues severely affect crop productivity resulting in significant economic losses to farmers. In plants, multiple regulatory genes, such as the WRKY transcription factor (TF) family, modulate the expression of defense genes. However, the role of the pineapple WRKY genes is poorly understood. Here, we studied the pineapple WRKY gene, AcWRKY28, by generating AcWRKY28 over-expressing transgenic pineapple plants. Overexpression of AcWRKY28 enhanced the salt stress resistance in transgenic pineapple lines. Comparative transcriptome analysis of transgenic and wild-type pineapple plants showed that “plant-pathogen interaction” pathway genes, including 9calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs), were up-regulated in AcWRKY28 over-expressing plants. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and yeast one-hybrid assays revealed AcCPK12, AcCPK3, AcCPK8, AcCPK1, and AcCPK15 as direct targets of AcWRKY28. Consistently, the study of AcCPK12 over-expressing Arabidopsis lines showed that AcCPK12 enhances salt, drought, and disease resistance. This study shows that AcWRKY28 plays a crucial role in promoting salt stress resistance by activating the expression of AcCPK genes.

Growth kinetics of titanium carbide coating by molten salt synthesis process on graphite sheet surface

The synthesis of carbide coatings on graphite substrates using molten salt synthesis(MSS),has garnered significant interest due to its cost-effective nature.This study investigates the reaction process and growth kinetics involved in MSS,shedding light on key aspects of the process.The involvement of Ti powder through liquid-phase mass transfer is revealed,where the diffusion distance and quantity of Ti powder play a crucial role in determining the reaction rate by influencing the C content gradient on both sides of the carbide.Furthermore,the growth kinetics of the carbide coating are predominantly governed by the diffusion behavior of C within the carbide layer,rather than the chemical reaction rate.To analyze the kinetics,the thickness of the carbide layer is measured with respect to heat treatment time and temperature,unveiling a parabolic relationship within the temperature range of 700-1300℃.The estimated activation energy for the reaction is determined to be 179283 J·mol^(-1).These findings offer valuable insights into the synthesis of carbide coatings via MSS,facilitating their optimization and enhancing our understanding of their growth mechanisms and properties for various applications.

Wild soybean(Glycine soja)transcription factor GsWRKY40 plays positive roles in plant salt tolerance

Wild soybean(Glycine soja),a relative of cultivated soybean,shows high adaptability to adverse environmental conditions.We identified and characterized a wild soybean transcription factor gene,GsWRKY40,that promotes plant salt stress.GsWRKY40 was highly expressed in wild soybean roots and was up-regulated by salt treatment.GsWRKY40 was localized in nucleus and demonstrated DNA-binding activities but without transcriptional activation.Mutation and overexpression of GsWRKY40 altered salt tolerance of Arabidopsis plants.To understand the molecular mechanism of GsWRKY40 in regulating plant salt resistance,we screened a cDNA library and identified a GsWRKY40 interacting protein GsbHLH92 by using yeast two-hybrid approach.The physical interaction of GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation(co-IP),GST pull-down,and bimolecular fluorescence complementation(BiFC)techniques.Intriguingly,co-overexpression of GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 resulted in higher salt tolerance and lower ROS levels than overexpression of GsWRKY40 or GsbHLH92 in composite soybean plants,suggesting that GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 may synergistically regulate plant salt resistance through inhibiting ROS production.qRT-PCR data indicated that the expression level of GmSPOD1 gene encoding peroxidase was cooperatively regulated by GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92,which was confirmed by using a dual luciferase report system and yeast one-hybrid experiment.Our study reveals a pathway that GsWRKY40 and GsbHLH92 collaboratively up-regulate plant salt resistance through impeding GmSPOD1 expression and reducing ROS levels,providing a novel perspective on the regulatory mechanisms underlying plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.

Dynamic simulation analysis of molten salt reactor-coupled air-steam combined cycle power generation system

A nonlinear dynamic simulation model based on coordinated control of speed and flow rate for the molten salt reactor and combined cycle systems is proposed here to ensure the coordination and stability between the molten salt reactor and power system.This model considers the impact of thermal properties of fluid variation on accuracy and has been validated with Simulink.This study reveals the capability of the control system to compensate for anomalous situations and maintain shaft stability in the event of perturbations occurring in high-temperature molten salt tank outlet parameters.Meanwhile,the control system’s impact on the system’s dynamic characteristics under molten salt disturbance is also analyzed.The results reveal that after the disturbance occurs,the controlled system benefits from the action of the control,and the overshoot and disturbance amplitude are positively correlated,while the system power and frequency eventually return to the initial values.This simulation model provides a basis for utilizing molten salt reactors for power generation and maintaining grid stability.

Etching Mechanism of Ti_(3)C_(2)Cl_(2) MXene Phases by CuCl_(2)-Lewis Molten Salt Method

We described a method for obtaining fluorine-free Ti_(3)C_(2)Cl_(2)MXene phases by melting copper in CuCl_(2)instead of aluminum in Ti_(3)AlC_(2).XRD results show that when molten salt CuCl_(2)etches Ti_(3)AlC_(2),it forms an intermediate product Ti_(3)CuC_(2),and then reacts with Ti_(3)CuC_(2)to obtain Ti_(3)C_(2)Cl_(2).The reaction of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)and CuCl_(2)at a temperature of 800℃for 2 h to obtain Ti_(3)C_(2)Cl_(2)with an optimal lamellar structure is shown in SEM results.The pseudopotential plane-wave(PP-PW)method is used to calculate on the electronic structure.The etching mechanism is investigated by the total energies of each substance.The chemical reaction of Ti_(3)AlC_(2)and CuCl_(2)will first become Ti_(3)CuC_(2)and Cu,and then become Ti_(3)C_(2)Cl_(2)during the Lewis acid etching process,which are consistent with the experimental results.

Fatigue properties and damage constitutive model of salt rock based on CT scanning

To investigate the macroscopic fatigue properties and the mesoscopic pore evolution characteristics of salt rock under cyclic loading,fatigue tests under different upper-limit stresses were carried out on salt rock,and the mesoscopic pore structures of salt rock before and after fatigue tests and under different cycle numbers were measured using CT scanning instrument.Based on the test results,the effects of the cycle number and the upper-limit stress on the evolution of cracks,pore morphology,pore number,pore volume,pore size,plane porosity,and volume porosity of salt rock were analyzed.The failure path of salt rock specimens under cyclic loading was analyzed using the distribution law of plane porosity.The damage variable of salt rock under cyclic loading was defined on basis of the variation of volume porosity with cycle number.In order to describe the fatigue deformation behavior of salt rock under cyclic loading,the nonlinear Burgers damage constitutive model was further established.The results show that the model established can better reflect the whole development process of fatigue deformation of salt rock under cyclic loading.

Genetic analysis and candidate gene identification of salt tolerancerelated traits in maize

Soil salinization poses a threat to maize production worldwide,but the genetic mechanism of salt tolerance in maize is not well understood.Therefore,identifying the genetic components underlying salt tolerance in maize is of great importance.In the current study,a teosinte-maize BC2F7 population was used to investigate the genetic basis of 21 salt tolerance-related traits.In total,125 QTLs were detected using a high-density genetic bin map,with one to five QTLs explaining 6.05–32.02%of the phenotypic variation for each trait.The total phenotypic variation explained(PVE)by all detected QTLs ranged from 6.84 to 63.88%for each trait.Of all 125 QTLs,only three were major QTLs distributed in two genomic regions on chromosome 6,which were involved in three salt tolerance-related traits.In addition,10 pairs of epistatic QTLs with additive effects were detected for eight traits,explaining 0.9 to 4.44%of the phenotypic variation.Furthermore,18 QTL hotspots affecting 3–7 traits were identified.In one hotspot(L5),a gene cluster consisting of four genes(ZmNSA1,SAG6,ZmCLCg,and ZmHKT1;2)was found,suggesting the involvement of multiple pleiotropic genes.Finally,two important candidate genes,Zm00001d002090 and Zm00001d002391,were found to be associated with salt tolerance-related traits by a combination of linkage and marker-trait association analyses.Zm00001d002090 encodes a calcium-dependent lipid-binding(CaLB domain)family protein,which may function as a Ca^(2+)sensor for transmitting the salt stress signal downstream,while Zm00001d002391 encodes a ubiquitin-specific protease belonging to the C19-related subfamily.Our findings provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of salt tolerance-related traits in maize and a theoretical foundation for breeders to develop enhanced salt-tolerant maize varieties.

Ionization Engineering of Hydrogels Enables Highly Efficient Salt‑Impeded Solar Evaporation and Night‑Time Electricity Harvesting

Interfacial solar evaporation holds immense potential for brine desalination with low carbon footprints and high energy utilization.Hydrogels,as a tunable material platform from the molecular level to the macroscopic scale,have been considered the most promising candidate for solar evaporation.However,the simultaneous achievement of high evaporation efficiency and satisfactory tolerance to salt ions in brine remains a challenging scientific bottleneck,restricting the widespread application.Herein,we report ionization engineering,which endows polymer chains of hydrogels with electronegativity for impeding salt ions and activating water molecules,fundamentally overcoming the hydrogel salt-impeded challenge and dramatically expediting water evaporating in brine.The sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate-modified carbon black is chosen as the solar absorbers.The hydrogel reaches a ground-breaking evaporation rate of 2.9 kg m−2 h−1 in 20 wt%brine with 95.6%efficiency under one sun irradiation,surpassing most of the reported literature.More notably,such a hydrogel-based evaporator enables extracting clean water from oversaturated salt solutions and maintains durability under different high-strength deformation or a 15-day continuous operation.Meantime,on the basis of the cation selectivity induced by the electronegativity,we first propose an all-day system that evaporates during the day and generates salinity-gradient electricity using waste-evaporated brine at night,anticipating pioneer a new opportunity for all-day resource-generating systems in fields of freshwater and electricity.

Melatonin Alleviates Abscisic Acid Deficiency Inhibition on Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Systems in Rice under Salt Stress

Melatonin and abscisic acid,as major plant hormones,play important roles in the physiological and biochemical activities of crops,but the interaction between the two under salt stress is not yet clear.This study investigated the endogenous levels of melatonin and abscisic acid in rice by using exogenous melatonin,abscisic acid,and their synthetic inhibitors,and examined their interactions under salt stress.The research results indicate that melatonin and abscisic acid can improve rice salt tolerance.Melatonin alleviated the salt sensitivity caused by abscisic acid deficiency,increased antioxidant enzyme activity and antioxidant content in rice treated with abscisic acid synth-esis inhibitors,and reduced total reactive oxygen species content and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance accu-mulation.Melatonin also increased the activity of key photosynthetic enzymes and the content of photosynthetic pigments,maintaining the parameters of photosynthetic gas exchange and chlorophyllfluorescence.In summary,melatonin alleviated the effects of abscisic acid deficiency on photosynthesis and antioxidant systems in rice and improved salt tolerance.This study is beneficial for expanding the understanding of melatonin regulation of crop salt tolerance.

Effects of conductive agent type on lithium extraction from salt lake brine with LiFePO_(4) electrodes

Electrochemical lithium extraction from salt lakes is an effective strategy for obtaining lithium at a low cost.Nevertheless,the elevated Mg:Li ratio and the presence of numerous coexisting ions in salt lake brines give rise to challenges,such as prolonged lithium extraction periods,diminished lithium extraction efficiency,and considerable environmental pollution.In this work,Li FePO4(LFP)served as the electrode material for electrochemical lithium extraction.The conductive network in the LFP electrode was optimized by adjusting the type of conductive agent.This approach resulted in high lithium extraction efficiency and extended cycle life.When the single conductive agent of acetylene black(AB)or multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs)was replaced with the mixed conductive agent of AB/MWCNTs,the average diffusion coefficient of Li+in the electrode increased from 2.35×10^(-9)or 1.77×10^(-9)to 4.21×10^(-9)cm^(2)·s^(-1).At the current density of 20 mA·g^(-1),the average lithium extraction capacity per gram of LFP electrode increased from 30.36 mg with the single conductive agent(AB)to 35.62 mg with the mixed conductive agent(AB/MWCNTs).When the mixed conductive agent was used,the capacity retention of the electrode after 30 cycles reached 82.9%,which was considerably higher than the capacity retention of 65.8%obtained when the single AB was utilized.Meanwhile,the electrode with mixed conductive agent of AB/MWCNTs provided good cycling performance.When the conductive agent content decreased or the loading capacity increased,the electrode containing the mixed conductive agent continued to show excellent electrochemical performance.Furthermore,a self-designed,highly efficient,continuous lithium extraction device was constructed.The electrode utilizing the AB/MWCNT mixed conductive agent maintained excellent adsorption capacity and cycling performance in this device.This work provides a new perspective for the electrochemical extraction of lithium using LFP electrodes.

Preliminary safety analysis for heavy water-moderated molten salt reactor

The heavy water-moderated molten salt reactor(HWMSR)is a newly proposed reactor concept,in which heavy water is adopted as the moderator and molten salt dissolved with fissile and fertile elements is used as the fuel.Issues arising from graphite in traditional molten salt reactors,including the positive temperature coefficient and management of highly radio-active spent graphite waste,can be addressed using the HWMSR.Until now,research on the HWMSR has been centered on the core design and nuclear fuel cycle to explore the viability of the HWMSR and its advantages in fuel utilization.However,the core safety of the HWMSR has not been extensively studied.Therefore,we evaluate typical accidents in a small modular HWMSR,including fuel salt inlet temperature overcooling and overheating accidents,fuel salt inlet flow rate decrease,heavy water inlet temperature overcooling accidents,and heavy water inlet mass flow rate decrease accidents,based on a neutronics and thermal-hydraulics coupled code.The results demonstrated that the core maintained safety during the investigated accidents.