China's First Plasma Pyrolysis System for Solid Waste Set for Trial Operation

A research team from the Institute of Mechanics, CAS has recently succeeded in developing China's first plasma pyrolysis system for destruction of solid chemical wastes. By using the state-of-art torch and reactor technology in China, the system has a lot of advantages over the traditional waste incineration treatment. Its gas and hydrogen chloride discharges are well within the limit of national emission standards. The system could also convert organic wastes into commercially useful by-products like acids without producing toxic substance such as dioxin. In this device with significant environmental and economic benefits, the plasma arc can create a temperature up to 7,000 degrees Celsius in its center. Meanwhile, the temperature of the plasma reactor can be adjusted within the limit of 3,000 degrees Celsius. Besides, the device does not produce liquid waste during the treatment processes. Moreover, it operates at low cost of less than 1,000 RMB yuan for process one ton of wastes.

The apparatus passed the acceptance and check and was thrown into trial operation recently.

Ultra-short Optical Pulse Fiber Laser System ?to be Put into Application Soon

A research team from the Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, CAS successfully fulfilled a research project entitled “Ultra-short Optical Pulse Fiber Laser System with High Power and Multiple Usage”, which passed the acceptance check on Dec. 22, 2006.
The technology to generate ultra-short ultra-high intense laser with all-fiber structure is of utmost importance for studies on the ultra-fast laser in the world in future. In some research fields, the ultra-short ultra-high intense pulse fiber laser with picojoule energy can replace the traditional titanium doped sapphire laser and amplifier. It shows significant value of application in fields such as industrial material processing, micro photon device manufacture, optical information technology, biomedicine, etc. For the time being, two invention patents have been applied and two patent rights for utility models have been granted.

The system adopting the all-fiber structure is characterized by high integration, high density, high stability and high efficiency but low power consumption. It is mobile, easy to use and free from the need for water-cooling. It can export laser with multiple wavelength ranging from 1.05μm, 527nm to 263nm and adjust the pulse width in a wide extension varying from nanosecond, picosecond to femtosecond. So, it enjoys multiple usages and has been applied in the scientific research practices.

Breakthrough in Research on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell

On Dec. 20, 2006, a research team from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, CAS announced a breakthrough in research on the solid oxide fuel cell: they are now able to cascade in series 300 pieces of “ceramic cells”, whose power meets the demand of an ordinary family. Research Fellow Wang Shaorong, leader of the team, showed a ceramic cell chip with a size of only 10 cm2. The key interlayer of the chip is a piece of special ceramic material mainly comprising zirconia. It is 0.015 mm thick, even thinner than that of a piece of paper. According to Mr. Wang, a piece of ceramic cell has the power ranging from 12 to 14 watts. If 60 pieces of such cells are couched and sealed in a cubic form with a size similar to that of a “thermos bottle”, they will generate around 800-watt power. Then, a battery unit consisting of 5 “thermos bottle”-sized piles cascaded in series will eventually produce 300-volt pressure and 4000-watt power, providing enough power for two or three air conditioners’ operation. The device is expected to be favorably used for houses.