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The article describes the major stages and the evolution of the research in the sphere of sustainability of economic entities (units), defines the relationship between sustainable development and changes in the key elements of an organization’s business processes, identifies the peculiarities of sustainable development of economic units belonging to different levels and their interdependence. The author analyses the basic approaches to giving definitions of sustainability in political economy, system analysis and in applied economics, singles out their similarities and objective differences. The article mainly focuses on defining sustainability ofa business entity as a primary element of national economy. It compares major features and factors of ensuring the sustainability including the consistency of strategic changes in different elements of production and business processes, monitoring of changes in close and distant environment of an economic entity, using the best practices of business partners, the analysis of support of long-term innovations by current changes which ensure the elimination of losses and sustainable cost reduction on the basis of resource-efficient development. Special emphasis is put on integration factors of ensuring the sustainability. The author proves that to ensure the sustainability consistent changes resulting in a synergistic effect are required.

The purification of industrial and surface wastewater from heavy metal ions (HMI) to requirements for the discharge of treated wastewater into natural waters is one of the most complicated environmental and technological problems. For the deep purification of waste water from the HMI, the use of cheap sorbents obtained from production waste is the most promising. One of the many-tonnage wastes of technology of inorganic substances is the sludge formed in the production of soda by the ammonia Solvay, s method. Currently, sludge is stored in sludge accumulators and is a long-term source of pollution of environmental objects. Scientific developments in the utilization of slimes with the production of building materials, etc., have not found wide practical use, which is due to the heterogeneity of the granulometric and chemical composition of the waste. Carried out X-ray phase analysis and studies of the physicochemical and chemical properties of waste samples showed that its main components are calcium carbonate (calcite) and calcium hydroxide (portlandite). It is known that the natural mineral limestone efficiently extracts HMI from aqueous solutions with the formation of less soluble basic salts, carbonates, and hydroxy carbonates of HM. It has been established that sludge samples have high sorption activity when copper(II) and zinc ions are extracted from low concentrated solutions (sorption capacity for copper ions is 35.0 mg/g, sorption capacity for zinc ions is 40 mg/g). To increase the operational properties, a method has been developed for the production of a modified granular sorbent based on the sludge of soda production, consisting in treating with sodium silicate. The effect of a dose of sodium silicate in the sorbent composition on the mechanical strength and sorption properties of the obtained samples was studied. It has been established that the introduction of 8,6% SiO2 into the sludge leads to an increase in the mechanical strength by 50–80%, and does not have a significant effect on the sorption activity of the material. The kinetic and sorption regularities of extraction of copper(II) ions and zinc on modified sorbents are revealed. Based on the analysis of the adsorption isotherms obtained, the adsorption equilibrium constants and maximum adsorption values (Amax (Cu2+) = 50.8 mg/g; Amax (Zn2+) = 97.1 mg/g) were determined. Obtained sorption materials can be recommended for wastewater treatment from HMI.

Climate change in the world is affecting the growing shortage of fresh water. States in the Mediterranean region that have already experienced the effects of these changes need to take the climate factor into account when managing water resources. Using the example of the Republic of Cyprus, specific adaptation measures were studied and evaluated on the basis of their effectiveness, sustainability in the face of climate change uncertainty and their sustainability in the environmental, socio-economic sectors, as well as potential barriers and risks associated with the implementation of adaptation. The presented review showed that many of the measures taken, which are considered to address the impact of climate change on water resources, increase the adaptive capacity of the water sector, but its overall vulnerability remains high, as water demand is still not met in certain areas and / or for certain uses during a drought.

The article is devoted to the solution of a complex of problems that arise in small and medium-scale treatment complexes, gas production plants and small and medium-capacity power plants associated with the processing of crude methane and the possibility of reducing the greenhouse effect.The economic feasibility of the development of fuel cells (FC) on raw biomethane was demonstrated by the authors in previous publications.The specificity of the solution of problems is focused on small and medium-scale treatment complexes, gas production plants and small and medium power plants.The aim of the study is to show the possibility of solving a multicomponent task of developing fuel cells, including the experimental determination of the actual use of sodium formate as a reducing agent for the production of electricity in a fuel cell (FC).Results are the following: the possibility of solving the issues of reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere during processing of waste products of human vital activity is proved. A method for converting methane and carbon dioxide emissions into useful products is shown. Статья посвящена решению комплекса проблем, которые возникают на малых и средних очистных комплексах, заводах по производству газа и электростанциях малой и средней мощности, связанных с переработкой сырого метана и возможности уменьшения парникового эффекта.Экономическая целесообразность разработки топливных ячеек (ТЯ) на сыром биометане была показана авторами в прежних публикациях.Специфика решения задач ориентированна на малые и средние очистные комплексы, заводы по производству газа и электростанции малой и средней мощности.Цель исследования показать возможность решения многокомпонентной задачи развития топливных ячеек, включая экспериментальное определение реального использования формиата натрия в качестве восстановителя для производства электроэнергии в топливном элементе (ТЭ).Результаты доказана возможность решения вопросов снижения выбросов парниковых газов в атмосферу при переработке отходов продуктов жизнедеятельности человека. Показан способ преобразования выбросов метана и двуокиси углерода в полезные продукты. №5 (227) (2017)

The relevance of the research is caused by the need to involve renewable biomass (in particular, peat) to generate heat and electrical energy. This will partially solve the problem of resource-deficient regions, depending on the supply of fuel from developed coal deposits. The main aim of the research is the investigation of thermal characteristics and the mineral matter of the peat of a number of large deposits of the Tomsk region to assess the possibility of their energy use. Objects of researches are the samples of low-moor peat from Sukhovskoye and Arkadyevskoye deposits and one of the Tomsk region deposits. Methods. Thermal characteristics of the studied samples were determined according to GOST 33503-2015 (ISO 11722:2013), 55661-2013 (ISO 1171:2010), 55660-2013 (ISO 562:2010). Net calorific values of the peats were determined in the ABK-1 calorimeter (Russia), the elemental composition of the organic matter was determined using the analyzer Vario Micro Cube (Elementar, Germany). Peat mineral matter composition was studied by X-ray fluorescence analysis using an EDX-720-P spectrometer (Shimadzu, Japan) as well as by X-ray diffractometry using a Shimadzu XRD7000 diffractometer (CuKα-radiation) with a Shimadzu CM-3121 monochromator counter. Typical ash melting points were determined according to GOST 2057-94 (ISO 540-81). The structure of the samples under study was examined by scanning electron microscopy using a TM 3000 electron microscope (Hitachi, Japan). Results. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that, due to the high ash content, the use of okolotomsky peat for chamber-type combustion is impractical. However, this resource can be considered as a mineral fertilizer in agriculture due to the presence of such elements as phosphorus, potassium. The high content of carbonates indicates the possibility of its using as an additive to high-sulfur coal to reduce emissions of sulfur oxide SOx. The characteristics of sukhovskoу and аrkadyevsky peat make it possible to consider them as an alternative to imported fuel. The preferred method of energy use of peat from Tomsk region fields is its combustion in a fluidized bed.

The modern urban policy sets rather complex challenges connected with simultaneous depreciation of finished goods, works acceleration, improvement of design decisions, and also with improvement of quality, reliability and availability of housing for construction branch. Standard constructive solutions of elements now in use of the building are rather well studied and have an application vast experience in housing construction. In the Republic of Bashkortostan the greatest distribution was gained by constructive solutions of elements of the building, classical for mass housing construction, in particular, standard options of overlappings and coverings from monolithic and precast concrete concern to them. Well-known shortcomings of these versions of decisions can be compensated, realizing overlappings from assembly and monolithic the keramzitobetonnykh of blocks, to conforming all requirements for reliability and the heat-shielding allowing to receive the qualitative bearing building element with an optimum level of expenses and time in climatic conditions of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The proposed solutions will allow to reduce costs of 1 sq.m of overlapping to 1,5 2 times, to lose volume weight to 1,5-2 times of rather classical options from monolithic and precast concrete. The given results of the technical and economic analysis of the recommended options of overlappings (coverings) show their high efficiency and availability to projects of housing construction, including to the socially oriented housing financed from budgets of all levels. Современная градостроительная политика ставит перед строительной отраслью достаточно сложные задачи, связанные с одновременным снижением стоимости готовой продукции, ускорением производства работ, совершенствованием проектных решений, а также с повышением качества, надежности и доступности жилья. Используемые в настоящее время типовые конструктивные решения элементов здания достаточно хорошо изучены и имеют богатый опыт применения в жилищном строительстве. В Республике Башкортостан наибольшее распространение получили классические для массового жилищного строительства конструктивные решения элементов здания, в частности, к ним относятся типовые варианты перекрытий и покрытий из монолитного и сборного железобетона. Хорошо известные недостатки этих вариантов решений можно компенсировать, реализуя перекрытия из сборно-монолитных керамзитобетонных блоков, позволяющие получать качественный несущий элемент здания с оптимальным уровнем затрат и времени, соответствующие всем требованиям по надежности и теплозащиты в природно-климатических условиях Республики Башкортостан. Предлагаемые решения позволят сократить затраты на 1 м 2 перекрытия до 1,5 - 2 раз, снизить объемный вес до 1,5-2 раз относительно классических вариантов из монолитного и сборного железобетона. Приведенные результаты технико-экономического анализа рекомендованных вариантов перекрытий (покрытий) показывают их высокую эффективность и доступность для проектов жилищного строительства, в том числе для социально-ориентированного жилья, финансируемого из бюджетов всех уровней.

The analysis of scientific works shows that the development of technology is ahead of the level of development of energy management. There are no clear comparisons of the energy efficiency of electrical technologies and heat technologies. Objective indicators of energy efficiency in various technologies of dehydration of raw materials not developed yet. In that article assumed that objective results for comparing energy efficiency in the processing of raw materials is obtained by the basis of system analysis of the entire energy conversion chain from fuel to finished product. The purpose of the work is experimentally proving the objectivity of this hypothesis. To achieve this goal, it is proposing to use the indicator of the energy share of fuel in the finished product and the amount of moisture removed when burning 1 kg of fuel, which does not depend on fluctuations in energy prices, which can vary and differ for different countries. The most important result of the work is the comparison of these parameters with the data for innovative equipment samples developed by the authors. The significance of the results obtained is that the evaporating devices developed by the authors are not inferior in efficiency to traditional ones, and make it possible to obtain concentrates up to 90 ° brix. Thus, for fuels with an oil equivalent of 40 MJ per 1 kg, traditional dryers can remove no more than 3 kg of moisture, cryoconcentrators – 20 kg.

The article presents the optimization method of load division between combined heat and power plant units. The method used the power unit division into functioning parts and the differentialexergy method. This method allowed presenting the unit as a structural diagram where exergetic subsystems are fuel supply, steam generator, turbine, generator and electrical equipment, water supply and regeneration, heat supply to the consumer. The differential-exergy method was based on a combination of exergy analysis and optimization method of economic efficiency criteria using uncertain Lagrange multipliers. The use of the exergy function of goal allowed avoiding the problem of division of fuel costs for each type of product that was important at optimization. The optimization criterion, its parameters and limitations were developed as well. These parameters can extend traditional technical and economic analysis of the combined heat and power plants operating mode, as they take into account thermodynamically rigorous division of fuel costs between heat and electric power at their complex production on the combined heat and power plants. The use of the differentialexergy method in optimizing the load distribution of the power units of the combined heat and power plants makes possible obtaining of fuel savings of 1.5 to 3%. It has been shown that if the parameters of power units deteriorate, the application of the method makes it possible to have the best performance of the power plant when it is compared with functioning of combined heat and power units at proportional loading.

The article deals with the issues of sustainable development of rural areas in Russia and directions for the modernization of the rural economy. The changes in the functions of rural areas in terms of the demographic crisis and economic restructuring are shown in the paper. The article contains an analysis of the potential development of the rural areas. The possible directions of the state policy in the field of rural entrepreneurship are presented in the article. В статье исследуются вопросы устойчивого развития сельских территорий России и направления модернизации сельской экономики. Рассмотрено изменение функций сельских территорий в условиях демографического кризиса и структурной перестройки экономики. Проведен анализ потенциала развития сельских территорий. Представлены возможные направления государственной политики в области поддержки сельского предпринимательства.