A Study of Annoyance Caused by Low-Frequency Noise During Mental Work

This article presents the results of an analysis of annoyance caused by low-frequency noise (including infrasonic noise) that occurs at work stations located in offices. The tests covered measurements of acoustic parameters specific for this type of noise and a survey conducted in the working environment and in laboratory conditions at a model of a work station.     

A study of annoyance caused by low-frequency noise during mental work.

This article presents the results of an analysis of annoyance caused by low-frequency noise (including infrasonic noise) that occurs at work stations located in offices. The tests covered measurements of acoustic parameters specific for this type of noise and a survey conducted in the working environment and in laboratory conditions at a model of a work station.     

Subjective Annoyance Response to Diesel Engine Sound During Idling Conditions

Subjective annoyance response to diesel engine sound during idling conditions was evaluated by 80 participants. Eight different sound spectra were presented to the participants at a constant level of 80 dB(A) in a paired comparison procedure. Stereo-recorded sound stimuli were played back through a pair of loudspeakers in an anechoic room. Four objective parameters of loudness, sharpness, impulsiveness, and roughness were found to be the determining factors that cause subjective annoyance. An annoyance prediction model for the test stimuli of an idling diesel engine was developed on the basis of these factors. The objective parameters and their interactions have a significant effect on the annoyance prediction model. The spectral distribution indicated by test participants to be pleasant can be used as a basis for appropriate modification of engine sound. A single microphone measurement in free field conditions can be used to estimate objective parameters for defining the cause of annoyance.     

Structural equation model of the influence of noise annoyance on miners’ unsafe behavior in coal mines

Miners' unsafe behavior (UB) is the main cause of coal mine accidents. Previous research has suggested that excessive noise in tunnels impacts miners' temperaments and safe production behavior. To explore the influence of noise on UB, four different dimensions of noise annoyance were identified: cognitive, emotional, communication, and physical mechanism annoyance. The coal mine noise annoyance scale, miners' unsafe behavior intention (UBI) scale, and miners’ UB scale were developed according to different dimensions. In the first survey, a total of 200 questionnaires were distributed in the two coal mines, and 193 valid questionnaires were recovered. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and invalid items were removed according to the analysis results to form the final scale. Then, 500 final scales were distributed in two Chinese coal mines, and 482 valid questionnaires were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted by collating the data of the second questionnaire. Based upon the structural equation model (SEM), the SEM of the influence of noise annoyance degree on UB and the path analysis with latent variable path analysis with the latent variables (PA-LVs) mediating model of the effect of UBI on UB were established, and the path coefficients with fitting data of the model were analyzed. The results indicated that the four dimensions of coal mine noise annoyance had a strong positive impact on UB, which was reduced by less noise annoyance. In addition, the Bootstrap method was used to verify the mediating method among the four dimensions of noise annoyance, cognitive annoyance, emotional annoyance, with communication annoyance indirectly affecting UB through UBI. The research results provide theoretical support for reducing the UB of miners and improving coal mine safety levels.     

高海拔矿井风机气动噪声数值模拟及实验研究

为研究高海拔矿井风机气动噪声规律，建立小型轴流风机三维物理模型，利用CFD软件对环境气压分别为1，0.9，0.8，0.7，0.6及0.5 atm时的风机模型进行定常模拟、非定常模拟及噪声计算，并通过自主设计的压变实验装置对上述不同环境气压条件下风机转数分别为500，1 000，1 500和2 000 rpm时的风机噪声进行测试，分析风机叶片附近监测点噪声频谱曲线及压变环境风机噪声实验数据，结果表明:风机转数和环境气压是影响风机气动噪声的2个重要因素；环境气压P一定时，风机转数n越大，各频率下的风机气动噪声声压级SPL越大，且风机噪声总声压级Lp和平均声压级Lavg均随风机转数n的增大呈对数函数增加；风机转数n不变时，随着海拔高度的升高，环境气压P降低，各频段下风机气动噪声声压级SPL均将减小，且风机噪声总声压级Lp和平均声压级Lavg随环境气压值P的降低呈线性函数减小，环境气压每降低0.1 atm，二者分别降低1.47和1.29 dB。     

井下有限空间内作业人员噪声危害调查

为研究煤矿井下环境相对封闭、空间相对有限的情况下,噪声对作业人员的影响及危害,通过问卷调查的形式,分别对开滦集团东欢坨及荆各庄2煤矿井下5个不同作业区人员进行了共计200份的噪声危害问卷调查。将问卷调查结果通过SPSS软件进行统计与分析,并将SPSS分析得到的数据用于分析井下噪声对作业人员的影响及危害,归纳出噪声对作业人员的影响因素,并对噪声、影响因素及症状之间建立了井下噪声对作业人员影响的理论关系模型。结果表明:在井下有限空间内,噪声对作业人员的危害最严重的症状是耳鸣,危害最轻的症状是畏惧感;参与调查的多为年龄较大、工龄较长的作业人员,噪声对工龄较长者的危害程度要大于对年龄较大者,且工龄与噪声危害之间存在Pearson相关性系数大于0的正相关关系。     

Analysis of noise pollution in an andesite quarry with the use of simulation studies and evaluation indices

This paper presents the verification of two partial indices proposed for the evaluation of continuous and impulse noise pollution in quarries. These indices, together with the sound power of machines index and the noise hazard index at the workstation, are components of the global index of assessment of noise hazard in the working environment of a quarry. This paper shows the results of acoustic tests carried out in an andesite quarry. Noise generated by machines and from performed blasting works was investigated. On the basis of acoustic measurements carried out in real conditions, the sound power levels of machines and the phenomenon of explosion were determined and, based on the results, three-dimensional models of acoustic noise propagation in the quarry were developed. To assess the degree of noise pollution in the area of the quarry, the continuous and impulse noise indices were used.     

微穿孔板吸声结构设计参数研究进展

为推进健康城市防噪降噪工作,预防和减少噪声污染对人们健康产生的危害和不良影响,研究声学材料-微穿孔板吸声结构设计参数对降噪防噪的促进作用。首先,采用文献综述方法,以传统微穿孔板基本理论和基本特性为基础,根据国内外研究现状,按照改变板结构、微孔结构和空腔结构等设计参数进行分类;其次,分析不同改变方式对微穿孔板吸声性能的影响;最后,归纳总结可提升微穿孔板降噪功效的不同方法。研究结果表明:合理改变微穿孔板吸声结构设计参数是预防和改善噪声污染的有效方法,研究结果可为健康城市防噪降噪工作提供参考依据及理论支撑。     

Determining Attenuation of Impulse Noise With an Electrical Equivalent of a Hearing Protection Device

Determining the effectiveness of impulse noise attenuation with hearing protection devices (HPDs) is an important part of their selection. Measuring impulse noise parameters under an HPD would involve exposing subjects to impulses with a high peak sound pressure level. This paper presents a computational method of determining impulse noise parameters under the cups of earmuffs. Calculations are done using the transfer function of earmuffs, determined with Shaw’s electrical equivalent of an HPD, taking into account the design parameters of earmuffs. The developed method was used for calculations in the presence of impulse noise generated by gunshots. To verify the computational method, the results of these calculations were compared with the results of measurements.     

Towards more effective methods for changing perceptions of noise in the workplace

This research examined the intervention effects of a simple one-hour training session designed to raise the awareness of noise as a workplace hazard in conjunction with general safety perceptions and attitudes in the workplace. Several sessions were conducted for two organizations, at different locations. Control groups were also employed with both organizations. Participants were questioned using a ‘safety climate’ questionnaire and a ‘noise at work’ questionnaire. The results indicated that awareness of noise as a workplace hazard can be significantly increased with a simple intervention.     

Influence assessment of inlet parameters on thermal risk and productivity: Application to the epoxidation of vegetable oils

The influence of inlet parameters on the production and thermal risk of complex chemical systems can be cumbersome to evaluate. To determine the optimum safe operating conditions, one needs to solve complex differential equations derived from energy and material balances. This robust approach cannot be made on-site, and it is essential to propose simplest tools to evaluate rapidly the performance and safety of some operating conditions. This is the aim of this paper that establishes explicit relationships between the production and thermal risk parameters, and the inlet parameters. In addition, it also proposes a Pareto chart that can be used to make the tradeoff between safety and performance. Such relationships and chart were developed for the production of epoxidized cottonseed oil under isoperibolic and semi-batch mode. The kinetic model developed by Zheng et (Zheng et al., 2016). was used. First, a numerical approach, i.e., least square method, was used to find explicit relationships between thermal risk parameters, production parameters and six inlet parameters. The use of such an approach allows a better understanding of this process. Second, safety and performance indicators are proposed and discussed to evaluate the operating conditions thanks to a simple and intuitive schema. Besides, this approach can be used to find the optimum conditions more rapidly.     

噪声对安全注意力影响实验研究

为了研究作业环境中噪声因素对人的安全注意力的影响,对安全注意力类型及品质特征进行分析,建立安全注意力水平模型。设计噪声条件下的安全注意力水平测量实验,通过实验中不同噪声环境下人的安全注意力水平变化,分析噪声对人的安全注意力的影响作用。结果表明,噪声对人的安全注意力具有较为显著的影响作用;安全注意力的广度、稳定性、分配、转移均受噪声影响,安全注意力的稳定性及转移随噪声的增大而降低;当噪声值大于60 dB、70 dB时,噪声对安全注意力的广度及分配的影响较为显著。     

不同火灾规模下隧道水幕线性喷水强度的研究

为了探究火源功率和水幕线性喷水强度对烟气特征参数和水幕阻烟隔热能力的影响，以全尺寸隧道为研究对象，采用FDS数值模拟方法，还原验证了前人使用的小尺寸模型，研究了20组工况下烟气特征参数变化的规律。研究结果表明:根据相似性原理还原后的全尺寸模型在相同工况下的模拟结果与小尺寸实验基本一致；水幕系统降低遮光率的效果随线性喷水强度增加而增强，当线性喷水强度增至一定程度时，遮光率和隔热效率无明显变化；对于中、大型规模火灾，水幕有效作用时间出现减少的情况；火源功率为5，20，30 MW的小、中、大规模的隧道火灾，综合考虑经济性和水幕效果，建议分别选择水幕的线性喷水强度为8，14，16 L/(s瘙
簚m)。     

孔隙结构对焦碳燃烧影响的数值研究

煤粒在热解过程中,由于不同的加热速度和不同的热解最终温度所产生的孔隙结构也不同,本文建立了多组分并存的情况下,综合考虑化学反应,内外传递过程及颗粒孔结构变化在内的单颗粒焦碳着火燃烧模型,计算出３种不同孔隙结构焦碳的转化率,氧化反应率及比面积的变化,比较了它们之间的差异。     

Evaluation of noise environments during daily activities of university students

Noise conditions specifically in areas inside university facilities and its impact on the quality of life of university students are topics that have received little attention. This paper presents a study of the noise conditions in which university students of various institutions in Madrid, Spain, carry out their daily studies. A representative number of measurements was carried out using noise dosemeters and dataloggers in order to evaluate the levels of noise, noise dose and exposure to noise during school periods and extracurricular activities. The results were compared with the recommendations given by current environmental noise regulations. This paper was complemented with a survey to get to know how students perceive the exposure to noise in university environments.     

MNLR and ANN structural group contribution methods for predicting the flash point temperature of pure compounds in the transportation fuels range

A QSPR method is presented for predicting the flash point temperature (FPT) of pure compounds in the transportation fuels range. A structural group contribution method is used to determine the flash point temperature using two techniques: multivariable nonlinear regression and artificial neural networks. The method was used to probe the structural groups that have significant contribution to the overall FPT of pure compounds and arrive at the set of 37 atom-type structural groups that can best represent the flash point for about 375 substances. The input parameters to the model are the number of occurrence of each of the 37 structural groups in each molecule. The neural network method was the better of the two techniques and can predict the flash point of pure compounds merely from the knowledge of the molecular structure with an overall correlation coefficient of 0.996 and overall average and maximum errors of 1.12% and 6.62%, respectively. The results are compared to the more traditional approach of the SGC method along with other methods in the literature.     

Accuracy of assessing the level of impulse sound from distant sources.

Impulse sound events are characterised by ultra high pressures and low frequencies. Lower frequency sounds are generally less attenuated over a given distance in the atmosphere than higher frequencies. Thus, impulse sounds can be heard over greater distances and will be more affected by the environment. To calculate a long-term average immission level it is necessary to apply weighting factors like the probability of the occurrence of each weather condition during the relevant time period. This means that when measuring impulse noise at a long distance it is necessary to follow environmental parameters in many points along the way sound travels and also to have a database of sound transfer functions in the long term. The paper analyses the uncertainty of immission measurement results of impulse sound from cladding and destroying explosive materials. The influence of environmental conditions on the way sound travels is the focus of this paper.     

纵向通风下坡度隧道火灾烟气特性数值模拟研究

为探讨纵向通风情况下坡度隧道火灾烟气的温度分布、回流长度等特性参数,运用火灾动力学模拟软件FDS建立一个长为500 m的公路隧道模型,对不同坡度、不同纵向通风速率的20组火灾工况进行模拟研究,通过分析各工况的模拟结果,并结合前人在隧道火灾烟气特性研究方面的成果,得到火灾情况下隧道内烟气的纵向温度分布规律、隧道拱顶温度变化规律、温度偏移及烟气回流长度变化规律等。     

Multicriteria ranking of workplaces regarding working conditions in a mining company

Ranking of workplaces with respect to working conditions is very significant for each company. It indicates the positions where employees are most exposed to adverse effects resulting from the working environment, which endangers their health. This article presents the results obtained for 12 different production workplaces in the copper mining and smelting complex RTB Bor – ‘Veliki Krivelj’ open pit, based on six parameters measured regularly which defined the following working environment conditions: air temperature, light, noise, dustiness, chemical hazards and vibrations. The ranking of workplaces has been performed by PROMETHEE/GAIA. Additional optimization of workplaces is done by PROMETHEE V with the given limits related to maximum permitted values for working environment parameters. The obtained results indicate that the most difficult workplace is on the excavation location (excavator operator). This method can be successfully used for solving similar kinds of problems, in order to improve working conditions.