Experimental investigation of spark ignition energy in kerosene,hexane, and hydrogen

Quantifying the risk of accidental ignition of flammable mixtures is extremely important in industry and aviation safety. The concept of a minimum ignition energy (MIE), obtained using a capacitive spark discharge ignition source, has traditionally formed the basis for determining the hazard posed by fuels. While extensive tabulations of historical MIE data exist, there has been little work done on ignition of realistic industrial and aviation fuels, such as gasoline or kerosene. In the current work, spark ignition tests are performed in a gaseous kerosene–air mixture with a liquid fuel temperature of 60 °C and a fixed spark gap of 3.3 mm. The required ignition energy was examined, and a range of spark energies over which there is a probability of ignition is identified and compared with previous test results in Jet A (aviation kerosene). The kerosene results are also compared with ignition test results obtained in previous work for traditional hydrogen-based surrogate mixtures used in safety testing as well as two hexane–air mixtures. Additionally, the statistical nature of spark ignition is discussed.     

The hazards and risks of hydrogen

An analysis was completed of the hazards and risks of hydrogen, compared to the traditional fuel sources of gasoline and natural gas (methane). The study was based entirely on the physical properties of these fuels, and not on any process used to store and extract the energy. The study was motivated by the increased interest in hydrogen as a fuel source for automobiles.The results show that, for flammability hazards, hydrogen has an increased flammability range, a lower ignition energy and a higher deflagration index. For both gasoline and natural gas (methane) the heat of combustion is higher (on a mole basis). Thus, hydrogen has a somewhat higher flammability hazard.The risk is based on probability and consequence. The probability of a fire or explosion is based on the flammability range, the auto-ignition temperature and the minimum ignition energy. In this case, hydrogen has a larger flammability zone and a lower minimum ignition energy—thus the probability of a fire or explosion is higher. The consequence of a fire or explosion is based on the heat of combustion, the maximum pressure during combustion, and the deflagration index. Hydrogen has an increased consequence due to the large value of the deflagration index while gasoline and natural gas (methane) have a higher heat of combustion. Thus, based on physical properties alone, hydrogen poses an increase risk, primarily due to the increased probability of ignition.This study was unable to assess the effects of the increased buoyancy of hydrogen—which might change the probability depending on the actual physical situation.A complete hazard and risk analysis must be completed once the actual equipment for hydrogen storage and energy extraction is specified. This paper discusses the required procedure.     

低压环境对N2和O2在航空煤油中溶解度的影响

主要研究低压环境下,压力、温度对氮气和氧气分别在航空煤油中溶解度的影响。实验装置包括除气装置、吸气平衡装置以及称重装置。由实验结果可知：压力在0MPa～0.1MPa,温度为293.15K,303.15K,313.15K时,氮气和氧气分别在航空煤油中的溶解度与压力呈线性关系、与温度呈非线性关系;氮气在航空煤油中的溶解度受压力的影响比氧气的小,受温度的影响比氧气的大;氧气在航空煤油中的溶解度比氮气的大。     

中国民航的安全文化建设(之一)

安全是民航永恒的主题 ,民航安全的重要基础是民航安全文化。首先 ,笔者论述了安全文化建设对民航安全的决定性作用 ;回顾了中国民航 5 0年安全思想的发展历程 ,揭示了中国民航安全形势的长期、中期和短期趋势与安全文化建设波动的对应关系。又从现代系统科学的角度 ,对中国民航安全文化建设的实践作了进一步的理论概括。最后 ,针对中国民航当前存在的认识问题 ,论述了东、西方文化特征在民航安全文化中的体现 ,并提出了大力弘扬东方文化传统 ,积极吸取西方安全科学技术成果 ,推进民航安全文化建设的原则建议。     

外界辐射热对浸油沙层着火特性影响研究

通过实验研究了施加辐射热后浸油沙层的着火特性.实验中使用柴油为燃料,沙层为多孔介质,自制的施加辐射热测量闪点和燃点的设备,研究了施加辐射热后,沙油质量比、沙粒直径以及外界辐射热通量对浸油沙层着火特性的影响.结果表明,沙粒直径及沙油质量比不变,随着辐射热通量的增大,浸油沙层的闪点、燃点降低到某一值后不再变化;施加辐射热通量,浸油沙层的闪点、燃点随沙油质量比的增加而升高,不再出现闪点和燃点的最小值点;沙粒直径对浸油沙层的闪点和燃点有影响.     

导热性能对浸油沙层闪点、燃点的影响研究

研究了浸油沙层的导热性能对浸油沙层闪点和燃点的影响。选用柴油作为燃料液体,铜粉和沙子的混合物代表沙层,浸油沙层的导热系数由混合物中的沙子和铜粉比例控制。实验结果表明,浸油沙层的导热性能对其着火特性有重要影响。不加铜粉时,存在一个使混合物的闪点与燃点最小的沙油质量比。随着铜粉添加量的增加,闪点与燃点的最小值点逐渐消失。这可能是加入细铜粉使混合物的表面平整造成的。在最小点后,随铜粉添加量的增加,也就是随混合物的导热性能的改善,混合物的闪点与燃点增大。但当沙子与铜粉的质量比达到1：1时,闪点与燃点随沙油质量比的变化出现了一个最大值,之后闪点和燃点随沙油质量比的增加而降低。这些现象的出现可能是导热能力、毛细现象和混合物内部的空隙三者共同作用的结果。     

Flammability hazard analysis of imidazolium-based ionic liquid binary mixtures under high temperatures

Ionic liquid (IL) mixtures are promising because they can optimize the involved properties according to industrial needs. It has already been demonstrated that IL flammability is due mainly to IL decomposition generating flammable substances. Four different ILs, 1-Butylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BIM][BF₄]), 1-butylimidazolium nitrate ([BIM][NO₃]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate([BMIM][BF₄]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ([BMIM][NO₃]), were selected as the parent salts to form the different imidazolium-based IL binary mixtures. These mixtures were tested via isothermal thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) at different temperatures (120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 °C), then tested by the flash point analyzer after isothermal heating pretreatment at the above temperatures. Results show that the mixtures' flash point values decrease with the heating temperature increase. Vaporization of the IL mixtures’ decomposition products results in a higher concentration of flammable gases and a flash point decrease, which lead to the flammability hazard increasing. Moreover, results show that the flash points of the studied binary imidazolium IL mixtures are more similar to those of the more unstable IL in their parent ILs. Also, the flammability hazard of IL binary mixtures may obviously increase under the high temperature environment for a long time.     

Development of novel combustion risk index for flammable liquids based on unsupervised clustering algorithms

Current liquid flammability classification mainly relies on flash point and its risk is largely dependent on consequence and probability. However, combustions of liquefied marine fuels have their uniqueness, leading to a less consistent with the common classification. This work aims at classifying flammable liquids in compression ignition engines for further safety evaluation. Besides liquid flammability characteristics, flame propagation and aerosol formulation are considered. Two unsupervised machine learning clustering algorithms, k-means and spectral clustering, are applied to the collected liquid compounds database. To consider both cluster cohesion and separation, the global mean silhouette value is used to find the optimal number of clusters and to evaluate the clustering performance. The results show that the spectral clustering outperforms k-means on classifying the risk ratings for all proposed models, while the clustering accuracy of the optimal model has been doubled by employing spectral clustering algorithm. Moreover, principal component analysis and star coordinate diagrams are presented to visualize high dimensional data to 2-D graphs. Finally, the overall liquid safety performance is evaluated by a novel combustion risk index via the weight values determined by the information entropy approach. This index can be used to explore inherently safer fuels in the process industries.     

基于CDIO的民航安全工程课程体系研究

研究、对比了行业特色性和通用行业安全性两种现行安全工程课程体系的现状及存在的主要问题,提出了基于CDIO的民航安全工程课程体系,即C＂构思＂：以产业需求为导向从基本素质、技能、经验和意识4个方面设置了民航安全专业人才能力要求;D＂设计＂：设计了理论知识和技术、应用技能、实验实践和意识4大模块的课程体系,其中理论知识和技术模块采用2＋X＋1和模块化教学模式;I＂实施＂：从＂工程师＂模式教师团队培养、项目教学方法改革、教材建设同步产业需求、实验和实践环节建设等落实课程体系;O＂运行＂：通过多渠道获取反馈信息,进而评估、修订、完善课程体系的＂构思＂,实现民航安全工程课程体系系统管理、闭环管理、持续改进。该模式弥补了安全工程课程体系不是以＂工作能力需求＂为导向、课程体系与产业需求脱节和理论与实践无法有机结合等问题。     

民航安全状况与社会经济指标关联分析

为了分析中国民航的安全趋势,基于中国民航1995-2014年安全生产历史数据和民航安全运行关系密切的26项社会经济指标,利用因子分析、相关系数等数学方法,建立了多元线性回归模型分析民航安全状况与社会经济指标的管理关联性。该模型表明对民航安全具有显著影响的社会经济指标包括国民经济、产业结构和人员素质。通过对比安全生产指标的拟合值和实际值,分析民航安全趋势的变化规律,并利用自回归移动平均模型预测2015-2018年民航安全生产指标值。计算结果显示该时间段内民航安全生产指标将处于历史高位,且呈现缓慢上升趋势。最后给出了针对行业安全监管、安全运行等方面的改进建议。     

Experimental evaluation of the possibility of ignition and flame propagation in accumulated difluoromethane (R32) from a kerosene cigarette lighter

The possibility of ignition and flame propagation in accumulated difluoromethane (CH₂F₂, R32) was examined experimentally, simulating a situation in which a service operative uses a kerosene lighter for smoking. To simulate the situation where a kerosene cigarette lighter is used in accumulated R32, electrodes fixed in the windbreak of the lighter were remotely supplied with electricity to generate sparks of various durations but of similar energies to those of actual sparks generated by rubbing a flint to ignite the fuel in the lighter. We identified several cases of ignition and formation of an open flame in the windbreak of the lighter, and the flame propagated to the accumulated R32 when it was supplied with sufficient energy from the spark. Gas chromatographic analyses confirmed that the mixture in the windbreak of the kerosene lighter consisted mainly of vaporized fuel and air, with no R32. Therefore, even if the lighter is located in accumulated R32, an open flame can be generated in the windbreak of the kerosene cigarette lighter through ignition by the spark energy generated by friction between the flint and the flint wheel. Our results confirmed that there is a real possibility of ignition and flame propagation when a kerosene cigarette lighter is used in accumulated R32 under the leak rate conditions of the present experiment.     

我国通用航空安全监管问题研究

通用航空与运输航空是民航发展的两翼,民用航空的持续安全也包含通用航空的安全。随着低空空域的进一步开放,越来越多企事业进入通用航空市场领域,通用航空面临安全监管压力越来越大。论文在分析当前我国通用航空发展的趋势及面临的安全压力基础上,分析总结我国通用航空安全监管存在的问题,重点从监管机构、模式以及方式三层面深入探讨我国通用航空安全监管体系,指出完善通航安全监管法规体系和专业监管队伍建设,加强通用航空初始与持续安全监管,改善监管传统模式的通用航空安全监管思路。     

Experimental investigation on the lower flammability limits of diethyl ether/ n-pentane/epoxypropane-air mixtures

Diethyl ether (DEE), epoxypropane (PO) and n-pentane have excellent ignition and combustion performance; hence, they have a wide variety of applications in industry and advanced aviation propulsion systems. As these fuels are flammable at normal temperature and pressure, their explosive characteristics need to be explored. In this study, the lower flammability limits (LFLs) of vapor mixtures of DEE/PO/n-pentane in air were measured in 20 L, closed, stainless steel spherical vessels. Experimental results were obtained at ambient atmospheric pressure and an initial temperature of 40 °C. The experimental results show that the LFLs of DEE-air, n-pentane -air, and PO-air are 1.81 vol%, 1.41 vol% and 2.44 vol%, respectively. The LFLs of binary/ternary fuel mixtures under different compositions were tested, and the experimental results are compared with the classical Le Chatelier's formula. The results show that, for the binary fuels (i.e., DEE/PO, DEE/n-pentane, PO/n-pentane)-air mixtures, the maximum difference of the LFLs between Le Chatelier's formula and the experimental results is 6.10%. For the ternary fuels (i.e., DEE/PO/n-pentane)-air mixtures, the maximum difference of the LFLs between the two results is 6.33%. Due to the adiabatic flame temperature of each single fuel mixture being close, the Le Chatelier's formula is applicable for an estimation of the LFL for DEE/PO/n-pentane-air mixtures.     

基于神经网络的民航安全态势评估模型及仿真

民航安全态势评估可以向管理者提供民航安全态势和未来态势变化的信息,帮助管理者作出科学的决策,是预防事故发生的关键。航空器事故征候、事故征候率和灾变的科学预测评估是民航安全态势评估的核心内容,分析选取影响民航安全态势的安全运行因素,尝试建立了民航安全态势评估模型,结合BP神经网络和Elman神经网络进行民航安全态势评估。2008-2010年民航安全态势评估结果如下：民航安全态势整体良好但事故征候较多,其中2009年的民航安全态势相对严峻,需要密切注意民用航空器事故的发生,同时应对2010年民用航空器事故进行高度关注,希望管理者采取积极措施进行事故预防。结果表明,基于神经网络建立的民航安全态势评估模型是可行的,可以作为我国民航安全态势评估的有效工具。     

A sneak peek into the phenomenology of fuel mist explosions: The key role of vapor fractions

The modern world depends greatly on hydrocarbons, which are ubiquitous, indispensable fuels used in nearly every existing industry. Although important, their use may trigger dangerous incidents, whether in their production, handling, storage, or transporting phase, especially when aerosolized. In light of proposing a standard procedure to assess the flammability and explosivity of fuel mists, a new test method was established based on the EN 14034 standards series. For the previous purposes, a gravity-fed mist generation system was designed and employed in a modified 20 L explosion vessel. This test method allowed the determination of the ignition sensitivity of several fuels. In addition, their explosion severity was represented by the explosion overpressure P_ex, and the rate of pressure rise dP/dt_ex, two thermo-kinetic parameters determined with a specifically developed control system and custom software. Nonetheless, a noticeable difference in the ignition sensitivity and the explosion severity was perceived when changing suppliers or petroleum cuts of some fuels. Moreover, sensitivity studies showed that both the droplet size distribution and the temperature of the droplets play a significant role in fuel mist explosion. These parameters can be directly related to the vapor fraction surrounding a droplet during its ignition. Consequently, this study focuses on the influence of varying the composition of three well-known and abundantly used fuels. Different petroleum cuts were introduced in different fractions into isooctane, Jet A1 aviation fuel, and diesel fuel mixtures, which were then aerosolized into a uniformly distributed turbulent mist cloud and ignited using spark ignitors of 100 J. Subsequently, complementary tests were executed in a vertical flame propagation tube coupled with a high-speed video camera allowing the visualization of the flame and the determination of the spatial flame velocity, and a tentative estimation of the laminar burning velocity. The latter was also estimated from the pressure-time evolution in the 20 L sphere using existing correlations. Indeed, the determination of the laminar burning velocity can be useful in modeling such accidents. Finally, highlighting the essential role of the mist and vapor fraction during their ignition has led to a better understanding of their explosion mechanisms.     

基于FAHP的岗位交叉培训在民航安全管理中的应用

通过分析民航岗位安全培训的现状,发现培训内容仅局限于员工自身岗位的工作内容,而忽略了对于相关岗位之间衔接内容进行系统的培训,这非常不利于不同岗位间的协调;基于此提出了民航岗位交叉培训,通过对民航岗位间的具体关系进行分析,确定出需要进行交叉培训的岗位,利用FAHP模糊层次分析法选择出具体岗位之间的交叉培训方案,从而使民航系统内的岗位交叉培训更为系统化,使得民航系统安全管理更加行之有效。     

基于三角模糊数的民航企业“管理”安全综合评价模型研究

在对我国民航企业安全管理的现状和常用的安全评价方法进行分析的基础上,提出并建立了民航企业"管理"安全模糊综合评价模型。首先,从组织管理、风险管理、安全保证、安全促进4个方面对民航企业安全管理的内容和特点进行分析,在此基础上建立民航企业"管理"安全评价指标体系;然后,根据三角模糊数理论和模糊综合评价理论建立民航企业"管理"安全模糊综合评价模型;通过上述指标体系和评价模型从而达到对民航企业"管理"安全进行评价的目的。最后,给出了一个应用实例,其评价结果表明:该模型具有很强的实用性和借鉴价值。     

航空安全信息管理的问题与对策

航空安全信息是民航实施安全风险控制和事故预防的基础,对航空安全水平的提高有重要的作用。笔者总结了民航安全信息的基本构成和来源,及其在安全风险识别、管理决策方面的功用;结合中国民航安全管理状况及行业发展趋势,分析了当前中国民航安全信息管理方面存在的主要问题,指出当前民航安全信息存在着数量不足、质量不高、交流共享困难、分析利用不充分等问题,不利于基于数据驱动的安全管理机制的建立和向规章符合性基础上的绩效管理的转变。针对安全信息管理的这些问题,文章建议民航局通过改善安全信息管理政策、建立航空企业安全信息共享平台、建立国家航空安全信息分析中心、开发安全信息分析利用工具等措施来改善安全信息的收集、分析利用和共享,为提高行业安全管理水平服务。     

管制员安全能力模型研究

为准确评价管制员安全能力,基于能力的定义和管制员工作职责,界定管制员安全能力的内涵;依据该内涵及其工作特性,建立由身体素质、业务素质和意识3个结构维度组成的管制员安全能力模型。其中,身体素质包括生理状况和心理状况;业务素质包括教育状况、培训状况、技能状况和经验状况;意识包括安全意识和工作意识。在各项指标性质差异较大情况下,利用功效系数法实现评价指标的标准化以减小误差,客观反映指标情况,同时采用G1-法和熵值法集成的主客观综合赋权法确定指标的权重,在一定程度上弥补主客观单一赋权的不足,最后通过逼近理想解排序法(TOPSIS)评价管制员安全能力。结果表明,按照从大到小排序对管制员安全能力的影响因素依次为意识、身体素质和业务素质。就对所论能力的影响而言,心理状况强于生理状况;技能状况强教育、培训和经验状况;安全意识对意识的影响大于工作意识。     

Development of machine learning based prediction models for hazardous properties of chemical mixtures

Lower flammability limit (LFL), upper flammability limit (UFL), auto-ignition temperature (AIT) and flash point (FP) are crucial hazardous properties for fire and explosion hazards assessment and consequence analysis. In this study, a comprehensive prediction model set was constructed by using expanded chemical mixture databases of chemical mixture hazardous properties. Machine learning based gradient boosting quantitative structure-property relationship (GB-QSPR) method is implemented for the first time to improve the model performance and prediction accuracy. The result shows that all developed models have significantly higher accuracy than other regular QSPR models, with the 5-fold cross-validation RMSE of LFL, UFL, AIT, and FP models being 1.06, 1.14, 1.08, and 1.17, respectively. All developed QSPR models can be used to estimate reliable chemical mixture hazardous properties and provide useful guidance in chemical mixture hazard assessment and consequence analysis.