A CFD based explosion risk analysis methodology using time varying release rates in dispersion simulations

A full probabilistic Explosion Risk Analysis (ERA) is commonly used to establish overpressure exceedance curves for offshore facilities. This involves modelling a large number of gas dispersion and explosion scenarios. Capturing the time dependant build up and decay of a flammable gas cloud size along with its shape and location are important parameters that can govern the results of an ERA. Dispersion simulations using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are generally carried out in detailed ERA studies to obtain these pieces of information. However, these dispersion simulations are typically modelled with constant release rates leading to steady state results. The basic assumption used here is that the flammable gas cloud build up rate from these constant release rate dispersion simulations would mimic the actual transient cloud build up rate from a time varying release rate. This assumption does not correctly capture the physical phenomena of transient gas releases and their subsequent dispersion and may lead to very conservative results. This in turn results in potential over design of facilities with implications on time, materials and cost of a project.In the current work, an ERA methodology is proposed that uses time varying release rates as an input in the CFD dispersion simulations to obtain the fully transient flammable gas cloud build-up and decay, while ensuring the total time required to perform the ERA study is also reduced. It was found that the proposed ERA methodology leads to improved accuracy in dispersion results, steeper overpressure exceedance curves and a significant reduction in the Design Accidental Load (DAL) values whilst still maintaining some conservatism and also reducing the total time required to perform an ERA study.     

An evaluation of risk assessment framework for industrial accidents in India

Due to rapid industrialization, with high population density and constraints of land, it is expected that level of risks arising from the hazardous industries will increase in India in the coming decades. However, 30 years after the Bhopal accident (1984), except a few discrete regulations, there is as yet no integrated system for assessing and managing risks arising out of these hazardous industries in India. The gravity of aspects related to the management of industrial risk still remains crucially important. In particular, there is no standard guideline on risk analysis methodology, acceptability or tolerability criteria, nor is there an accident database or a risk reduction strategy for the areas where risk levels are already high. On top of this, there are technical and legislative gaps in the institutional framework to implement any of the above mentioned issues. With the backdrop of the Bhopal gas tragedy, the objective of this paper is therefore to evaluate the effectiveness of a comprehensive risk assessment framework for the emerging economy of India, in order to control and/or to reduce the risk level that exists. In this context, regulations and policies pertaining to industrial risk assessment were reviewed.     

Distributed generation by energy from waste technology: A life cycle perspective

Municipal Solid Waste in general and its organic fraction in particular is a potential renewable and non-seasonal resource. In this work, a life cycle assessment has been performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of two future scenarios using biogas produced from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) to supply energy to a group of dwellings, respectively comprising distributed generation using solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) micro-CHP systems and condensing boilers. The London Borough of Greenwich is taken as the reference case study. The system is designed to assess how much energy demand can be met and what is the best way to use the digestible waste for distributed energy purposes.The system is compared with two alternative scenarios fuelled by natural gas: a reference scenario, where the electricity is supplied by the grid and the heat is supplied from condensing boilers, and a fuel cell micro-CHP system. The results show that, although OFMSW alone can only supply between 1% and 4% of the total energy demand of the Borough, a saving of ∼130 tonnes of CO₂ eq per year per dwelling equipped with micro-CHP is still achievable compared with the reference scenario. This is primarily due to the surplus electricity produced by the fuel cell when the micro-CHP unit is operated to meet the heat demand. Use of biogas to produce heat only is therefore a less desirable option compared with combined heat and power production. Further investigation is required to identify locally available feedstock other than OFMSW in order to increase the proportion of energy demand that can be met in this way.     

Uncertainties in a risk management context in early phases of offshore petroleum field development

The current risk management approach for the Norwegian offshore petroleum industry came into effect in 2001 and has been stable with minor changes for 15 years. Relatively few new installations were slated for development until quite recently, and several new projects have been started in the last few years. The paper considers the risk management approach in the pre-FEED phase and builds on two case studies selected from the most recent cases. These case studies have been evaluated with respect to how uncertainties are considered in the early phase, based on the submission of the Plan for Development and Operation, their evaluations by authorities and the supporting documents. Both case studies involve new concepts for which there is no experience from similar environments and/or water depths. In spite of what could have been expected, the case studies conclude that uncertainties have not been in focus at all during concept development. This appears to be definitely the case for the licensees, but also to be the case for the authorities. Some suggestions are presented for what could have been considered by the licensees and authorities.     

Quantitative assessment in safety reports of the consequences from the detonation of solid explosives

Safety reports are mandatory documents in member states of European Union whenever any threshold limits of amounts of either stored or processed hazardous substances are exceeded. After a short introduction to EU Seveso Directives on major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances and to the transposition and implementation by member states, with a brief comment on last 2012/18/EU Directive (also known as Seveso III directive), the paper focuses on drafting of safety reports for industrial activities involving solid explosives. Specifically, the quantitative assessment of consequences from detonation is tackled respect to the side-on overpressure and the debris production. Both direct and inverse problems are illustrated to determine respectively the overpressure value at a given distance, and the explosive amount that allows respecting the regulations. Their solution is based on either analytic or numerical techniques and being based on recent scientific publications on the matter either evaluates or zeroes nonlinear algebraic equations. The availability of these equations avoids grounding the consequences assessment on diagrams and nomograms that otherwise would lead to interpretation and usage errors besides avoiding the automatic solution of the inverse problem. The paper focuses also on details such as embankment, crater, munitions, rocket propellant, building structure, and wall material that, at different levels, play a role in the assessment of detonation consequences. A discussion on debris formation, the available literature, and the evaluation of the impact probability of fragments on both fixed and moving targets closes the paper.     

Root causes of hydrocarbon leaks on offshore petroleum installations

Hydrocarbon leaks on offshore installations may result in severe consequences to personnel, to the environment and to assets. In order to prevent such leaks, it is crucial to understand their root causes. The objective of this paper is to study the circumstances of hydrocarbon leaks on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). In the study, all reported hydrocarbon leaks from process inventories on all offshore installations on the NCS, with an initial leak rate higher than 0.1 kg/s in the period 2008–2014, have been considered. This includes 78 hydrocarbon leaks, of which about 60% have occurred during manual intervention on normally pressurized systems. The dominating activity when leaks occur is preventive maintenance. A significant fraction of the leaks occur during the preparation for maintenance; such a preparation is typically carried out during the night shift. About half of the leaks are associated with wellhead area and manifolds, separation and compression systems. A substantial fraction of the leaks can be associated with verification faults, dominated by the failure to comply with procedural requirements that are needed to carry out independent verification.     

Tools for an enhanced solvent properties screening in the early stages of pharmaceutical process development

The objective of this research was the implementation of tools for the evaluation of solvents trough property screening in the early stages of process development. An important feature of the tools is that the implementation of indexes, scores, or weights is avoided. Information already available from the literature was stored in a database in order to turn raw data into decision making information. As a result, a solvent radar chart, a solvent representation table, and a solvent telescopying tool were developed in an ASP.NET application. The synthesis of Propranolol was used as study case in order to explore the selection of solvents in the early stages of process development. The replacement of diethyl ether was possible in the extraction step, while solvent choices were detected for potential telescoping for extraction and crystallisation steps. Solubility was found as a critical parameter in telescoping analysis. The methodology proposed enhanced the view towards a more holistic perspective and a more robust solvent screening process. As a consequence, the next steps into solvent evaluation and process development can be reduced.     

An optimal level of dust explosion risk management: Framework and application

The current research provides guidance on the prevention and mitigation of dust explosion using a Quantitative Risk Management Framework (QRMF). Using concepts drawn from previous studies, the framework consists of three main steps: (i) a new combined safety management protocol, (ii) the use of DESC (Dust Explosion Simulation Code) and FTA (Fault Tree Analysis) to assess explosion consequences and likelihood, respectively, and (iii) application of the hierarchy of controls (inherent, engineered and procedural safety). QRMF assessment of an industrial case study showed that the original process was at high risk. DESC simulations and Probit equations determined the destructive percentages. FTAs revealed high probabilities of explosion occurrence; in addition, detailed individual and societal risks calculations were made, before and after the framework was applied. Based on the hierarchy of controls technique, the framework showed significant risk reduction to the point where the residual risk was acceptable for the process.     

Inherently safer sustained casing pressure testing for well integrity evaluation

This paper presents the use of a model to predict sustained casing pressure (SCP), from early pressure buildup data, as a basis for inherently safer well integrity testing. Inherently safer principles aim to eliminate or reduce the hazards by design rather than by using protective features. SCP, a well integrity issue exhibited in many wells, is any measurable pressure that rebuilds after being bled down and attributable to causes other than artificially applied pressure or temperature fluctuations in the well. Intrusion of gas, resulting in SCP, can occur because of poor cement bond in the casing or cement deterioration. Gas entering the annulus migrates to the wellhead and represents a hazard due to increased wellhead pressure and the gas inventory. Compromised well integrity can have catastrophic consequences on both environmental and safety aspects.Most regulations require the monitoring, testing and, eventually, the elimination of SCP. However, test data analysis is predominantly qualitative and limited to arbitrary criteria. Due to the high percentage of wells that present SCP, accurate, safe and preferably fast testing methods are needed. This paper implements an analytical model, rooted in the transport processes and thermodynamics of the system, to predict pressure profiles and gas accumulation during SCP testing from early-time pressure buildup data. The amount of gas accumulated during different testing criteria, being 1) current practices and 2) early diagnostic by the analytical model, is calculated and compared. Results show that using the analytical model as a predictive tool, testing time is reduced significantly, thereby limiting the amount of gas accumulated and reducing the risk. This makes the testing procedure inherently safer as well as less time consuming.     

Fault propagation behavior study and root cause reasoning with dynamic Bayesian network based framework

The Bhopal disaster was a gas leak incident in India, considered the world's worst industrial disaster happened around process facilities. Nowadays the process facilities in petrochemical industries have becoming increasingly large and automatic. There are many risk factors with complex relationships among them. Unfortunately, some operators have poor access to abnormal situation management experience due to the lack of knowledge. However these interdependencies are seldom accounted for in current risk and safety analyses, which also belonged to the main factor causing Bhopal tragedy. Fault propagation behavior of process system is studied in this paper, and a dynamic Bayesian network based framework for root cause reasoning is proposed to deal with abnormal situation. It will help operators to fully understand the relationships among all the risk factors, identify the causes that lead to the abnormal situations, and consider all available safety measures to cope with the situation. Examples from a case study for process facilities are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It also provides a method to help us do things better in the future and to make sure that another such terrible accident never happens again.     

Analysis of underlying causes of investigated loss of containment incidents in Dutch Seveso plants using the Storybuilder method

In the Netherlands there are around 400 “Seveso” sites that fall under the Dutch Major Hazards Decree (BRZO) 1999. Between 2006 and 2010 the Dutch Labour Inspectorate's Directorate for Major Hazard Control completed investigations of 118 loss of containment incidents involving hazardous substances from this group. On the basis of investigation reports the incidents were entered in a tailor-made tool called Storybuilder developed for the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment for identifying the dominant patterns of technical safety barrier failures, barrier task failures and underlying management causes associated with the resulting loss of control events. The model is a bow-tie structure with six lines of defence, three on either side of the central loss of containment event. In the first line of defence, failures in the safety barriers leading to loss of control events were primarily equipment condition failures, pre start-up and safeguarding failures and process deviations such as pressure and flow failures. These deviations, which should have been recovered while still within the safe envelope of operation, were missed primarily because of inadequate indication signals that the deviations have occurred. Through failures of subsequent lines of defence they are developing into serious incidents. Overall, task failures are principally failures to provide adequate technical safety barriers and failures to operate provided barriers appropriately. Underlying management delivery failures were mainly found in equipment specifications and provisions, procedures and competence. The competence delivery system is especially important for identifying equipment condition, equipment isolation for maintenance, pre-start-up status and process deviations. Human errors associated with operating barriers were identified in fifty per cent of cases, were mostly mistakes and feature primarily in failure to prevent deviations and subsequently recover them. Loss of control associated with loss of containment was primarily due to the containment being bypassed (72% of incidents) and less to material strength failures (28%). Transfer pipework, connections in process plant and relief valves are the most frequent release points and the dominant release material is extremely flammable. It is concluded that the analysis of a large number of incidents in Storybuilder can support the quantification of underlying causes and provide evidence of where the weak points exist in major hazard control in the prevention of major accidents.     

Validation of the UN test method N.5

Many substances react with water in such a way that flammable gases are formed. For transport issues this reaction may possess a considerable hazard especially if the cargo is wetted by rain or by water from other sources. In the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods these kinds of problems are addressed. The UN test N.5 “Test method for substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases” corresponds to this hazard. Classification according to the test method is done by measurement of the gas evolution rate of the flammable gas by any suitable procedure. At BAM a gravimetric approach is used to measure the gas evolution rate. In this paper we present the evaluation of the apparatus by means of an absolute calibration routine utilizing a reaction where a known amount of gas is produced as well as the evaluation of important parameters influencing the gas evolution rate using different substances. It can be shown that the apparatus is capable of measuring absolute gas volumes as low as 6 mL with an acceptable error of about 17% as determined from the reaction of Mg with demineralized water.     

基于广义概念的城市燃气管道泄漏精确定位

为了准确地检测城市燃气管道泄漏,提出了一种基于广义概念的管道泄漏检测定位方法。声发射技术对于管道泄漏的检测、定位是一个极好的工具,但由于泄漏源的传播容易受到周围背景噪声以及复杂工况的影响,其定位误差较大。基于时延估计的互相关信号处理方法被广泛用于管道泄漏检测定位,但由于泄漏应力波传播通道的动态特性,使得源信号在传播过程中会产生波形变化,给互相关函数峰值位置的确定带来困难。由此引入广义相关分析方法,通过对信号进行前置滤波,在一定程度上减少了传播通道动态特性因素对泄漏点定位的不利影响,得到了更为准确的时延估值。在此基础上,通过模拟实验,编写Matlab神经网络代码,构造GRNN模型,进一步预测定位。结果表明,GRNN预测的声发射检测值、互相关定位值以及广义相关定位值,相比之前定位精度分别得到提高,其中基于广义相关的延时估计方法定位最为精确,将该方法用于工程实际中,可以更加精确地定位出泄漏点。     

基于VPL的输油管道实时泄漏检测系统

针对现有管道泄漏检测技术在管道微小泄漏检测和油品泄漏损失计算方面存在的不足,基于流体动力学和容量守恒原理,开发基于VPL（Visual Pipeline）的输油管道实时泄漏检测系统。建立管道模拟平台,通过组态编辑器、图像界面、管道工作室和SCADA 接口,开展输油管道实时泄漏检测、定位与分析,实现管道实时泄漏检测、报警,以及泄漏量的定量计算。现场测试结果显示,所开发的输油管道泄漏检测系统最小泄漏检出率为0.7%,泄漏点定位精度为96.96%,泄漏量计算准确率为94.42%。研究结果表明:基于VPL的输油管道实时泄漏检测系统漏报、误报率低,检测定位精度较高,尤其对于微小泄漏优势明显;同时,该系统能够实时定量计算油品泄漏损失,可以用于输油管道泄漏检测与应急辅助决策。     

基于特征提取的输油管道泄漏系数预测*

为准确预测管道泄漏系数,估计管道泄漏量,以基于瞬变流方法的模拟数据为例,建立多个管道泄漏系数预测模型(多层感知机、长短期记忆网络、随机森林、支持向量机以及K近邻回归),综合考虑管道流量和压力数据特点,提出序列提取法和均值提取法2种管道时序数据预处理方法,模型评价指标为相关系数（R2）和平均绝对百分比误差（MAPE）。研究结果表明:随机森林和多层感知机的抗噪性较强,在5%的噪声影响下,模型准确度下降幅度较小;均值提取法去噪功能较好,可在一定程度上降低噪声影响;基于均值提取法的多层感知机模型效果相对较好,R2为0.997 5,MAPE为1.599%,研究结果可为准确预测管道泄漏系数、估计泄漏量提供指导。     

A review on different pipeline fault detection methods

Pipeline faults like leakage and blockage always create problem for engineers. Detection of exact fault quantity and its location is necessary for smooth functioning of a plant or industry and safety of the environment. In this paper brief discussion is made on various pipeline fault detection methods viz. Vibration analysis, Pulse echo methodology, Acoustic techniques, Negative pressure wave based leak detection system, Support Vector Machine (SVM) based pipeline leakage detection, Interferometric fibre sensor based leak detection, Filter Diagonalization Method (FDM), etc. In this paper merit and demerits of all methods are discussed. It is found that these methods have been applied for specific fluids like oil, gas and water, for different layout patterns like straight and zigzag, for various lengths of pipeline like short and long and also depending on various operating conditions. Therefore, a comparison among all methods has been done based on their applicability. Among all fault detection methods, Acoustic reflectometry is found most suitable because of its proficiency to identify blockages and leakage in pipe as small as 1% of its diameter. Moreover this method is economical and applicable for straight, zigzag and long, short length pipes for low, medium and high density fluid.     

基于模糊相似优先比的供水管网渗漏同步诊断*

为加强城市供水管网渗漏诊断能力,采用基于模糊相似优先比的漏损判别方法实现供水管网漏损定位及漏损程度的同步诊断。通过MATLAB软件调用最新版EPANET V2.2建立供水管网模型,在管段中间加入扩散器模拟单次渗漏事件,通过更改扩散器系数实现渗漏量的控制;基于压力驱动水力分析得到各节点压力变化,遍历模拟各管段漏损后,通过建立节点压力灵敏度矩阵,采用K均值聚类法进行监测点布置;在此基础上,在易渗漏管段模拟产生不同渗漏级别的渗漏事件,以监测点压力变化值构建源范例库,在熵权法的基础上,采用模糊相似优先比方法同步诊断渗漏位置及渗漏程度。以某一实际管网为例,模拟产生50例历史渗漏事件,采用模糊相似优先比同步诊断新渗漏事件的渗漏位置及渗漏程度,并对比3种权重方法。结果表明:模糊相似优先比法可有效地实现渗漏定位与渗漏程度的同步诊断。     

城市燃气管网泄漏事故分析知识图谱构建及应用研究*

为深入认识燃气管网泄漏事故的发生发展机理,提高事故分析预测的自动化、智能化、数字化水平,利用知识图谱对燃气管网泄漏事故进行研究。在事故案例分析的基础上,从人-物-环-管的角度对燃气泄漏过程以及火灾爆炸次生事故的相关实体进行归纳梳理,对实体间的逻辑关系和非逻辑关系进行辨识,并对实体的属性进行分类,进而构建出较为全面的燃气管网泄漏事故知识图谱。在此基础上,搭建BP神经网络模型,基于已知实体或属性状态,预测相关联其他实体或属性的状态。研究结果表明:燃气管网知识图谱能够有效展示燃气管网泄漏事故发展的动态过程及相关要素,结合BP神经网络能够有效预测事故的发展路径及相关状态,从而提高燃气管网泄漏事故的分析预测水平与效率。