Component failure recognition and maintenance optimization for offshore heave compensation systems based on importance measures

Heave compensation systems work to reduce the influence of unpredictable marine environments on offshore operations and are powered by hydraulic systems. As an important approach in the reliability field, importance measure assesses the impact of components on a system. This paper considers the importance of hydraulic system components for system performance. By analyzing the working state of each component in the passive compensation and active compensation phases, the working principle of the hydraulic system of a semi-active heave compensation experimental system is explained. According to the actual design of the experimental system and its working principle, eight types of 27 components, whose failures affect the performance, are extracted. The servo valve and the accumulator are determined to be redundant while the other components are nonredundant. Two performance-related importance measures, Griffith importance measure (GIM) and integrated importance measure (IIM), are then applied to sort the components of the hydraulic system and determine the maintenance sequence. Finally, based on the IIM value and the maintenance cost of each component, optimization strategies are proposed under different conditions using total cost and time as independent variables.     

Tipping Points in the Arctic: Eyeballing or Statistical Significance?

Arctic ecosystems have experienced and are projected to experience continued large increases in temperature and declines in sea ice cover. It has been hypothesized that small changes in ecosystem drivers can fundamentally alter ecosystem functioning, and that this might be particularly pronounced for Arctic ecosystems. We present a suite of simple statistical analyses to identify changes in the statistical properties of data, emphasizing that changes in the standard error should be considered in addition to changes in mean properties. The methods are exemplified using sea ice extent, and suggest that the loss rate of sea ice accelerated by factor of ~5 in 1996, as reported in other studies, but increases in random fluctuations, as an early warning signal, were observed already in 1990. We recommend to employ the proposed methods more systematically for analyzing tipping points to document effects of climate change in the Arctic.     

连云港市星海湖公园景观水水质现状评价与改良措施初探

本文以连云港市星海湖公园景观湖为例,通过采样监测对该湖水质现状进行了评价,进而以目前流行的生态修复法为基础,针对景观湖生态修复尚存在的问题,结合该湖的污染特征,研究了景观湖水质改良的技术措施,并对实施效果进行了验证。     

Rangeland dynamics in southern Ethiopia: (3). Assessment of rangeland condition in relation to land-use and distance from water in semi-arid Borana rangelands

The condition of the semi-arid Borana rangeland in southern Ethiopia was assessed by studying different land-use systems (communal land, a government ranch and a traditional grazing reserve enclosure) and along a distance gradient (near, middle and far) from water sources. The assessment incorporated the soil, herbaceous and woody plant layers. Two methods were employed to evaluate the grass layer, viz. ecological condition index (ECI) and weighted palatability composition (WPC). The ECI on the government ranch was 21.7% and 26% greater than that of the traditional reserve and the communal land, respectively. The WPC on the government ranch was 83.3% and 48.6% greater than that of the communal area and the traditional reserve, respectively. Both ECI and WPC values were similar for all distance sites from water. Tree equivalent (TE) density, of all encroaching woody plants combined, was higher on the communal land (504 TE ha(-1)) than the government ranch (373 TE ha(-)1) and traditional grazing reserve (118 TE ha(-1)), but with no marked variations in the distance sites from water. Height class distribution of encroaching woody plants in the study areas showed the largest abundance (range: >50-100%) at the height class >0-2m. Tree equivalents per hectare of encroaching woody plants were negatively correlated (r = -0.60) with ECI and WPC and positively correlated (r=0.87) with percentage bare ground. The correlation (r = 0.50) between percentage bare ground and soil compaction was positive and low. Although the government ranch had a greater composition of highly palatable grass species than the other land uses, the rangeland was not in good condition due to severe bush encroachment. The communal land was generally in poor condition. In the traditional grazing reserve, bush encroachment was not a problem, but the productivity of the grass layer was poor when assessed on the basis of ecological and palatability merits. The negative interaction of TE density of all encroaching woody plants combined with ECI or WPC and the positive interaction with bare ground, may suggest that the abundance of these species is more critical in aggravating deterioration in grassland productivity. Therefore, the priority of any bush control program must be towards minimizing the abundance of these woody plants.     

A Screening-Level Assessment of Lead, Cadmium, and Zinc in Fish and Crayfish from Northeastern Oklahoma, USA

The objective of this study was to evaluate potential human and ecological risks associated with metals in fish and crayfish from mining in the Tri-States Mining District (TSMD). Crayfish (Orconectes spp.) and fish of six frequently consumed species (common carp, Cyprinus carpio; channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris; largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides; spotted bass, M. punctulatus; and white crappie, Pomoxis annularis) were collected in 2001--2002 from the Oklahoma waters of the Spring River (SR) and Neosho River (NR), which drain the TSMD. Samples from a mining-contaminated site in eastern Missouri and from reference sites were also analyzed. Individual fish were prepared for human consumption in the manner used locally by Native Americans (headed, eviscerated, and scaled) and analyzed for lead, cadmium, and zinc. Whole crayfish were analyzed as composite samples of 5--60 animals. Metals concentrations were typically higher in samples from sites most heavily affected by mining and lowest in reference samples. Within the TSMD, most metals concentrations were higher at sites on the SR than on the NR and were typically highest in common carp and crayfish than in other taxa. Higher concentrations and greater risk were associated with fish and crayfish from heavily contaminated SR tributaries than the SR or NR mainstems. Based on the results of this and previous studies, the human consumption of carp and crayfish could be restricted based on current criteria for lead, cadmium, and zinc, and the consumption of channel catfish could be restricted due to lead. Metals concentrations were uniformly low in Micropterus spp. and crappie and would not warrant restriction, however. Some risk to carnivorous avian wildlife from lead and zinc in TSMD fish and invertebrates was also indicated, as was risk to the fish themselves. Overall, the wildlife assessment is consistent with previously reported biological effects attributed to metals from the TSMD. The results demonstrate the potential for adverse effects in fish, wildlife, and humans and indicate that further investigation of human health and ecological risks, to include additional exposure pathways and endpoints, is warranted.This study was conducted by the Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and cooperating organizations and government agencies. All field and laboratory procedures conformed to the “Guidelines for the use of fishes in research” of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), Institute of Fishery Research Biologists (AIFRB), and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) Use of Fishes in Research Committee (AFS, AIFRB, and ASIH 2004), and with all USGS and CERC guidelines for the humane treatment of test organisms during culture and experimentation. Use of trade names does not constitute USGS or U.S. government endorsement.     

京津冀北流域生态补偿机制初探

从京津冀北流域生态保护面临的难题分析入手,借鉴国际流域生态补偿的经验,从四个角度提出京津冀北地区可以选择的生态补偿类型。就京津冀北地区而言,更多地要从政府介入的层面来探讨其生态补偿的机制,同时考虑补偿的实施效果,把生态保护融入区域经济发展之中,从而真正达到生态补偿的目的。本文亦给出京津冀北流域生态补偿机制的路径选择;即首先建立流域水权交易政策;其次探索“流域水质水量协议”;第三是做好利益转移估算。最后开展流域“异地开发”实践。     

不同去除浊度方法对水中总磷测定影响的比较

本文研究了去除浊度方法的不同是否会导致各监测单位测定结果可比性差异。首先,通过在线自动监测仪器法和实验室钼酸铵分光光度法测定水中总磷浓度的比对实验所得出的监测数据结果发现,两者的结果误差较小,说明自动监测仪器分析结果与常规实验室手工法测定结果基本一致,未发现可比性差异,同样稳定可靠。同时,通过实验系统研究了手工法中应用浊度-色度补偿法、过滤法及离心法等去除浊度干扰的前处理方法,实验结果表明:三种分析方法测定结果基本一致,精密度和加标回收率均符合质量控制要求,测定结果无显著差异。     

生态环境监测及其发展的研究

本文以生态环境监测工作为研究对象,以其在现阶段的应用开发状态为基础,分析未来科技成长中的发展趋势。在论述中,将生态环境监测的目标与特征内容作为理论基础,引出当前生态环境监测工作发展的现状问题,并针对管理体系、技术手段、"3S"开发这三个方面,为相关研究提供例证。     

基于价值损失的黄河三角洲湿地生态补偿标准研究

生态补偿作为一种新型的资源与环境管理手段,越来越受到国内外学者的关注。在过去20年里,国内外学者对生态补偿的概念、机制、模式、标准及生态补偿的效益等做了大量研究,但由于生态补偿具有很强的学科交叉性和地域差异性,致使上述研究尚存在较大分歧。生态补偿标准关系到生态补偿的可行性及效果,因此是生态补偿研究的核心,但目前还没有公认的量化方法。本文以黄河三角洲湿地为研究对象,探讨了依据生态价值损失来制定生态补偿标准的途径。文章首先运用市场价值法、环境保护投入费用评价法、生态价值法、成果参数法等计算了黄河三角洲因湿地面积减少和环境污染造成的直接市场价值和生态服务功能价值的损失量,然后以生态价值损失量为依据制定了湿地生态补偿的资金分配方案和补偿标准。研究结果表明,不同湿地类型的补偿标准不同。对于同一湿地类型,以生态功能价值损失为依据制定的补偿标准远高于以市场价值损失为依据制定的补偿标准。本研究为黄河三角洲地区实施湿地生态补偿提供了重要科学依据。     

基于效益的鄱阳湖流域水生态保护补偿标准计算模型

补偿标准确定是建立生态补偿机制关键，也是生态补偿的重点和难点。针对鄱阳湖流域水资源管理及水权分配以流域水资源四级区为基础的实际情况，提出以流域水资源四级区为计算单元、以水资源四级区各行政区为计算单位、以下泄水资源是否达标作为被补偿与补偿的依据，按照利用某行政区水资源产生效益（或增加利用成本）大小来确定行政区间的补偿量，建立了流域内补偿的鄱阳湖流域水生态保护补偿标准计算模型。并以鄱阳湖流域水资源四级区袁河为例，计算了2008年袁河流域内及其下游各行政区受到（或付出）的水生态保护补偿量。补偿标准计算模型为建立鄱阳湖流域水生态保护补偿机制提供依据，对别的流域确定水生态保护补偿标准具有较好的借鉴作用