梯级水库设计洪水地区组成研究中的JC法

工程上分析设计洪水地区组成时，希望能够求得最不利情况与最可能情况的权衡点，然而按照现行规范中提出的方法却难以达到这一目的，尤其对于梯级水库。引入JC法进行了梯级洪水地区组成研究，直接寻求最不利的洪水组成情况，该法还可定量计算设计洪水风险，为现行洪水地区组成方案研究提供了新思路和新方法。     

Optimal design of rainwater collecting systems for domestic use into a residential development

This paper proposes an optimization-based approach for designing rainwater harvesting systems for domestic use in a residential development. The optimization model accounts for the implementation of rainwater harvesting devices, pipes and reservoirs for the optimal sitting, collecting, storing and distribution of harvested rainwater. The optimization model consists in satisfying the water domestic demands and considers as objective function the minimization of the total annual cost associated to the fresh water, the capital costs for the catchment areas, storages and pumps, and the cost associated to the pumping, maintenance and treatment. A case study for a residential development in Morelia, Mexico is presented. The city of Morelia is characterized for having complications to satisfy the water demands, especially during dry seasons. The application of the proposed optimization approach shows that it is possible to satisfy a significant percentage of the domestic water demands using a harvesting rainwater system decreasing the associated cost in the time horizon. Several scenarios have been presented to show the potential solutions identified in the case study.     

Formulation,calibration, and validation of hybrid and coupled models for the design of upflow anaerobic filters in multiple separated stages for organic matter removal from sanitary landfill leachates

In this paper, the formulation, calibration, and validation of hybrid and coupled models for the design of upflow anaerobic filters in multiple separated stages were developed for organic matter removal from sanitary landfill leachates. Three novelties were presented, the type of reactor, design models, and kinetic coefficients. The upflow anaerobic filters were separated into two and three stages identified as UAF-2SS (DI-FAFS, in Spanish) and UAF-3SS (TRI-FAFS, in Spanish). The formulation, calibration, and validation of mathematical structures of hybrid models and five coupled models are proposed for each reactor. The hybrid models are based on the law of mass conservation, with the organic matter transformation component within the UAF-2SS and UAF-3SS reactors, being estimated from empirical equations that have been tested in aerobic culture reactors, adapted to the experimental factors, including among these, those under a non-stationary—advective conditions based on Velz's Law, Phelps's Law, and Monod's equation. The coupled models combine the components of the molecular transport by biosorption and molecular diffusion processes, with adaptations of the Stack's equation and Fick's Law, as well as transformation of organic substrates by biomass, whose kinetic coefficients contribute to explain the fraction, in which, the processes of mobility and biochemical transformation of the organic matter are occurring in the biomass within the bioreactors.     

Obstruction of biodiversity conservation by minimum patch size criteria

Minimum patch size criteria for habitat protection reflect the conservation principle that a single large (SL) patch of habitat has higher biodiversity than several small (SS) patches of the same total area (SL > SS). Nonetheless, this principle is often incorrect, and biodiversity conservation requires placing more emphasis on protection of large numbers of small patches (SS > SL). We used a global database reporting the abundances of species across hundreds of patches to assess the SL > SS principle in systems where small patches are much smaller than the typical minimum patch size criteria applied for biodiversity conservation (i.e., ∼85% of patches <100 ha). The 76 metacommunities we examined included 4401 species in 1190 patches. From each metacommunity, we resampled species–area accumulation curves to evaluate how biodiversity responded to habitat existing as a few large patches or as many small patches. Counter to the SL > SS principle and consistent with previous syntheses, species richness accumulated more rapidly when adding several small patches (45.2% SS > SL vs. 19.9% SL > SS) to reach the same cumulative area, even for the very small patches in our data set. Responses of taxa to habitat fragmentation differed, which suggests that when a given total area of habitat is to be protected, overall biodiversity conservation will be most effective if that habitat is composed of as many small patches as possible, plus a few large ones. Because minimum patch size criteria often require larger patches than the small patches we examined, our results suggest that such criteria hinder efforts to protect biodiversity.     

成灌铁路声屏障景观设计探讨

随着高速铁路迅猛发展,铁路噪声控制措施的景观性要求越来越高;本文通过成灌铁路声屏障设计,探讨以景观设计的理念设计满足功能要求的降噪措施,将人文景观、生态环境、工程特征融为一体。     

不同标准下外压筒体轻量化设计

LNG运输半挂车根据GB 1589-2016《汽车、挂车及汽车列车外廓尺寸、轴荷及质量限值》的规定最大允许总质量不能超过40t,轻量化LNG运输车是今后市场发展方向之一。LNG运输车外筒体由于受外压作用,往往通过设置较多加强圈来防止其失稳。在材质、直径、壁厚、长度均相同条件下的外筒体,按GB/T150《压力容器》、JB 4732《钢制压力容器》、ASME B&P Code VIII-2等不同标准下进行失稳计算,同种规格角钢圈数量大不相同,按ASME B&P Code VIII-2标准计算得出的角钢圈数量最少,轻量化程度更高,更具有市场竞争力。     

Novel electrochemical half-cell design and fabrication for performance analysis of metal-air battery air-cathodes

Metal-air batteries (MABs) are considered promising candidates for sustainable energy storage & conversion applications. Air-cathodes have been identified to be the major challenge towards the commercialization of MAB technology. In development of air-cathodes effectively, a method, or a device is desired for cathode evaluation at operating conditions that are as close as possible to that of an actual battery. In this paper, for diagnosing, evaluating and analyzing the electrochemical performance of MAB air-cathodes, a novel electrochemical half-cell has been designed and fabricated. This half-cell is a three-electrode system, in which the air-cathode is used as the working electrode, a platinum wire with large area as the counter electrode and a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) as the reference electrode. The working electrode is designed to allow the surface of gas diffusion layer to be exposed to the air and the catalyst layer to be exposed to the electrolyte. This half-cell is validated by commercially available and in-house made air cathodes using electrochemical linear scan voltammetry (LSV) method in both neutral and alkaline solutions at various temperatures, enabling the in-situ performance evaluation and analysis of air-cathodes in an environment much closer to that of a primary aqueous metal-air battery while offering a more controlled laboratory environment and economic way for down-selecting and optimizing the air-cathodes.     

Inclusively walkable: exploring the equity of walkable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area

This study evaluates the inclusiveness of walkable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using a series of regression models that control for an array of factors, this study finds that blacks are more likely to live in less walkable areas, a factor which could result in increased societal costs. These models suggest that this factor may mask other highly collinear factors including income, education, and social networks. This phenomenon is explored with qualitative interviews that reinforce this finding and illustrate the many push and pull factors that influence housing choice. These findings are then used to develop potential hypotheses as to why minorities may be living in less walkable locations and to propose policy solutions that could be used to encourage more inclusive walkable housing.     

Enhanced styrene recovery from waste polystyrene pyrolysis using response surface methodology coupled with Box–Behnken design

A work applied response surface methodology coupled with Box–Behnken design (RSM-BBD) has been developed to enhance styrene recovery from waste polystyrene (WPS) through pyrolysis. The relationship between styrene yield and three selected operating parameters (i.e., temperature, heating rate, and carrier gas flow rate) was investigated. A second order polynomial equation was successfully built to describe the process and predict styrene yield under the study conditions. The factors identified as statistically significant to styrene production were: temperature, with a quadratic effect; heating rate, with a linear effect; carrier gas flow rate, with a quadratic effect; interaction between temperature and carrier gas flow rate; and interaction between heating rate and carrier gas flow rate. The optimum conditions for the current system were determined to be at a temperature range of 470–505 °C, a heating rate of 40 °C/min, and a carrier gas flow rate range of 115–140 mL/min. Under such conditions, 64.52% WPS was recovered as styrene, which was 12% more than the highest reported yield for reactors of similar size. It is concluded that RSM-BBD is an effective approach for yield optimization of styrene recovery from WPS pyrolysis.     

Assessing the hazards from a BLEVE and minimizing its impacts using the inherent safety concept

Many worlds' major process industry accidents are due to BLEVE such as at Feyzin, France, 1966 and San Juan Ixhuatepec, Mexico City, 1984. One of the approaches to eliminate or minimize such accidents is by the implementation of inherently safer design concept. This concept is best implemented where the consequence of BLEVE can be evaluated at the preliminary design stage, and necessary design improvements can be done as early as possible. Thus, the accident could be avoided or minimized to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) without resorting to a costly protective system. However, the inherent safety concept is not easy to implement at the preliminary design stage due to lack of systematic technique for practical application. To overcome these hurdles, this paper presents a new approach to assess process plant for the potential BLEVE at the preliminary design stage and to allow modifications using inherent safety principles in order to avoid or minimize major accidents. A model known as Inherent Fire Consequence Estimation Tool (IFCET) is developed in MS Excel spreadsheet to evaluate BLEVE impacts based on overpressure, radiation heat flux and missile effects. In this study, BLEVE impacts are the criteria used as the decision-making for the acceptability of the design. IFCET is integrated with iCON process design simulator for ease of data transfer and quick assessment of potential BLEVE during the design simulation stage. A case study was conducted to assess of potential BLEVE from a propane storage vessel at the design simulation stage using this new approach. The finding shows promising results that this approach has a potential to be developed as a practical tool.