A new leak location method based on leakage acoustic waves for oil and gas pipelines

In order to study a new leak detection and location method for oil and natural gas pipelines based on acoustic waves, the propagation model is established and modified. Firstly, the propagation law in theory is obtained by analyzing the damping impact factors which cause the attenuation. Then, the dominant-energy frequency bands of leakage acoustic waves are obtained through experiments by wavelet transform analysis. Thirdly, the actual propagation model is modified by the correction factor based on the dominant-energy frequency bands. Then a new leak detection and location method is proposed based on the propagation law which is validated by the experiments for oil pipelines. Finally, the conclusions and the method are applied to the gas pipelines in experiments. The results indicate: the modified propagation model can be established by the experimental method; the new leak location method is effective and can be applied to both oil and gas pipelines and it has advantages over the traditional location method based on the velocity and the time difference. Conclusions can be drawn that the new leak detection and location method can effectively and accurately detect and locate the leakages in oil and natural gas pipelines.     

An experimental investigation of explanations for inconsistencies in responses to second offers in double referenda

This paper demonstrates the potential for induced preference experiments to test previously unverified explanations of observed behavior in contingent valuation surveys. The NOAA Panel on Contingent Valuation called for experimental evidence on potential biases in the double referendum format. We test Carson, Groves, and Machina's (Incentives and informational properties of preference questions, Plenary address to the European Association of Resource and Environmental Economists, Oslo, Norway, June 1999) simple cost uncertainty and weighted averaging explanations of inconsistent responses to follow-up offers in such double referenda against a baseline of certainty and truthful preference revelation. The results find evidence to support the Weighted Average hypothesis. Results regarding the cost uncertainty hypothesis are more ambiguous and merit further investigation.     

移动通信基站电磁辐射污染分析及对策

移动通信基站发射天线产生的电磁波对环境造成电磁辐射污染，通过对沈阳移动通信公司部分基站产生的电磁辐射强度的测试，摸清了污染特点及规律，为今后环境管理规范化提供重要依据．     

十三陵地震台观测技术系统优化改造

在北京十三陵地震台建设了一个高度集成的地震观测监控系统,将原来分散的观测项目(如测震、GPS、气氡、气汞、电磁波、地电场等测项),改造为集中到一台服务器管理,在一个监控平台上统一实现了对台站数据的收集、入库、管理、处理、监控等业务;对这些观测项目可以在控制台上直接取数并将数据入库;初步实现了观测数据的收集、数据处理、数据管理、数据监控的软件管理系统,减少了系统维护工作量,方便台站工作人员操控。监控系统的地震前兆数据监管软件系统DataMonitor可准实时监视数据,检查数据的异常和到达情况,并向台站数据管理人员告警;可对数据库数据进行统计,包括数据到达情况统计、缺数统计、数据连续率统计等。该系统还提供多种前兆数据处理方法,实现对前兆数据的各种常规分析处理。     

Development of heat transfer and evaporation model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam

Natural gas is a kind of clean, efficient green energy source, which is used widely. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is produced by cooling natural gas to −161 °C, at which it becomes the liquid. Once LNG was released, fire or explosion would happen when ignition source existed nearby. The high expansion foam (Hi-Ex foam) is believed to quickly blanket on the top of LNG spillage pool and warm the LNG vapor to lower the vapor cloud density at the ground level and raising vapor buoyancy. To identify the physical structure after it contacted with LN₂ and to develop heat transfer model, the small-scale field test with liquid nitrogen (LN₂) was designed. In experiment, three layers including frozen ice layer, frozen Hi-Ex layer and soft layer of Hi-Ex foam were observed at the steady state. By characterizing physical structure of the foam, formulas for calculating the surface of single foam bubble and counting foam film thickness were deduced. The micro heat transfer and evaporation model between cryogenic liquid and Hi-Ex foam was established. Indicating the physical structure of the frozen ice layer, there were a certain number of icicles below it. The heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model between the frozen ice layer and LNG was derived. Combining models above with the heat transfer between LNG, ground and cofferdam, the heat transfer and evaporation mathematical model of LNG covered by Hi-Ex foam was developed eventually. Finally, LN₂ evaporation rate calculated by this model was compared with the measured evaporation rate. The calculated results are 1.2–2.1 times of experimental results, which were acceptable in engineering and proved the model was reliable.     

Distribution of radionuclides in the guano sediments of Xisha Islands, South China Sea and its implication

Several natural and anthropogenic radionuclides (²¹⁰Pb, ²²⁶Ra and ¹³⁷Cs) in guano-phosphatic coral sediments and pure guano particles collected from Ganquan, Guangjin, Jinqing and Jinyin Islands of the Xisha archipelago, South China Sea, were analyzed. The Constant Initial Concentration (CIC) model and the Constant Rate of Supply (CRS) model were applied for age calculation. The average supply rate of ²¹⁰Pb was 126 Bq m⁻² a⁻¹, very close to the flux of northern hemisphere average (125 Bq m⁻² a⁻¹). The activities of anthropogenic radionuclides in the sediments were very low, indicating that human nuclear tests did not notably impact this region. The main source of radionuclides in the sediments was from atmospheric precipitation, and the organic matter derived from plant and produced by nutrient-rich guano could further enhance them.     

Ecosystem restoration in fire-managed savanna woodlands: Effects on biodiversity,local livelihoods and fire intensity

Ethiopia aims to restore 15 million ha degraded forests and woodlands, but effects on the potentially contrasting goals of long-term carbon storage, biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods are unknown. To quantify the effects of grazing exclusion on vegetation and fire behaviour, we established six 30 × 30 m fenced exclosures with grazed controls, in a mesic wooded savanna. Experimental burns were done after 1.5 years. Tree seedlings were few but more common inside fences. Field layer cover and biomass increased inside fences, and grass species increased in numbers and cover. Fire intensity was higher inside fences, killing shrubs and saplings but not mature trees. Interviews confirmed that overgrazing has resulted in “cool fires”, causing shrub encroachment. High-intensity fires occurred in the 1980s after a zoonotic disease killed most livestock. Short-term increase in carbon storage through fire and grazing exclusion may lead to loss of pasture, and in the long-term increased wildfire risk.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01343-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

机载电子设备灌封材料在西沙环境下的耐老化性研究

目的考察机载电子设备常用灌封材料在西沙环境下的耐老化性能。方法开展西沙海洋环境下4种灌封材料的棚下暴露实验,暴晒实验时间为3年,分别通过测试表面电阻、体积电阻、介电常数、损耗角正切等手段研究其老化特点。结果 267有机硅、DC160有机硅两类样品外观未出现明显变化,且介电常数、损耗角正切、表面电阻、体积电阻均变化较小,112FR环氧树脂、8836聚氨酯两类样品出现变色、产生针孔起泡等现象,介电常数、损耗角正切、表面电阻和体积电阻均变化幅度较大。结论在机载电子设备选用绝缘灌封材料时,可优先选用267有机硅、DC160有机硅这两类灌封材料,112FR环氧树脂和8836聚氨酯谨慎选用。     

Ash deposition impact on the energy performance of photovoltaic generators

A little known side effect of the atmospheric air pollution is the degradation of photovoltaic (PV) cells’ performance due to the deposition of solid particles varying in composition, size and origin. In this context, an experimental-based investigation is conducted in order to compare the energy performance of two identical pairs of PV-panels; the first being clean and the second being artificially polluted with ash, i.e. a by-product of incomplete hydrocarbons’ combustion mainly originating from thermal power stations and vehicular exhausts. A series of systematic measurements of current intensity, voltage output and solar radiation are executed simultaneously for the clean and the polluted PV-panel, so that the effect of several mass depositions on the PVs’ power output, energy yield and conversion efficiency may be determined. According to the results, a considerable deterioration of the PV-panels’ performance is obtained, i.e. almost 30% energy reduction per hour or 1.5% efficiency decrease (in absolute terms) for ash accumulation on the panels’ surface reaching up to 0.4 mg/cm².