Uncertainties in QRA: Analysis of losses of containment from piping and implications on risk prevention and mitigation

Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) is commonly used in the chemical industry to support decision-making. Common practices are based on standard methods, such as fault tree, event tree, etc.; in this frame, risk is a function of frequency of events (probability) and associated consequences (negative outcomes), but relevant uncertainties often are not properly taken into account in the derived results. This paper presents the application of an extended risk analysis of loss of containments for a case-study with the following aims: firstly, the uncertainties related to the results of the analysis, which derive from assumption in the application of the standard models, are qualitatively assessed; secondly the application allows evaluating the impact of the uncertainties on the trustworthiness of the results and, finally, commenting about their use in the risk prevention and mitigation.     

Confidence-based quantitative risk analysis for offshore accidental hydrocarbon release events

Quantitative risk analysis (QRA) has been widely used to conduct the assessment of offshore accidental risks. However, the accuracy and validity of QRA is significantly affected by uncertainties when subjective judgments are involved. Therefore, it is unrealistic to determine the probability of a hazardous event by using one single explicit value when safety experts have a relatively low confidence level in their judgments. This paper proposes a new methodology for incorporating uncertainties into conventional QRA using the concept of confidence level. Offshore hydrocarbon release hazards are focused on and a barrier and operational risk analysis (BORA-Release) method is selected as the basic model to illustrate the proposed methodology. A left–right (L–R) bell-shaped fuzzy number is employed and its membership curve is able to control its shape to represent different confidence levels. As to the complex geometry of the bell-shaped fuzzy number, an α-cut operation is introduced to conduct the arithmetic operations of the fuzzy number, and a defuzzification method with total integral value is chosen to match the α-cut operations and acquire complete information for the fuzzy numbers. In the meantime, an optimism index is used to describe the attitude of the decision-maker. One case study is provided in this paper to demonstrate the implementation of this method.     

Morphological characteristics of flashing jet throughout superheated liquid release

Many release problems involve two-phase releases of hazardous materials of superheated liquids with high energy into the atmosphere. Such accidents are accompanied by violent phase transition and form catastrophic flashing jets. In this work, experimental and theoretical analyses were conducted to investigate dynamic characteristics of flashing jet morphology and their dependence on pressure-decay dynamics under different storage pressures, superheats, and nozzle diameters. Flashing jet morphology and angle throughout two-phase releases were captured by a high-speed camera, and the corresponding source pressure in the superheated liquid tank was measured simultaneously. Results show that three typical phases, expansion, stabilization, and decay, are characterized throughout two-phase release based on the evolution of flashing jet morphology. The jet initially expands gradually due to the enhancement of phase transition intensity, and then keeps stable when the intensity reaches its maximum, and terminally decays rapidly due to the depletion of superheated liquid. Phase transition intensity at the nozzle exit is mainly controlled by the pressure-decay dynamics. Bubbles nucleation inception sites gradually move upstream of the nozzle during the pressure decay process increasing the phase transition intensity. The increase of storage pressure, superheat and nozzle diameter promotes the mechanical and thermodynamic effects on the jet breakup. The significant increase of mechanical and thermodynamic effects effectively accelerates droplets evaporation and further affects flashing jet morphology.     

磁湖底泥氮释放通量的研究

本研究通过对磁湖底泥氮释放的特性进行实验室静态模拟实验,测定不同温度对磁湖底泥中氮释放量的影响。结果表明,温度升高时,底泥中NH3-N、TN释放通量增大,NO2-N和NO3-N释放通量减小。磁湖底泥的TN释放通量为-120到-25 mg/m3.d,NH3-N、NO2-N和NO3-N和TN释放通量基本呈负释放,说明磁湖大部分氮元素沉积到底泥中。本研究为探讨磁湖水质的改善提供相关的依据,并为以后关于磁湖的治理研究提供一定参考。     

水位变化对湖泊沉积物营养释放的影响

水位波动可有效调节湖泊生态系统的结构与功能,干湿交替过程引起的沉积物生物地球化学循环途径的改变是其重要机制之一。大量研究结果表明,干湿交替将加速沉积物有机碳的分解,强化沉积物硝化与硝化作用的偶联,促进沉积物磷的酶促水解和厌氧解离,从而增加再度淹没之后水中溶解有机碳和生物可利用性磷的浓度,并减少溶解无机态氮的浓度。有机质的分解是上述过程的关键步骤。因此,必须系统描述湖泊水陆界面土壤和沉积物基本理化性状与水生生物特征,分析干旱过程中沉积物生物地球化学循环途径的变化,了解淹没过程中水柱营养状态与浮游生物群落对沉积物营养释放的响应,从而揭示水位波动调控富营养化过程的机制,即诱发营养脉冲或维系其持续补给,改变营养阈值,进而导致稳态转换。     

海水淡化水在既有管网输配的铁释放控制研究

由于具有强腐蚀性,海水淡化水在既有市政管网输配过程中往往会产生严重的"红水"现象,主要是由于管网中铁的释放.为了研究控制既有管网中铁释放的有效措施,对管龄为30～40 a的钢管和灰口铸铁管内壁的腐蚀瘤进行分析,主要组成物质为Fe3O4和FeOOH;选择腐蚀较严重的钢管进行静态浸泡试验,重点分析了自来水和淡化水的掺混比、pH值、碱度、氯离子和硫酸根离子对铁释放的影响,并以铁浓度为控制量,初步给出了海水淡化水在既有管网中安全输配所需满足的水质条件:自来水和淡化水的掺混比≥2∶1,pH值在7.6以上,碱度>200 mg.L-1.     

动态水流条件下河流底泥污染物(COD_(Cr))释放研究

为了研究不同水深、流速等水动力条件对底泥中污染物释放强度的影响,以苏州河底泥为例,通过水槽试验,分析了动态水流条件下河流底泥中污染物释放及其对上覆水体水质的影响.结果表明,CODCr释放率随时间的增大而增大,但CODCr释放强度随时间的增大而减小.底泥中污染物释放率与水深和流速有关,在相同水深的条件下,底泥的释放率随着流速的增加而增大;在相同流速的条件下,底泥的释放率随着水深的增大而减小.在水深10cm、流速0.10m.s-1的动态水流条件下,底泥向上覆水体释放CODCr的释放强度与时间的关系为:C=1.06C0e-0.06t.     

扰动强度对钝化剂抑制滇池沉积物磷释放的影响

选取滇池福保湾表层沉积物,以聚合氯化铝为钝化剂,研究了扰动强度对钝化剂抑制沉积物中磷释放的影响.结果表明,当扰动强度低于一定范围时,聚合氯化铝对沉积物中的磷有抑制作用,当转速为0,60,120r/min时,对应的水中磷浓度分别为初始值的62.5%,71.7%和83.4%;当转速达到240r/min时,沉积物会向水中释放大量磷,钝化作用完全被破坏,水中磷浓度为初始值的3.3倍.此外,在转速低于120r/min时,磷形态主要是以无机磷(DIP)为主的溶解性磷(DTP),而转速达到240r/min时,水中DTP/TP30%,DIP/DTP40%,即磷形态主要为不溶性磷,溶解性磷中以有机磷(DOP)为主.     

地下水渗流补给-内源释放耦合作用下河流水质不确定模拟

针对河流-地下水环境系统的模糊性、不精确性及随机不确定性,采用梯形模糊数描述和表征河流水文、水质及水文地质参数,构建了集成地下水渗流补给与内源释放耦合影响的一维河流水质模糊模拟模型.在此基础上,就地下水渗流补给与内源释放的可能组合,设置5种情景,分别进行水质模拟,并对计算结果进行分析、对比.实例研究表明,对地下水渗流补给与内源释放耦合作用下的河流水质衰减变化规律,梯形模糊数有较好的模拟效果.     

城市污泥中磷的释放与回收

基于我国磷资源和城市污泥的现状,针对城市污泥中的营养元素,分析了城市污泥中磷回收的必要性;探讨了城市污泥中磷由固相释放至液相的微生物消化法、热处理法和药剂溶出法等;综述了回收液相中磷的磷酸铵镁、磷酸镁钾、磷酸钠钾镁结晶法和磷酸钙盐沉淀法的原理和研究现状;展望了城市污泥中磷释放与回收技术的研究、开发与应用前景。