High-level techno-economic assessment of negative emissions technologies

This paper presents results from research conducted to provide a high level techno-economic and performance assessments of various emerging technologies for capturing CO₂ from the air, directly and indirectly, on a life-cycle basis. The technologies assessed include ‘artificial trees’, the soda lime process, augmented ocean disposal, biochar and bio-energy with carbon capture and storage.These technologies are subjected to quantitative and qualitative analyses, based on the most recent peer reviewed data in the literature, to identify their potential performance as well as the technical and non-technical barriers to their adoption and scale up. Key findings for each technology are presented which seek to highlight the state of technological development and research needs, the anticipated life cycle capture cost in $/tCO₂ based on their potential to deliver a 0.1 ppm CO₂ reduction per annum, policy requirements for scale up and, in light of these findings, the likely role that they will play in addressing climate change and broader environmental issues in the medium to long term.The key finding from the work is that the degree of scale-up required for negative emissions technologies to have a material impact on atmospheric emissions (i.e. at a ppm level) is probably unrealistic in less than 20 years. Therefore, emissions prevention efforts should remain the main focus in addressing climate change and the likely role for negative emissions technologies will be in augmenting a suite of mitigation measures targeting economically or practically difficult emissions.     

A global index of acoustic assessment of machines-results of experimental and simulation tests

A global index of machines was developed to assess noise emitted by machines and to predict noise levels at workstations. The global index is a function of several partial indices: sound power index, index of distance between the workstation and the machine, radiation directivity index, impulse and impact noise index and noise spectrum index. Tests were carried out to determine values of the global index for engine-generator; the inversion method for determining sound power level was used. It required modelling each tested generator with one omnidirectional substitute source. The partial indices and the global index were simulated, too. The results of the tests confirmed the correctness of the simulations.     

A comparative assessment of the impact of different occupations on workers' static musculoskeletal fitness.

An ergonomic assessment of the involvement of static muscular forces like back strength, grip strength and pinch strength in different occupations was made. A study was conducted on 45 normal adult males (15 subjects per group) which included video display terminal (VDT) operators, industrial workers and safety inspectors. Their maximum back strength, handgrip strength and pinch strength were measured with dynamometers. The observed values of back strength were significantly lower in VDT operators while significantly higher in safety inspectors and moderate in industrial workers. The values of grip strength and pinch strength of all sample groups were more or less similar. The findings clearly indicate that static muscular strength varies significantly in different occupations. Heavy static muscular load might lead to an accumulation of metabolic waste and toxins on the back resulting in lower back strength in VDT operators and industrial workers.     

A review of uses,environmental hazards and recovery/recycle technologies of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) emissions from the semiconductor manufacturing processes

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are being used as etching/cleaning gases in microelectronic or semiconductor manufacturing processes. These compounds under industrial uses mainly include CF₄ (tetrafluorocarbon), C₂F₆ (hexafluoroethane), C₃F₈ (octafluoropropane), and cyclo-C₄F₈ or c-C₄F₈ (octafluorocyclobutane). From the globally environmental issues and regulatory points of view, it is urgent to control the emissions of these significant greenhouse gases from the industrial processes. This article reviews these PFCs in terms of physiochemical properties, industrial uses, and environmental hazards (e.g. global warming, and toxicity and exposure hazards). Further, it addresses some available recovery/recycle technologies (i.e. cryogenic condensation/distillation, pressure swing adsorption, and membrane separation) of process exhaust gases containing PFCs from semiconductor manufacturing processes in this review paper.     

液氧罐防火间距不足隐患治理技术

液氧罐与周边建（构）筑物防火间距不足的问题在新建企业中比较罕见。本文以某企业在安全验收评价时发现液氧罐防火间距不足隐患治理为例,为了预测液氧罐泄漏事故可能的事故后果,设定了液氧罐三种可能的典型泄漏事故情景,进行了泄漏事故后果计算。研究结果表明,液氧罐泄漏造成的空气中氧气浓度提高2.5%（相应约29630ppm）即可使动火作业受到影响,液氧罐泄漏事故后果影响范围较大。并在此基础上,提出了隐患治理的主要技术措施,具有实际意义。     

Health risk assessment of emissions from a coal-fired power plant using AERMOD modelling

Current electricity generation mix in Malaysia consists of 58% gas, 33% coal and 9% hydro. It is anticipated that by year 2019, the generation mix will be at 64% coal, 32% gas and 4% hydro. Due to the increase in coal consumption for power generation, there is a critical need to evaluate the health risks for the population living in the vicinity of a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia. To date, such study related to the plant in Malaysia has never been published. In this study, health risk assessment (HRA) for air emission from a coal-fired power plant in Malaysia was carried out. Two pollutants from the Proposed New Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulation 201X (Draft) (i.e. SO₂ and Hg) were assessed for non-carcinogenic health risk, and two trace elements (i.e. As and Cr) were assessed for carcinogenic health risk. Both short-term and long-term health effects were evaluated. Air dispersion modelling (AERMOD) was used to predict the ground level concentration (GLC) within 10 km radius of the emission source. Based on the HRA, different health risks were identified for short-term and long-term dispersion of the studied pollutants. The findings indicate that a detailed assessment on the short-term and long-term health effects of the emissions from coal-fired power plant in Malaysia with meteorological factor as one of the significant factors influencing the emissions level is needed.     

城市生态安全评价及部分城市生态安全态势比较

以我国35个大中城市生态环境系统为研究对象,选取资源环境压力、环境状态和人文环境响应3个亚系统的23个指标,通过数据标准化处理、指标权重确定和生态安全评价指数模型构建,测算城市生态安全水平;再选取不同生态安全等级的福州、深圳等9城市,分析环境压力、状态和响应3项目对我国城市生态安全影响大小.结果表明,3项目的权重分配差异不大,反映这3个方面对城市生态安全的重要程度相似.按评价指数大小排序结果显示,福州、深圳两城市生态环境的安全态势居所有城市之首;有7个城市生态环境达到安全等级;其余26城市为生态临界安全或不安全状态.我国城市环境状态对于决定城市生态环境安全程度具有重要的作用.各城市压力指数值差异不大,人文环境响应指标值相对较低,反映我国城市环境压力、状态和响应指标对城市生态环境安全贡献的差异,其中人文环境响应项目的贡献最小.     

Fugitive emissions in chemical processes: The assessment and prevention based on inherent and add-on approaches

Fugitive emissions are among the major concerns of industrial process releases. The emissions cause problem to various aspects including the environment, health, and economic. Early evaluation of process hazards is beneficial because process can be made inherently benign at lower cost. This paper discusses two important aspects of fugitive emissions assessment during process design – the quantification and the prevention strategies.For the quantification part, three methods are presented for fugitive emissions estimation during the process design. They are tailored to data available in simple process flow diagram (PFD), detailed PFD, and piping & instrumentation diagram (PID). Such methods are needed as early emissions estimation allows production routes and process designs with lower emissions to be selected. The fugitive emissions estimation and methods to abatement are demonstrated on a benzene process case study. Valves are found to be the major emission source with 50% of fugitive emissions of process area in a base case of petrochemical process, in which no fugitive emission reductions are yet made. Pumps without mechanical seals come second with 30% and flanges with 8% of emissions. Inherently safer design keywords can be applied to prevent fugitive emissions in the process plants. Substitution is the most applicable keyword in fugitive emission reduction of existing plants.The emission rate calculations together with estimation of health risk give a sound background for the decision making on elimination of emissions at source through equipment and piping changes. The case study presented reveals that by substituting emission prone components by inherently low-leaking ones, the plant emissions can be reduced over 90% in practice. This is created mainly by replacing rising stem valves with ball valves, installing double mechanical pump seals or hermetic pumps and making changes in sampling and relief systems. Ideally by also changing flanges to welded connections, which is not viable for various reasons, the emissions could be reduced nearly to zero.     

化工过程定量风险评价进展及风险准则比较分析

为了研究化工过程定量风险评价进展以及对风险准则进行比较分析,通过梳理定量风险评价的发展历程,从方法来源、法律法规进展以及软件技术发展3个方面,逐一分析各国的发展情况,并结合英国、荷兰、美国与中国个人和社会可接受风险准则的比较结果,分析各国风险准则的异同。此外,阐述了德国和日本化工过程安全控制的准则内容。结果表明:我国定量风险评价技术起步相对较晚,但实施导则、风险准则的制定以及评价软件的开发,标志着我国定量风险评价方法理论体系的发展较为完备。     

HIPS阻燃复合材料三元潜在火灾危险性评价

将高抗冲聚苯乙烯树脂颗粒(纳米/微米级)、十溴二苯乙烷颗粒、三氧化二锑、弹性体、分散剂和偶联剂通过一步熔融共混工艺先行制备UL94 V-0级阻燃母粒,再将其与HIPS本体树脂按不同比例混合制得阻燃复合材料,并利用极限氧指数(LOI)、垂直燃烧(UL94)及ISO 5660锥形量热计三项测试表征制得样品的燃烧和火灾性能,从中提炼和分析LOI、垂直燃烧等级和最大热释放速率(Pk HRR)等三元关键指标相关性,给出了定性定量相结合的潜在火灾危险性分级范围。结果表明:UL94燃烧等级和Pk HRR相关性体现为当Pk HRR≤330.0 k W/m~2时,试样UL94等级均为V-0级;UL94燃烧等级和LOI相关性体现为随UL94燃烧等级从V-0降到HB时,试样LOI从27.0降到17.0;Pk HRR与LOI相关性体现为Pk HRR与LOI呈粗略反向线性相关性;UL94燃烧等级、Pk HRR和LOI三元相关性体现为当LOI22.0、Pk HRR为399.0~665.0 k W/m~2时,材料UL94燃烧等级介于HB~V-2。     

Micro-level safety risk assessment model for a two-lane heterogeneous traffic environment in a developing country: A comparative crash probability modeling approach

Introduction: There have been a number of studies that have led to the development of safety risk assessment models to quantify the probability of crash frequencies on roadway facilities (both at micro- and macro-levels), over a specified time period. However, past research has rarely focused on heterogeneous traffic conditions in developing countries. Method: This paper puts forward several models related to the traditional count approach to estimate crash frequency at a micro-level in a non-lane based bi-directional heterogeneous traffic environment. The paper shows the results of dispersion, zero-inflation, and random heterogeneity effects of different exogenous factors by comparing Poisson (P); Negative Binomial (NB); random and fixed parameter Zero-Inflated Poisson (ZIP); and Latent Class Models (LCM). The empirical analysis is based on data from a section of a major national highway in Bangladesh. The performance of the models was validated using different statistical goodness-of-fit measures that compared the estimated and observed average crash frequencies at individual locations. With the identification of the most significant influencing factors, the paper discusses the practical policy implications using partial effects analysis and spatial distribution. Results: It was found that the Zero-Inflated Random Parameter model gives a slightly better statistical fit when compared to alternative approaches. Practical applications: This micro-level modeling approach would be useful to identify significant crash risk factors; to prioritize road sections according to their safety level; to select site-specific appropriate counter-measures; and devise proactive target oriented safety management strategies. Thus, the results shown here could be a point of reference in the planning, designing, maintaining, and managing two-lane highway sections in developing countries.     

Self-ignition tendency of solid fuels: A gas emissions approach for early detection

Self-ignition of solid fuels storage is one of the main causes of human and economic losses. Additionally, each fire caused by this phenomenon emits an amount of toxic gases that contributes on the development of climate change. Nowadays, several methodologies are used in order to detect the self-ignition tendency of solid fuels, but they have as main disadvantages the amount of money and time that they require. The aim of this study is to propose a methodology of detection of incipient self-ignition of solid fuels through the measurement of gas emissions. This study compares existing methodologies to detect self-ignition tendency, such as TG, DSC or susceptibility, and to combustion related gas emission results. Different methods have been used to evaluate the results from the gas emission test, showing that interval and inflexion methods provide early detection of the self-heating process. With this methodology, it is possible to determine this process in advance with the equipment currently available in every industrial facility, reducing costs and improving efficiency.     

An assessment of organizational resilience potential in SMEs of the process industry,a fuzzy approach

In order to establish adequate tools for the modern business environment, and with a need for new mechanisms with the goal of overcoming crisis and emerging disorder, the concept of organizational resilience has emerged. A high level of organizational resilience represents one of an organization's target values during a normal period of operation. In a period of crisis, the presence of resilience is even more needed; this is emphasized in the process industry because in these conditions when one process fails it may cause significant problems in other processes. The contribution of this paper is shown through a fuzzy mathematical model for assessment of organizational resilience potential in SMEs of the process industry. The model is verified through an illustrative example where obtained data suggest measures which should enhance business strategy and improve organizational resilience factors. This study forms the basis for a survey that may include a significant number of organizations from one region and future improvement based on benchmark and knowledge sharing.     

化工企业危险性评价述评

对化工企业危险性评价的定义，内容和分类方法进行了介绍，并就化工危险性评价中存在的不确定性问题进行了分析，同时对提高化工企业危险性评价质量的途径进行了探讨。     

地下式水电站火灾危险分析与潜在风险综合评判

通过地下水电站洞室群火灾风险研究为国家地下水电站防火设计规范的修编提供依据.通过故障树分析找出引发地下式水电站火灾事故的因素,采用层次分析法分析各级指标对上级指标的影响权重,并根据专家评分法确定最底层指标.结合指标权重,运用模糊综合评价方法评价地下水电站的火灾风险.结果表明,地下式水电站的火灾风险级别为中.本研究也为其他类型水电站的火灾风险评价提供了参考.     

An intervention program utilizing small groups: A comparative study

Thirteen small groups were employed in an intervention program to improve housekeeping and safety conducted at a shipyard. Two main tasks were given to the small groups, which were formed specifically for the one-year program. First, the groups had to solve practical problems in housekeeping to eliminate the obstacles of good housekeeping. Then they had to establish new work practices for the maintenance of a good housekeeping level by using the elements of the behavior modification technique. The groups were responsible for all the actions taken in their own department. Comparative material was gathered about the process and the outcome of the program. The program was successful in improving housekeeping and safety at the shipyard. Differences were noted between the departments, however. In the best departments the small groups worked very actively and succeeded in involving the other personnel into the program. With careful design and coordination, the program using small groups can successfully be applied for improving safety performance in industry.