Minimum-loss design of x-bar charts for correlated data

When the x-bar chart is used to monitor a production process, three parameters should be determined: the sample size, the sampling interval between successive samples, and the control limits for the chart. In 1956, Duncan presented a cost model to determine the three parameters, which is called the economic design of x-bar charts. In 1995, Alexander et al. combined Duncan’s cost model with the Taguchi’s quality loss function to present a loss model for determining the three parameters. When designing an x-bar chart, one usually assumes that the measurements within a sample are independent; however, this assumption may not be true for some processes. In this paper, we develop the minimum-loss design of x-bar charts for correlated measurements within a sample by incorporating the Taguchi’s quality loss function. An example of orange juice production process is presented to illustrate the solution procedure. From the results of sensitivity analysis, we find that as the measurements in the sample are positively correlated, highly correlated data result in a smaller sample size and a frequent sampling interval; however, as the measurements in the sample are negatively correlated, highly correlated data yield a smaller sample size and a narrower control limits.     

A new methodology for the synthesis of an optimum flexible water networks

This paper presents a new optimization model for the synthesis of direct reuse/recycle water networks with data uncertainties. In this case, data uncertainties were originated from the varying parameters of the water sources and sinks, which fluctuate within a given range of values. The aim of the method is to design an optimum flexible water network (FWN) that ensures minimum fresh water consumption and yet fulfilling all process constraints and uncertain parameters. The resulting FWN also features the minimum number of pipelines, which will ease process operation and control. Due to the complexity of the problem, multistep solving method based on theorem of corner points has been developed. The FWN obtained using the proposed method also includes information on the maximum flow rate in the pipelines, which is essential for detailed network design stage. The resulting model is a mixed integer linear problem (MILP), which may be solved to obtain global optimum solution. Two case studies were used to elucidate the newly proposed method.     

Process design optimization and risk analysis

Hazard identification and risk assessment are key aspects in process plant design. They are often applied in the final stages of the process at whatever the cost, unless financial constraints are imposed. However, a much better solution would be to introduce risk analysis earlier by including it in earlier stages of the design process, such as when the cost of a plant and the cost of any accidents that may occur are estimated. In this paper, an optimization methodology is proposed, in which both cost and risk (with a deterministic approach) are taken into account, to improve on the current situation. If a decision variable is chosen, an objective function will be established that makes it possible to analyze variations in overall costs, including the cost of the investment and the cost of accidents. This leads to an optimum situation in which costs are kept to a minimum. Of course, this optimization is subject to constraints, the greatest of which is the fact that risk must not exceed tolerated threshold levels. The procedure is explained and two examples, one involving a toxic release and the other a BLEVE/fireball, are used to illustrate it.     

Certification of Highly Complex Safety-Related Systems

The BIA has now 15 years of experience with the certification of complex electronic systems for safety-related applications in the machinery sector. Using the example of machining centres, this presentation will show the systematic procedure for verifying and validating control systems using Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and microcomputers for safety functions.

One section will describe the control structure of machining centres with control systems using “ integrated safety.” A diverse redundant architecture combined with crossmonitoring and forced dynamisation is explained. In the main section the steps of the systematic certification procedure are explained showing some results of the certification of drilling machines. Specification reviews, design reviews with test case specification, statistical analysis, and walk-throughs are the analytical measures in the testing process. Systematic tests based on the test case specification, Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) and environmental testing, and site acceptance tests on the machines are the testing measures for validation.

A complex software driven system is always undergoing modification. Most of the changes are not safety-relevant but this has to be proven. A systematic procedure for certifying software modifications is presented in the last section of the paper.     

煤矿水文地质勘探中稳定流抽水试验确定水文地质参数讨论

<正>确的水文地质参数是准确预测矿井涌水量的基础。以实际抽水试验为基础,对比计算分析单孔抽水、一个观测孔和两个观测孔三种不同抽水试验方式下的水文地质参数,然后在考虑井损的情况下,对抽水孔的降深进行修正,以期得到更加精确的水文地质参数。结果表明,由于经验公式及井损的影响,使得单孔抽水所得参数误差及离散度较大,即使对降深进行修正后,单孔抽水依然得不到理想的结果。因此,建议采用两个观测孔的抽水试验方式来获取较为正确的水文地质参数。研究结果可为含水层水文地质参数计算及矿井涌水量预测提供理论依据,对矿井防排水系统设计和防治水措施制定具有重要现实意义。     

Safety-centered process control design based on dynamic safe set

The objective of this research is to develop an approach for the process control design problem with safety as the primary target. The work proposes the concept of dynamic safe set (DSS) to characterize and evaluate the safeness of a closed-loop system.The DSS is defined as a set of initial states of the process that guarantees safe operation, which is represented by a set of safety-critical constraints that is to be satisfied at all times. The DSS calculation accounts for potential safety threatening disturbances that may significantly affect the dynamics of the system. An addon control scheme based on the DSS concept is proposed to guide the system when it is under sudden and large set point changes that may be needed during abnormal situations. Existing system theoretic concepts of maximal output admissible sets is used to mathematically formulate and determine the DSS. The concept of dynamic safety margin (DSM) is proposed as a quantitative measure of the size of DSS. An approach based on the DSS and DSM concepts for process control design with the objective to maximize safety, subject to other performance constraints, is proposed.The approach is tested on an exothermic CSTR case study. The results showed the strong effect of steady state operating conditions, control parameters and actuator design parameters on DSM. A grid of design parameters that includes the reactor set point, the controller parameters, and the heat exchanger design parameter was analyzed. The analysis led to identifying a maximally safe control system design. The proposed approach allowed to formulate the process control design problem by bringing safety upfront, without compromising performance metrics.     

Toward an inherently safer design and operation of batch and semi-batch processes: The N-oxidation of alkylpyridines

This work shows an application of inherent safety principles to a reaction widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. More specifically, it incorporates the teachings of Trevor Kletz into the design of an inherently safer process for the N-oxidation of alkylpyridines. This reaction is of interest because of the hazards resulting from the undesired, gas-generating decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, the oxidizing agent. The generation of oxygen, combined with the flammability of the alkylpyridines, represents a serious fire and explosion hazard for this process. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how an inherently safer process can be potentially achieved by designing improved reactors and by assessing conditions that reduce or eliminate the hazards. Furthermore, it is shown that such improvement in safety increases the efficiency of the process and results in a cost reduction.     

The application of kinetics based simulation method in thermal risk prediction of coal

Coal spontaneous combustion is one of the major natural disasters faced in coal mines. The accurate prediction of the thermal risk of coal is of great importance. However, there isn't a widely accepted approach to get the oxidation process of coal that under adiabatic condition or in a specific environment under mine at present. To demonstrate whether the advanced kinetics simulation method could be employed to obtain the accurate oxidation process of coal for determining the coal's thermal risk in the mine design phase and mining phase, DSC experiments were conducted by C80 micro-calorimeter to get the heat behavior of coal, based on which the kinetic parameters can be solved and the oxidation process of coal can be predicted.The results showed that the kinetics based simulation method was successfully used to predict the adiabatic temperature rise process of coal for risk prediction. The deviation between the predicted curve and tested curve that obtained by adiabatic test is small enough to be accepted. Kinetics based simulation method is a promising candidate, instead of adiabatic test, to assess the propensity of coal to spontaneous combustion, which can play an important role in the design phase of the mine and mining area. Moreover, through establishing the heat balance equation of residual coal and with the aid of kinetics based simulation method, the oxidation process of coal that in the suffocation zone of the gob was also accurately predicted. According to the index t₇₀ (the time required for coal to reach 70 °C) and v_min (the lower limit of the advancing speed of the working face) obtained from the predicted curve, the thermal risk of coal was predicted to guide the further adjustment of the advancing speed of the working face, the amount of the injected mud and the determination that whether to add other fire prevention measures. Kinetics based simulation method, be of great practical importance in risk prediction of coal that in the gob, can be also used as a convenient tool to guide the safe production in the actual mining process.     

Driver glare exposure with different vehicle frontlighting systems

Introduction: Highway safety performance at night has received less attention in research than daytime, despite the higher accident rates occurring under night-time conditions. This study presents a procedure to assess the potential hazard for drivers created by headlight glare and its interaction with the geometric design of highways. Method: The proposed procedure consists of a line-of-sight analysis performed by a geoprocessing model in geographic information systems to determine whether the rays of light that connect headlights and oncoming drivers are obstructed by either the roadway or its roadsides. Then, the procedure checks whether the non-obstructed rays of light are enclosed by a given headlight beam. Different hypotheses were set concerning the headlight beam features, including the horizontal spread angle and whether the headlights are fixed or swiveling. A highway section was selected to test and validate the procedure proposed. A 3D recreation of the highway and its environment derived from a LiDAR point cloud was used for this purpose. Results: The findings disclose how glare is produced on tangents, horizontal curves, transitions between them and sequences of curves. The effect of visual obstructions conveniently placed is also discussed. Conclusions: A greater glare incidence is produced as the horizontal headlights spread angle increases. Swiveling headlights increase glare on highways left curves and reduce it on right curves. Practical Applications: The procedure and conclusions of this study can contribute to develop more effective glare avoidance technologies as well as identify and assess glare-prone sections. The glare evaluation assists in evaluating glare countermeasures such as deciding whether to place a vegetation barrier and where.     

基于小波变换风力发电机组振动安全监测系统设计

针对风力发电机组运行过程中产生的振动对机组带来的安全危害,讨论了风力发电机组振动测量的要求及对振动传感器的要求,分析发电机组振动的频率范围,简要介绍了小波变换及其算法,研究利用小波变换将加速度振动传感器测量的风力发电机组振动信号分解到不同尺度,在LabVIEW软件平台上设计了一套机组振动安全监测系统。系统主要由传感器系统、数据采集与预处理系统、振动数据分析处理系统三部分组成,实现对振动信号的实时监控。介绍了振动测量方案,提出了硬件和软件设计方法,给出了系统构成和程序设计流程图。系统进行了仿真测试,验证了系统的可靠性。     

Seismic fragility analysis of a coupled tank-piping system based on artificial ground motions and surrogate modeling

The catastrophic consequences of recent NaTech events triggered by earthquakes highlighted the inadequacy of standard approaches to seismic risk assessment of chemical process plants. To date, the risk assessment of such facilities mainly relies on historical data and focuses on uncoupled process components. As a consequence, the dynamic interaction between process equipment is neglected. In response to this gap, researchers started a progressive integration of the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE) risk assessment framework. However, a few limitations still prevent a systematic implementation of this framework to chemical process plants. The most significant are: (i) the computational cost of system-level simulations accounting for coupling between process equipment; (ii) the experimental cost for component-level model validation; (iii) a reduced number of hazard-consistent site-specific ground motion records for time history analyses.In response to these challenges, this paper proposes a recently developed uncertainty quantification-based framework to perform seismic fragility assessments of chemical process plants. The framework employs three key elements: (i) a stochastic ground-motion model to supplement scarcity of real records; (ii) surrogate modeling to reduce the computational cost of system-level simulations; (iii) a component-level model validation based on cost-effective hybrid simulation tests. In order to demonstrate the potential of the framework, two fragility functions are computed for a pipe elbow of a coupled tank-piping system.     

I2SI: A comprehensive quantitative tool for inherent safety and cost evaluation

This paper presents details of an integrated inherent safety index (I2SI). The conceptual framework of this index was presented at the 37th Annual Loss Prevention Symposium of the AIChE (2003) and published in Process Safety Progress (volume 23(2), 136–148, 2004). In addition to the framework, the current paper discusses additional features of the index such as the cost model and system design model, which were not presented or discussed earlier. I2SI is called an integrated index because the procedure considers the life cycle of the process with economic evaluation and hazard potential identification for each option. I2SI is comprised of sub-indices which account for hazard potential, inherent safety potential, and add-on control requirements. In addition to evaluating these respective characteristics, there are also indices that measure the economic potential of the option. To demonstrate the applicability and efficacy of I2SI, an application of the index to three acrylic acid production options is also discussed in the paper.     

Influence assessment of inlet parameters on thermal risk and productivity: Application to the epoxidation of vegetable oils

The influence of inlet parameters on the production and thermal risk of complex chemical systems can be cumbersome to evaluate. To determine the optimum safe operating conditions, one needs to solve complex differential equations derived from energy and material balances. This robust approach cannot be made on-site, and it is essential to propose simplest tools to evaluate rapidly the performance and safety of some operating conditions. This is the aim of this paper that establishes explicit relationships between the production and thermal risk parameters, and the inlet parameters. In addition, it also proposes a Pareto chart that can be used to make the tradeoff between safety and performance. Such relationships and chart were developed for the production of epoxidized cottonseed oil under isoperibolic and semi-batch mode. The kinetic model developed by Zheng et (Zheng et al., 2016). was used. First, a numerical approach, i.e., least square method, was used to find explicit relationships between thermal risk parameters, production parameters and six inlet parameters. The use of such an approach allows a better understanding of this process. Second, safety and performance indicators are proposed and discussed to evaluate the operating conditions thanks to a simple and intuitive schema. Besides, this approach can be used to find the optimum conditions more rapidly.     

平交道口冗余控制系统的建模及成本收益分析

将成本收益的分析方法应用在控制系统设计中。采用随机Petri网基于控制过程及系统可靠性对道口控制系统进行建模。在可靠性建模中,基于冗余系统的冷备及热备原理对控制系统的各个部件分别进行描述。基于统计数据确定非冗余控制系统Petri网模型参数。针对冷备及热备的冗余控制系统各部件的系统模型,通过仿真确定冗余系统相对非冗余系统所降低的道口事故率,继而计算出冗余控制的收益。将收益与增加设备的成本进行对比分析,结果表明,控制系统中不同部件的冷备及热备冗余都具有不同的成本收益。     

Kullback-Leibler distance-based enhanced detection of incipient anomalies

Accurate and effective anomaly detection and diagnosis of modern engineering systems by monitoring processes ensure reliability and safety of a product while maintaining desired quality. In this paper, an innovative method based on Kullback-Leibler divergence for detecting incipient anomalies in highly correlated multivariate data is presented. We use a partial least square (PLS) method as a modeling framework and a symmetrized Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD) as an anomaly indicator, where it is used to quantify the dissimilarity between current PLS-based residual and reference probability distributions obtained using fault-free data. Furthermore, this paper reports the development of two monitoring charts based on the KLD. The first approach is a KLD-Shewhart chart, where the Shewhart monitoring chart with a three sigma rule is used to monitor the KLD of the response variables residuals from the PLS model. The second approach integrates the KLD statistic into the exponentially weighted moving average monitoring chart. The performance of the PLS-based KLD anomaly-detection methods is illustrated and compared to that of conventional PLS-based anomaly detection methods. Using synthetic data and simulated distillation column data, we demonstrate the greater sensitivity and effectiveness of the developed method over the conventional PLS-based methods, especially when data are highly correlated and small anomalies are of interest. Results indicate that the proposed chart is a very promising KLD-based method because KLD-based charts are, in practice, designed to detect small shifts in process parameters.     

Methods for more accurate determination of explosion severity parameters

Accurate determination of explosion severity parameters (p_max, (dp/dt)_max, and K_St) is essential for dust explosion assessment, identification of mitigation strategy, and design of mitigation measure of proper capacity. The explosion severity parameters are determined according to standard methodology however variety of dust handled and operation circumstances may create practical challenge on the optimal test method and subsequent data interpretation. Two methods are presented: a statistical method, which considers all test results in determination of explosion severity parameters and a method that corrects the results for differences of turbulence intensity. The statistical method also calculates experimental error (uncertainty) that characterises the experimental spread, allows comparison to other dust samples and may define quality determination threshold. The correction method allows to reduce discrepancies between results from 1 m³ vessel and 20-l sphere caused by difference in the turbulence intensity level. Additionally new experimental test method for difficult to inject samples together with its analysis is described. Such method is a versatile tool for explosion interpretation in test cases where different dispersion nozzle is used (various turbulence level in the test chamber) because of either specific test requirements or being “difficult dust sample”.     

轻轨桥架声屏障优化设计研究

随着城市轻轨建设的发展,交通噪声污染逐渐引起人们重视。在轻轨桥架两侧设置声屏障是控制轨道噪声的重要措施之一。声屏障的高昂成本往往是由不合理的设计参数造成的,通过对目前声屏障设计方法进行分析,提出了轻轨桥架声屏障优化设计方法。该方法以声屏障建造成本为目标函数,以降噪要求为声学约束,综合考虑设置位置、高度和长度等设计变量的影响;由列车噪声1/3倍频程频谱计算插入损失,提高了优化过程中插入损失的计算精度。该优化设计法与目前设计方法对比,验证了声屏障优化设计在改善降噪性能和经济性能方面的优越性。讨论了设计参数对成本和降噪性能的影响,并且对轨边矮墙的降噪性能进行了分析,所获的结论对声屏障和轨边矮墙设计参数与形状的选择具有指导意义。     

Inherent occupational health assessment during basic engineering stage

Each year more people die from work-related diseases than are killed in industrial accidents. Therefore it is essential to evaluate occupational health aspect during the process design. Early evaluation of safety, health, and environmental (SHE) performance is advantageous, since the opportunities to make the process inherently benign are greater and the cost therefore lower. The methods for occupational health assessments need to be tailored to specific design stages, since the data availability is changing as the design proceeds. In this paper, an index-based method called the Occupational Health Index (OHI) is presented for the basic engineering stage. The OHI is the final of the three methods in series proposed for health assessment in development and design stages. The OHI is based on the information available in piping and instrumentation diagrams (PIDs) and the plot plan. Four health aspects are considered; chronic inhalation risks to noncarcinogens and carcinogens, acute inhalation risk, and dermal/eye risk. The index is demonstrated on separation system of a toluene hydrodealkylation process. The assessment results allow the level of occupational health risks to be evaluated, the sources of exposures be detected, and corrective actions taken in a focused way.     

高层建筑矩形Multi-TLD系统等效阻尼比分析

如何减小地震作用对建筑结构的破坏是工程结构领域重要的研究课题之一。结构振动控制为工程结构的抗震设计与研究开辟了一个新的途径。笔者所研究的多个调协液体阻尼器 (简称MTLD)作为一种结构被动控制装置 ,具有造价低廉、可靠性高、简便易行的特点。笔者在现有研究成果的基础上 ,更加深入地研究了多个TLD对高层建筑的振动控制作用 ;推导出设置了MTLD的高层建筑结构在地震作用下的等效阻尼比 ,并且指出了影响MTLD系统等效阻尼比的基本参数 ;最后 ,以一 2 4层建筑为例 ,笔者研究了影响系统阻尼比的各个基本参数 ,并且对其进行优化设计 ,以提高系统的控制效果     

Study of high-tech process furnace using inherently safer design strategies (II). Deposited film thickness model

In the low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process, there are many factors that could affect the thin film thickness and homogeneity in the thin film deposition process. Besides temperature, the volume flow rate of the reactant gas, the Mole fraction, and pressure are all affecting factors. On the basis of the forecast mode result of the thermal model of wafer temperature distribution in the previously published article, this study used the optimal method to calculate the conversion rate of the surface of each wafer under simulated conditions of various furnace temperatures and Mole fractions, as well as silane flow rates and pressures, and finally calculated the thin film growth rate and homogeneity of the surface of each wafer.This study validated four types of process conditions, and found that the results were very close to the experimental values in the previous studies, when conditions such as temperature, Mole fraction of silane, flow rate and pressure in the process were changed. This study thus concluded that the proposed process film thickness mode could meet the requirement of the process capacity. This study found that adjusting the heating zone temperature to regulate the film thickness growth rate was able to control uniformity of the film thickness. These feasible adjustment measures could be very effective on the industry commercial processes.Furthermore, the film thickness mode established in this study was used to discuss the application level of the inherently safer design strategies. This study mode could be used to adjust the temperature, mole fraction (mf), flow rate (F) and pressure (P) in the process for a single machine. Under the condition of meeting the film thickness process recipes required by the process, the silane flow rate was lowered through the adjustment of the control system. The study took the silane supply system as the basis of the case study. Based on a daily required silane consumption of 64.4 L, the daily required amount was 1.5 cylinders in the case of using 40 L high-pressure cylinders. The total daily required amount would be three 40 L high-pressure cylinders, including one more reserve amount on top of the daily required amount, which could match the inherently safer design philosophy and the principles of intensification, attenuation and limitation of effects.In terms of the factory evaluation, among all of the 12-inch furnace machines in Taiwanese wafer factories, nine out of 47 sets use silane, and the total daily consumption reaches 579.6 L. The total required amount, including the reserve, is 27 cylinders for 40 L high-pressure cylinders. As for the setting of the gas cabinet, the required amount could be reduced, since the gas supply pipeline could be designed in a multiple circuit. The minimum reactant gas input amount could be obtained in combination with the proposed film thickness mode, and the safety could be improved greatly, in accordance with the inherently safer design philosophy and the principles of intensification, attenuation and limitation of effects. In addition to the process capacity, this study also took the elevation of the inherently safer level into consideration, which could be provided to the industry for more comprehensive design consideration.