Moderation of dust explosions

Inherent safety is a proactive approach to process safety in which hazards are removed or minimized so as to reduce risk without engineered (add-on) or procedural intervention. Four basic principles are available to attain an inherently safer design—minimization, substitution, moderation, and simplification. The subject of the current paper is the principle of moderation as it applies to the prevention and mitigation of dust explosions.

Moderation can be achieved by processing a material under less severe operating conditions or by processing the material in a less hazardous form. With respect to the latter approach, it may be possible to alter the composition of a dust by admixture of solid inertants, or to increase the dust particle size so as to decrease its reactivity. Additionally, avoidance of the formation of hybrid mixtures of explosible dusts and flammable gases is an application of moderation of the material hazard.

Several examples are given for each of the above three forms of moderation. The discussion on admixture of solid inertants includes examples from the following industrial applications: (i) refractory materials manufacturing, (ii) food processing, (iii) power generation, (iv) industrial recycling, and (v) foundry shell mold fabrication. The importance of particle size consideration is explained first from the perspective of engineering tools such as the Dow Fire & Explosion Index, and professional guidance on the definition of a dust and suitable particle sizes for explosibility testing. Industrial examples are then drawn from the following areas: (i) rubber recycling and textile manufacturing, (ii) industrial recycling, (iii) wood processing, (iv) dry additive handling (polyethylene facility), (v) polyethylene production, (vi) carbon block recycling, and (vii) coal mining. The concluding discussion on hybrid mixtures includes brief cases from the process safety literature.     

Trace monitoring of water-borne phenolics in the Klang River Basin

The Klang River Basin is located in the most densely populated region in Malaysia, with its heavy concentration of industries and population. A systematic study of the pollution to this river system caused by phenolic compounds have been carried out under this project. Analyses of water samples from the Klang River by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an ultraviolet (UV) detector at 280 nm have shown the presence of some priority phenolic pollutants.     

完善我国森林立法势在必行

通过对1998年长江、嫩江特大洪水的反思,指出了目前森林立法中存在的种种弊端,从而提出了完善我国森林立法的建议。     

连续倒塌中基于顶底角钢-腹板双角钢节点组件模型的研究

钢结构的抗连续倒塌能力一般取决于其抵抗局部损伤的能力,但这种能力往往取决于许多因素,目前还没有一个稳定可靠的判定方法。基于组件法建模原理将顶底角钢-腹板双角钢节点离散为多个对受力有贡献的基本组件,然后通过集成组件来模拟节点的受力特性,并依此构建了顶底角钢-腹板双角钢半刚性节点梁柱子结构的连续倒塌数值分析模型。结果表明:通过与试验结果比较,节点组件模型能较为准确地反映节点的断裂路径和受力发展过程,同时降低了计算成本。说明组件法在连续倒塌研究中具有重要的理论意义和应用价值,可作为连续倒塌研究的有利工具。     

A graphical representation of carbon footprint reduction for chemical processes

Climate change has recently become a major focus for industry and government agencies. Some recent works have been reported on the use of pinch analysis techniques for carbon-constrained energy planning problems. This paper discusses a new application of graphical technique based on pinch analysis for company-level visualization and analysis of carbon footprint improvement. The technique is based on the decomposition of total carbon footprint into material- and energy-based components, or alternatively, into internal and external components. The decomposition facilitates the evaluation and screening of process improvement alternatives. Two industrial case studies on the production of phytochemical extracts and bulk chemicals are used to illustrate the new extension.     

1960年以来山西秋季连阴雨的气候特征分析

利用山西省66个测站1960-2009年秋季(9-11)月的逐日降水量,采用线性倾向估计、累积距平法、EOF及Morlct小波分析方法,系统地分析了山西秋季连阴雨的变化趋势和时空结构特征,建立了秋季连阴雨强度指数模型。结果表明:山西秋季年际区域性连阴雨次数和阴雨日数呈明显的线性减少趋势,过程雨量呈波动上升趋势,连阴雨次数的累积距平表现为"三升两降"型变化;山西秋季连阴雨的年际和年代际变化特征明显,1960-1970年代中期,有5~6年的周期变化,1990年代后期有2年的周期变化特征,年代际变化呈"波动状"变化规律;全省秋季连阴雨从南到北呈递减分布,除北部的天镇、山阴、繁峙等呈增加趋势外,各代表站表现为一致的减少趋势,南部、东南部及五台山为连阴雨多发区,大同盆地、忻州盆地、太原盆地为少发区;山西秋季连阴雨存在2~3年、8年左右的显著振荡周期。1970年代中期到1980年代中期,8年左右振荡周期的振幅最大,能量最强,是周期振荡最强的阶段。