Analysis of gas dispersion and ventilation within a comprehensive CAD model of an offshore platform via computational fluid dynamics

Maintaining an adequate air flow with a desired air quality that is free from hazardous gases is among the most important actions taken toward the improvement of safety in any process plant. Due to the increased focus on the consequences of existing hazardous material on safety, health, and the environment, air quality and sufficient ventilation within a plant has been increasingly considered in the design stage. This paper investigates and analyzes methane and hydrogen sulfite dispersion and the effect of air ventilation within a CAD model of an offshore platform using computation fluids dynamics (CFD). In addition, this method and its principals could be utilized in any other hazardous environment. Simulations of possible hazardous events along with solutions for preventing or reducing their probability are presented to better assess the data. These investigations are performed by considering hypothetical hazardous scenarios which consist of gas leakages from pipes and process equipment under different conditions. After drafting a precise and highly detailed CAD model of the plant and performing CFD simulations on this model, the results of gas behaviors, dispersion, distribution, accumulation, and its possible hazards are investigated and analyzed. The larger amount of details of the actual plant model in CFD simulation are obtained by using a combination of different methods and software. These include PDMS for 3-D drawing of the plan, Rinoceros for geometrical integration of the process equipment and facilities, and Sharc Harpoon which meshes the model. Moreover, the probability of inducing ignitable or toxic concentration of gases within the atmosphere and air ventilation of the unit is considered by these investigations.     

Interactive response of photosynthetic characteristics in Haloxylon ammodendron and Hedysarum scoparium exposed to soil water and air vapor pressure deficits

C₄ plants possess better drought tolerance than C₃ plants. However, Hedysarum scoparium, a C₃ species, is dominant and widely distributed in the desert areas of northwestern China due to its strong drought tolerance. This study compared it with Haloxylon ammodendron, a C₄ species, regarding the interactive effects of drought stress and different leaf–air vapor pressure deficits. Variables of interest included gas exchange, the activity levels of key C₄ photosynthetic enzymes, and cellular anatomy. In both species, gas exchange parameters were more sensitive to high vapor pressure deficit than to strong water stress, and the net CO₂ assimilation rate (A_n) was enhanced as vapor pressure deficits increased. A close relationship between A_n and stomatal conductance (g_s) suggested that the species shared a similar response mechanism. In H. ammodendron, the activity levels of key C₄ enzymes were higher, including those of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-malate enzyme (NADP-ME), whereas in H. scoparium, the activity level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-malate enzyme (NAD-ME) was higher. Meanwhile, H. scoparium utilized adaptive structural features, including a larger relative vessel area and a shorter distance from vein to stomata, which facilitated the movement of water. These findings implied that some C₄ biochemical pathways were present in H. scoparium to respond to environmental challenges.     

含硫气田采气污泥无害化处理技术研究

含硫气田在天然气开采、管道批处理、气田污水处理过程中,由于高压气流携带井底岩屑、单质硫析出、工艺添加的化学药剂反应产生沉淀物等因素,会产生一些成分复杂、有恶臭气味的固态物质,统称为采气污泥,影响生产安全和工艺参数调配,需要及时清理并无害化处置。结合固废减量化、无害化、资源化的处置原则,立足于企业自行处置的目的,本文就含硫气田采气污泥特性以及无害化处理的方法进行研究,对处理效果进行了分析,对废物综合利用进行了有益的尝试,为今后含硫气田污泥处理提供了一条可借鉴的思路。     

分散液液微萃取-气相色谱/质谱法测定水中阿特拉津

建立了简便、快速、有效的分散液液微萃取(DLLME)-气相色谱/质谱技术萃取水样中痕量阿特拉津的新方法。通过试验确定最佳萃取条件。     

泛长三角地区工业污染重心演变路径及其驱动机制研究

工业污染重心路径演变是制造业转移过程中形成的环境空间响应形式,为探明经济发达的泛长三角地区工业污染重心对制造业转移的响应关系,采用2000~2010年工业污染排放数据,运用重心模型,测算各年份工业废水、废气和固废排放重心坐标,分析工业污染重心转移路径及演变规律,探讨重心演变的驱动机制.结果表明:1泛长三角地区的工业污染重心发生了偏移,其中工业固废偏移距离最大,为180.18 km,而工业废水、废气偏移的方向最大,分别为0.40°、0.17°;2工业污染重心轨迹偏移受多种因素的驱动影响.其中,安徽、江西地区重工业的高速发展加剧了污染重心朝西部偏移;以江苏、上海、浙江为代表的长三角地区产业结构优化与调整在一定程度上缓解了该地区的工业污染,安徽、江西地区高污染产业份额的增加及宽松的宏观区域政策助推了工业污染向西部地区偏移;而大规模的清洁化生产、较强的环境治理力度和完善的环保监测制度在一定程度上减缓了工业污染朝东部地区偏移.     

Methodology for case studies of accidental gas explosions

This paper discusses a procedure for case studies of accidental gas explosions. The procedure for each case study can be subdivided into four steps, i.e., collection of proofs, analyses, confirmation, and inference about the processes of the accident, and the issues in each step are pointed out. Making a guess on the sequence of the accident to be investigated should be avoided during collection of proofs. Misunderstanding of the phenomena in analyses and confirmation is likely caused by inappropriate knowledge on the phenomena and/or use of unsuitable models. The sequence of the accidental gas explosion should be inferred on the basis of confirmed processes. If there are other possibilities, those should be described in the report. The reasonableness of the results of a case study depends on the rationality of the procedure and the quality or plausibility of knowledge to infer the probable sequence.     

An alternative CFD tool for gas dispersion modelling of heavy gas

The numerical simulation of gas dispersion is of great importance in various areas of engineering such as optimisation, synthesis of chemical process, petroleum industry and process safety. The OpenFOAM (Open Field Operation and Manipulation) code is a free and open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program. The current research is focused on the development and customisation of a computational tool for handling gas dispersion of heavy gases, such a LNG and CO₂. The novel CFD tool relies on OpenFOAM framework. The core of the work is based on the OpenFOAM solver rhoReactingBuoyantFoam to handle gas dispersion. A series of CFD simulations has been performed for methane and CO₂. The source term of the former is modelled by HSM (Hybrid Switch Model). The model comprises contribution from HEM (Homogeneous Equilibrium Model) approach, frozen model and non-equilibrium model for CO₂ leak. The novel approach switches between equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions based on the meta-stable parameter on the grounds of thermodynamics and experimental observations. Good agreement with experimental data is observed. Numerical findings for methane leakage from the proposed CFD tool are compared with experimental data and FLACS. Good agreement is observed.     

煤气设备水封的有效高度

通过分析煤气设备水封的有效高度的有关规定,及水封有效高度的计算方法,阐述生产单位水封跑气事故情况,提出了煤气设备水封的有效高度的新计算方法。     

瓦斯灾害治理新技术

在分析煤矿安全科技工作现状和趋势基础上 ,介绍了近年来我国瓦斯灾害防治技术研究取得的进展和新成果。通过“十五”科技攻关项目的研究 ,提出了瓦斯煤尘爆炸危险性评价方法 ,研究出了基于瓦斯地质、地质动力区划、电磁波探测方法的煤与瓦斯突出区域预测技术和基于AE声发射、电磁辐射和瓦斯涌出等原理的煤与瓦斯突出非接触连续预测技术 ,实验成功了高瓦斯煤层群开采保护层瓦斯灾害综合防治及顺煤层强化抽放等技术 ,开发了矿井通风系统监测、可靠性评价分析及决策控制技术。另外还分析了我国煤矿安全所面临的挑战和急需开展的科技研究工作。     

Testosterone,dominance signalling and immunosuppression in the house sparrow,<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Passer domesticus</Emphasis>

The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) suggests that dominance signals are costly because their development is controlled by testosterone, which is immunosuppressive. Signal control therefore links an increased disease risk with a high quality signal. The chest bib of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus, is a signal known to be related to dominance and under control of testosterone levels. We experimentally manipulated testosterone in male sparrows during the breeding season and again independently during the post-breeding period to test whether variation in levels of testosterone could cause variation in levels of immunocompetence. There was no effect of testosterone manipulation on the cell-mediated response of birds to phytohaemagglutinin injection, nor did testosterone levels appear to affect either white blood cell ratios or red blood cell counts. In contrast, both breeding season and post-breeding season testosterone levels had significant effects upon the humoral response of the birds to sheep red blood cell injections. However, whilst testosterone during the breeding season appeared to act immunosuppressively, the role of post-breeding levels is less clear. In concordance with a previous study, there was an indication that corticosterone is involved in mediating the immunosuppressive effects of testosterone. The strength of the secondary humoral response and the cell-mediated response were negatively related suggesting the possibility of a trade-off between the different arms of the immune system. These results provide some support for the ICHH as a mechanism promoting the evolution of costly badges of status, although the results question whether the immunosuppressive cost can be mediated by testosterone at the time of badge development.Communicated by W.A.Searcy