One-step estimation method and nomogram to predict safety distances of pressurized gas pipelines from blast sources

Pressurized gas pipelines may be endangered by accidental or intentional activities causing excess ground vibrations leading to failure. Thus, many papers have been published on this issue, yet most of these efforts suffer from complexity and inability to ascertain that all engaged factors are taken into account. These factors are attributed, namely, to explosion source, explosion-ground interaction, energy transfer through the ground, ground-pipeline interaction, and response of the pipeline. The deterministic method developed previously by the author has derived useful prediction mathematical formulas that can be used to calculate, either the stand-off distance of purposefully used explosives, or the maximum quantity of explosives to be used at a given distance, or the equivalent stress of a pipeline induced by an explosive charge at a given standoff distance. The method can also be applied to accidental blast events in factories or other activities. Yet, the complex formulas developed are hard to be used in the field and a simpler approach is needed to facilitate and accelerate in-field estimations. Thus, a nomogram was prepared to make the safety estimations easy and fast and taking into account all engaged critical factors starting from the explosion source through the integrity of the structure.     

Alcohol-impaired motorcyclists versus car drivers: A comparison of crash involvement and legal consequence from adjudication data

Introduction: Driving under the influence (DUI) increases the probability of motor-vehicle collisions, especially for motorcycles with less protections. This study aimed to identify commonalities and differences between criminally DUI offenses (i.e., with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 80 mg/dL or higher) committed by motorcyclists and car drivers. Methods: A total of 10,457 motorcycle DUIs and 8,402 car DUIs were compared using a series of logistic regression models, using data extracted from the documents of adjudication decisions by the courts of Jiangsu, China. Results: The results revealed that offenders from the high-BAC group (i.e., 200 mg/dL or higher) accounted for more than 20% of the total DUI offenses, and were more likely to be involved in a crash and punished with a longer detention. Motorcyclists had a higher likelihood of crash involvement, and were also more likely to be responsible for single-vehicle crashes associated with higher odds of injury sustained, compared to alcohol-impaired car drivers. In the verdict, motorcycle offenders were more likely to receive a less severe penalty. Conclusions: Interventions are clearly required to focus on reducing in the high-BAC group of offenders. For alcohol-impaired motorcyclists, their risks of crash and injury against BAC climb more steeply than the risks for car drivers. The factors including frequent occurrences, uncertainty of detection, and short-term sentences may weaken the deterrence effect of the criminalization of motorcycle DUI. Practical Applications: The traffic-related adjudication data support traffic safety analysis. Strategies such as combating motorcycle violations (e.g., unlicensed operators or driving unsafe vehicles), undertaking education and awareness campaigns, are expected for DUI prevention.     

Insight into the safety distance of ground and underground installations in typical petrochemical plants

Petrochemical plants are continuously turning into large-size corporations, the installations of facilities show a developing trend from ground to underground because of the difference in land using rate. In this regard, the safety distance of petrochemical equipment buried in both ground and underground cases were investigated based on risk assessment. As a case study, gasoline tank and LPG tank set on the ground and underground are singled out to compare the risks involved. The research showed that the setting case of installation had a great influence on safety distance. Two cases have 80% reduction of equivalent safety distance compared with the rest of the cases. It was found that when the gasoline storage tank was placed underground alone, the PLL value decreased by 36.7%. Only LPG tank was placed underground, and the PLL decreased by 6.33%, and the gasoline and LPG storage tanks were placed underground simultaneously, the PLL value declined by 42.3%. Thus, the layout of plants could be further optimized, which can greatly improve the performances of land use efficiency and safety. In addition, this paper, the selection of embedding methods and the sensitivity of underground case to overpressure was resumed from two aspects: soil properties and burial depth. For the soil properties, it was found that the water saturated sandy soil with high air content and the low density unsaturated sandy soil had better effects on weakening overpressure. Such properties are particularly beneficial to reducing the occurrence rate of accidents. In terms of burial depth, it can be observed that as the burial depth was changed from 0.5m to 1.1m, the value of overpressure has dropped dramatically. When the burial depth was 2m, the damage to personnel and buildings has been greatly reduced beyond 2m from the explosion center.     

排桩几何参数对其隔振半径的影响试验研究

通过室外试验的方法、从二维角度入手并将排桩参数与瑞利波波长建立联系研究了几何参数变化时隔振半径的变化。结果表明:单排桩可取得整体性的隔振特点,并且隔振效果最佳的区域在桩后较近的距离;桩长增加可使其隔振效果提升且隔振半径随桩长与波长比值的增加而增加,当桩长与波长比值小于0.320时,隔振半径为0;随比值增加到0.820左右,隔振半径增加到约0.680 m。桩间距的增加可使其隔振效果变差,隔振半径随桩间距与波长比值增加而降低,当比值达到0.300~0.430时,隔振半径长度降为0。振源距离增加可使得排桩隔振效果增强,而隔振半径随振源距与波长比值增加而增加,当比值在0.165~0.305的范围内时,隔振半径为0;随比值增加到0.808左右,隔振半径的长度增加到约0.512 m。     

钢铁企业循环经济影响因素及作用路径研究

基于企业实力、环境管制、公众参与及绿色竞争等理论,提出了钢铁企业循环经济影响因素及作用路径研究模型,并采用偏最小二乘路径分析法,以我国54家钢铁企业2013年数据为例展开实证研究。结果表明:企业特征因素、市场竞争因素、政府因素对钢铁企业循环经济发展水平有直接影响,且影响效应依次递减;公众因素对循环经济发展水平有间接影响,且影响效应较低。同时,验证了此方法的科学性与适用性。     

露天采矿过程粉尘产生环节及污染治理措施分析研究

粉尘是露天采矿过程的主要污染物之一,露天采矿中粉尘要达到环保要求,需要从生产过程中的凿岩、爆破、装卸、运输、堆存各环节进行污染控制.采用对上述各生产环节中的粉尘产生原理进行分析的方法,找出各个生产环节粉尘的主要产生点,通过对比前人在各个生产环节粉尘控制的研究成果,找出控制粉尘产生的主要影响因素,总结出露天采矿中各个环节上技术经济上最有效的粉尘防治措施,为露天矿山开采污染防治提供系统的解决方案.通过对前人研究成果的总结,汇总形成一套完善的粉尘控制方案.     

湿式电除尘器用于生物质气化燃气除尘的实验研究

生物质粉尘是生物质气化燃气中主要的杂质之一,其清除效果对生物质气化发电机组的安全运行有着重要的影响。以湿式电除尘装置作为试验平台,研究了生物质粉尘的特性和不同影响因素下湿式电除尘器的除尘效率,并对干法、湿法除尘效率进行对比。研究结果表明:生物质粉尘主要含C、O、Mg、Al、Si、K、Ca、Fe等元素,中位径为26.05μm。在相同条件下,除尘效率随着水压的增大而逐渐增大,当增加到0.4 MPa以后,无较大变化,除尘效率随着电场风速、焦油浓度的增加而减少,在洗涤水中添加少量的碱液有利于除尘。采用极配型式为RS二刺芒刺线配480C型板,当水压为0.4 MPa、电场风速为1.0 m/s,除尘效率可达99.21%。     

环境空气中微生物监测结果的影响因素研究

空气中微生物附着在雾霾颗粒物上,随呼吸进入人体危害健康,是多种疾病的致病因素,故而快速准确的监测出区域空气微生物的数量,对于后续采取防控措施具有积极意义.在国家没有出台相关监测技术标准的情况下,通过设置不同采样时间、培养时间,获取了不同实验条件下的监测结果,分析不同组别数据结果的差异性,得出细菌采样时间3~5 min,培养48h比较合适,霉菌采样时间3 min,培养72h即可的实验结论.这样既保证了采集到绝大部分微生物,同时能够尽快的得到空气中微生物菌落数量,对相关监测方法的进一步研究具有参考价值.     

黄海、东海颗粒有机碳的时空分布特征

分析研究了2007年秋季黄海、东海海域颗粒有机碳(POC)的时空分布情况,结果表明:POC的浓度为7.25～766.00μg/L,平均浓度为(97.37±86.35)μg/L,其平面分布呈现近岸高、远岸低的特征,近岸POC的等值线与海岸线平行;垂直分布呈现除底层外随着深度增加逐渐降低的趋势。海水中POC浓度与浊度呈显著正相关,而与叶绿素a无显著相关关系,这表明POC主要来自于陆源输入。对不同海区POC的垂直分布和周日变化的研究结果表明,黄海区由于水深较浅,POC的垂直分布比较均匀,POC周日分布除了受到生物周日活动的影响外还受到潮汐作用的影响。长江口附近海区悬浮颗粒物浓度大小是POC浓度和分布的主要控制因素,垂直分布上表现出表层低底层高的特征。东海陆架区POC的垂直分布和周日变化均受到生物活动和水文条件等因素的共同作用,受黑潮影响的海域POC的浓度都相对较低。     

徐闻沿海风力发电场对鸟类的影响分析

建设风电场可能会对生态环境和鸟类造成一定的影响。以2003年徐闻县鸟类资源调查资料为基础,结合徐闻县风电场建设规划,研究了徐闻县风电场对鸟类栖息、觅食、迁徙的影响。结果表明:风电场建设通过占用鸟类栖息地,产生噪声等影响风电场周围鸟类的栖息和觅食,但总体来说,其影响较小;风机转速较慢及保护区鸟类飞行高度均高于风机高度,风机与鸟类的碰撞风险较低。为了保护鸟类的安全及保障其正常生存,需要采取设立候鸟监测救护站、将风机及输电线涂成警示色等措施。