Experimental investigation of the pressure gradient of a new spiral mesh foam generator

Foam is used as part of an effective dust suppression method in underground coal mines, but conventional foaming devices severely restrict its popularization and application due to the high cost of foam preparation, poor applicability and high pressure loss. Therefore, a new spiral mesh foam generator is designed, and its performance is investigated and evaluated experimentally. The results show that the pressure gradient of the spiral mesh foam generator increases with the increase of foam concentration in water. There is a large pressure gradient gap between the top and bottom at both ends of the foam generator. However, the gap disappears and uniform foam is generated in the middle section of the foam generator. When the pressure gradient is higher than minimum pressure gradient, the foam production quantity will increase sharply. Based on the length of spiral mesh and operating conditions determined, the new foam generator is applied to produce foam for dust suppression in the heading face of coal mines. A good foaming effect, less pressure loss and high dust suppression efficiency suggest that the new foam generator will greatly promote the large-scale application of foam technology used to suppress dust in underground coal mines.     

Numerical modelling of the effects of vessel length-to-diameter ratio (L/D) on pressure piling

Pressure piling presents a major explosion hazard in interconnected process vessels. Pressure enhancement in the secondary vessel due to the acceleration of the flame through the connecting pipe can generate a disproportionately more violent explosion than would have been expected based on the concentration of dust in the secondary vessel. Pressure piling is a very complex phenomenon that is difficult to investigate through experimentation. Advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling is a promising route to accurately account for all the complexities associated with pressure piling.In this paper, the current state of knowledge concerning pressure piling is presented. Further, the effects of varying the length-to-diameter ratio (L/D) of the primary vessel (Vessel 1) on pressure piling was investigated using numerical modelling. The volumes and volume ratio of the interconnected vessels were kept constant while the L/D of Vessel 1 was varied from 0.5 to 15. The simulations of coal dust explosion were performed using the coalChemistryFoam solver from OpenFOAM version 5.0.1. It is hoped that the findings from this study provide insight into the effects of the geometrical design of interconnected vessels, particularly L/D, on pressure piling. Additionally, this work has implications for the optimal placement of explosion isolation devices intended to actuate before the flame front and pressure escape to downstream vessels.     

Success in Kashmir: a positive trend in civil–military integration during humanitarian assistance operations

The modern cast of disaster relief actors includes host nations, non-governmental organisations, private volunteer organisations, military organisations and others. Each group, civilian or military, has valuable skills and experiences critical to disaster relief work. The goal of this paper is to supplement the study of civil–military relief efforts with contemporary anecdotal experience. The paper examines the interaction between US military forces and other disaster relief actors during the 2005 Kashmir earthquake relief effort. The author uses direct observations made while working in Pakistan to contrast the relationships and activities from that effort with other accounts in prevailing scholarly disaster literature and military doctrine. Finally, this paper suggests that the Kashmir model of integration, coordination and transparency of intent creates a framework in which future humanitarian assistance operations could be successfully executed. Recommendations to improve civil–military interaction in future relief efforts will also be addressed.     

Cash-based interventions: lessons from southern Somalia

Commodity distributions, the predominant relief response, are subject to growing criticism, while donors and humanitarian actors are increasingly viewing cash-based interventions as a viable alternative. This paper aims to contribute to the current debate on cash-based interventions by drawing on the experience of Action Contre la Faim in southern Somalia, where it has implemented cash for work programmes since 2004. The authors conclude that cash-based interventions are a feasible option in complex emergencies as well as in highly insecure environments as long as appropriate modalities are employed and objectives are clearly set in accordance with the needs and the context. Cash as a relief response offers wide-reaching possibilities for the future from both the perspective of the donor/agency and the standpoint of the beneficiary. It enables the beneficiaries to take control of the relief themselves and to adapt it to their individual requirements in a timely manner.     

灾害救助评估理论方法研究与展望

灾害救助评估是一种辅助决策工具,收集和分析灾害及灾害救助信息,为灾害救助活动的决策、规划和控制提供有效的信息支持,其内涵主要包括4个方面:①评估灾害对社会产生的影响;②灾害应急抢险需求与方案优化;③救助资源可获得性;④促进和加速灾后恢复与区域发展的可行性。灾害救助过程包括规划、数据收集与调查、分析与解读、趋势预测、辅助决策、灾害监测等6个环节。灾害救助评估内容按照灾害救助阶段总体分为应急快速评估和灾后详细评估两大类。其中,应急快速评估主要侧重于灾情和应急救助需求,是灾害救助评估的传统研究领域,为应急抢险和受灾人口基本生活保障提供信息支持;灾后详细评估则主要用于全面分析灾害对社会、经济、生态环境系统造成的损失和影响,为灾后恢复与重建提供辅助决策支持。     

高瓦斯低透气性煤层深孔预裂爆破增透技术研究及应用*

为解决高瓦斯矿井开采过程中煤体透气性差、瓦斯预抽周期长、抽采效果不佳的难题,提出利用深孔预裂爆破技术提高煤体裂隙发育度,增加煤体透气性,从而提高瓦斯抽采率的方法。通过现场调研、理论分析、数值模拟及工业性试验等方法,分析深孔预裂爆破卸压增透内在机理,确定爆破影响半径为4.5~5.3 m,并在A110605工作面进行现场应用,同时考察煤层增透效果。研究结果表明:煤层爆破致裂后,平均瓦斯抽采浓度提高了2.17倍,平均瓦斯抽采纯量提高了2.02倍,煤层透气性系数提高了近5.3倍,煤层卸压增透效果显著,很大程度上消除了煤与瓦斯突出危险性,为实现工作面的安全开采及正常接替提供了保障。     

Structural response for vented methane–air deflagrations: Effects of volumetric blockage ratio

To investigate the effects of cylinders placed parallel to the venting direction on the structural response of the vessel walls to an explosion, 25 batches of vented explosion tests were conducted in a 1 m³ rectangular vessel. Two types of structural response with different amplitudes and frequency distributions were observed and evaluated by comparing the vibration data with both the pressure data and high-speed videos. A low-amplitude structural response of approximately 150–250 m/s², which increased slightly as VBR increased, was triggered by a combination of the initial flame propagation, external explosion, Helmholtz oscillations, and the Taylor instability. A high-amplitude structural response of approximately 9500 m/s² was also observed, which decreased sharply as VBR increased. Additionally, the high amplitude response was never observed when more than two cylinders were present in the vessel. The high amplitude response was triggered due to the coupling between the acoustic wave, the flame, and the resonance of the vessel. The presence of obstacles did not increase the severity of the structural responses under the current experimental conditions. To the contrary, the presence of obstacles in the container attenuated or even inhibited the high-amplitude vibration of the container caused by the explosion.     

An environmental pressure index proposal for urban development planning based on the analytic network process

This paper introduces a new approach to prioritize urban planning projects according to their environmental pressure in an efficient and reliable way. It is based on the combination of three procedures: (i) the use of environmental pressure indicators, (ii) the aggregation of the indicators in an Environmental Pressure Index by means of the Analytic Network Process method (ANP) and (iii) the interpretation of the information obtained from the experts during the decision-making process.The method has been applied to a proposal for urban development of La Carlota airport in Caracas (Venezuela). There are three options which are currently under evaluation. They include a Health Club, a Residential Area and a Theme Park. After a selection process the experts chose the following environmental pressure indicators as ANP criteria for the project life cycle: used land area, population density, energy consumption, water consumption and waste generation. By using goal-oriented questionnaires designed by the authors, the experts determined the importance of the criteria, the relationships among criteria, and the relationships between the criteria and the urban development alternatives.The resulting data showed that water consumption is the most important environmental pressure factor, and the Theme Park project is by far the urban development alternative which exerts the least environmental pressure on the area. The participating experts coincided in appreciating the technique proposed in this paper is useful and, for ranking ordering these alternatives, an improvement from traditional techniques such as environmental impact studies, life-cycle analysis, etc.     

Screening and selection of sites for CO2 sequestration based on pressure buildup

This paper presents a simple methodology for estimating pressure pressure buildup due to the injection of supercritical CO₂into a saline formation, and the limiting pressure at which the formation starts to fracture. Pressure buildup is calculated using the approximate solution of Mathias et al. [Mathias, S.A., Hardisty, P.E., Trudell, M.R., Zimmerman, R.W., 2009. Approximate solutions for pressure buildup during CO₂ injection in brine aquifers. Transp. Porous Media. doi:10.1007/s11242-008-9316-7], which accounts for two-phase Forchheimer flow (of supercritical CO₂ and brine) in a compressible porous medium. Compressibility of the rock formation and both fluid phases are also accounted for. Injection pressure is assumed to be limited by the pressure required to fracture the rock formation. Fracture development is assumed to occur when pore pressures exceed the minimum principal stress, which in turn is related to the Poisson’s ratio of the rock formation. Detailed guidance is also offered concerning the estimation of viscosity, density and compressibility for the brine and CO₂. Example calculations are presented in the context of data from the Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership. Such a methodology will be useful for screening analysis of potential CO₂ injection sites to identify which are worthy of further investigation.     

Faith-based aid, globalisation and the humanitarian frontline: an analysis of Western-based Muslim aid organisations

This paper focuses on the emergence and modus operandi of Muslim faith-based aid organisations from the West, particularly those from the United Kingdom. Through case studies of Islamic Relief Worldwide and Muslim Hands, it examines the actual and potential added value generated by these humanitarian players in Muslim-majority contexts at times when aid actors from or associated with the West are being perceived by some as instrumental to the political agendas of Western powers, or are being confronted with the consequences thereof. The study analyses Muslim faith-based aid organisations' transnational networks, their implementing partnerships with local faith-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and their security position within and their access to insecure contexts, drawing on field examples and opinion from Central Asia, Iraq and Pakistan. It thereby argues that there is ground for an expansion of the role of Muslim aid actors, because of the existence of social and political realities in the field that cannot be always effectively tackled by the dominant international development approaches.