Fire and risk analysis during loading and unloading operation in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant

The article focuses on analyzing risks associated with the gas transfer operation in a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plant in India. The transfer operations involve transferring liquified gas from the transport tanker to the underground storage tank. Due to the rapid expansion of the cities, many LPG bottling plants in India got surrounded by residential areas and business centers. Moreover, to maintain the supply chain, the frequency of the transfer operations at the bottling plant also increased. In this scenario, an accidental release of LPG during the transfer operation may lead to various consequences such as a pool fire, a fireball, and even a catastrophic rupture of the tank with a successive explosion of its contents. In the study, the operations involved in bottling plants are classified into different hazard zones and analyzed. The probability of occurrence of events leading to an accident is modeled using modeling tools such as ALOHA and PHAST. The consequences of an accident following various events, such as jet fire, fireball, etc., are modeled, and the simulation results are compared. The thermal radiation has been estimated as 4–40 kW/m², which could adversely affect the nearby population and could result in damaging plant machinery and equipment.     

Quantified scenarios analysis of drivers and impacts of changing flood risk in England and Wales: 2030–2100

Flood risk to the economy, society and the environment reflects the cumulative effects of environmental and socio-economic change over decades. Long-term scenarios are therefore required in order to develop robust and sustainable flood risk management policies. Quantified national-scale flood risk analysis and expert appraisal of the mechanisms causing change in flood risk have been used to assess flood risk in England and Wales over the period 2030–2100. The assessment involved the use of socio-economic and climate change scenarios. The analysis predicts increasing flood risk unless current flood management policies, practices and investment levels are changed—up to 20-fold increase in economic risk by the 2080s in the scenario with highest economic growth. The increase is attributable to a combination of climate change (in particular increasing precipitation and relative sea level rise in parts of the UK) and increasing socio-economic vulnerability, particularly in terms of household/industrial contents and infrastructure vulnerability. The policy implications of these findings are discussed.     

Surface installations intended for Carbon Capture and Sequestration: Atypical accident scenarios and their identification

With the advent of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) technology the extent of CO₂ handling is set to increase dramatically. However, lack of substantial operational experience in such a novel process can lead to significant difficulties in identifying the associated hazards. This field may be characterized by atypical accident scenarios, i.e. scenarios not captured by common HAZard IDentification (HAZID) techniques because of omissions, errors or lack of knowledge. Recent atypical events evidence that consequences may exceed by far those of worst-case reference scenarios. Identification of atypical scenarios related to CCS is a challenge, considering also the public concern that this technology raises. This study focuses on new and emerging technologies of carbon capture and transport. A HAZID analysis was carried out by means of two different approaches (‘top-down’ and ‘DyPASI’). This allowed not only for a double check of results, but also for the comparative assessment of the methodologies and of their applicability. A general overview of the accident scenarios related to these technologies was given. No absolute showstoppers were found. Rather, a number of potential hazards were identified which will require the adoption of safe design principles to eliminate, prevent, control or mitigate them. Some possible safety barriers required for implementation were identified as a starting point in this process.     

过程液氯贮槽装置封闭厂房及事故氯吸收塔联用安全效用分析

分析、设立液氯贮槽液相泄漏的几种典型事故情景,并利用液相泄漏、液池蒸发、重气扩散和人员中毒死亡概率等模型对比研究封闭厂房及事故氯吸收塔等安全措施对液氯贮槽液相泄漏扩散中毒后果的影响,给出不同事故情景下液氯泄漏速率、液池半径、液池蒸发速率、室外氯气中毒死亡概率等事故后果特征值。对封闭厂房及事故氯吸收塔安全效用进行定量分析和比较研究。结果表明,液氯贮槽的封闭厂房对抑制液氯泄漏扩散中毒事故后果效用明显;事故氯吸收塔能消除液氯贮槽微小孔泄漏所对应的小事故情景,还能对封闭厂房最严重泄漏事故后果起到初期削峰作用。显然,封闭厂房及事故氯吸收塔联用可以降低液氯贮槽事故影响后果,具有良好安全效用。     

不同减排情景下城市机动车污染防治措施研究

机动车数量的增加严重威胁城市环境,本文在不同减排情境下,开展城市机动车污染防治措施研究。使用清洁能源代替不可再生能源作为机动车动力燃料;明确责任制度,强化机动车管理体制,提升空气质量;布设城市监控设备优化交通结构,减少排放源;完善法律制度,协调经济发展与环保关系;发展公共交通,倡导绿色出行理念,降低城市机动车尾气排放污染。     

中原经济区能源消费视角下的大气环境压力评估

研究以能源消费模式为切入点,分析中原经济区能源消费总量、消费结构和利用效率的现状水平,并分析能源消费引起的大气环境压力状况。基于经济发展速度调控及节能减排力度的不同,设置2020年三种能源消费情景,使用区域能源消费总量优化模型模拟预测不同情景下的能源消费总量,并分析不同情景下的大气环境压力。结果表明,快速发展和适度发展Ⅰ情景下,2020年区域能源消费总量将比2012年增加4.2×10~8tce和2.4×10~8tce,煤炭消费总量将增加3.1×10~8tce和1.2×10~8tce,大气污染物排放压力增加30%和50%;适度发展Ⅱ情景下,能源消费总量将增加0.2×10~8tce,煤炭消费总量将下降0.3×10~8tce,大气污染物排放压力将降低20%。因此,要实现经济发展稳步增长(年均增长率7.7%)和大气污染物排放总量削减10%目标,重中之重是实现煤炭消费总量"零增长"或"负增长",同时力争能源消费总量控制在5×10~8~6×10~8tce,凭借煤炭占比大幅下降(降至65%左右)最大限度发挥能源供给领域节能效应,依靠产业结构升级节能效应和技术节能拓展能源消费领域节能空间,将能效水平提高至0.6tce/万元以下。     

Testing the Potential for Predictive Modeling and Mapping and Extending Its Use as a Tool for Evaluating Management Scenarios and Economic Valuation in the Baltic Sea (PREHAB)

We evaluated performance of species distribution models for predictive mapping, and how models can be used to integrate human pressures into ecological and economic assessments. A selection of 77 biological variables (species, groups of species, and measures of biodiversity) across the Baltic Sea were modeled. Differences among methods, areas, predictor, and response variables were evaluated. Several methods successfully predicted abundance and occurrence of vegetation, invertebrates, fish, and functional aspects of biodiversity. Depth and substrate were among the most important predictors. Models incorporating water clarity were used to predict increasing cover of the brown alga bladderwrack Fucus vesiculosus and increasing reproduction area of perch Perca fluviatilis, but decreasing reproduction areas for pikeperch Sander lucioperca following successful implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan. Despite variability in estimated non-market benefits among countries, such changes were highly valued by citizens in the three Baltic countries investigated. We conclude that predictive models are powerful and useful tools for science-based management of the Baltic Sea.     

Sustainable development—Food security—Agroecology

Basic scenarios of sustainable development for the world community and approaches to the problem of ensuring food security are discussed. The conservation of agricultural resources is the key element of food security. The structure and main objectives of agroecology are characterized in brief.     

A Budget Model to Scale Nutrient Biogeochemical Cycles in Two Semienclosed Gulfs

The nutrient dynamics of the Strymonikos and Ierissos Gulfs, two semienclosed coastal water bodies, are studied using a simple steady-state budget model, according to the Land–Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone modeling guidelines. Strymon river plume dynamics prevailed in the area of the Inner and Outer Srymonikos Gulfs, comprising two layers, while the Ierissos Gulf was defined as a one-box system. Seasonal and mean annual model input data for river discharge, precipitation, evaporation, and concentrations of salt, phosphorus, and nitrogen were obtained during four field campaigns. Results from the nitrogen and phosphorus cycling revealed the importance of river discharge in the horizontal and vertical transport of these substances within the system. Furthermore, it occurred that the major biogeochemical transformation of nitrogen and phosphorus takes place in the immediate nearshore zone (Inner Strymonikos Gulf), while the outer system sustains its nutrient dependence on oceanic exchanges. Therefore, under the summer low flow conditions, the river-influenced inner system acts as a net source of nitrogen and phosphorus, while under increased Strymon River discharge, phosphorus is transferred to the biological material (and the sediments), and the system moves to an autotrophic state. The outer system showed an opposite behavior being autotrophic throughout the year and heterotrophic in February. The Ierissos Gulf, a system not directly influenced by significant river discharge, experienced a seasonally independent behavior with net heterotrophic and denitrification processes prevailing. Model scenarios demonstrated that phosphate concentration increases, even under low river flow conditions and stimulates primary production in excess of respiration, resulting in nitrogen fixation prevalence in the Inner Strymonikos Gulf.     

矿区不同复垦措施下土壤呼吸与环境因子关系的研究

为研究不同植被恢复方式和施肥处理下土壤呼吸的季节变化的影响因素,对山西省孝义市露天矿区复垦区土壤呼吸、温度和水分进行了2年的野外观测,采用不同单双变量模型分析了土壤呼吸与温度、水分间的关系.结果表明,植被恢复方式和施肥处理及其交互作用均显著影响土壤基础呼吸速率(R10)和土壤温度敏感性指数(Q10).在单变量模型分析中,百脉根和苜蓿草本恢复方式下,土壤呼吸与土壤温度间拟合水平较高,而油松林和混交林乔木恢复方式下,土壤呼吸与土壤水分间拟合水平较高;剔除土壤水分低于10%时的土壤呼吸值,可提高土壤呼吸与温度间拟合水平;对土壤呼吸值进行标准化,可提高土壤呼吸与水分间拟合水平.相较于其它施肥处理,有机肥处理的样地土壤呼吸与温度间拟合系数较高,而土壤呼吸与水分间的拟合系数较小.土壤呼吸与温度、水分间4个双因子模型的拟合系数因植被恢复方式和施肥不同而有所不同.总之,土壤呼吸与温度、水分间双变量模型比单变量模型可更准确预测土壤碳通量值.