Are energy efficiency standards justified?

This paper develops an analytical framework for comparing the welfare effects of energy efficiency standards and pricing policies for reducing gasoline, electricity, and nationwide carbon emissions. The model is parameterized with US data and includes key externalities in the energy/transportation sectors and possible underinvestment in energy efficiency due to “misperceptions” over energy savings. Even with large misperceptions, the extra welfare gains from complementing efficient pricing policies with energy efficiency standards are zero for reducing gasoline and 5 percent for reducing electricity. And when viewed as substitutes, these standards forgo 60 percent or more of the potential welfare gains from corresponding pricing policies. A combination of energy efficiency and emissions standards is more than three times as costly as carbon pricing when there is no misperception over energy savings, and even with large misperceptions, combining carbon pricing with gasoline/electricity taxes is better than combining it with energy efficiency standards.     

石化装置综合风险分析方法研究

为有针对性地对石化装置失效后果进行风险分析和经济风险计算,将RB.eye软件与API 581相结合,提出一种创新的石化装置综合风险分析研究方法。首先对一套装置中的设备和管道使用RB.eye软件得到风险矩阵进行风险分级,根据分级结果,筛选出高风险设备和管道。然后对筛选出的设备和管道运用API 581进行后果风险分析。并运用此方法研究催化重整预处理装置。结果表明:将RB.eye软件与API 581相结合的方法能够快速筛选风险分析目标,有助于有针对性地进行后果风险分析。     

Practical evaluation for water utilities in China by using analytic hierarchy process

The risk of water utilities would include the water quality failure and the water quantity failure, from the source to the tap, including the catchment, treatment, distribution and the customer plumbing system. In this paper, we proposed a practical evaluation method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The hierarchical structure of the water utilities was established in terms of the fault event analysis from the past failure accidents. The severity of criteria was preset by the experts and the probability of criteria was determined by a modified CUWA-TSM sheet with the consideration of the actual situations of the supply system. The evaluation model was successfully performed by a case study. Although, the method in this paper may not be as good as the framework of WSPs, it has a great advantage compared to WSPs and TSM. The risk management can be applied through specific software packages with a user-friendly interface, which means it is easier to implement. In addition, it can point out the critical control points (CCPs) for the decision-makers. So we believe this method will improve and play a more and more active role in the development of the risk management in China water works.     

火灾自动报警系统可靠性研究

火灾自动报警系统主要包括火灾探测器、火灾报警控制器、减灾装置和灭火装置4部分,从这4部分分析了其工作原理。在此基础上,着重分析了误报、漏报概率较高的火灾探测系统(包括火灾探测器和火灾报警控制器)在使用过程中可能出现的失效状态。其失效的根本原因是在探测器的设计、选型与安装中出现的问题以及各类控制器和控制软件出现的问题。火灾自动报警系统在设计、安装和使用过程中出现的一些问题可能导致整个系统失效,主要包括硬件故障、系统失误和管理缺陷3类。因此,从火灾自动报警系统设计、软硬件产品质量、选型与安装及维护保养等方面给出了提高火灾自动报警系统可靠性的措施。最后应用系统安全及可靠性理论建立了包括电源系统、触发装置、报警控制装置和警报装置4个指标的火灾自动报警系统可靠度计算模型。     

汽车排气管焊缝断裂的失效分析

某汽车用排气管使用不久焊缝处断裂。对失效排气管焊缝进行化学成分、金相组织和断口的微观分析。发现该排气管焊缝柱状组织粗大,断口微观形貌为沿晶断裂,柱状晶贯穿整个断裂面,断口有较明显的脆性特征。分析认为该排气管属于早期失效,是由于薄壁的排气管焊接时温度过高,导致焊缝柱状组织粗大,加之薄壁管冷却又快,致使焊缝产生较大的内应力。建议改进焊接工艺,控制较低的层间温度,使焊缝组织细化,解决焊缝断裂问题。     

On water security, sustainability, and the water-food-energy-climate nexus

The role of water security in sustainable development and in the nexus of water, food, energy and climate interactions is examined from the starting point of the definition of water security offered by Grey and Sadoff. Much about the notion of security has to do with the presumption of scarcity in the resources required to meet human needs. The treatment of scarcity in mainstream economics is in turn examined, therefore, in relation to how each of us as individuals reconciles means with ends, a procedure at the core of the idea of sustainable development. According to the Grey-Sadoff definition, attaining water security amounts to achieving basic, single-sector water development as a precursor of more general, self-sustaining, multi-sectoral development. This is consistent with the way in which water is treated as “first among equals”, i.e. privileged, in thinking about what is key in achieving security around the nexus of water, food, energy and climate. Cities, of course, are locations where demands for these multiple resource-energy flows are increasingly being generated. The paper discusses two important facets of security, i.e., diversity of access to resources and services (such as sanitation) and resilience in the behavior of coupled human-built-natural systems. Eight quasi-operational principles, by which to gauge nexus security with respect to city buildings and infrastructure, are developed.     

考虑损伤的圆形巷道围岩弹塑性分析

如何判断巷道开挖后,围岩弹塑性变形及围岩的力学行为一直是人们研究的重点问题。考虑岩石材料的损伤特性,建立了巷道围岩弹塑性损伤力学模型,对侧压力系数为1时圆形巷道围岩的弹塑性应力场及范围进行分析。结合具体算例,得出在相同塑性范围内,随着λ/E比值的增大,所需要的支护阻力也随之增大;当原岩应力一定时,随着λ/E比值的增大,巷道围岩的塑性区范围也随之增加。研究表明,考虑损伤作用使得分析结果更加接近于实际,从而为巷道围岩稳定性分析和合理选择支护形式及强度提供理论依据。     

Dynamic failure assessment of an ammonia storage unit: A case study

Chemical Process Industries usually contain a diverse inventory of hazardous chemicals and complex systems required to perform process operations such as storage, separation, reaction, compression etc. The complex interactions between the equipment make them vulnerable to catastrophic accidents. Risk and failure assessment provide engineers with an intuitive tool for decision making in the operation of such plants. Abnormal events and near-miss situations occur regularly during the operation of a system. Accident Sequence Precursors (ASP) can be used to demonstrate the real-time operating condition of a plant. Dynamic Failure Assessment (DFA) methodology is based on Bayesian statistical methods incorporates ASP data to revise the generic failure probabilities of the systems during its operational lifetime.In this paper, DFA methodology is applied on an ammonia storage unit in a specialized chemical industry. Ammonia is stored in cold storage tanks as liquefied gas at atmospheric pressure. These tanks are susceptible to failures due to various abnormal conditions arising due process failures.Tank failures due to three such abnormal conditions are considered. Variation of the failure probability of the safety systems is demonstrated. The authors use ASP data collected from plant specific sources and safety expert judgement. The failure probabilities of some safety systems concerned show considerable deviation from the generic values. The method helps to locate the components which have undergone more degradation over the period and hence must be paid attention to. In addition, a Bayesian predictive model has been used to predict the number of abnormal events in the next time interval. The user-friendly and intuitive nature of the tool makes it appropriate for application in safety assessment reports in process industries.     

Risk assessment of offshore crude oil pipeline failure

Failure of Leak Detection System (LDS) to detect pipeline leakages or ruptures may result in drastic consequences that could lead to excessive financial losses. To minimize the occurrence of such failure, the functionality of the LDS and the integrity of the pipeline should be assessed on a priority basis. This paper presents an integrated risk-based assessment scheme to predict the failure and the failure consequences of offshore crude oil pipelines. To estimate risk, two important quantities have to be determined, the joint probability of failure of the pipeline and its LDS and the consequences of failure. Consequences incorporate the financial losses associated with environmental damage, oil spill cleanup and lost production. The assessment provides an estimate of the risk in monetary value and determines whether the estimated risk exceeds a predefined target risk. Moreover, the critical year for the asset can be determined. In essence, the outcome of the assessment facilitates an informed decision-making about the future of the asset.     

热盐腐蚀环境对TC11钛合金高温寿命影响规律试验研究

目的 针对发动机钛合金部件在热盐环境与工作载荷下的寿命衰减问题，开展TC11钛合金热盐腐蚀疲劳与应力腐蚀试验，研究腐蚀环境下TC11的高温寿命衰减规律与失效机理。方法 利用喷盐法制备TC11钛合金试验件，研究不同温度与应力水平对TC11腐蚀疲劳以及应力腐蚀的影响规律。利用SEM等观测手段，开展腐蚀疲劳以及应力腐蚀试样断口与表面的形貌分析，分析腐蚀环境下的失效机理。结果 热盐腐蚀环境导致TC11的寿命显著降低，对比450 ℃下无腐蚀寿命，腐蚀疲劳寿命下降了2个数量级，应力腐蚀寿命下降到不足1%，且分散性较大。观察腐蚀疲劳和应力腐蚀的试样可以发现，表面有明显的腐蚀坑，腐蚀坑底发现裂纹。结论 热盐环境下，TC11腐蚀疲劳寿命和应力腐蚀寿命都会明显下降。由于腐蚀导致钛合金试样表面产生许多腐蚀坑，在腐蚀坑局部形成近似缺口，缺口部位的应力集中是导致腐蚀疲劳寿命衰减的重要因素。腐蚀疲劳的寿命低于Kt=1的无腐蚀疲劳寿命，但是要大于Kt=3的无腐蚀疲劳寿命。