Experimental research of LNG accidental underwater release and combustion behavior

Evaluating potential hazards caused by accidental LNG release from underwater pipelines or vessels is a significant consideration in marine transportation safety. The aim of this study was to capture the dynamic behavior of LNG jet released under water and to analyze its vapor dispersion characteristics and combustion characteristics on the water surface during different release scenarios. Controlled experiments were conducted where LNG was jet released from a cryogenic storage tank. The dynamic process of LNG being jet released from orifices of different sizes and shapes, as well as the rising plume structure, were captured by a high-speed camera. The leakage flow rate and pipeline pressure were recorded by a flow meter and pressure gauge, respectively. The concentration distribution that emanated from the water surface was measured utilizing methane sensors in different positions with various wind speeds. The flame combustion characteristics of LNG vapor clouds, which immediately ignited upon the enclosed water tank, were also recorded. Additionally, the mass burning rate of the flame on the water surface was evaluated, and a new correlation between the ratio of flame length and width was established. The results indicated a large dimensionless heat release rate (Q*) and a continuous release flow rate in a limited burning area. This study could provide greater understanding of the mechanisms of LNG release and combustion behavior under water.     

Spatial and temporal patterns and the socioeconomic impacts of landslides in the tropical and mountainous Colombian Andes

Landslides are a natural hazard that presents a major threat to human life and infrastructure. Although they are a very common phenomenon in Colombia, there is a lack of analysis that entails national and comprehensive spatial, temporal, and socioeconomic evaluations of such events based on historical records. This study provides a detailed assessment of the spatial and temporal patterns and the socioeconomic impacts associated with landslides that occurred in the country between 1900 and 2018. Two national landslide databases were consulted and this information was complemented by local and regional landslide catalogues. A total of 30,730 landslides were recorded in the 118-year period. Rainfall is the most common trigger of landslides, responsible for 92 per cent of those registered, but most fatalities (68 per cent) are due to landslides caused by volcanic activity and earthquakes. An ‘fN curve’ revealed a very high frequency of small and moderate fatal landslides in the time frame.     

An Analogy on Assessment of Urban Air Pollution in Turkey Over the Turn of the Millennium (1992–2001)

Rapid industrialization and urbanization in Turkey, especially over the last twenty five years, has provided better living standards to its residents, but it also caused a decrease in environmental quality. In late 1970's, air quality monitoring activities were started in some major cities by individual researchers in Turkey. It was just around the 1990's that a countrywide program on continuous air pollution monitoring in major province centers and selected large towns was launched. The impact of air pollution on people depend on various factors, such as existence and magnitude of coal powered energy generation plants, type of urban heating and their efficiency, and the numbers and specifications of vehicles. In this study, current Turkish urban air quality over the turn of the Millennium (1992–2001) is studied in the light of the country's worst cities in terms of outdoor air quality, the number of upper respiratory diseases, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia cases in these provinces reported by the state medical treatment facilities in 2001. The population that is under outdoor urban air pollution hazard was computed. A comparative analysis between the provinces that use natural gas and others that use fossil fuels was also completed in order to project monetary gains if the studied provinces will transform their indoor heating and industrial operations to be run by natural gas or other cleaner energy sources. If natural gas use in air polluted urban centers could be realized in the near future, approximately 212 to 350 million US dollars per annum could to be saved just by reducing health related problems caused by outdoor air pollution.     

基于可拓物元模型的安全经济开采评价指标体系的构建及应用

首先根据安全经济开采的内涵,建立以人员安全、设施设备安全、开采环境安全、安全投资和安全管理为主要制约因素的安全经济开采评价模型,并运用改进的层次分析法确定人员可靠度对安全经济开采水平影响最大,开采环境可靠度影响最小。其次,采用函数拟合法、专家打分法、标准化打分法量化安全经济开采水平指标,并将安全经济开采水平划分为3个等级。最后,运用可拓物元模型方法,得出某铁矿安全经济开采水平为二级,无重大经济损失,与实际吻合。     

城市燃气事故生命损失风险可接受标准研究

为提高我国城市燃气风险管理水平,帮助风险管理者科学地分配维护资源,探讨提出了我国城市燃气事故生命损失风险可接受标准;采用AIR指标法确定了个人风险可接受标准范围为(2.397 3×10-7,4.794 7×10-7);运用F-N曲线法结合ALARP原则,确定了社会风险可接受标准,最大可接受风险的截距为4.794 7×10-7,可忽略风险的截距为4.794 7×10-8;利用生活质量指数推导模型,计算了达到城市燃气事故可忽略风险水平的最优安全投入成本;基于风险动态原则,分析提出了风险可接受标准的更新办法。研究结果表明:我国城市燃气行业可接受风险水平低于煤矿、大坝、化工等危险行业的可接受风险水平;虽然我国城市燃气事故死亡率逐年降低,但要达到可忽略的风险水平,每年还需大量安全资金投入。     

三峡库区消落带农用坡地磷素径流流失特征

消落带是三峡库区重要的生态交错带,但自发农用和无序开发可能会造成更多的氮磷流失,进而加剧三峡库区水体富营养化。通过对库区连续3 a的定位监测（2011~2013年）,研究了三峡库区消落带农用坡地的磷素流失特征。结果表明：次降雨事件中常规施肥处理的地表径流、壤中流总磷平均浓度分别为0.848±0.153、0.140±0.006 mg/L,其中地表径流中磷的形态以颗粒态为主,壤中流以溶解态的生物可利用磷为主。常规施肥下,地表径流、壤中流磷素年均流失通量分别为0.236±0.004、0.100±0.003 kg·hm 2,地表径流、壤中流磷素流失通量分别占总流失通量的70.2%、29.8%,地表径流是坡地磷素流失的主要途径,但壤中流也是不可忽视的重要途径。与常规施肥处理相比,减量施肥处理地表径流、壤中流磷素流失量分别降低了45.3%、40.0%。建议采取减量施肥的方式,以降低营养盐负荷,保护水环境。     

Community participation in cultural heritage and environmental policy formulation in Botswana

Cultural heritage does not have direct economic benefits. However, if properly managed it can stimulate social cohesions, improving the environment and have beneficial economic spin offs for the local communities. This paper discusses the role of communities in the formulation of the policies concerning their local environment. It argues that community engagement by policy makers is important in giving legitimacy and ownership of the policies. Furthermore, this paper discusses the potential of cultural heritage in diversifying the economy in Botswana. This paper recommends for the re-assessment of the relationship between the state and local communities which is critical in resuscitating the seemingly ailing community business organizations. In conclusion, it argues for the sustainable management of cultural heritage as a social and economic resource in the next 50 years of Botswana’s independence.     

A multi-objective design optimisation of eco-friendly aircraft: the impact of noise fees on airplanes sustainable development

The current work deals with multi-objective optimisations including financial merit factors in the multi-disciplinary conceptual design of a commercial aircraft with a specific focus on noise social cost. The results of optimisations using financial and performance-oriented objective functions have been analysed and combined in a multi-objective optimisation problem using a three-dimensional objective vector. The main novelty of the present work is the analysis of social cost noise fees effectiveness integrated in financial models embracing a wider group of stakeholders’ interests. The foundations of this research lie on the air traffic increase envisaged in the next decades and the contextual growth of the urban areas nearby airport facilities. This scenario requires the aeronautical industry to handle the environment challenge taking into account all the social and economic effects. Indeed, the consolidated technology has approached a saturation point, therefore breakthrough concepts and configurations are mandatory. This matter is addressed as a highly multi-disciplinary problem within conceptual design framework. The financial model proposed is shown to highlight the need of appropriate noise fees as instruments to push all stakeholders towards a technology radical renewal and encourage the aeronautical industry towards a shared strategy in the development of an eco-friendly commercial aviation system.     

中国城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异及影响因素——基于273个地级及以上城市的分析

以全国地级及以上城市中的273个样本城市为研究对象,分别从全国、沿海地区、内陆地区三个层次考察了样本城市城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异。根据柯布-道格拉斯生产函数的理论与分析方法建立模型,分析了资本、劳动力、土地三大投入要素和城市全要素生产率等对城镇建设用地的影响,并在控制以上变量的条件下侧重考察了城市区位差异的影响。发现我国城镇建设用地经济密度的区位差异明显,具有区位优势的城市土地效益平均高于缺乏区位优势的城市;沿海水陆口岸的区位优势十分显著,建设用地经济密度相对较高,而内陆地区水陆口岸的区位优势有待发掘;航空口岸对提高城镇建设用地经济密度未发挥积极作用。分析结果表明,生产要素投入、科技水平、市场环境和城市发展阶段是影响土地效益的主要因素,但不同区位条件下城镇建设用地经济密度的影响因素有所不同,为提高城镇建设用地经济密度,不同区位条件的城市着力点应各有侧重。     

1949年以来中国环境与发展关系的演变

从IPAT方程出发,发现了环境影响随着经济发展或时间的演变依次遵循三个"倒U型"曲线规律,即环境影响强度的倒U型曲线、人均环境影响的倒U型曲线和环境影响总量的倒U型曲线。根据此规律,可以将该演化过程划分为四个阶段即:环境影响强度高峰前阶段、环境影响强度高峰到人均环境影响量高峰阶段、人均环境影响量高峰到环境影响总量高峰阶段以及环境影响总量稳定下降阶段。在环境演变的不同阶段,主要驱动力存在着明显的差异。在环境影响强度高峰前阶段,资源消耗或污染物排放增长更多地由资源或污染密集型技术进步驱动;在资源消耗或污染物强度高峰到人均资源消耗或污染物排放高峰阶段,主要由经济增长驱动;而在人均资源消耗或污染物排放高峰到资源消耗或污染物排放总量高峰阶段以及总量高峰以后的发展阶段,则主要由节约高效技术或污染减排技术进步来驱动。实证分析表明,中国目前环境与发展关系基本上处于经济增长主要驱动的环境影响强度高峰向人均环境影响高峰过渡阶段,这同时意味着中国要在短期内实现人均环境影响和环境影响总量高峰的跨越是异常困难的。