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.     

控制轨道交通噪声道间声屏障研究

应用环境噪声预测与分析软件SOUNDPLAN对将设置在上海轨道交通6#线上下行线之间的道间声屏障插入损失进行了模拟计算。计算结果表明,安装道间声屏障可使得距离线路20～30m远的较高层建筑获得2～4.7dB的降噪效果;随着两侧声屏障高度的增加,安装道间声屏障对待测表面的影响范围在缩小;离轨道线路越近,道间声屏障的插入损失越大。     

粮食基础设施震后恢复重建关键问题研究

在对汶川8.0级地震后绵阳市粮食基础设施破坏情况调研的基础上,提出恢复与发展并重、粮食基础设施节点与网络并行、推进行业整合和信息化的建设思路,规划了绵阳市灾后恢复重建的维修保障和重建发展项目,并对规划实施效果进行了经济和社会效益分析。     

明清苏浙沿海台风风暴潮灾害序列重建与特征分析

在系统搜集、整理明清苏浙沿海潮灾记录基础上,建立风暴潮频率辨识方法,复原台风风暴潮灾害750次,据此建立逐年风暴潮频率序列。分析显示,1460~1480年、1570~1595年、1715~1745年、1785~1810年、1880~1890年为风暴潮活跃期。明清苏浙沿海风暴潮存在45 a、25 a、14 a三种时间尺度周期,其中45 a周期最为显著。气候跃变分析表明,1402年、1457年、1566年、1624年、1652年、1711年、1846年、1880年风暴潮活动趋于活跃;1444年、1477年、1543年、1634年、1799年、1856年风暴潮趋于平静。与1470年以来温度距平曲线对比显示,气候冷暖与风暴潮发生频率有一定正相关性,全球变暖背景下苏浙沿海可能面临更为严重的风暴潮威胁。苏浙地区明清时期风暴潮灾害空间分布差异明显,大部分风暴潮记载集中于长三角、杭州湾地区,苏北地区风暴潮数量少但影响范围广,浙东地区受地形和经济发展程度影响,风暴潮记载数量少且集中于滨海。     

环境规制对技术效率和生产力损失的影响分析

以中国工业为研究对象,以经济发展程度不同所分的东部、中部和西部地区兰个地区作为研究区域,采用非参数数据包络法(DEA)中的径自效率测量方法(radial efficiency measure)为主要研究方法,分析了在1998-2005年期间环境规制对中国工业的技术效率和生产力损失的影响.研究结果表明,在指定的研究期间,环境规制使得中国工业技术效率提高,但是对于生产力的发展却产生了负面的影响.三个地区之间受环境规制影响的差异较大,其中东部为环境规制所付出的成本最大,即东部为环境污染所付出的环境成本最高,这也是为何从九十年代开始,污染物从东部往中西部转移的原因;从受污染物影响的角度来看,因控制废水而引起的生产力损失大于因控制SO2而引起的生产力损失,即对于中国工业,废水的环境成本大于SO2的环境成本.另外,从研究结果中也可知,在中国现有的生产方式下,实施严格的环境规制有一定难度,所以改变旧的生产方式,实施可持续发展的生产方式是当务之急.     

吨量煤体的自燃过程实验模拟研究

为更好地弄清矿井实际的煤自然发火规律,利用装煤量达5吨的大型实验台对两种烟煤分别进行了自燃模拟实验。大煤量的实验能够很好地模拟煤矿中煤低温氧化和传热传质共同作用导致的发火过程,实验得到的自然发火期与煤矿实际发火期也是一致的。实验中煤样从缓慢氧化变为快速氧化的临界温度为100～110℃。当煤温低于,临界温度时,煤样的升温受到空气流带走热量和向外界散热的影响很大,因此夹层水的保温作用就很关键。当煤温超过临界温度后,反应加快,温度急剧上升,散热的影响明显降低,反应主要受限于氧气的供应情况。     

Media Storms and Policy Expertise: How Environmental Beat Journalists Gained Influence During a Shale Gas Controversy

This article examines the conditions under which environmental beat journalists can gain credibility as expert informants. It shows that media storms foster a particular dynamic that can add to this credibility. Comparing a media storm over shale gas development in Quebec with regular coverage of the same issue in British Columbia, this article shows that the coverage space given to environmental beat journalists during a media storm can render their alliance with protest groups mutually beneficial. Beat journalists can benefit from the willingness of these groups to participate in their stories, while the groups benefit from increased visibility. Beat journalists also benefit by being perceived as expert informants in policy networks, a role that they use to encourage policy-makers to take the concerns of protest groups seriously. This dynamic also increases the negativity of the news coverage. The article makes a contribution to knowledge on the role of environmental journalists in policy-making processes.     

Linking Climate Trends to Population Dynamics in the Baltic Ringed Seal: Impacts of Historical and Future Winter Temperatures

A global trend of a warming climate may seriously affect species dependent on sea ice. We investigated the impact of climate on the Baltic ringed seals (Phoca hispida botnica), using historical and future climatological time series. Availability of suitable breeding ice is known to affect pup survival. We used detailed information on how winter temperatures affect the extent of breeding ice and a climatological model (RCA3) to project the expected effects on the Baltic ringed seal population. The population comprises of three sub-populations, and our simulations suggest that all of them will experience severely hampered growth rates during the coming 90 years. The projected 30 730 seals at the end of the twenty-first century constitutes only 16 % of the historical population size, and thus reduced ice cover alone will severely limit their growth rate. This adds burden to a species already haunted by other anthropogenic impacts.     

The structure of the fire fighting foam surfactant Forafac®1157 and its biological and photolytic transformation products

For several decades, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has widely been used as a fluorinated surfactant in aqueous film forming foams used as hydrocarbon fuel fire extinguishers. Due to concerns regarding its environmental persistence and toxicological effects, PFOS has recently been replaced by novel fluorinated surfactants such as Forafac®1157, developed by the DuPont company. The major component of Forafac®1157 is a 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB), and a link between the trade name and the exact chemical structure is presented here to the scientific community for the first time. In the present work, the structure of the 6:2 FTAB was elucidated by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Moreover, its major metabolites from blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and its photolytic transformation products were identified. Contrary to what has earlier been observed for PFOS, the 6:2 FTAB was extensively metabolized by blue mussel and turbot exposed to Forafac®1157. The major metabolite was a deacetylated betaine species, from which mono- and di-demethylated metabolites also were formed. Another abundant metabolite was the 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide. In another experiment, Forafac®1157 was subjected to UV-light induced photolysis. The experimental conditions aimed to simulate Arctic conditions and the deacetylated species was again the primary transformation product of 6:2 FTAB. A 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide was also formed along with a non-identified transformation product. The environmental presence of most of the metabolites and transformation products was qualitatively demonstrated by analysis of soil samples taken in close proximity to an airport fire training facility.     

Tracking nitrogen losses in a greenhouse crop rotation experiment in North China using the EU-Rotate_N simulation model

Vegetable production in China is associated with high inputs of nitrogen, posing a risk of losses to the environment. Organic matter mineralisation is a considerable source of nitrogen (N) which is hard to quantify. In a two-year greenhouse cucumber experiment with different N treatments in North China, non-observed pathways of the N cycle were estimated using the EU-Rotate_N simulation model. EU-Rotate_N was calibrated against crop dry matter and soil moisture data to predict crop N uptake, soil mineral N contents, N mineralisation and N loss. Crop N uptake (Modelling Efficiencies (ME) between 0.80 and 0.92) and soil mineral N contents in different soil layers (ME between 0.24 and 0.74) were satisfactorily simulated by the model for all N treatments except for the traditional N management. The model predicted high N mineralisation rates and N leaching losses, suggesting that previously published estimates of N leaching for these production systems strongly underestimated the mineralisation of N from organic matter.