Coping with accelerating socio-technical systems

In 1997 a workshop was held on the subject of how to cope with accelerating technologies. These are industries such as aviation, air traffic control and biotechnology, amongst others, where the rate of technological development is significant. A number of papers were presented from a range of viewpoints and in a variety of different industrial contexts. The papers ranged from theoretical models to help understand the process of acceleration and its impact on organisational learning, to practical analyses of future potential risks in specific accelerating industries such as air traffic control. The aim of the papers and the workshop as a whole was to provide insight into the problems associated with accelerating technologies, and thereby derive measures to control or cope with such acceleration. The problems arising from acceleration, as predicted by the theoretical models and evidenced by experiences in accelerating industries (e.g. aviation) are manifold. Two examples of particular problems are unforeseen risks in an industry (a lack of forward vision), and a failure to learn adequately (i.e. in time) from incidents occurring in an organisation (a lack of constructive hindsight). There is also an incipient danger of society being driven by technology rather than being led by social needs. Even if each technology ultimately becomes ‘ultra-safe’, it will nevertheless have its own ‘event horizon’, limiting useful further progress. Each of the papers from the workshop is summarised and integrated into a three-part synopsis of the workshop. This covers the context of accelerating technologies, modelling their impacts, and deriving coping strategies. Four of the papers are included in their entirety as separate papers in their own right in this special issue of Safety Science.     

Effects of ozone on chlorophyll and quantum yield of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) varieties

Plants of Bel-W3 and of seven commercial tobacco varieties (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were exposed to two relatively low ozone concentrations (90 or 135 ppb) for 20 consecutive days, for 8 h per day. Ozone caused necrotic and chlorotic spots, acceleration of leaf senescence, depression of photosynthetic mechanism, chlorophyll diminution and greater destruction of chl a than of chl b. The higher sensitivity of chl a was also confirmed by exposure of segments of leaves in test tubes to high ozone concentration (>1000 ppb) as well as by bubbling of ozone in extracts of chlorophyll in vitro. The quantum yield (QY) of photosynthesis was positively correlated with the chlorophyll content and negatively correlated with the visible injury and the chl b/a ratio.     

切圆燃烧煤粉炉的空气分级燃烧改造

阐述了分级燃烧抑制NOx形成的基本原理,介绍了切圆燃烧煤粉炉的空气分级燃烧改造的基本特点,考察了轴向和径向空气分级、炉内空气浓度等因素对NOx排放量的影响;控制适当条件,使脱氮效率达到30％－50％,对煤粉炉的空气分级燃烧改造进行了费用效益分析。     

混凝沉淀—气浮—生化处理洗毛废水

采用混凝沉淀－气浮－生化处理洗毛废水。混凝沉淀－气浮在进水ＣＯＤ１４５００ｍｇ／Ｌ,处理水量２０００ｍ＾３／ｄ,ＣＯＤ去除率９０％;ＨＲＴ ３２ｈ生化处理时,出水ＣＯＤ为１８７ｍｇ／ｌ,可达到污水综合排放二级标准（洗毛行业）。     

H-酸的催化湿式氧化反应过程研究

湿式氧化（ＷＡＯ）和催化湿式氧化（ＣＷＡＯ）都能有效地处理染料中间体－－Ｈ－酸。所有的Ｈ－酸在５ｍｉｎ内均被支除和形成一些中间产物。在不同反应时间段测定了ｐＨ值及阴、阳离子和小分子有机酸等中间产物。分析表明,ｐＨ值与ＣＯＤ的去除及有机酸的产生有密切的联系,Ｈ－酸被氧化成ＮＨ４＾＋、ＳＯ４＾２－、ＨＣＯＯＨ和ＣＨ２ＣＯＯＨ。ＷＡＯ法的瓜速率慢而且氧化乙酸困难。而ＣＷＡＯ法的反应速率不但快而且能有效地     

KIVA:一种计算带有化学反应流和喷雾的多维流动模拟程序(Ⅰ)

本文介绍美国Ｌｏｓ Ａｌａｍｏｓ国家实验室推出的ＫＩＶＡ程序,描述发展的ＡＬＥ法。使用ＫＩＶＡⅡ程序,使日本ＹＡＮＭＡＲ４ＴＮ８２柴油机燃烧室为工程计算背景,对其中空气运动进行三维数值模拟,并对计算结果进行分析,从而展示ω型燃烧室内空气动动变化趋势。     

Fenton试剂处理选矿废水的实验研究

研究了用Fenton试剂处理某选矿废水中残余的黄药,分别考查了氧化时间、反应初始pH值、Fe2+浓度及H2O2用量对黄药降解效果的影响,用正交试验确定了四个因素的最好条件。结果表明:初始pH值和H2O2用量是影响去除效果的主要因素;氧化时间为60min,反应初始pH=4,[Fe2+]=20mg/L,[H2O2]=20mg/L,黄药的浓度为125mg/L时,黄药的去除率达到99.5%。     

沈阳市室内空气污染现状与控制对策

论述了由室内装修引起的室内空气污染问题,并通过对沈阳市部分居室和办公场所的监测数据进行统计分析;在有限指标内反映沈阳市室内空气污染的现状,并提出控制对策。     

工业点源大气污染扩散空间信息系统

开发了一个基于高斯扩散的大气污染扩散空间信息系统,用于模拟工业点源污染对区域大气质量的影响。该工业点源污染模型包括工业点源数据库、扩散参数、气象条件和大气质量评价4个主要数据库。用该模型计算上海市主要工业区的SO2排放,结果表明,该模型为模拟SO2污染扩散提供了一个有效便捷的方法。     

溶气气浮过程动力学模型的分形观

凝聚/絮凝过程中形成的絮体通常具有分形几何结构,导致絮体的密度、渗透性发生了变化,从而对于固液分离过程(沉淀、气浮和过滤)带来很大的影响。本文基于前人对于絮体分形的研究成果,建立了絮体与微气泡之间接触碰撞的动力学方程、絮体/微气泡聚集体在水中上升的分形速率方程。絮体与微气泡间的相对尺度和流态的不同会有不同的碰撞机制,相应的动力学方程式与絮体的分形维数也有不同的关系。