A study of the blast wave shape from elongated VCEs

Elongated congestion patterns are common at chemical processing and petroleum refining facilities due to the arrangement of processing units. The accidental vapor cloud explosion (VCE) which occurred at the Buncefield, UK facility involved an elongated congested volume formed by the trees and undergrowth along the site boundary. Although elongated congested volumes are common, there have been few evaluations reported for the blast loads produced by elongated VCEs. Standard VCE blast load prediction techniques do not directly consider the impact of this congested volume geometry versus a more compact geometry.This paper discusses an evaluation performed to characterize the blast loads from elongated VCEs and to identify some significant differences in the resulting blast wave shape versus those predicted by well-known VCE blast load methodologies (e.g., BST and TNO MEM). The standard blast curves are based on an assumption that the portion of the flammable gas cloud participating in the VCE is hemispherical and located at grade level. The results of this evaluation showed that the blast wave shape for an elongated VCE in the near-field along the long-axis direction is similar to that for an acoustic wave generated in hemispherical VCEs with a low flame speed. Like an acoustic wave, an elongated VCE blast wave has a very quick transition from the positive phase peak pressure to the negative phase peak pressure, relative to the positive phase duration. The magnitude of the applied negative pressure on a building face depends strongly on the transition time between the positive and negative phase peak pressures, and this applied negative phase can be important to structural response under certain conditions. The main purpose of this evaluation was to extend previous work in order to investigate how an elongated VCE geometry impacts the resultant blast wave shape in the near-field. The influence of the normalized flame travel distance and the flame speed on the blast wave shape was examined. Deflagration and deflagration-to-detonation transition regimes were also identified for unconfined elongated VCEs as a function of the normalized flame travel distance and flame speed attained at a specified flame travel distance.     

Probabilistic multiple model neural network based leak detection system: Experimental study

This paper presents an effective decision making system for leak detection based on multiple generalized linear models and clustering techniques. The training data for the proposed decision system is obtained by setting up an experimental pipeline fully operational distribution system. The system is also equipped with data logging for three variables; namely, inlet pressure, outlet pressure, and outlet flow. The experimental setup is designed such that multi-operational conditions of the distribution system, including multi pressure and multi flow can be obtained. We then statistically tested and showed that pressure and flow variables can be used as signature of leak under the designed multi-operational conditions. It is then shown that the detection of leakages based on the training and testing of the proposed multi model decision system with pre data clustering, under multi operational conditions produces better recognition rates in comparison to the training based on the single model approach. This decision system is then equipped with the estimation of confidence limits and a method is proposed for using these confidence limits for obtaining more robust leakage recognition results.     

Effects of premixed methane concentration on distribution of flame region and hazard effects in a tube and a tunnel gas explosion

Study of flame distribution laws and the hazard effects in a tunnel gas explosion accident is of great importance for safety issue. However, it has not yet been fully explored. The object of present work is mainly to study the effects of premixed gas concentration on the distribution law of the flame region and the hazard effects involving methane-air explosion in a tube and a tunnel based on experimental and numerical results. The experiments were conducted in a tube with one end closed and the other open. The tube was partially filled with premixed methane-air mixture with six different premixed methane concentrations. Major simulation works were performed in a full-scale tunnel with a length of 1000 m. The first 56 m of the tunnel were occupied by methane–air mixture. Results show that the flame region is always longer than the original gas region in any case. Concentration has significant effects on the flame region distribution and the explosion behaviors. In the tube, peak overpressures and maximum rates of overpressure rise (dp/dt)_max for mixtures with lower and higher concentrations are great lower than that for mixtures close to stoichiometric concentration. Due to the gas diffusion effect, not the stoichiometric mixture but the mixture with a slightly higher concentration of 11% gets the highest peak overpressure and the shock wave speed along the tube. In the full-scale tunnel, for fuel lean and stoichiometric mixture, the maximum peak combustion rates is achieved before arriving at the boundary of the original methane accumulation region, while for fuel rich mixture, the maximum value appears beyond the region. It is also found that the flame region for the case of stoichiometric mixture is the shortest as 72 m since the higher explosion intensity shortens the gas diffusion time. The case for concentration of 13% can reach up to a longest value of 128 m for longer diffusion time and the abundant fuel. The “serious injury and death” zone caused by shock wave may reach up to 3–8 times of the length of the original methane occupied region, which is the widest damage region.     

Exploring alternative states in ecological systems with a qualitative analysis of community feedback

Demonstrating and predicting the existence of alternative states in natural communities remains a challenge for ecologists and is essential for resource managers. Positive feedback is often presented as central in maintaining alternative ecosystem states, but no formal approach relates this part of theory to real world applications. Through qualitative modelling of community response to long-term perturbations, we define generic mechanistic links between positive feedback and the occurrence of alternative states. Positive feedback diminishes a system's overall resistance to change, and can create and maintain correlations in the relative abundance of variables that coincide with alternative states.Through specific models of the dynamics of Tasmanian rocky-reef communities, which are affected by climate and fishing and persist within alternative states, we demonstrate the ability of our theoretical framework to predict alternative states in ecosystems and inform management intervention. A qualitative knowledge of community structure permits a thorough analysis of system feedback and an assessment of the potential for an ecosystem to exhibit alternative states. We illustrate the usefulness of the approach to inform management priorities, and to focus monitoring and field research on the key drivers of ecosystem dynamics.     

Ignition wave in a two-velocity two-temperature multiphase mixture

The theory of stationary adiabatic and non-adiabatic ignition waves in magnesium aerosuspension is developed on the basis of the mathematical model based on two-velocity two-temperature approach of mechanics of heterogeneous media. Specifically, the conditions such that the particle cloud ignites under the action of an initiating shock wave (SW) are defined. An agreement between the adiabatic one-velocity model and the adiabatic two-velocity model on the ignition delay time for small particles is shown. Influence of particle size on this characteristic is compared for both models. Validation of the two-velocity model is performed on the basis of comparison with the experimental data. The unified formula for calculation of the induction period of the magnesium particle mixture in oxygen which takes into account its dependence on the SW Mach number and particle radius is found.     

汽车爆炸的超压分布规律实验研究

测试了不同药量和不同车型的爆炸超压值,对汽车爆炸的超压分布规律进行了实验研究.结果表明,小汽车内发生炸药爆炸时,车门侧压力明显大于车尾部方向的压力,车外的冲击波超压值要大于空气中炸药爆炸的结果,前者约为后者的1.0～2.2倍.即车体对冲击波约束作用要小于车内底盘的反射作用.计算得到了实验中冲击波超压对人员的杀伤半径和最小安全距离,对汽车爆炸案件具有一定指导作用.冲击波的反射不可忽视,货车下地面炸药爆炸表现出明显的冲击波反射作用,测得超压值大于空气中爆炸的超压值.     

钢板焊接缺陷自身高度测量

介绍了端点衍射波的产生及其计算自身高度的原理,采用常规仪器及探头测量的方法及体会。     

一维脉冲波透过压电介质摩擦接触界面的传播

以压电材料为核心的结构和元件在装置中,总是和其他材料组合在一起,常用来传导表面波或承受动荷载,界面是其中的重要组成部分。当扰动很强时,会引起接触界面的局部滑移和分离,对结构安全产生威胁。笔者对一维脉冲波透过横观各向同性压电介质摩擦接触界面的传播进行了研究。利用Fourier分析的方法,将混合边值问题化为非线性代数方程组,通过迭代修正,确定了界面上分离、滑移和粘着3种区域的分布范围,同时计算了界面剪力和相对滑移速度的分布。笔者进一步丰富了压电弹性波动理论,利用波所携带的力学或电学信息,可望无损探测界面的接触状态及接触力等参量,对结构的安全评估与寿命预测具有重要的理论价值与实际意义。     

Wave Processes in Forest Ant Communities

Mechanisms of interspecific territorial interactions have been studied in multispecific communities of forest ants. These interactions occur through the superposition of high-activity waves traveling over the foraging areas of the influents on the intervals between the waves of dominant species. This allows the foraging ants of both species to search their territory in turn. The role of wave processes in communities is discussed.