Characteristics of dust explosion venting pressure and flame under high activation pressure

A 20 L spherical explosive device with a venting diameter of 110 mm was used to study the vented pressure and flame propagation characteristics of corn dust explosion with an activation pressure of 0.78–2.1 bar and a dust concentration of 400∼900 g/m³. And the formation and prevention of secondary vented flame are analyzed and discussed. The results show that the maximum reduced explosion overpressure increases with the activation pressure, and the vented flame length and propagation speed increase first and then decrease with time. The pressure and flame venting process models are established, and the region where the secondary flame occurs is predicted. Whether there is pressure accompanying or not in the venting process, the flame venting process is divided into two stages: overpressure venting and normal pressure venting. In the overpressure venting stage, the flame shape gradually changes from under-expanded jet flame to turbulent jet flame. In the normal pressure venting stage, the flame form is a turbulent combustion flame, and a secondary flame occurs under certain conditions. The bleed flames within the test range are divided into three regions and four types according to the shape of the flame and whether there is a secondary flame. The analysis found that when the activation pressure is 0.78 bar and the dust concentration is less than 500 g/m³, there will be no secondary flame. Therefore, to prevent secondary flames, it is necessary to reduce the activation pressure and dust concentration. When the dust concentration is greater than 600 g/m³, the critical dust concentration of the secondary flame gradually increases with the increase of the activation pressure. Therefore, when the dust concentration is not controllable, a higher activation pressure can be selected based on comprehensive consideration of the activation pressure and destruction pressure of the device to prevent the occurrence of the secondary flame.     

Distraction in older drivers - A face-to-face interview study

The prevalence of older drivers’ engagement in distracting activities while driving is largely unexplored. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in the city of Braunschweig, Germany, comparing a sample of older drivers (n = 205) to a group of middle-aged drivers (n = 209). The drivers were interviewed on their engagement in distracting activities during the last half an hour of their driving trip, including the frequency and duration of these activities, their perception of the risk associated with these distracting activities and the role of these activities in at-fault crashes. Middle-aged drivers were significantly more likely to engage in certain distracting activities than older drivers. With regard to the duration of interactions with the passengers older drivers were significantly more talkative than middle-aged drivers. Middle-aged drivers rated most of the distracting activities as significantly less dangerous than older drivers. Distraction-related crashes are not a special problem of older drivers but seem to be very comparable to the middle-aged drivers. It is concluded that older drivers’ reluctance to engage in distracting tasks while driving is either a process of self-regulation or their age-related prudence. The study is the first to gather knowledge about distraction in German older drivers. Although older drivers are not currently overrepresented in distraction-related crashes, it is important to note that future cohorts of older drivers might differ in the way they engage with vehicles and technologies, which in turn may influence their driving patterns and willingness to engage in potentially distracting activities.     

Mechanisms for simultaneous ozonation of sulfamethoxazole and natural organic matters in secondary effluent from sewage treatment plant

• SMX was mainly degraded by hydrolysis, isoxazole oxidation and double-bond addition. • Isoxazole oxidation and bond addition products were formed by direct ozonation. • Hydroxylated products were produced by indirect oxidation. • NOM mainly affected the degradation of SMX by consuming ^•OH rather than O₃. • Inhibitory effect of NOM on SMX removal was related to the components’ aromaticity. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is commonly detected in wastewater and cannot be completely decomposed during conventional treatment processes. Ozone (O₃) is often used in water treatment. This study explored the influence of natural organic matters (NOM) in secondary effluent of a sewage treatment plant on the ozonation pathways of SMX. The changes in NOM components during ozonation were also analyzed. SMX was primarily degraded by hydrolysis, isoxazole-ring opening, and double-bond addition, whereas hydroxylation was not the principal route given the low maximum abundances of the hydroxylated products, with m/z of 269 and 287. The hydroxylation process occurred mainly through indirect oxidation because the maximum abundances of the products reduced by about 70% after the radical quencher was added, whereas isoxazole-ring opening and double-bond addition processes mainly depended on direct oxidation, which was unaffected by the quencher. NOM mainly affected the degradation of micropollutants by consuming ^•OH rather than O₃ molecules, resulting in the 63%–85% decrease in indirect oxidation products. The NOM in the effluent were also degraded simultaneously during ozonation, and the components with larger aromaticity were more likely degraded through direct oxidation. The dependences of the three main components of NOM in the effluent on indirect oxidation followed the sequence: humic-like substances>fluvic-like substances>protein-like substances. This study reveals the ozonation mechanism of SMX in secondary effluent and provides a theoretical basis for the control of SMX and its degradation products in actual water treatment.     

济南市环境、社会、经济协调发展评价

建立了济南市城市环境、社会、经济协调评价指标体系,采用多目标二级决策方法对各指标的权重进行分配;在已有协调度计算方法的基础上,构建了协调度的计算公式;并运用该指标体系和协调度公式对济南市环境、社会经济协调状况进行评判。结果表明济南市的环境、社会经济之间发展是不平衡的,协调状况为中级协调水平;环境综合指数较低,表明环境的建设滞后于社会经济的发展。     

Experimental study of the venting characteristics of dust explosion through a vent duct

To further understand the dynamic mechanism of dust explosion through a vent duct, we designed a small-scale cylindrical vessel connected with a vent duct and performed a dust explosion venting experiment under different opening pressures using corn starch as the explosive medium in this study. The results show that weakening effect of duct on venting is positively correlated with the opening pressure. The explosion pressure in the duct presents a three-peak-structure with time, successively caused by the membrane breaking shock wave, the secondary explosion in the tube, and the continuous combustion, and decreases gradually with the propagation distance. Meanwhile, the three pressure peaks are positively correlated with the opening pressure, while the time interval between them goes to contrary. The increase of opening pressure leads to the increase of secondary explosion intensity and reverse flow in the vessel, further accelerates the reaction rate in the vessel, and then shortens the duration of combustion in the vessel until the phenomenon of flame reignition in the vessel disappears.     

Removal potential of anti-estrogenic activity in secondary effluents by coagulation

Anti-estrogenic activity in wastewater is gaining increased attention because of its endocrine-disrupting function. In this study, the level and removal efficiency by coagulation of anti-estrogenic activity in secondary effluents of domestic wastewater treatment plants were studied. Anti-estrogenic activity was detected in secondary effluent samples at a tamoxifen (TAM) equivalent concentration level of 0.38–0.94 mg-TAM L⁻¹. Dissolved organic matters (DOM) with the molecular weight (MW) less than 3000 Da in hydrophobic acids (HOA) and hydrophobic neutrals (HON) fractions of the secondary effluent were the key fractions related to anti-estrogenic activity. Coagulation with FeCl₃ and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) can remove the anti-estrogenic activity of the secondary effluents, but the removal efficiency was limited. The removal efficiency using FeCl₃ coagulant was higher than that induced by PAC. Dissolved organic carbon was continuously removed with increased coagulant dose (0–120 mg L⁻¹ FeCl₃ or 0–60 mg L⁻¹ PAC). However, the removal of anti-estrogenic activity was not enhanced further when the coagulant concentration was beyond a critical value (30 mg L⁻¹ FeCl₃ or 10 mg L⁻¹ PAC). The highest removal of anti-estrogenic activity was about 36% by FeCl₃ and 20% by PAC. Size exclusion chromatography results indicated difficulty in removing DOM with MW less than 3000 Da in the secondary effluent during coagulation even at a high coagulant concentration, which led to low removal efficiency of anti-estrogenic activity.     

广州市报废机动车回收企业二次污染现状及污染防治对策

界定机动车维修、报废过程中产生的固体废物、废水、土壤污染为机动车二次污染,并通过实地调查、监测分析广州市12家定点报废汽车回收公司,开展机动车二次污染现状研究。研究表明,报废机动车回收过程中对资源化金属的回收利用成效较好,但对用途不大的部件随意渠道转移,对危险废物和严控废物未能较好处理;大多没有完善废水处理设施,废水直接排放;土壤多项特征污染物超标严重。针对广州市机动车二次污染现状,提出了加强法规建设、环境监控、行业管理、清洁生产等防治措施。     

A monitoring-modeling approach to SO42 − and NO3− secondary conversion ratio estimation during haze periods in Beijing, China

SO_4~(2-) and NO_3~- are important chemical components of fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)),especially during haze periods.This study selected two haze episodes in Beijing,China with similar meteorological conditions.A monitoring-modeling approach was developed to estimate the secondary conversion ratios of sulfur and nitrogen based on monitored and simulated concentrations.Measurements showed that in Episode 1(24th–25th October,2014),the concentrations(proportions)of SO_4~(2-) and NO_3~- reached 35.1μg/m~3(14.9%) and 55.0μg/m~3(22.9%),while they reached 14.4μg/m~3(9.3%) and 59.1μg/m~3(38.1%)in Episode 2(26th–27th October,2017).A modeling system was applied to apportion Beijing's SO_4~(2-) and NO_3~- in primary and secondary SO_4~(2-)/NO_3~- emitted from local and regional sources.Thus,secondary conversion contributions considering the local and regional level were defined.The former primarily focused on Beijing atmospheric oxidation ability and the latter mainly considered the existence form of Beijing SO_4~(2-)/NO_3~- under the regional transport impacts.Finally,secondary oxidation ratios were estimated through combining secondary conversion contribution coefficients for simulated and monitored concentrations.At regional level,sulfur oxidation ratios in polluted(clean)days during two sampling periods were0.57–0.72(0.07–0.52)and 0.74–0.80(0.08–0.61),nitrogen oxidation ratios were 0.20–0.29(0.05–0.15)and 0.34–0.38(0.02–0.29),indicating that atmospheric oxidation was enhanced when considering regional transport through 2014–2017.At the local level,sulfur oxidation ratios were 0.66–0.71(0.04–0.48)in haze(clean)days,while nitrogen oxidation ratios were0.16–0.29(0.02–0.16).The atmospheric oxidation ability markedly increased in PM_(2.5)pollution days,but changed only slightly between the two periods.     

Dissolved organic matter removal using magnetic anion exchange resin treatment on biological effluent of textile dyeing wastewater

This study investigated the removal of dissolved organic matter（DOM） from real dyeing bio-treatment effluents（DBEs） with the use of a novel magnetic anion exchange resin（NDMP）.DOMs in two typical DBEs were fractionized using DAX-8/XAD-4 resin and ultrafiltration membranes. The hydrophilic fractions and the low molecular weight（MW）（〈3 kDa） DOM fractions constituted a major portion（〉50%） of DOMs for the two effluents. The hydrophilic and low MW fractions of both effluents were the greatest contributors of specific UV254absorbance（SUVA254）,and the SUVA254 of DOM fractions decreased with hydrophobicity and MW. Two DBEs exhibited acute and chronic biotoxicities. Both acute and chronic toxicities of DOM fractions increased linearly with the increase of SUVA254 value. Kinetics of dissolved organic carbon（DOC） removal via NDMP treatment was performed by comparing it with that of particle active carbon（PAC）. Results indicated that the removal of DOC from DBEs via NDMP was 60%,whereas DOC removals by PAC were lower than 15%. Acidic organics could be significantly removed with the use of NDMP. DOM with large MW in DBE could be removed significantly by using the same means. Removal efficiency of NDMP for DOM decreased with the decrease of MW. Compared with PAC,NDMP could significantly reduce the acute and chronic bio-toxicities of DBEs. NaCl/NaOH mixture regenerants,with selected concentrations of 10% NaCl（m/m）/1%NaOH（m/m）,could improve desorption efficiency.     

Role of secondary aerosols in haze formation in summer in the Megacity Beijing

A field experiment from 18 August to 8 September 2006 in Beijing, China, was carried out. A hazy day was defined as visibility 10 km and RH(relative humidity) 90%. Four haze episodes, which accounted for ~ 60% of the time during the whole campaign, were characterized by increases of SNA(sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) and SOA(secondary organic aerosol) concentrations. The average values with standard deviation of SO2-+4, NO-3, NH4 and SOA were 49.8(± 31.6), 31.4(±22.3), 25.8(±16.6) and 8.9(±4.1) μg/m3, respectively, during the haze episodes, which were 4.3, 3.4, 4.1, and 1.7 times those in the non-haze days. The SO2-4,NO-3, NH+4, and SOA accounted for 15.8%, 8.8%, 7.3%, and 6.0% of the total mass concentration of PM10 during the non-haze days. The respective contributions of SNA species to PM10 rose to about27.2%, 15.9%, and 13.9% during the haze days, while the contributions of SOA maintained the same level with a slight decrease to about 4.9%. The observed mass concentrations of SNA and SOA increased with the increase of PM10 mass concentration, however, the rate of increase of SNA was much faster than that of the SOA. The SOR(sulfur oxidation ratio) and NOR(nitrogen oxidation ratio) increased from non-haze days to hazy days, and increased with the increase of RH. High concentrations of aerosols and water vapor favored the conversion of SO2 to SO2-4and NO2 to NO-3, which accelerated the accumulation of the aerosols and resulted in the formation of haze in Beijing.