REGIONAL WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT BY THE GENERALIZED REDUCED GRADIENT METHOD1

ABSTRACT: A river basin-wide water quality management system is considered. The river receives thermal as well as organic wastes. At-source treatment of these pollutants is imposed to control the basin-wide water quality. The related water quality standards are: the minimum DO concentration, the maximum allowable BOD concentration, the maximum allowable stream temperature, and the allowable rise in stream temperature. The general dynamic mathematical model representing water quality in streams and the thermal effects on BOD and DO concentrations is presented. The model is highly nonlinear in nature. The optimal management problem involving the model is solved by a recently developed nonlinear propgramming technique - the generalized reduced gradient (GRG) method. Comparison of results obtained by the GRG method vs. dynamic programming, and of results using a more realistic mathematical model vs. a simple model are presented. The analysis procedure can be applied to designing new and examining existing water quality programs, and to study the influence of alternate policies and constraints.     

Evaluating aquacultural use of thermal effluents: An application of system dynamics to environmental problem solving

Given the ecological burden imposed by power plants located in the coastal zone, efforts to improve the marginal benefits realized from their operation are warranted. Indeed, if this source of environmental pollution can be utilized to compensate for past ecological damage, then the benefits will be magnified many-fold.This study addresses the economic feasibility of utilizing heated effluent water from power plants to invigorate the growth of oysters raised under controlled conditions. The preliminary findings indicate that given proper combinations of system capacity, supplemental nutrient supplies, sea water flow and temperature gradients, such an operation is feasible.This is also a demonstration of a viable application of a sophisticated computer modeling approach to environmental problems. System Dynamics a technique pioneered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is applied to evaluate the physical, biological, and economic interrelationships of the aquacultural system variables. It offers many advantages for the environmental manager and researcher, a number of which are realized in the present investigation.     

Understanding Fish Behavior,Distribution, and Survival in Thermal Effluents Using Fixed Telemetry Arrays: A Case Study of Smallmouth Bass in a Discharge Canal During Winter

Advances in telemetry have facilitated the continuous monitoring of fish position and movement. At present, there are few examples where this approach has been applied to environmental monitoring or assessment. Here we 1) present a case study that used a fixed antenna array and continuously scanning coded receiving system to monitor the movement of radio-tagged smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in a thermal discharge canal on Lake Erie during the winter of 1998/1999, and 2) evaluate the use of fixed telemetry arrays for environmental monitoring. Although the number of radiotagged bass in the canal decreased gradually over time, fish spent the majority of the winter in the canal. When in the canal, bass selected areas upstream of the tempering pumps where water was the warmest. This region was also high in habitat complexity, had adequate velocity refuges, and abundant forage. Despite residing in the thermal effluent throughout the winter, none of the fish monitored were observed to participate in reproductive activities in the canal in the Spring. Interestingly, during a biofouling chlorination pulse in May, 50% of radiotagged fish still residing in the canal left and did not return during the monitoring period. Utility infrastructure accessible to fish, including thermal effluents, should be considered as fish habitat and managed accordingly to minimize mortality and sublethal effects on resident and transient fish. Fixed telemetry arrays that permit the continuous monitoring of fish behavior as described in this paper are widely applicable to many issues in environmental management, monitoring, and conservation.     

油品引燃时间的影响因素研究

以激光作为强辐射源对煤油,轻柴油和重柴油进行了直接引燃试验,研究了引燃时间受入射辐射热强度,油品性质和热辐射入射角度影响的关系。     

WNS型锅炉烟管管端热应力裂纹原因分析

热应力破坏是锅炉烟管管端产生裂纹的主要原因.本文通过对一起WNS型锅炉因烟管管端伸出长度过长及受热面结垢导致烟管管端长期处于过热而产生裂纹泄漏的案例进行分析,模拟计算了水垢厚度对金属壁温的影响,并提出相关预防措施.     

稠油采出水回用热采锅炉供水的处理工艺设计

运用混凝沉降、溶气浮选、粗精过滤和弱酸软化方法对稠油采出水进行深度处理。可达到热采锅炉用水指标 ,回用热采锅炉供水 ;生产装置产生的污水、污油、污泥均回收利用。笔者总结了流程选择、工艺配置、新工艺的采用、工艺及自控设计特点 ,为今后污水处理设计提供借鉴。     

田湾核电温排水遥感监测与数模一致性分析

利用温度反演和数值模拟的方法,对田湾核电站航天遥感测量和数值模拟结果作对比分析。结果显示:遥感监测和数值模拟结果在田湾核电站附近海域的海面温度场羽迹展布方向、不同季节大小潮型、潮态规律上都是相似的,只是在规模和数量上存在着一定差异,两者可以相互验证。     

Case study on the catastrophic explosion of a chemical plant for production of m-phenylenediamine

On March 21, in Xiangshui County, Yancheng city, China, a catastrophic explosion occurred at Tianjiayi Chemical Co., Ltd. that caused 78 deaths and injured more than 617 individuals, with a property loss of as much as US$ 100 million. An explosion crater with a diameter of 98 m was generated. An extensive consequence analysis based on the crater size and physical effects for the estimation of the quantity of exploded dinitrobenzene (DNB) was performed. By using the position recorded in the satellite photo and the layout of the plant, the crater site was determined to be located near a warehouse where dinitrobenzene was stored. From the scaling law associating the TNT equivalent with crater diameter, the TNT equivalent of exploded ditrobenzene was determined to be approximately 708 tons. Based on the results of the consequence analysis performed by three methodologies, it can be concluded that the Tianjiayi Chemical Co. warehouse not only stored a substantially large quantity of dinitrobenzene but was also located too close to adjacent structures without an adequate separation distance. Judging by the effect of explosive blast on personnel, a fatality radius was determined to be about 400 m from the explosion center.     

Thermal hazard analysis of 1-((cyano-1-methylethyl) azo) formamide and effect of incompatible substances on its thermal decomposition

1-((cyano-1-methylethyl) azo) formamide (CABN) is an azo compound that exhibits high thermal sensitivity and self-reactivity. Because of incorrect operation, incompatible substances and other dangerous conditions, thermal explosion accidents may occur during the manufacturing, storage, and transportation of CABN. The pyrolysis characteristics of CABN and its mixture for various heating rates were assessed using differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that incompatible substances increased the risk of CABN. Moreover, the thermal runaway of CABN under an adiabatic condition was studied using an adiabatic rate calorimeter to obtain the parameters under adiabatic condition. Based on the experimental data, the kinetic parameters of CABN and its mixtures were obtained. In addition, a thermal decomposition kinetic model of CABN was created using Thermal Safety Series. All experiments have shown that the conditions and parameters of CABN must be strictly controlled.     

Evaluation of thermal properties and process hazard of three ionic liquids through thermodynamic calculations and equilibrium methods

Industrial and new energy applications of ionic liquids (ILs) may have to be used at high temperatures conditions, such as in batteries and fuel applications, which may cause thermal hazards. However, there are few studies on the thermal hazards of ILs. To ensure the thermal safety of ILs processes, three commonly used ILs were selected for analysis: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ([Bmim]NO₃), 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium nitrate ([Bmmim]NO₃), and 1,3-dimethylimidazolium nitrate ([Mmim]NO₃). The process hazards under adiabatic conditions demonstrated that [Bmmim]NO₃ and [Mmim]NO₃ have extensive explosion hazards. The self-reaction characteristics determined by the isothermal test indicated that the ILs are nth reactions, and the thermal decomposition features were also determined by thermogravimetric analysis. The data were obtained with a nonlinear thermodynamic model and used to establish the basic thermal hazards of the three ILs. In addition, based on the thermal equilibrium theory, the critical safety parameters can be inferred. The effects of heat transfer in 25.0 g and 50.0 g containers were discussed. The results show that [Mmim]NO₃ will produce a thermal runaway reaction at a lower temperature (<100 °C) and has the shortest reaction time (<1 day), which means [Mmim]NO₃ is considered to be the most hazardous material among the three ILs studied.