Improved models of failure time for atmospheric tanks under the coupling effect of multiple pool fires

Fire accidents of chemical installations may cause domino effects in atmospheric tank farms, where a large amount of hazardous substances are stored or processed. Pool fire is a major form of fire accidents, and the thermal radiation from pool fire is the primary hazard of domino accidents. The coupling of multiple pool fires is a realistic and important accident phenomenon that enhances the propagation of domino accidents. However, previous research has mostly focused on the escalation of domino accidents induced by a single pool fire. To overcome the drawback, in this study, the failure of a storage tank under the coupling effect of multiple pool fires was studied in view of spatial and temporal synergistic process. The historical accident statistics indicated that the accident scenario of two-pool fires accounted for 30.6% in pool fires. The domino accident scenario involving three tanks is analyzed, and the typical layout of tanks is isosceles right triangle based on Chinese standard “GB50341-2014”. The thermal response and damage of a target tank heated by pool fires were numerically investigated. The volume of 500 m³, 3000 m³, 5000 m³ and 10000 m³ were selected. Flame temperature was obtained by FDS, and then was input onto the finite element model. The temperature field and stress field of target tanks were simulated by ABAQUS. The results showed that the temperature rise rate of the target tanks under multiple pool fires was higher than that under a single pool fire. The failure time of the tank under the coupling effect of multiple fires was lower than that under the superposition of multiple fires without the first stage. The stress and yield strength were compared to judge the failure of the target tank. The model of failure time for the tank under the coupling effect of pool fires was established. Through the verification, the deviation of this model is 4.02%, which is better than the deviation of 15.76% with Cozzani's model.     

Structural equation model of the influence of noise annoyance on miners’ unsafe behavior in coal mines

Miners' unsafe behavior (UB) is the main cause of coal mine accidents. Previous research has suggested that excessive noise in tunnels impacts miners' temperaments and safe production behavior. To explore the influence of noise on UB, four different dimensions of noise annoyance were identified: cognitive, emotional, communication, and physical mechanism annoyance. The coal mine noise annoyance scale, miners' unsafe behavior intention (UBI) scale, and miners’ UB scale were developed according to different dimensions. In the first survey, a total of 200 questionnaires were distributed in the two coal mines, and 193 valid questionnaires were recovered. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted, and invalid items were removed according to the analysis results to form the final scale. Then, 500 final scales were distributed in two Chinese coal mines, and 482 valid questionnaires were collected. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted by collating the data of the second questionnaire. Based upon the structural equation model (SEM), the SEM of the influence of noise annoyance degree on UB and the path analysis with latent variable path analysis with the latent variables (PA-LVs) mediating model of the effect of UBI on UB were established, and the path coefficients with fitting data of the model were analyzed. The results indicated that the four dimensions of coal mine noise annoyance had a strong positive impact on UB, which was reduced by less noise annoyance. In addition, the Bootstrap method was used to verify the mediating method among the four dimensions of noise annoyance, cognitive annoyance, emotional annoyance, with communication annoyance indirectly affecting UB through UBI. The research results provide theoretical support for reducing the UB of miners and improving coal mine safety levels.     

Experimental study on fire suppression performance of the high pressure water mist in the engine room of an offshore platform

The total flooding application water mist system is a new type of environmentally-friendly fixed extinguishing system. The optimizing design can improve its fire extinguishing performance. At present, the water mist fire extinguishing system in the engine room of the offshore deepwater semi-submersible support platform has not attracted sufficient attention. In this paper, the water mist in the engine room of a deepwater semi-submersible support platform was studied. It contains the effect of water mist on the heat absorption and oxygen insulation of diesel pool fires. The applicable parameters of the water mist fire extinguishing system were also determined. Moreover, based on the shielding of the fire source in the engine room and the different requirements for water mist extinguishing parameters, a hierarchical multi-parameter combined high-pressure water mist fire extinguishing system was proposed. In the full-scale experimental engine room model, according to the fire extinguishing experiments for diesel pool fires with different areas, this kind of hierarchical multi-parameter water mist system is very effective on shielded and non-shielded fires. In addition, it is still effective even in a non-closed environment coupled with smoke exhausting.     

Risk assessment of safety level in university laboratories using questionnaire and Bayesian network

Accidents in university laboratories not only create a great threat to students’ safety but bring significant negative social impact. This paper investigates the university laboratory safety in China using questionnaire and Bayesian network (BN) analysis. Sixteen influencing factors for building the Bayesian net were firstly identified. A questionnaire was distributed to graduate students at 60 universities in China to acquire the probability of safe/unsafe conditions for sixteen influencing factors, based on which the conditional probability of four key factors (human, equipment and material, environment, and management) was calculated using the fuzzy triangular theory and expert judgment. The determined conditional probability was used to develop a Bayesian network model for the risk analysis of university laboratory safety and identification of the main reasons behind the accidents. Questionnaire results showed that management problems are prominent due to insufficient safety education training and weak management level of management personnel. The calculated unsafe state probability was found to be 65.2%. In the BN analysis, the human factor was found to play the most important role, followed by equipment and material factor. Sensitive and inferential analysis showed that the most sensitive factors are personnel incorrect operation, illegal operation, and experiment equipment failure. Based on the analysis, countermeasures were proposed to improve the safe management and operation of university laboratories.     

Experimental investigation of the performance of modified expanded graphite powder doped with zinc borate in extinguishing sodium fires

Sodium is the main cooling medium in the circuit of fourth-generation nuclear reactors, and its leakage constitutes a severe fire hazard because of its high chemical activity. In this study, expandable graphite (EG), which is a traditional sodium fire-extinguishing agent, was modified with zinc borate (ZB) as an intercalator, and the modified EG_ZB was characterized. Moreover, the effectiveness of the modified EG_ZB in extinguishing sodium fires was tested using a self-developed fire-extinguishing experimental device. This study's results indicated that EG, EG_ZB had a smaller particle size, higher thermal stability, higher fire-extinguishing speed, and lower powder mass consumption than EG. During the fire-extinguishing process, ZnO decomposed by ZB captured free radicals and inhibited the combustion reaction. Furthermore, B₂O₃ was adsorbed on the surface of the EG layer, which strengthened covering and asphyxiation. The findings of this study provide crucial information for effectively controlling fires caused by active metals and metallo-organic compounds.     

安全生产大数据的5W2H采集法及其模式研究

为从安全生产大数据中挖掘安全规律并最终提炼安全生产基础原理,首先在对安全生产大数据的定义及其内涵进一步阐释基础上,提出安全生产大数据采集的定义,并将其分解为3个过程;然后提出安全生产大数据的5W2H采集法,并对其内涵(采集原因,使用主体、采集者及采集对象,采集数据类型,采集边界,采集时间,采集数据量及其采集方法）进行详细分析;最后以思维路径为主、过程路径和技术路径为辅,建立安全生产大数据采集的一般模式。结果表明,安全生产大数据采集模式的研究可为安全生产大数据的存储、处理及其应用提供基础。     

地铁多线换乘车站火灾模型实验研究—(1)模型装置设计

为研究地铁网络化运营枢纽车站火灾烟气扩散特征和防排烟技术,根据工程资料和标准规范对典型多线换乘车站进行1∶10火灾实验模型设计,并依据设计方案完成车站模型主体结构和通风排烟系统的搭建,同时在各个防烟分区设计安装温度、流速、烟气浓度和热辐射测量装置,可实现对“T”形、“十”形和“L”形换乘等不同换乘形式车站的火灾场景模拟和危险参数测量。研究结果表明:该模型装置能够开展一系列针对不同换乘形式和通风模式的火灾实验,对于全面揭示大型换乘车站火灾烟气运动规律、验证并优化火灾防排烟设计方法、支撑复杂结构枢纽车站火灾烟气控制技术具有重要意义。     

地下岛式地铁站台火灾时全封闭屏蔽门开启模式研究

为研究4种屏蔽门开启模式下地下岛式站台火灾时排烟效果,本文采用大涡模拟进行计算,研究的开启模式包括开启两侧共4个端门、开启两侧首尾活动门及中间活动门和开启一侧所有活动门、开启两侧所有活动门。着重研究站台危险高度和楼扶梯口处烟气温度、CO浓度、可见度以及顶棚烟气温度。研究发现火灾发展阶段开启两侧屏蔽门首尾及中间活动门的排烟效果最好,火灾稳定阶段开启一侧所有活动门排烟效率较高,开启两侧所有活动门虽然能够加大烟气流出开口,但是排烟效果最差。     

基于元胞自动机的极端降雨下地铁疏散模拟*

为研究地铁系统在极端降雨灾害下的人员疏散过程,分析人员疏散过程影响因素和改善方法,将数值模拟方法与模糊逻辑理论相结合,在传统元胞自动机疏散模型中引入人员疏散行为选择机制,模拟地铁隧道遭受洪水侵入以及采取改善措施后的疏散情况。研究结果表明:引入人员疏散行为选择机制可以较真实地模拟极端降雨下受限空间中的人员疏散过程;采取改善方案后,人员被迫改变疏散行为的比例下降53.95%,人群疏散安全度由0.201提升至0.633;当采取与防洪能力不适应的疏散平台高度时,疏散安全度较采取合理设施时平均下降30%且差异较大;硬件设施满足安全度达到0.6为宜,按照最终安全度为1设计疏散方案,可使硬件设施设计与疏散方案制定更加合理配套。研究结果可为地铁系统防洪设计与管理提供参考。     

安全评价在钢铁企业的应用研究

在钢铁企业有效应用安全评价,不但能够有效识别现场的危险因素,确定危险源,及时妥善地采取安全对策措施,还能够促进安全管理重心下移,实现逐级管理,更有利于消除现场人的不安全行为和物的不安全状态.