Investigation of pool spreading and vaporization behavior in medium-scale LNG tests

A failure of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanker can occur due to collision or rupture in loading/unloading lines resulting in spillage of LNG on water. Upon release, a spreading liquid can form a pool with rapid vaporization leading to the formation of a flammable vapor cloud. Safety analysis for the protection of public and property involves the determination of consequences of such accidental releases. To address this complex pool spreading and vaporization phenomenon of LNG, an investigation is performed based on the experimental tests that were conducted by the Mary Kay O'Connor Process Safety Center (MKOPSC) in 2007. The 2007 tests are a part of medium-scale experiments carried out at the Brayton Fire Training Field (BFTF), College Station. The dataset represents a semi-continuous spill on water, where LNG is released on a confined area of water for a specified duration of time. The pool spreading and vaporization behavior are validated using empirical models, which involved determination of pool spreading parameters and vaporization rates with respect to time. Knowledge of the pool diameter, pool height and spreading rate are found to be important in calculating the vaporization rates of the liquid pool. The paper also presents a method to determine the vaporization mass flux of LNG using water temperature data that is recorded in the experiment. The vaporization rates are observed to be high initially and tend to decrease once the pool stopped spreading. The results of the analysis indicated that a vaporization mass flux that is varying with time is required for accurate determination of the vaporization rate. Based on the data analysis, sources of uncertainties in the experimental data were identified to arise from ice formation and vapor blocking.     

Exploration of relationships between safety performance and unsafe behavior in the Chinese oil industry

Safety performance is comprised of two components, safety compliance and safety participation. However, relationships between safety performance and unsafe behavior have not been thoroughly investigated. In this work, scales for safety compliance and safety participation were revised for use in the oil industry, and job burnout scale was developed on the basis of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS). A structural equation model was then employed to investigate the interactions of these factors for 238 front-line oil workers from the PetroChina Huabei Oilfield Company in China. From the results, it was determined that workers' unsafe behavior could not be reduced significantly solely from these two dimensions of safety performance. Compared with safety participation, safety compliance was found to have a greater influence on unsafe behavior. However, job burnout was found to be a significant moderator between these two components and unsafe behavior. Furthermore, it was determined that oil workers' occupational psychological health conditions must be taken into account to improve organizational safety management and reduce workers’ unsafe behavior.     

POLLUTION THREATS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA: AN OVERVIEW

This overview summarises the present knowledge on major sources of pollution, which are of concern for the Mediterranean Sea. Eutrophication, red tides, organic loads, hydrocarbon spills, heavy metal contamination and their biological effects are described on the light of the ecological characteristics of the Mediterranean. In particular special attention is paid to the "new pollution" processes; i.e. , the introduction of novel substances with biological activity that might have synergetic effects with "classical pollutants". Different compartments and marine ecosystems are considered and compared. The degree of anthropogenic impact and its apparent trends are discussed. Possible monitoring plans and remedial actions for a sustainable management of coastal zones subjected to increasing pollution are also suggested.     

GPS/GSM/GIS海上溢油跟踪监测系统的研究

在车载GPS监控系统的基础E研究开发了一种漂浮移动性能与溢油相似的、并具有GPS接收和发送功能的GPS浮标。在溢油事故发生后立即将其投放存厚油膜层中随油膜一起漂移。监测中心通过GSM移动通信网实时接收GPS浮标发出的定位信息，并应用地理信息系统技术实现对溢油位置、漂移速度、轨迹、方向的实时跟踪和信息显示．从而为溢油应急指挥提供一种准确实时、成本低廉、全天候的溢油全程监测手段。     

用油品的物理特性鉴别海面的溢油源

建立了用油品的物理特性鉴别海面溢油源的分析方法。主要对海面溢油风化过程中溢油的运动粘度和折射率的变化进行了探讨。结果表明 ,在所给出的多个油种的风化过程中 ,油种间的运动粘度变化存在着明显的差异。随着风化时间的延长 ,原油的运动粘度随着风化时间的延长而显著增加 ,重质燃料油虽略有递增却很不明显 ;轻质燃料油和润滑油的运动粘度均在缓慢地增加。润滑油和燃料油的折射率无明显的变化。运动粘度法鉴别溢油的准确度较高 ,其准确率可达 10 0 %。     

上海市若干环境污染物的诱变性

用中国仓鼠肺成纤维细胞(V_(79)),进行次黄嘌呤—鸟嘌呤磷酸核糖转移酶位点(HGPRT Locus)试验,检测了上海市若干环境污染物的诱变性。结果发现,污染物量与诱变性之间呈剂量—反应关系。所有样品经代谢活化后(加S_9),其诱变性均有增高的趋势。卷烟焦油、油烟冷凝物的T/C值均>3,而不加S_9的黄浦江水和自来水样,则对V_(79)细胞可能具有间接的诱变作用(T/C值<3)。     

PCR-DGGE技术在水解酸化-缺氧法处理采油废水的微生物研究中的应用

采用PCR-DGGE技术直接从水解酸化和缺氧反应器中的污泥样品提取DNA,测定部分菌种的16S rDNA V3区片段序列,通过NCBI基因库比对,初步确定不同生物反应器内优势菌种,并进行了多样性指数分析.结果表明,水解酸化反应器中的生物膜与缺氧反应器中悬浮污泥微生物种群结构存在较大的差异,显示了在不同环境条件下,微生物群落结构的连续动态变化过程.     

Muhlbauer评分法在输油管道风险评价中的应用及分析

与其它运输方式相比,管道运输在正常运行情况下,其环境污染小。但是,产生事故后其环境风险大。本文利用Muhlbauer评分法对天津-北京航空煤油输送管道进行了风险评价,经过模拟计算后,定量分析了该输油管道的相对风险数,并提出了提高管道运行安全性的措施。评价结果表明:该管道的相对风险数为59,存在一定风险,但风险可接受。相对风险数中可变因素占66.5%,在不增加项目基建投资基础上,通过加强管理等措施,可提高可变因素的指数分值和相对风险数,使管道安全性能提高16.1%。     

海上石油平台溢油污染等级评估研究

石油污染被认为是对海洋环境危害较大污染物之一,文章通过分析与溢油污染程度有关的影响因素,首次构建了海上石油平台溢油污染程度评价指标体系。利用层次分析法(AHP)计算了各评价指标的权重,并以溢油量和油品特性持久性为例,分别建立了溢油量隶属度函数和油品特性的持久性隶属度子集表,最终完成了溢油污染程度的二级模糊综合评价模型。该评价模型为判断溢油污染等级提供了新方法,同时也为溢油应急决策部门采取应急措施提供一定的技术支持。     

基于可分离性指数的溢油图像定量分析

鉴于许多溢油监测技术都缺少量化指标,为了评价溢油监测方法,提出一种基于数学统计模型的评价指数——可分离性指数SI,通过对TM影像的处理,验证了利用油膜光谱曲线确定溢油监测通道的可行性,评价了几种图像增强的方法,得出高斯拉伸与直方图均衡化增强处理较佳,并经过反复试验建立数学描述性评价指标。结果证明该指数能够有效评价溢油监测方法。