Results from Three Field Tracer Experiments on the Neighbourhood Scale in the City of Birmingham UK

The physical processes governing flow and pollutantdispersion at the neighbourhood scale, a spatial scaleintermediate between the street scale and the city scale, is notwell understood. Furthermore, it is not clear whether a traditional approach using averaged characteristics such as theaerodynamic roughness length is sufficient to predict the concentration field at this scale. To investigate pollutant dispersion in a real urban area, three field experiments were designed within the UK-URGENT programme sponsored by NERC. Theexperiments were performed in the City of Birmingham using a finite duration release of inert, non-toxic and non-depositingtracers, vis. perfluoromethylcyclohexane (PMCH) and perfluoromethylcyclopentane (PMCP). Measurements were taken using air bag samplers placedin an arc at 3.5 km (first experiment) and 1 km (second andthird experiments) from the source; some trap samplers wereplaced outside the main arc in the outskirts of the city. Measurements were analysed in the laboratory using anovel gas-chromatography technique. Data so obtained werecompared with predictions from a simple steady-state modeland a time-dependent model. The concentration-time serieswere very asymmetrical with a sharp rise, a plateau followedby a relatively slow decrease and finally a long-livedplateau above (or possibly very slow decrease to) thebackground level.     

An experimental study on the effect of mobile phone conversation on drivers' reaction time in braking response

Introduction

This paper presents an experimental study in which the effect of three factors (distance between cars, mobile call duration, and time of driving (day or night)) on drivers' reaction time in braking response was investigated.

Methods

The experiment was performed in a real driving environment in which 27 male adults between the ages of 22 and 24 years participated. Three levels of the first two factors (i.e., distance between cars and call duration) and two levels of the last factor (i.e., time of driving) were selected to conduct the experimental study. A full factorial design of experiment with 18 treatment combinations and three replicates of each combination were used. Fifty-four trial runs were performed in a random manner and for each run drivers' reaction time in braking response was measured, which served the data for further analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), interaction effect analysis, and various model adequacy tests were carried out using Design Expert software.

Results

The results of the study indicated that the most important factor affecting the drivers' reaction time in car braking response was the mobile call duration followed by the time of driving, with a high level of interaction between the two factors. It was also found that the distance between cars did not seem to have a significant effect on the reaction time in braking response. It is to be noted that these response times are expected to be higher under normal driving conditions where awareness of experimental environment is not present.

Impact on Industry

The findings of this study would help mobile phone industries in improving safety of mobile phone users in driving environment.     

Environmental Isotopes for Resolution of Hydrology Problems

The use of environmental isotopes as tracers in the hydrosphere is increasing as analytical instrumentation improves and more applications are discovered. There exists still misconceptions on the role of isotopes in resolving hydrology problems. Naturally occurring isotopes in the environment describe hydrological processes, estimate ages, fingerprint sources and pathways, yet are not subject to the regulatory restraints of artificial isotope injections nor the limited extent of many chemical tracers, particularly dyes and particulates. A short review is presented for practicing hydrologists on the basis for employing stable and radioactive isotopes and a synopsis of recent isotope hydrology applications is provided. Special focus is presented on the emergent role of water isopopes (¹⁸O, ²H, ³H) in wet-weather flow research in urban watersheds. A brief technical approach for an experimental site in the Mill Creek Watershed, Ohio is outlined.     

一起钢质无缝气瓶爆炸事故技术分析

文章简要描述了一起消防气体灭火钢质气瓶爆炸事故,对爆炸气瓶进行了断口分析、金相试验和理化试验,并分析了事故的原因,提醒制造厂家规范制造工艺,对预防类似事故的发生具有一定的参考意义。     

基于PLIF的混合气温度和浓度测量及其应用

缸内混合气温度和浓度分布,对发动机稳定运行,保障行车安全、避免发生路上人身伤亡或财物损失有重要影响。为了测量发动机缸内混合气的温度和浓度分布,建立了利用单波长激光诱导双示踪剂产生双荧光的测试系统,并拍摄了不同混合气温度、压力和浓度下的荧光图像,获得了不同示踪剂的荧光强度及其比值随温度、压力和浓度的变化关系,并将标定结果用于光学发动机缸内混合气的温度和浓度测量。结果表明,荧光强度及荧光比值均受到环境的压力、温度和混合气浓度的影响。利用PLIF方法得到的片光源穿过的缸内水平截面内的平均温度与用气缸压力计算的同一曲轴转角下的缸内平均温度变化趋势相同,两者之间的差值随着活塞上行而逐步减小。     

基于能位测定和示踪检测法的地下煤火漏风状态研究

应用能位测定法和示踪检测技术联合检测了鸡西老二井火区地下漏风状态。通过测试计算相对总压值得出了火区范围内井巷系统与采空区的风流关系,进而定性确定了火区内老二井与胜利井之间存在的可能漏风路径。在此基础上,利用瞬时释放示踪气体法确定了胜利井和老二井间的漏风方向和漏风速度,计算得出了火区下采空区内平均直线漏风风速为0.13m/s,漏风量为776m3/min。研究结果为矿区采取针对性的防灭火措施提供依据,并为同类问题的解决提供参考。     

Pool evaporation: Experimental tests at medium-scale with gasoline

Pool evaporation is a major source of flammable vapour clouds. Predicting the evaporation rate of a liquid hydrocarbon pool is therefore a key issue of dispersion modelling for safety concerns. This paper presents small- and medium-scale experiments of pool evaporation carried out with liquid hydrocarbons (pentane, heptane), hydrocarbon “gasoline-like” mixtures and gasoline. Liquid mass loss was measured and the evaporation rate deduced with its evolution in time. Other observations are highlighted, regarding the evolution of liquid temperatures, mixture compositions, and scale effects like the influence of pool length on surface evaporation rate. Comparisons with well-known correlations are then shown. The authors finally suggest a new semi-empirical correlation with a set of parameters fitted on the performed experiments.     

基于Box Behnken设计的煤导热系数分析与预测

为研究分析水分、固定碳及密度3个因素对煤导热系数的影响,选取多个矿井不同煤质的煤作为实验煤样,使用NETZSCH LFA457型激光导热系数测试仪进行测定,并引入二次响应曲面试验设计思想,采用Design Expert软件进行煤质指标的Box Behnken试验设计,按设计表筛选实验数据,构建了导热系数多因素、多水平影响下二次回归响应曲面模型,并对不同采样地点的煤导热系数进行了分析与预测。结果表明:二次回归方程P值小于0.000 1,极显著,失拟项为0.072 4,不显著,回归方程具有统计学意义;当水分在0.9%~10.9%,固定碳在49.3%~83.6%,密度在1.2~1.92 g·cm³之间,对煤的导热系数一次项影响程度为密度>固定碳>水分;二次项影响程度为固定碳和密度>水分和密度>水分和固定碳,且固定碳和密度之间存在交互作用,水分和密度、水分和固定碳之间无交互作用;应用响应曲面模型预测的煤导热系数误差为4.3%,满足精度要求。     

氚水在模拟水稻田中的消长动力学(续)

对进入水稻田中的氚水在连作晚稻阶段的迁移，输运动态过程的研究表明，滞留于早稻田中的氚水继续为晚稻摄取；与早稻情况一样，氚水中的氚仍以自由水氚和结合氚形式滞留在晚稻田各分室中，晚稻田水中和土肿的氚浓度均随时间单调地减少；晚稻地上部及根中的自由水氚及结合态氚浓度在采样期间也基本上随时间降低。     

套种条件下混合螯合剂对污染土壤Cd淋滤行为的影响

为了研究螯合剂对污染土壤Cd向下迁移的影响,对采自广东省乐昌市和清远市的2种铅锌矿废水污染水稻土（分别为中性和酸性土壤）进行100 cm土柱室外淋溶试验,研究在玉米与东南景天套种系统中,在5 mmol.kg-1土的混合螯合剂[MC∶柠檬酸∶味精废液∶EDTA∶KCl（摩尔比）=10∶1∶2∶3]的强化作用下对2种污染土壤中Cd的淋滤行为的影响.结果表明,施加混合螯合剂后第2 d,混合螯合剂能明显提高2种土壤各土层淋滤液Cd浓度;施后第8 d混合螯合剂仍能继续提高中性土壤20 cm以下土层和酸性土壤60 cm以下土层淋滤液Cd的浓度,但其活化作用均已迅速下降.施后第2 d和第8 d,2种土壤各土层的套种＋MC处理的淋滤液Cd浓度均超过国家地下水质量标准（GB/T 14848-93）.施加混合螯合剂可降低中性土壤表层全Cd量.不同处理的土壤Cd均有向下层迁移的趋势,尤其是酸性土壤,在20 cm和40 cm处不同处理的全Cd量与起始值比较分别下降了40%～58%和39%～49%,经过100 d的修复即可达到土壤环境质量标准（GB 15618-1995）.上述结果表明,施用混合螯合剂对Cd污染土壤的地下水水质存在一定的潜在污染风险.