Initial phase modelling in numerical explosion applied to process safety

The utilisation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in process safety has increased significantly in recent years. The modelling of accidental explosion via CFD has in many cases replaced the classical Multi Energy and Brake Strehlow methods. The benefits obtained with CFD modelling can be diminished if proper modelling of the initial phase of explosion is neglected. In the early stages of an explosion, the flame propagates in a quasi-laminar regime. Proper modelling of the initial laminar phase is a key aspect in order to predict the peak pressure and the time to peak pressure. The present work suggests a modelling approach for the initial laminar phase in explosion scenarios. Findings are compared with experimental data for two classical explosion test cases which resemble the common features in chemical process areas (confinement and congestion). A detailed analysis of the threshold for the transition from laminar to turbulent regime is also carried out. The modelling is implemented in a fully 3D Navier–Stokes compressible formulation. Combustion is treated using a laminar flamelet approach based on the Bray, Moss and Libby (BML) formulation. A novel modified porosity approach developed for the unstructured solver is also considered. Results agree satisfactorily with experiments and the modelling is found to be robust.     

A preliminary analysis of the surface chemistry of atmospheric aerosol particles in a typical urban area of Beijing

Atmospheric aerosol particle samples were collected using an Ambient Eight Stage(Non-Viable) Cascade Impactor Sampler in a typical urban area of Beijing from 27 th Sep.to 5th Oct.,2009.The surface chemistry of these aerosol particles was analyzed using Static Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry(Static TOF-SIMS).The factors influencing surface compositions were evaluated in conjunction with the air pollution levels,meteorological factors,and air mass transport for the sampling period.The results show that a variety of organic ion groups and inorganic ions/ion groups were accumulated on the surfaces of aerosol particles in urban areas of Beijing;and hydrophobic organic compounds with short-or middle-chain alkyl as well as hydrophilic secondary inorganic compounds were observed.All these compounds have the potential to affect the atmospheric behavior of urban aerosol particles.PM1.1–2.1and PM3.3–4.7had similar elements on their surfaces,but some molecules and ionic groups demonstrated differences in Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry spectra.This suggests that the quantities of elements varied between PM1.1–2.1and PM3.3–4.7.In particular,more intense research efforts into fluoride pollution are required,because the fluorides on aerosol surfaces have the potential to harm human health.The levels of air pollution had the most significant influence on the surface compositions of aerosol particles in our study.Hence,heavier air pollution was associated with more complex surface compositions on aerosol particles.In addition,wind,rainfall,and air masses from the south also greatly influenced the surface compositions of these urban aerosol particles.     

Relations of Habitat-Specific Algal Assemblages to Land Use and Water Chemistry in the Willamette Basin, Oregon

Benthic algal assemblages, water chemistry, and habitat were characterized at 25 stream sites in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, during low flow in 1994. Seventy-three algal samples yielded 420 taxa — mostly diatoms, blue-green algae, and green algae. Algal assemblages from depositional samples were strongly dominated by diatoms (76% mean relative abundance), whereas erosional samples were dominated by blue-green algae (68% mean relative abundance).Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of semiquantitative and qualitative (presence/absence) data sets identified four environmental variables (maximum specific conductance, % open canopy, pH, and drainage area) that were significant in describing patterns of algal taxa among sites. Based on CCA, four groups of sites were identified: streams in forested basins that supported oligotrophic taxa, such as Diatoma mesodon;small streams in agricultural and urban basins that contained a variety of eutrophic and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa; larger rivers draining areas of mixed land use that supported planktonic, eutrophic, and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa; and streams with severely degraded or absent riparian vegetation (> 75% open canopy) that were dominated by other planktonic, eutrophic, and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa. Patterns in water chemistry were consistent with the algal autecological interpretations and clearly demonstrated relationships between land use, water quality, and algal distribution patterns.     

太湖流域污水排放对湖水天然水化学的影响

为揭示太湖流域污水排放对湖水天然水化学(主要离子)的影响,对太湖上游19个污水处理厂的进水、出水及雨水、入湖河水和湖水中主要离子进行了分析,同时收集历史数据对比了太湖1950s年代和目前的天然水化学特征.结果表明,太湖水体天然水化学类型主要受流域碳酸盐岩风化作用控制,而受雨水影响较小;流域排放的污水主要离子特征类似于干旱地区的河水,部分工业污水甚至具有海水水化学特征,说明人为活动对当地淡水水质的重要影响.同时,太湖水化学已从60年前的重碳酸盐钙型水转变为目前的氯化物钠型水.进一步通过修正的完全混合断面污染物浓度模型的计算结果显示,生活污水排放可以解释对太湖多数主要离子的影响,生活和工业污水的排放可以更好地解释Cl#的变化;但太湖Ca2+和Mg2+浓度(硬度)的增长受污水影响较小,而是受流域酸沉降的影响控制.分析显示,60年来受流域不断增长的污水排放影响,太湖水体的优势阴阳离子组分均已发生了显著变化,目前湖水(Ca2++Mg2+)-HCO-3和(Na++K+)-Cl-均分布在1∶1线上侧,而(Ca2++Mg2+)/(Na++K+)比值则下降了约1半,同时湖水的Cl#/Na+比值显示出显著的升高趋势,说明流域人类活动已经成为影响太湖水化学的主要原因.本研究可为湖泊水化学演化研究及强烈人为干预条件下的水环境管理提供新的基础.     

Numerical simulation study on air quality in aircraft cabins

Air pollution is one of the main factors that affect the air quality in aircraft cabins, and the use of different air supply modes could influence the distribution of air pollutants in cabins. Based on the traditional ceiling air supply mode used on the B737NG, this study investigated another 3 different kinds of air supply modes for comparison: luggage rack air supply mode, joint mode combining ceiling and luggage rack air supply, and joint mode combining ceiling and individual air supply. Under the above 4 air supply modes, the air velocity, temperature and distribution of air pollutants in a cabin full of passengers were studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) and formaldehyde were selected as 2 kinds of representative air pollutants. The simulation results show that the joint mode combining ceiling and individual air supply can create a more uniform distribution of air velocity and temperature, has a better effect on the removal of CO₂ and formaldehyde, and can provide better air quality in cabins than the other 3 modes.     

2014年北京地区云内云下的降水化学分析

为了解现阶段北京地区降水的化学特征和云下/云内的清除作用,于2014年采用分段采样的方式针对25场降水进行收集,分析了降水中各离子组分浓度.结果发现,2014年北京地区降水中NH₄⁺、SO₄^2-、NO₃^-和Ca²⁺浓度最高,雨量加权平均离子浓度分别为240、162、91和65 μeq·L^-1,与早期研究相比均有所下降.SO₄^2-/NO₃^-比值为1.8,NO₃^-和NH₄⁺的比重显著增加.综合利用相关性分析、主因子分析及后向轨迹等方法,探讨了北京地区降水中各离子组分的来源.结果表明,东南气团中主要离子NO₃^-、SO₄^2-及NH₄⁺的浓度较高,主要受人为活动排放的影响.总体上各离子的云下冲刷作用略大于云内清除,其中,Na⁺、Ca²⁺及NO₃^-云下冲刷的贡献大于SO₄^2-和NH₄⁺.与其他城市相比,北京地区云内清除的贡献略大,表明长距离输送的影响不可忽视.     

宇宙环境中的某些化学问题

本文讨论了宇宙环境中的化学概况,特别是宇航环境化学和宇航适应问题。     

新疆阿拉尔市苦咸水水化学特征、分布及成因分析

准确查明苦咸水分布、水化学特征及成因对此类非常规水资源的开发利用及当地水安全保障能力的提高具有重要意义.通过对新疆阿拉尔市地下水进行采样分析,利用水化学图解、描述性统计分析、离子比值法、饱和指数法等方法分析苦咸水的水化学特征及形成机制.结果表明,研究区苦咸水水化学类型以HCO3·SO4·Cl-Na·Ca·Mg、SO4·...     

外来入侵植物化感作用与土壤相互关系研究进展

文章以全球普遍关注的外来植物入侵为背景,综述了外来入侵植物化感物质与土壤化学性质(土壤pH,土壤有机碳和有机质,土壤中的化学元素等)、土壤生物群落(土壤微生物、土壤动物)的关系。并探讨了未来研究需要加强的几个方面,包括将化感作用与野外实际情况相结合研究,更真实的反映田间状况;进一步探讨微生物在化感物质生物变化过程中的作用及其机理;化感物质作为信号物质如何影响微生物代谢,从而影响地上植物;深入研究化感作用与土壤之间的相互关系,为入侵植物生物防治的安全性提供理论指导等方面。     

Natural pollution caused by the extremely acidic crater lake Kawah Ijen, East Java, Indonesia

Background. Aims and Scope Lakes developing in volcano craters can become highly acidic through the influx of volcanic gases, yielding one of the chemically most extreme natural environments on earth. The Kawah Ijen crater lake in East Java (Indonesia) has a pH 〈 0.3. It is the source of the extremely acid and metal-polluted river Banyupahit (45 km). The lake has a significant impact on the river ecosystem as well as on a densely populated area downstream, where agricultural fields are irrigated with water with a pH between 2.5 and 3.5. The chemistry of the river water seemed to have changed over the past decade and the negative effect in the irrigation area increased. A multidisciplinary approach was used to investigate the altered situation and to get insight in the water chemistry and the hydrological processes influencing these alterations. Moreover, a first investigation of the effects of the low pH on ecosystem health and human health was performed. Methods Water samples were taken at different sites along the river and in the irrigation area. Sampling for macroinvertebrates was performed at the same sites. Samples of soil and crop were taken in the irrigation area. All samples were analysed for metals (using ICP-AES) and other elements, and concentrations were compared to local and international standards. Results and Discussion The river carries a very high load of SO4, NH4, PO4, Cl, F, Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Al and other potentially toxic elements. Precipitation and discharge data over the period of 1980 – 2000 clearly show that the precipitation on the Ijen plateau influences water chemistry of the downstream river. Metal concentrations in the river water exceed the concentrations mentioned in Indonesian and international quality guidelines, even in the downstream river and the irrigation area. Some metal concentrations are extremely high, especially iron (up to 1600 mg/l) and aluminium (up to 3000 mg/l). The food-webs in the acidic parts of the river are highly underdeveloped. No invertebrates were present in the extremely acid water and, at pH 2.3, only chironomids were found. This also holds true for the river water with pH 3.3 in the downstream area. Agricultural soils in the irrigation area have a pH of 3.9 compared to a pH of 7.0 for soils irrigated with neutral water. Decreased yields of cultivated crops are probably caused by the use of Al containing acid irrigation water. Increased levels of metals (especially Cd, Co, Ni and Mn) are found in different foodstuffs, but still remain within acceptable ranges. Considering local residents” diets, Cd levels may lead to an increased risk for the human health. Fluoride exposure is of highest concern, with levels in drinking water exceeding guideline values and a lot of local residents suffering from dental fluorosis. Conclusions, Recommendations and Outlook In short, our data indicate that the Ijen crater lake presents a serious threat to the environment as well as human health and agricultural production.