Development of an Earthen Dam Break Database

Earthen embankment dams comprise 85% of all major operational dams in the United States. Assessment of peak flow rates for these earthen dams and the impacts on dam failure are of high interest to engineers and planners. Regression analysis is a frequently used risk assessment approach for earthen dams. In this paper, we present a decision support tool for assessing the applicability of nine regression equations commonly used by practitioners. Using data from 108 case studies, six parameters were observed to be significant factors predicting for peak flow as a metric for risk analysis. We present our work on an expanded earthen dam break database that relates the regression equations and underlying data. A web application, regression selection tool, is also presented to assess the appropriateness of a given model for a given test point. This graphical display allows users to visualize how their data point compares with the data used for the regression equation. These contributions improve estimates and better inform decision makers regarding operational and safety decisions.     

Comparison of Evapotranspiration Simulation Performance by APEX Model in Dryland and Irrigated Cropping Systems

Accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is essential to improve water use efficiency of crop production systems managed under different water regimes. The Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model was used to simulate ET using four potential ET (ET_p) methods. The objectives were to determine sensitive ET parameters in dryland and irrigated cropping systems and compare ET simulation in the two systems using multiple performance criteria. Measured ET and crop yield data from lysimeter fields located in the United States Department of Agriculture‐Agricultural Research Service Bushland, Texas were used for evaluation. The number of sensitive parameters was higher for dryland (11–14) than irrigated cropping systems (6–8). Only four input parameters: soil evaporation plant cover factor, root growth soil strength, maximum rain intercept, and rain intercept coefficient were sensitive in both cropping systems. Overall, it is possible to find a set of robust parameter values to simulate ET accurately in APEX in both cropping systems using any ET_p method. However, more computation time is required for dryland than irrigated cropping system due to a relatively larger number of sensitive input parameters. When all inputs are available, the Penman–Monteith method takes the shortest computation time to obtain one model run with robust parameter values in both cropping systems. However, in areas with limited datasets, one can still obtain reasonable ET simulations using either Priestley–Taylor or Hargreaves. Editor's note : This paper is part of the featured series on Optimizing Ogallala Aquifer Water Use to Sustain Food Systems. See the February 2019 issue for the introduction and background to the series.     

地下水中重金属污染来源及研究方法综析

查明重金属污染来源是地下水重金属污染防治的前提。近年来随着我国城市化进程的加快和工业的迅猛发展,我国地下水重金属污染也呈现日益严重的趋势。地下水重金属污染来源可分为自然来源和人为来源。地下水重金属污染的来源主要是人为来源,主要包括工业生产、再生水灌溉和生活污染来源。地下水重金属的工业污染主要位于重金属矿山和工业城市附近,其特点是污染元素种类多、浓度高,一般生产历史越长,重金属污染越严重。再生水重金属污染主要位于北方缺水区,运用再生水灌溉首先应该对再生水的重金属污染进行评价。生活来源的重金属污染对地下水正施加着愈来愈重要的影响,当前城市垃圾渗滤液正在成为地下水重金属污染的新源头。根据地下水重金属污染的空间分布、含水层对比、主成分分析、稳定同位素示踪及多元混合模型多种方法手段综合分析,客观准确地判断地下水重金属污染的来源及比例,制定科学合理地下水重金属污染的治理方案,以达到最佳的治理效果。     

Measurement of minimum ignition energies (MIEs) of dust clouds – History,present, future

Nearly 130 years ago Holtzwart and von Meyer (1891) demonstrated by experiments that explosible dust clouds could be ignited by inductive electric sparks. Then more than half a century passed before the publication of the important quantitative research of Boyle and Llewellyn (1950) and Line et al. (1959). They worked with capacitive electric sparks and found that the minimum capacitor energies ½CU² required for ignition of various dust clouds in air decreased substantially when a large series resistance, in the range 10⁴–10⁷ Ω, was introduced in the discharge circuit. When considering that the net energies of the sparks themselves were only of the order of 10% of the ½CU² discharged, the minimum net spark energies required for ignition with a large series resistance were only a few per cent of the net energies required without such a resistance.Line et al. observed that the essential effect of increasing the series resistance, and hence increasing the discharge time of the sparks, was to reduce the disturbance of the dust cloud by the blast wave from the spark. This phenomenon was explored further by Eckhoff (1970, 2017), and subsequently by some simple experiments by Eckhoff and Enstad (1976). Franke (1974, 1977) and Laar (1980) confirmed the additional finding of Line et al. (1959) that the minimum ½CU² for ignition is also substantially reduced by including a series inductance in the discharge circuit, rather than a series resistance. The basic reason is the same as with a large series resistance, viz. increased spark discharge time and hence decreased disturbance of the dust cloud by blast wave from the spark. For this reason inclusion of an appreciable series inductance in the spark discharge circuit is an essential element in current standard MIE test methods.In experiments with spark ignition of transient dust clouds produced by a blast of air in a closed vessel, it is necessary to synchronize the occurrence of the spark with the formation of the dust cloud. The precision required from this type of synchronization is typically of the order of 10 ms, which can be obtained even by mechanical arrangements, such as rapid change of spark gap length, or of the distance between two capacitor plates. The present paper reviews some methods that have been/are being used for achieving adequate synchronization of dust cloud appearance and spark discharge. Some current standard experimental methods for determining MIEs of dust clouds experimentally have also been reviewed. The same applies to some theories of electric-spark ignition of dust clouds.At the end of paper some suggestions for possible future modifications of current standard methods for measuring MIEs of explosible dust clouds are presented. With regard to justifying significant modifications of existing standard methods, the “bottom line” is, as quite often in many connections, that any modifications should be based on realistic cost/benefit evaluations.     

水中氯离子的测定方法及其研究进展

离子是水体中常见的阴离子之一,其含量的测定是水质监测的一项重要指标.其浓度过高会使水质变差、危害身体健康、妨碍植物生长、腐蚀管道和设备.随着环境及环保法规要求的日益严格,水中氯离子的测定也越来越受到重视.综述了近年来水中氯离子的测定方法,主要包括滴定法、离子色谱法、分光光度法、电位滴定法、浊度法.介绍了上述方法的测定原理、特点、应用,并对各种方法进行了对比分析.     

水中氰化物测定方法的改进

水中氰化物含量分析是水环境的重要监测项目.水中氰化物测定实验过程中使用了氯胺T试剂,其作用为将氰化物转变为氯化氰,再与异烟酸-吡唑啉酮生成蓝色染料比色定量.针对实验过程中,氯胺T易分解而失去有效成分,不易保存,而影响实验结果.提出通过用84消毒液替代氯胺T进行实验,发现改进方法与原方法测定结果基本一致,无显著差异,保证了实验的精密度和准确度,而且保存时间比原方法更长.     

Influence of aeration modes on leachate characteristic of landfills that adopt the aerobic–anaerobic landfill method

As far as the optimal design, operation, and field application of the Aerobic–Anaerobic Landfill Method (AALM) are concerned, it is very important to understand how aeration modes (different combinations of aeration depth and air injection rate) affect the biodegradation of organic carbon and the transformation of nitrogen in landfill solid waste. Pilot-scale lysimeter experiments were carried out under different aeration modes to obtain detailed information regarding the influence of aeration modes on leachate characteristics. Results from these lysimeter experiments revealed that aeration at the bottom layer was the most effective for decomposition of organic carbon when compared with aeration at the surface or middle layers. Moreover, the air injection rate led to different nitrogen transformation patterns, unlike the lesser influence it has on organic carbon decomposition. Effective simultaneous nitrification and denitrification were observed for the aeration mode with a higher air injection rate (=1.0 L/min). On the other hand, the phenomenon of sequenced nitrification and denitrification could be observed when a low air injection rate (=0.5 L/min.) was employed. Finally, it is concluded that, for AALM, air injection with a higher air injection rate at the deepest layer near the leachate collection pipe tends to accelerate the stabilization of landfill waste as defined in terms of the enhancement of denitrification as well as organic carbon decomposition.     

How to foster agroecological innovations? A comparison of participatory design methods

Facing contemporary environmental crisis implies fostering agroecological innovations that take into account local ecological regulations and rely on multiple stakeholders' innovation capacities. This paper draws on two fields of literature that remain unconnected so far: participatory approaches and design sciences. It proposes an analysis grid to support a reflexive analysis of cases of implementation of three participatory design methods: ComMod (Companion Modelling for concerted management of natural resources), Forage Rummy (simulation-based board game for designing farming systems) and KCP (collective design workshops to foster innovation). This analysis highlights key features of the methods in view of agroecological innovation challenges, focusing on knowledge management and organisation for exploration.     

Validation of a multiclass multiresidue method and monitoring results for 210 pesticides in fruits and vegetables by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

A rapid, sensitive, accurate and reliable multiresidue method for the identification and quantification of 210 relevant pesticides in four representative fruit and vegetable commodities (tomato, potato, spring onion and orange) has been developed and validated by gas chromatography in tandem with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The method has been fully validated and applied to 292 samples from different countries. Prior to instrumental analysis, an extraction procedure based on a sample extraction of multiclass analytes, using the ethyl acetate method was employed. Mass spectrometric conditions were individually optimized for each compound in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode to achieve maximum sensitivity. The pesticides were separated in less than 25 min. This was followed by an exhaustive control of the retention times. The Retention Time Locking Method was applied, working at a constant pressure throughout the analysis. System maintenance was reduced by using a purged capillary flow device that provided backflush capabilities by reversing column flow immediately after elution of the last compound of interest. Istotopically labelled internal standards were employed to improve the quality of the analytical results.     

不同耕作方式对稻田净增温潜势和温室气体强度的影响

免耕技术近年来在南方稻区被广泛推广应用,但该项技术是否有利于减缓稻田综合温室效应目前并不清楚.因此,本文以双季稻-紫云英为研究对象,利用静态箱-气相色谱法分别研究不同耕作方式对稻田CH4和N2O排放、双季稻产量、土壤固碳、稻田净综合增温潜势(GWP)和温室气体强度(GHGI)的影响.试验处理包括常规翻耕(CT)、旋耕(RT)和免耕(NT).结果表明,稻田周年CH4累积排放量为233.5~404.0kg·hm-2·a-1,NT和RT处理分别比CT增加73.1%和35.1%.晚稻生长季CH4排放量占周年CH4排放量的53.7%~66.5%,其中,晚稻移栽至烤田期间CH4累积排放通量占晚稻季排放总量的77.0%~81.3%.稻田N2O累积排放量为4.00~4.82 kg·hm-2·a-1(以N计),但各处理之间没有显著差异.稻田年固碳量为0.36~1.31 t·hm-2·a-1(以C计),其中,NT处理比CT和RT处理分别增加148.4%和261.0%.双季稻周年产量为15.2~17.1 t·hm-2,耕作方式对产量没有显著影响.稻田净GWP为5095.4~7788 kg·hm-2(以CO2当量计),其中,RT和NT处理分别比CT增加52.8%和32.2%.稻田GHGI为0.30~0.46 kg·kg-1(以每kg粮食产量产生的CO2当量计),其中,RT和NT处理分别显著高于CT处理50.1%和45.3%.综上所述,免耕在短期内会增加稻田温室效应,但可以促进土壤固碳量的显著增加,因此,其固碳减排的长期效应还有待观测.