Component analysis and risk assessment of biogas slurry from biogas plants

Massive amounts of biogas slurry are produced due to the development of biogas plants. The pollution features and the risk of biogas slurry were fully evaluated in this work. Thirty-one biogas slurry samples were collected from sixteen different cities and five different raw materials biogas plants (e.g. cattle manure, swine manure, straw-manure mixture, kitchen waste and chicken manure). The chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺ - N), anions (e.g. Cl^-,SO₄^2-, NO₃^- and PO₄^-3), antibiotics (e.g. sulphonamides, quinolones, β₂-receptor agonists, macrolides, tetracyclines and crystal violet) and heavy metals (e.g. Cu, Cd, As, Cr, Hg, Zn and Pb) contents from these biogas slurry samples were systematically investigated. On this basis, risk assessment of biogas slurry was also performed. The concentrations of COD, NH₄⁺ and PO₄^-3 in biogas slurry samples with chicken manure as raw material were significantly higher than those of other raw materials. Therefore, the biogas slurry from chicken manure raw material demonstrated the most serious eutrophication threat. The antibiotic contents in biogas slurry samples from swine manure were the highest among five raw materials, mostly sulphonamides, quinolones and tetracyclines. Biogas slurry revealed particularly serious arsenic contamination and moderate potential ecological risk. The quadratic polynomial stepwise regression model can quantitatively describe the correlation among NH₄⁺ - N, PO₄^-3 and heavy metals concentration of biogas slurry. This work demonstrated a universal potential threat from biogas slurry that can provide supporting data and theoretical basis for harmless treatment and reuse of biogas slurry.     

Real-time risk monitoring system for chemical plants

This study was performed to develop a Real-Time Risk Monitoring System which helps to do fault detection using the information from plant information systems in a chemical process. In this study, to do fault detection, principal component analysis (PCA) methods of multivariate statistical analysis were used. The fundamental notions are a set of variable combinations, that is, detection of principal components which indicate the tendency of variables and operating data. Besides classical statistic process control, PCA can reduce the dimension of variables with monitoring process. Therefore, they are known as suitable methods to treat enormous data composed of many dimensions. The developed Real-Time Risk Monitoring System can analyze and manage the plant information on-line, diagnose causes of abnormality and so prevent major accidents. It’s useful for operators to treat numerous process faults efficiently.     

鄱阳湖湿地重金属污染地质累积指数与潜在生态危害指数评价

本文用地质累积指数和潜在生态危害指数对鄱阳湖重金属污染进行评价,结果表明：（1）评价结果表明鄱阳湖区重金属污染主要为Cu污染。鄱阳湖重金属污染的主要来源是德兴铜矿,其中Cu当然是主要污染物,因此,评价结果与实际情况是吻合的。（2）Cu、Zn、Cd污染源相同且来源于德兴铜矿,Pb表现为面源污染。湖区Cu、Zn、Cd分布均表现出从饶河段至湖口逐步降低的趋势,且Cu、Zn、Cd在土壤中的含量呈现显著的相关性和偏相关性,可以推论Cu、Zn、Cd污染源相同且来源于德兴铜矿。Pb在湖区均匀分布表现为面源污染,这可能与湖区Pb污染来源于船舶燃油有关。     

用故障类型及影响分析法进行催化裂化装置危险性分析

应用故障类型及影响分析的方法,对催化裂化装置进行危险性分析,划分各子系统的故障等级,作为制定预防措施的重要参考。     

基于数据包络分析的调速阀关键特性包络方法研究

在介绍某典型液压阀件调速阀结构原理的基础上,根据其工作原理和平衡方程提炼出影响调速阀压力补偿性能的两个关键特性。在生产过程中采集多个成功产品样本的关键特性数据,运用过程控制图和3σ数理统计方法,通过数据包络分析,确定了这两个关键特性的包络区域。该研究可用于对产品关键特性的风险控制及管理分析。     

基于变权层次分析法的故障模式风险评估

针对传统故障风险评估RPN分析方法存在的缺陷,提出一种基于变权模糊层次分析法的设备故障风险半定量评估方法;根据生产损失、维修费用、安全影响、环境影响4个因素,通过引入模糊综合评估和激励变权,来定量化的对故障严重程度进行评估;通过故障频率、严重程度以及可探测度3个因素,采用变权层次分析法进行故障风险评估,提高了风险评估与客观实际的相符性。以某起重机零部件故障风险评估为例,表明了该方法的有效性和可行性。     

An optimization study on the pyrolysis of polystyrene in a batch reactor

The pyrolysis process of polystyrene (PS) has been investigated to find optimal temperature profiles which minimize the reaction time and the reaction energy required for a given conversion in a batch reactor. Assuming that the fragmentation of PS in pyrolysis is described by the mechanism of random and/or specific degradations, we used a continuous kinetic model for solving three moment equations to determine the transient change of molecular weight distributions (MWD) of the polymers. We then converted this independent-variable minimization problem using a coordinate transformation to a dependent-variable minimization problem that yields the optimal temperature profiles as its solution. The optimization results obtained in this study encompass the cases of different objective functions which cover minimum reaction time, minimum energy consumed, or any combination of these. It has turned out that maintaining the reaction temperature constant at an optimal level is the best solution in this optimization problem. An economic cost function also has been introduced as the third objective function to be minimized in addition to the reaction time and the reaction energy. This new function can serve as a convenient measure to judge the performance of the pyrolysis process minimizing the involved cost.     

Effects of stochastic energy prices on long-term energy-economic scenarios

In view of the currently observed energy prices, recent price scenarios, which have been very moderate until 2004, also tend to favor high future energy prices. Having a large impact on energy-economic scenarios, we incorporate uncertain energy prices into an energy systems model by including a stochastic risk function. Energy systems models are frequently used to aid scenario analysis in energy-related studies. The impact of uncertain energy prices on the supply structures and the interaction with measures in the demand sectors is the focus of the present paper.

For the illustration of the methodological approach, scenarios for four EU countries are presented. Including the stochastic risk function, elements of high energy price scenarios can be found in scenarios with a moderate future development of energy prices. In contrast to scenarios with stochastic investment costs for a limited number of technologies, the inclusion of stochastic energy prices directly affects all parts of the energy system. Robust elements of hedging strategies include increasing utilization of domestic energy carriers, the use of CHP and district heat and the application of additional energy-saving measures in the end-use sectors. Region-specific technology portfolios, i.e., different hedging options, can cause growing energy exchange between the regions in comparison with the deterministic case.     

Canadian hydrogen safety program

The Canadian hydrogen safety program (CHSP) is a project initiative of the Codes & Standards Working Group of the Canadian transportation fuel cell alliance (CTFCA) that represents industry, academia, government, and regulators. The Program rationale, structure and contents contribute to acceptance of the products, services and systems of the Canadian Hydrogen Industry into the Canadian hydrogen stakeholder community. It facilitates trade through fair insurance policies and rates, effective and efficient regulatory approval procedures and accommodation of the interests of the general public. The Program integrates a consistent quantitative risk assessment methodology with experimental (destructive and non-destructive) failure rates and consequence-of-release data for key hydrogen components and systems into risk assessment of commercial application scenarios. Its current and past six projects include Intelligent Virtual Hydrogen Filling Station (IVHFS), Hydrogen clearance distances, comparative quantitative risk comparison of hydrogen and compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling options; computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling validation, calibration and enhancement; enhancement of frequency and probability analysis, and Consequence analysis of key component failures of hydrogen systems; and fuel cell oxidant outlet hydrogen sensor project. The Program projects are tightly linked with the content of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Task 19 Hydrogen Safety.     

Social acceptance of carbon dioxide storage

This article discusses public acceptance of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Responses by citizens are described in relation to responses by professionally involved actors. Interviews with members of the government, industry and environmental NGOs showed that these professional actors are interested in starting up storage projects, based on thorough evaluation processes, including discussions on multi-actor working groups. As appeared from a survey among citizens living near a potential storage site (N=103), public attitudes in general were slightly positive, but attitudes towards storage nearby were slightly negative. The general public appeared to have little knowledge about CO₂-storage, and have little desire for more information. Under these circumstances, trust in the professional actors is particularly important. NGOs were found to be trusted most, and industry least by the general public. Trust in each of the three actors appeared to depend on perceived competence and intentions, which in turn were found to be related to perceived similarity of goals and thinking between trustee and trustor. Implications for communication about CCS are discussed.