A Common Risk Classification Concept for Safety Related Gas Leaks and Fugitive Emissions?

Thermal Characteristics of Fireproof Plaster Compositions in Exposure to Various Regimes of Fire

The problems of the fire safety of oil and gas facilities are particularly relevant due to the increasing complexity of technological processes and production. Experimental studies of steel structures with three different types of plasters are presented to determine the time taken to reach the critical temperature and loss of bearing capacity (R) of the sample, as a result of reaching a rate of deformation growth of more than 10 mm/min and the appearance of the ultimate vertical deformation. The simulation of the heating of steel structures showed a good correlation with the results of the experiment. The consumption of the plaster composition for the steel column was predicted, which allowed a 38% reduction in the consumption of fireproofing. It was found that to obtain the required fire resistance limit, it is necessary to consider the fire regime and apply plaster compositions with a thickness of 30–35 mm, depending on their thermal characteristics. The dependence of thermal conductivity and temperature on density is obtained, showing that the use of plaster compositions with a density of 200 to 600 kg/m3 is optimal to ensure a higher fire resistance limit. It is shown that the values of thermal conductivity of plaster compositions at 1000 °C are higher by 8–10% if the structure is exposed to a hydrocarbon fire regime. It is shown that the values of the heat capacity of plaster compositions at 1000 °C are higher by 10–15% if the structure is exposed to a standard fire regime.

Consequence analysis due to possible ethanol leaks in sugarcane biorefineries

This study simulated and evaluated the consequences of possible ethanol leaks in a hypothetical sugarcane biorefinery, considering climatic factors in the region of the State of São Paulo-BR. The Gaussian model was used to obtain the results of the hypothetical scenarios. From these values, an empirical mathematical model was established to describe the behavior of the system within the investigated experimental domain. The results obtained the modeling values of the hypothetical scenarios, the statistical treatment for the two responses-a range, slight damage (R1), and a range, high damage (R2), the joint analyses of variables R1 and R2, and the risk classification of catastrophic events. The consequence analysis allowed the calculation and plotting of graphs, such as the areas of thermal radiation range. Among the variables addressed in the study, the diameter of the leakage hole was the most noticeable in the range of thermal radiation. Therefore, it is relevant to make simulations to prevent hazardous material leakages by applying the exact characteristics of the plant to conduct the procedure.

Carbon Emission Reduction—Carbon Tax, Carbon Trading, and Carbon Offset

The Paris Agreement was signed by 195 nations in December 2015 to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change following the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol [...]

The Influence of the Permeability of the Fractures Zone Around the Heading on the Concentration and Distribution of Methane

One of the main problems related to the excavation of dog headings in coal beds is the emission of methane during this process. To prevent the occurrence of dangerous concentration levels of this gas, it is necessary to use an appropriate ventilation system. The operation effectiveness of such a system depends on a number of mining, geological, technical and organizational factors. One of them includes the size and permeability of the fractures zone formed around the excavated dog heading. The primary objective of the paper is to determine the influence of this zone on the ventilation parameters, including the concentration and distribution of methane in the excavated dog heading. In order to achieve the assumed objective, multivariate model-based tests were carried out, which reproduce a real-world dog heading. Literature data and test results in actual conditions were used to determine the size and permeability of the fractures zone around the excavated heading. These data served as the basis to develop a model of the region under analysis and adopt boundary conditions. The analyses were carried out for four permeability values of the fractures zone and for two volumetric flow rates of the air stream supplied to the heading. The results were used to determine the influence of the fractures zone on the distribution and concentration of methane in the heading under analysis. The model-based tests were performed using ANSYS Fluent software. The idea to take into account the fractures zone around the heading represents a new approach to the analysis of ventilation parameters in underground mine headings. The results clearly indicate that this zone affects the ventilation parameters in the heading, including the distribution and concentration of methane. The knowledge obtained from the tests should be used to optimize the ventilation process of dog headings. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.