Flammability studies of 3-methyl pyridine/water system

In industrial processes, information on the safety property of chemicals is essentially crucial for safe handling during unit operations. Ensuring the safe use of combustible or flammable substances in processes is unlikely without detailed investigations of their flammability characteristics and related hazards. We studied 3-methyl pyridine (3-picoline), e.g., flammability limits (LFL/UFL), maximum explosion pressure (P _max), maximum explosion pressure rise (dP/dt)_max, minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), vapor deflagration index (K _g), and characterized the influence of inert steam (H₂O) on critical parameters for 3-picoline/water mixtures at 270°C, 1 atm, various oxygen concentrations, and vapor mixing ratios (100/0, 30/70, 10/90 and 5/95 vol.%) with a 20-L-Apparatus in simulated conditions, respectively. The results showed that the flammability characteristics of 3-picoline_(aq) all increased with the oxygen concentration. However, as the composition of inert steam increased, the flammability parameters and the degree of fire and explosion hazards were significantly reduced, instead. This study elucidated the flammability properties of 3-picoline mixed with inert steam. The conclusions could be applied to proactively prevent the relevant processes from incurring fire and explosion accidents.     

Advanced kinetic tools for the evaluation of decomposition reactions

Summary An advanced kinetic study on the thermal behaviour of pyrotechnic ignition mixtures has been carried out by differential scanning calorimetry using different B/KNO3 mixtures (50:50, 30:70, 20:80) as a model reaction. The experimental conditions applied (isochoric conditions/closed crucibles and isobaric conditions/open crucibles) as well as the composition of the mixtures noticeably influences the relative thermal stabilities of the energetic materials. The kinetic study focused on the prediction of the thermal stability of the different mixtures both in extended temperature ranges and under temperature conditions at which ordinary investigation would be very difficult. Using advanced numerical tools [1], thermal ageing and influence of the complex thermal environment on the heat accumulation conditions were computed. This can be done for any surrounding temperature profile such as isothermal, non-isothermal, stepwise, modulated, shock, adiabatic conditions and additionally for temperature profiles reflecting real atmospheric temperature changes (yearly temperature profiles of different climates with daily minimal and maximal fluctuations). Applications of accurate decomposition kinetics enabled the determination of the time to maximum rate under adiabatic conditions (TMR_ad) with a precision given by the confidence interval of the predictions. This analysis can then be applied for the examination of the effects of the surrounding temperature for safe storage or transportation conditions (e.g. determination of the safe transport or storage temperatures).     

义马煤田煤矿水害规律与防治技术

为了掌握义马煤田水害规律以正确指导煤矿的防治水工作,分析研究了历次突水资料、地质构造、小煤矿分布、河流流经区域、主要含水层和隔水层、采煤厚度及采后导水裂隙发育情况等,指出:随着小煤矿的关闭、河道疏浚、浅部地裂缝充填和大矿采掘活动向深部转移,矿井主要水害由大气降水、地表河水和小窑水转化为顶板水;顶板水威胁主要在义马向斜的核部、采深大于700 m的区域,断层尖灭端和断层带富水性较强,顶板突水及其强度与采厚、周期来压关系密切。针对顶板水害,提出了采用"三图—双预测法"对顶板突水的水源、通道和强度做出预测和评价;采用井上下物探方法,圈出顶板疑似富水区,并进行采前预疏放;完善工作面排水系统,提高抗水灾能力等防治水技术。     

Additive hazards regression with random effects for clustered failure times

Additive hazards model with random effects is proposed for modelling the correlated failure time data when focus is on comparing the failure times within clusters and on estimating the correlation between failure times from the same cluster, as well as the marginal regression parameters. Our model features that, when marginalized over the random effect variable, it still enjoys the structure of the additive hazards model. We develop the estimating equations for inferring the regression parameters. The proposed estimators are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal under appropriate regularity conditions. Furthermore, the estimator of the baseline hazards function is proposed and its asymptotic properties are also established. We propose a class of diagnostic methods to assess the overall fitting adequacy of the additive hazards model with random effects. We conduct simulation studies to evaluate the finite sample behaviors of the proposed estimators in various scenarios. Analysis of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study is provided as an illustration for the proposed method.     

基于可拓分析的轨道车辆齿轮箱可靠性评估

采用可拓分析方法研究轨道车辆齿轮箱在线路运行时的可靠性评估问题.基于可拓理论的蕴含及可扩分析方法对齿轮箱可靠性物元进行分析,设定其可靠性评估的上位目标和下位目标;建立基于齿轮箱结构部件运行状态的比例故障率模型,应用粒子群优化算法对故障率模型进行参数的极大似然估计;以参数估计结果为基础,构建各部件的可靠性物元,进而实现对齿轮箱可靠性的整体评估.分析实例表明,在齿轮箱的当前运行状态下,大齿轮轴承Ⅰ和小齿轮的可靠性相对较低,是行车中应重点监测的部件.     

Estimation of a smooth quantile function under the proportional hazards model

The problem of estimating a smooth quantile function, Q(·), at a fixed point p, 0 < p < 1, is treated under a nonparametric smoothness condition on Q. The asymptotic relative deficiency of the sample quantile based on the maximum likelihood estimate of the survival function under the proportional hazards model with respect to kernel type estimators of the quantile is evaluated. The comparison is based on the mean square errors of the estimators. It is shown that the relative deficiency tends to infinity as the sample size, n, tends to infinity.     

Percentile residual life orders

In this paper we study a family of stochastic orders of random variables defined via the comparison of their percentile residual life functions. Some interpretations of these stochastic orders are given, and various properties of them are derived. The relationships to other stochastic orders are also studied. Finally, some applications in reliability theory and finance are described. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Criterions and Measures of Route Selection of Shallowly Embedded Long.Distance Oil and Gas Pipeline in Mountain Areas

According to the engineering investigation of long-distance oil and gas pipelines, the criterions and measures of route selection are drawn as follows： the flat landform is the first choice in route alignment. The foot of mountain is the first choice when the route passes by the valley. The route should pass by but the shady and deposited slope and not in sunny and erosive slope as possible as it can. The pipeline should be vertical to contour climbing and descending the mountain except steep slope. Tunnel can be used in crossing foothill. Perpendicularly traversing the river is better than beveling; the worst choice is to put the pipeline along the river. Bypass is the best choice in karsts area. The order of route selection should be pre-choosing, investigation, optimization and adjustment.     

Novel Process Applications Using PHI-TEC II Adiabatic Calorimeter

This paper presents several applications of the PHI-TEC II that are not commonly associated with adiabatic calorimeters but which have proved to be extremely valuable. These include simulation of a deep oil well for enhanced oil recovery, isothermal calorimetry of a semibatch reaction, catalyst research using flow through reactors (both plug flow and CSTR) with controlled feeds of high pressure liquid and gas.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.