Hazardous Operations Research Articles

Solvent processing for improved separation of hydrothermal liquefaction products

Solvent extraction and separation of HTL products using naphtha range hydrocarbons was studied with the aim of decreasing operational hazards while improving scalability, reliability, and yields.

Crane Operation Hazard Evaluation Based on Z-Number and CPT

Crane Operation Hazard Evaluation Based on Z-Number and CPT

Sustainable CSR Approach in Mitigating Industrial Disaster/Accidents in India

Abstract: The Economic and Social Council of the UN in its 45th session raised a concern about the environment and moved a resolution on this subject to intensify the urgent action at the national as well as international levels. Stock Holm Conference on Human & Environment again emphasized the issue of the environment and the suffering of poor people. It recommended the participating countries to make necessary arrangements in their countries to sustain the environment and development. The significance of environment and development made the UN General Assembly 1983 to establish the World Commission on Environment and Development. It submitted its report in 1987. Where the word sustainable development is coined and defined. Principle 1 of the Rio de Janeiro Declaration of 1992 used the word sustainable development. In order to meet the international obligations to achieve the sustainable development goal, respective countries adopted sustainable practices and policies. Business operation is very often associated with hazardous operations. This leads to industrial accidents and caused personal injury and property damages. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one such policy that is introduced in the 21st-century Business ethic and practice. In India, CSR is comprehensively dealt with in the Company Act, 2013. In this present research paper, the authors have studied the sustainable CSR approach to mitigate the industrial disaster for effective implementation of the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991.

Flame structure of GCH4/GOX pintle model combustor with wall confinement

The pintle injector is a representative option for designing a throttleable rocket engine that can be applied for various applications, including the vertical soft landing of reusable launch vehicles. Although the most direct research method to investigate the characteristics of pintle injectors experimentally is the high-pressure combustion test, it is often limited due to its cost and operational hazards. Consequently, atmospheric combustion or cold flow tests are frequently applied in the rocket injector field to simulate and study the fundamental combustion or spray characteristics. However, previous works, including such simulated experiments under atmospheric conditions, involved an unrealistically wide combustor or open condition. Since only a single pintle injector is typically used per engine, the combustor wall may significantly influence the fundamental characteristics. Thus, in this study, a pintle injector combustor with adequate wall confinement is designed, and its flame structure is investigated across a wide range of total volume flow rates and mixture ratio conditions, incorporating several geometries with varying gaseous oxygen injection areas. This research primarily focuses on the flame structure and its angle. Under specific experimental conditions, the unreported unstable flame was newly observed. The overall experimental results, supported by numerical methods, indicate that wall confinement has substantial importance in simulating a realistic flame structure and internal flow field within the combustor.

Optimal PID control with anti-windup in neutralization process

PID control, which is a type of automation, was used to ensure that neutralization takes place in a controlled manner. To determine the PID parameters of the system with the Cohen-Coon tuning method, two different dynamic experiments were carried out for pH and temperature in the first stage, and the transfer function and model parameters were found. In the experiment carried out for the pH variable; time constant (τ) is 59 s, dead time (Ɵ) is 261 s and steady state gain (K) is read from the graph as 14,72, while PID parameters are calculated as KC =0.0375, τI =315.759 s and τD =52.601 s. Likewise, while τ=1402 s., Ɵ= 88 s, and K=-6 were read for the temperature variable, the PID parameters were calculated as KC =6.196, τI =47.23 s, and τD =-19.20 s. The determined controller parameters were used as initial parameters and simulated using the S-function block via MATLAB (2007b). The pH set range was coded as 6.5-8.5 and Tset for temperature was coded as 22 °C. As a result of the oscillation observed due to the nature of the PID control parameters that are intended to be controlled, the safe operation of the process and the desired set values are ensured. When the obtained PID controller parameters were applied to the neutralization reaction, the PID control successfully controlled the reactor temperature and pH and eliminated possible hazards in operation. Anti-windup provides better control rather than traditional PID control method.

A rule-based Bayesian network modelling under evidential reasoning theory for risk analysis of anchoring operation in maritime transportation

Anchoring is one of the most repeated routine operations concerning many maritime transportation vessel types. The operation poses significant risks due to the nature of the work and could cause damage to the vessel, commodity, or environment. This paper introduces a conceptual framework to analyse the risk of anchoring operations by adopting a rule-based Bayesian Network (BN) under evidential reasoning (ER) modelling. Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is used to gain detailed insight into the operational hazards of anchoring, while rule-based BN extended ER is capable of dealing with the weaknesses of FMECA by evaluating the importance of risks. In this context, Failure Mode 5.2 (Ship rudder/thruster/steering system failure) with an RPN of 46.42 was determined as the most critical danger for anchoring operations on ships. The research outcomes will provide valuable insight to the maritime industry, in particular ship owners, ship crew, safety managers, and superintendents, to retain a high level of safety at the operational level and minimize anchoring-related accidents onboard ships.

The effect of acetic acid on the crevice corrosion of P110 steel in simulated oilfield produced water

P110 steel, widely utilized in oil and gas operations, is renowned for its robust mechanical properties, satisfactory corrosion resistance, and significant economic advantages. This study aims to investigate the influence of acetic acid on the crevice corrosion behavior of P110 steel in simulated oilfield produced water. A comprehensive range of techniques was employed for this analysis, including dynamic potential polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and scanning electron microscopy. The results highlight that the introduction of acetic acid significantly compromises the resistance of P110 steel to crevice corrosion. As the concentration of acetic acid increases, a corresponding escalation in corrosion products outside the crevice is observed, forming a protective layer on the surface of the P110 steel beyond the crevice. These insights provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the safety performance of oil well tubing, reducing operational hazards, and mitigating environmental impact.

Social Funding Programs in Non-Depository Credit Cooperatives: A Perspective on Positive Law and Sharia Principles

The aim of this study is to investigate the social funding scheme used by non-depository lending cooperatives to satisfy the monetary demands of their patrons. This theme is of great importance for discussion as, historically, no established plan has been implemented to meet these financial needs, especially considering that non-depository lending cooperatives do not support financial lending transactions. Traditional lending and borrowing models have typically been linked with deposit and loan-based cooperatives. This study uses a qualitative descriptive methodology with a normative approach. The primary data sources are transaction records from the cooperatives and their members, while secondary data sources include significant journal articles and books. The study reveals that the optimal social funding program for non-depository lending cooperatives to fulfill the financial requirements of their members is a blended scheme involving qardhul hasan and mudharabah protocols. The maximum permissible loan is equal to 50% of the member's overall pension savings, while the loan tenure must not surpass five years. These loan conditions take account of potential credit and operational hazards. From a theological standpoint, social funding aligns with the commendable teachings of Islam as outlined in the Quran and Sunnah. Exploring the beneficial legal aspects applicable to Indonesia, social funding is an integral part of the Indonesian identity and has been present for centuries, predating the proclamation of the Indonesian state on August 17, 1945. This is enshrined in the Republic of Indonesia's 1945 Constitution, Article 33, Paragraphs (1) and (2). Article 33, paragraph (1), states that the economy is structured as a collective effort based on the principle of family unity. Paragraph (2) stipulates that the state must control industries that are vital to the country and essential for the welfare of the public.

Integrating Function Allocation and Operational Event Sequence Diagrams to Support Human-Robot Coordination: Case Study of a Robotic Date Thinning System

State-of-the-art robots show promise in supporting but not completely replacing human work in most precision agriculture applications. For many potential agricultural robot applications, there are no comparable systems nor readily available information on the human operator activities to guide the systems engineering process. Such is the situation for Medjool date thinning, a tedious and hazardous manual operation for which technological assistance has yet to be developed. Here we describe using cognitive system engineering methods to develop operational concepts and human-robot coordination requirements for a pioneer system, a Robotic Medjool Date Thinning System (RDTS). We leveraged the abstraction hierarchy to characterize the RDTS’s envisioned goals and functionality. We developed alternative functional allocations to explore the design space based on the availability of different enabling technologies. After downselecting to the function allocation, including the technologies expected to be developed, we created operational event sequence diagrams to visualize the operation flow and to identify requirements related to the human operator and the joint human-robot system. Applying these methods in the early design stages helped to refine the human-robot coordination requirements and to identify gaps in the operational concept—they show great potential to support the introduction of agricultural robots and bring them to fruition.

Analyzing the Risk Factors of Hazardous Chemical Road Transportation Accidents Based on Grounded Theory and a Bayesian Network

With the increase in the production and use of hazardous chemicals in China, road transportation safety issues are becoming increasingly prominent. To study the causes of road transportation accidents involving hazardous chemicals, prevent accident occurrence, and realize the safety and sustainable development of the transportation of hazardous chemicals, we combined grounded theory (GT) and a Bayesian network (BN) model to quantify the causal relationship of the interactions among the influencing factors leading to hazardous chemical road transportation accidents that occurred in China in the period of 2017–2020. The influencing factors of these accidents were classified into 5 core categories, 12 main categories, and 28 categories through the GT method, and then a BN-based model was established for these collected accidents. The conditional probability and posterior probability of each influencing factor leading to an accident were determined through BN learning, and then the causal relationship of the interactions between the influencing factors was quantified. The results indicated that the probability of road transportation accidents involving hazardous chemicals considered in this study reaches 72.5% under the combined influence of various factors, and the most likely causal chain of an accident is that equipment failure during the hazardous chemical transportation process contributes to an Unsafe Tanker State, which in turn leads to an accident. The sensitivity analysis confirmed that the key impact factor of hazardous chemical road transportation accidents is equipment failure, followed by improper operation. Overall, this study presents a reference and a foundation for avoiding or reducing risks as much as possible during daily hazardous chemical road transportation operations and risk supervision, realizing safe, sustainable development.

4D printed and multi-stimulus responsive shape memory polymer nanocomposites developed on hydrogen bonding–metal-phenolic sacrificial network: Application for hazardous chemical operations soft robots

Designing 4D printed shape memory polymers (SMPs) with mechanical robust and multi-stimulus responses applied in soft robot holds vast promise. While significant progress has been made in this area, implementing SMP composites with multi-stimulus response capabilities for fused filament fabrication (FFF) 4D printing typically sacrifices the inherent mechanical properties of the materials, limiting the requirements for robust and tough applications of SMP in soft robotics. In this work, Fe3O4 nanoparticles are employed as functional particles, and the "hydrogen bonding–metal-phenolic" sacrificial network in the nanoparticles and polymer is designed to achieve NIR light and magnetic stimulation response without sacrificing the maximum strength and toughness of the 4D printable SMP. The SMP nanocomposite developed from the sacrificial network has a tensile strength of 18.98 MPa and an elongation at break of 897 %, a 40 % increase in strength and 196 % increase in elongation at break compared to SMP nanocomposites with direct Fe3O4 addition. In addition, the shape-programmable soft robot with NIR light and magnetic stimulation response is developed based on 4D printing. The remote precision control and drugs release demonstrates the potential application of 4D printed soft robots in hazardous chemical operations.

Safeguarding Boiler Operations Tools in Malaysia with Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Risk Control

The functioning of the risk management and hazard detection processes always includes the steam boiler system. The source of harm to people, processes, properties, and the environment is a hazard. The risk explains the likelihood of an advantage or disadvantage, such as financial loss, physical harm, or an accident because of an activity. Risk in this context refers to the possibility and apparent repercussions. This study aims to identify potential hazards in boiler operations and propose risk management and control of potential hazards and analyze the risk factors and hazards for boiler operations based on the nature of work at the boilers in Malaysia using Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Control (HIRARC) method. Data collection on the identification and assessment of risks analyzed by HIRARC, evaluated and finding the better solution to determine and control hazards in the workplace so that the workplace is safely. According to the findings, the boiler division's risk rate is comprised of four levels: Extreme Risk (8%), High Risk (14%), Moderate Risk (35%), and Low Risk (43%). The threat of mechanical hazards is rated at 25%, electrical hazards are rated at 10%, chemical hazards are rated at 6%, and physical risks are rated at 59% in the risk assessment for the boiler division. According to the risk assessment, these techniques could prevent future catastrophic events in the boiler operating business.

Der Europäische Fischgefährdungsindex EFHI - ein Werkzeug zur Bewertung von Wasserkraftrisiken für Fische

Der Europäische Fischgefährdungsindex EFHI - ein Werkzeug zur Bewertung von Wasserkraftrisiken für Fische

Dual-layer active equalization control for series-connected batteries based on hybrid Cuk-flyback topology

The inevitability of energy inconsistency among batteries within a battery pack poses operational challenges and potential safety hazards. It is imperative to swiftly harmonize the state of charge across all batteries to mitigate these issues. Addressing this concern, a dual-layer hybrid equalization topology is introduced, leveraging the Cuk circuit and flyback transformer. The battery pack is segmented into modules, with the Cuk circuit employed for intra-module equalization. Subsequently, the flyback transformer facilitates inter-module equalization. A multimodal equalization control strategy is devised, considering the status of individual modules to minimize repeated energy transfers between batteries. Simulation and experimental findings affirm that the proposed dual-layer active equalization control markedly mitigates the inconsistency among series-connected batteries, demonstrating rapid equalization and heightened efficiency.

‘Water in the Desert?’: Oil India's CSR Impact in Assam

Incorporated on February 18, 1959, Oil India Ltd. (OIL) was a leading public sector oil and gas company involved in the exploration, development, production and transportation of crude oil and natural gas in India. Since its inception, OIL had committed itself to being a socially responsible organisation in and around operational areas, particularly the north-eastern state of Assam where 90% of company operations were concentrated. Despite many successes, the “People's Company” continued to be a target for disgruntled local and student communities who frequently created operational hazards for the firm—from sit-ins and blockades to pilfering and disrupting production facilities. No less than 400 organisations, of which 50-60 had been consistently active, were currently in the forefront of demanding something from OIL. Many of these demands were beyond the purview of OIL's CSR policy and focus areas. Additionally, being a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), OIL also faced multiple demands from the government. On February 16, 2019, news arrived that there was yet another blockade in Duliajan, Assam. What should OIL do to address and possibly mitigate operational interruptions?

Analisis Risiko K3 pada Bongkar Muat di Pelabuhan dengan Metode HAZOP (Hazard Analysis and Operability Study) (Studi Kasus : PT. XYZ)

Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) is one of the very important factors in the smooth production process so that the OHS program must be implemented in every company. One possible cause of accidents is still ignoring the requirements and regulations in OHS. Lack of awareness and concern for OHS, resulting in the risk of accidents occurring in the loading and unloading process such as blisters on the hands, slipping, and falling objects. In this case the Occupational Safety and Health (OHS) management is required to be implemented during the loading and unloading process because this is also part of the planning and control of the loading and unloading process. To analyze the hazards to OHS risk in this study, the HAZOP (Hazard Analysis and Operability Study) method aims to identify, provide assessments and overcome OHS risk factors. In the process of loading and unloading. Based on the assessment on the Risk Matrix, there are 3 (three) levels of risk levels that have the potential to cause work hazards. The level of risk consists of high risk, medium risk, low risk. From this research there are no sources of hazard that are of extreme value, 2 (two) hazard sources that have a "high risk" value are in "placing a crane, and loading and unloading, 4 (four) hazard sources that have a" moderate risk "value on "Preparing loading and unloading equipment, Installing slings and Hooks to crane cranes, Workers entering barges, and Directing transport trucks" and 1 (one) source of hazard which has a "low risk" value found in "Installing slings and hooks on hook cranes.

A Survey on the Role of Industrial IoT in Manufacturing for Implementation of Smart Industry.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative technology that presents effective and attractive solutions to revolutionize various domains. Numerous solutions based on the IoT have been designed to automate industries, manufacturing units, and production houses to mitigate human involvement in hazardous operations. Owing to the large number of publications in the IoT paradigm, in particular those focusing on industrial IoT (IIoT), a comprehensive survey is significantly important to provide insights into recent developments. This survey presents the workings of the IoT-based smart industry and its major components and proposes the state-of-the-art network infrastructure, including structured layers of IIoT architecture, IIoT network topologies, protocols, and devices. Furthermore, the relationship between IoT-based industries and key technologies is analyzed, including big data storage, cloud computing, and data analytics. A detailed discussion of IIoT-based application domains, smartphone application solutions, and sensor- and device-based IIoT applications developed for the management of the smart industry is also presented. Consequently, IIoT-based security attacks and their relevant countermeasures are highlighted. By analyzing the essential components, their security risks, and available solutions, future research directions regarding the implementation of IIoT are outlined. Finally, a comprehensive discussion of open research challenges and issues related to the smart industry is also presented.

Experimental study on interaction between the internal solitary wave and a hydrofoil based on the spectral proper orthogonal decomposition

Internal solitary waves (ISWs) are a well-known phenomenon of water motion in the ocean, and their strong shear flow has a non-negligible harm to underwater marine engineering structures. To clarify the variation law of flow field and force during the interaction between ISW and common marine engineering structures-hydrofoils, in this paper, the spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) method is introduced into the ISW problem for the first time. The advantage of this method is that it can display the flow field information in the frequency domain, and we obtained the flow field structure in the frequency domain during the whole flow process and mode 1 at the primary frequency with this method. We also obtained the time evolution flow field and force data through the particle image velocimetry technology and force sensor. The results show that the characteristics of flow field described by time domain and frequency domain show good consistency. According to the analyses results, we divide the flow process into low-frequency steady state and high-frequency disturbance. Most notably, we use the SPOD method to find that the sub-peak threshold of the flow frequency is surprisingly consistent with the sub-peak threshold of the force frequency. The main modes and frequency information of the flow field obtained by the SPOD method can provide valuable guidance for hydrofoil structures to avoid and predict ISW hazards in actual marine engineering operations.

Applying Utility Criteria to Select the Design Variant of the Transport System in Underground Mine Workings

This article presents a new, in-house developed method of selecting a variant of the transport system in the underground of a mine, using multi-variant decision support, taking into account the specificity of an underground mining plant. The implementation of the method should facilitate the selection of the most optimal transport system, ensuring continuity and the lowest operating costs. Seven functional criteria are proposed herein, which may be of a stimulant or destimulant nature. Each criterion was assigned a specific scoring weight reflecting the level of significance, with the sum of the weights being 100. The highest scores for the variants in the individual criteria go to those characterized by the following traits: the shortest transport time, the highest compatibility with the transport system already existing in the mine, transport routes with the greatest coverage communication, allow workers to be transported to the front of the excavation as quickly as possible, are most compatible with the existing transport systems in terms of the reinforcement and removal of longwalls, have a drive with the lowest operational hazard, have the least negative impact on the atmosphere of workings (exhaust gas emissions), and those that will ensure the best functioning of transport in emergency situations involving risk or uncertainty. For each criterion, a scoring formula based on specific parameters is provided. The method was used to select the optimal variant of the transport system in one of the mines, where four long walls were cut and four long galleries were drilled. Out of ten variants, the variant that should ensure the highest degree of reliable transport operation and continuity of operation has been determined using seven usability criteria.

Analisis Resiko pada Operasional Konveksi PT. Alam Pelangi Jaya Memakai Metode House of Risk

Operational risk is the non-functioning of a system, human resources, technology, etc. which causes deviations due to non-conformity from what is expected. Many factors cause operational risks to occur. In this research, a case study of convection operational risks, there are risks that cause financial losses to the company. By analyzing risks, risk-causing factors, and mitigation techniques, the House of Risk method is used in this study to identify hazards in convection operations. There are 12 risk agents with 20 identified causes, resulting in 12 priority strategies, namely looking for closer suppliers, holding meetings with company operations/coordinating using language/actions that are easy to understand, creating appropriate K3 SOP, maintaining every tool used, placing orders. via telephone, carrying out selection with experts for each worker, assessing the reasons behind delays and putting new plans in place to schedule the delivery of goods, enforcing severe rules against those who break them, getting the company's diesel engines ready, creating a list of design drawings that have been submitted and those that haven't, Creating and altering design creation processes