Smoky Environment Research Articles

ЕКСПЕРИМЕНТАЛЬНІ МЕТОДИ ОЦІНЮВАННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ ПЕРЕНОСНИХ ЗАСОБІВ ДИМО- ТА ТЕПЛОВИДАЛЕННЯ

Наведено результати експериментальних досліджень з визначення коефіцієнту ефективного зменшення задимленості і коефіцієнту ефективного зниження температури під час реалізації трьох варіантів нормалізації газоповітряного середовища у випробувальному боксі, а саме під час створення задимленого та високотемпературного середовища та подальшого самостійного зменшення задимленості і зниження температури, під час димо та тепловидалення шляхом нагнітання повітря та шляхом одночасного подавання повітря та розпиленого струменя води до випробувального боксу за допомогою переносного засобу димо- та тепловидалення

Technique for Studying of the Dynamics of Changes of a Smoky Environment Parameters during the Transition of Pyrolysis to Flame Combustion

The existing methods for monitoring the performance of multi-criteria fire detectors do not provide for verification of their characteristics in the conditions of transition from smoldering to flame burning. The aim of the work is the development of the research methods of the environmental parameters during the transition from smoldering (pyrolysis) to flame combustion for simulation a test fire while checking the quality of multi-criteria fire detectors.A technique to conduct research of environmental parameters under conditions of heating wood samples of different sizes to a temperature of selfignition and burning crumpled and smooth paper has been developed.Changes in the concentration of carbon monoxide, specific optical density, and scattering ability during the transition from smoldering (pyrolysis) to flame burning of prepared wood and crumpled paper were studied for the first time.It is shown that the controlled environmental parameters during the transition from smoldering pyrolysis to flame burning change together. Conclusion: the speed of growth of the scattering ability of smoke decreases by 2.4 times, the speed of increase in the specific optical density and concentration of carbon monoxide increases by 2 and 5.3 times (respec-tively), during the transition from pyrolysis to flame burning of wood.

ОБГРУНТУВАННЯ ТЕХНІЧНИХ ВИМОГ ПОЖЕЖНОГО МАЯЧКА

Розглянуто питання щодо необхідності створення пожежного маячка. Обґрунтовано технічні вимоги до пожежного світлового маячка з урахуванням основних недоліків в існуючих моделях світлових аналогів. Описано будову та принцип роботи експериментального зразка пожежного маячка. Наведено результати експериментальних досліджень з визначення світлотехнічних характеристик пожежних маячків при роботі у задимленому середовищі різної оптичної щільності.

Improving airborne far-field ultrasound acoustic imaging systems using high-K acoustic metamaterial

Airborne far-field ultrasound acoustic imaging systems allow scanning a large area that light-based imaging systems fail, such as glass walls and smoky environments. To scan the environment with great details, High-frequency acoustic waves should be used, but high-frequency waves attenuate fast, and it leads to low-range imaging. To address this challenge, a high-k acoustic metamaterial is used. This metamaterial is constructed of a subwavelength sequence of air-material layers and compresses the wave in a way that sound pressure increase in a particular frequency. In this research, a Uniform Linear Array consists of 30 microphones that designed to get a real-time 2-D image of the environment. Using this metamaterial increases the imaging range from 6 m to 15 m. It also improves the capability of the system to recognize small obstacles. By using the metamaterial array, an obstacle with a diameter of 1 cm is visible at a distance of 6 m while the smallest recognizable obstacle for the microphone array at the same distance has the diameter of 6 cm. The effect of the obstacle size and distance on image amplitude has been investigated and compensated. It is concluded that using metamaterials do not only increase the signal to noise ratio but also increase the quality of the image of a complex environment which consists of obstacles with different diameters.Airborne far-field ultrasound acoustic imaging systems allow scanning a large area that light-based imaging systems fail, such as glass walls and smoky environments. To scan the environment with great details, High-frequency acoustic waves should be used, but high-frequency waves attenuate fast, and it leads to low-range imaging. To address this challenge, a high-k acoustic metamaterial is used. This metamaterial is constructed of a subwavelength sequence of air-material layers and compresses the wave in a way that sound pressure increase in a particular frequency. In this research, a Uniform Linear Array consists of 30 microphones that designed to get a real-time 2-D image of the environment. Using this metamaterial increases the imaging range from 6 m to 15 m. It also improves the capability of the system to recognize small obstacles. By using the metamaterial array, an obstacle with a diameter of 1 cm is visible at a distance of 6 m while the smallest recognizable obstacle for the microphone array at t...

Passive Multiple Target Indoor Localization Based on Joint Interference Cancellation in an RFID System

Radio frequency identification (RFID) provides a simple and effective solution to the passive indoor localization. The conventional wisdom about RFID localization is using reference tags. It performs well in tag or passive single target localization. However, in the passive multiple target scenario, reference tag based localization suffers from some limitations, including the array aperture, mutual coupling of reference tags, and coherent superimposition signals. These problems are harmless and ignored in tag or passive single target localization, but degrade the performance severely in passive multiple target scenario. Therefore, in this paper, the authors propose a joint interference cancellation method to mitigate the effect of these limitations. Uniform circular array (UCA) of reference tags were used to reduce the interference of the array aperture. A carefully designed relative position of adjacent reference tags and a modified channel model were combined to reduce the mutual coupling. A virtual distributed reader antenna array was used to reduce the false positive and false negative estimations. The system was evaluated in real indoor environment using noodles and colas as targets and can work well in a smoky environment that is similar to some real industrial environments. The accuracy of target number estimation is 97.5%. The spatial resolution is about 30 cm, and the median error of 2-D multiple target localization is about 5.5 cm.

Analytical study of optical coefficient transmission system "illuminator – slabosolenym environment – receiver»

For early diagnosis of fires, optical sensors built on the non-geometrical principle are widely used. When designing such sensors, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of light scattering in a smoky environment. The aim of the work was an analytical study of the optical transmission coefficient in the system "illuminator-low - smoke medium - receiver". The methods of theoretical system analysis were used in the work. Theoretical studies of the optical transmission coefficient of the "illuminator-low - smoke medium - receiver"system are carried out. It is established that it depends on the angle of rotation. A smoke meter of this type can be a reliable smoke detector only at such threshold levels that significantly exceed the possible fluctuations in the content of aerosol interference in controlled atmospheres, for example, dust. The theory considered by the authors provides a basis for finding the limits of the resolution of smoke sensors in atmospheres with different degrees of aerosol pollution. The theory is used by the authors to construct an optical scheme of a small-sized highly sensitive smoke meter.

The voice use of street artists.

To investigate the voice use of street artists from their vocal complaints, vocal disadvantage related to their profession, the perception of the conditions and the environment in which they use their voice, in addition to the role of the voice in their profession. Twenty-four street artists participated in this study. They all responded to two protocols: Vocal Symptoms Scale (VSS) and Vocal Disadvantage Index (VDI-10), and to two questionnaires: one with objective questions related to their working conditions and environment, and the other containing open questions regarding the meaning of the voice. Mean values of responses to both protocols were calculated. Frequency description and percentiles present the results of the questionnaire with closed questions. Analysis of the data from the questionnaire with open questions was done using the content analysis method. Mean values of the VSS were above normal limits, while the mean values of the VDI-10 were within normal limits. Some risk factors for vocal disorders were found, as the lack of use of the microphone and a dusty, smoky, and noisy working environment. Regarding the importance of the voice, two categories were identified: the need to care for their voice and the impact their voice has on people. There are vocal complaints among street artists, but no vocal disadvantage was found. The working conditions and environment are a risk to the artists' voice. The importance of the voice to the group is related to their professional activities, relation with the public, and professional and personal satisfaction.

Respiratory Health Status of Workers in a Bottling Factory in Benin City, Nigeria.

Introduction: There is a paucity of data on the respiratory health status of workers in bottling factories in Benin City, Nigeria. Such data will help to drive future studies and influence policy development on occupational health and safety in the country. This study assesses the respiratory symptoms and spirometric indices of exposed workers and controls. Methods: Respiratory symptoms and spirometric parameters of 18 workers on routine mandatory annual lung screening were assessed using the modified MRC (Medical Research Council) questionnaire and spirometer respectively, according to the European Respiratory Society and American Thoracic Society (ERS/ATS) guidelines. Results: The mean age of workers was 35.1 ± 6.7 years. Workers and controls were similar in age, sex, BMI (Body Mass Index) and health status (p > 0.05). Respiratory symptoms were significantly higher among workers compared to controls. Overall, the result was statistically significant in the variables of wheeze in a smoky or dusty environment, presence of at least one respiratory symptom, better symptoms at weekends and better symptoms during holidays (p < 0.05). In particular, 6 (33.3%) exposed workers had wheeze in a smoky or dusty environment, 9 (50.0%) exposed workers reported at least one respiratory symptom compared with 2 (11.1%) controls, 5 (27.8%) had better symptoms at weekends, and 7 (38.9%) had better symptoms at holidays (p < 0.05). Generally, the reported frequency of respiratory symptoms among exposed workers were: cough (22.2%), sputum production (5.6%), breathlessness (11.1%) and wheeze (44.4%). Similarly, workers had significantly lower spirometric indices than controls, particularly in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC (FEF 25–75%) measurements. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of adverse respiratory health effects among bottling factory workers which requires further investigation.

A big data driven analytical framework for energy-intensive manufacturing industries

Abstract Energy-intensive industries account for almost 51% of energy consumption in China. A continuous improvement in energy efficiency is important for energy-intensive industries. Cleaner production has proven itself as an effective way to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. However, there is a lack of manufacturing data due to the difficult implementation of sensors in harsh production environment, such as high temperature, high pressure, high acid, high alkali, and smoky environment which hinders the implementation of the cleaner production strategy. Thanks to the rapid development of the Internet of Things, many data can be sensed and collected in the manufacturing processes. In this paper, a big data driven analytical framework is proposed to reduce the energy consumption and emission for energy-intensive manufacturing industries. Then, two key technologies of the proposed framework, namely energy big data acquisition and energy big data mining, are utilized to implement energy big data analytics. Finally, an application scenario of ball mills in a pulp workshop of a partner company is presented to demonstrate the proposed framework. The results show that the energy consumption and energy costs are reduced by 3% and 4% respectively. These improvements can promote the implementation of cleaner production strategy and contribute to the sustainable development of energy-intensive manufacturing industries.

Advanced active imaging system for fires based on terahertz electromagnetic waves: Experimental study of effectiveness in smoky and high-temperature environments

An active imaging system for fires is proposed, based on terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the proposed imaging system compared with an existing system based on near-infrared (NIR) radiation. An experimental study was conducted in several fire environments using both a developed THz array illuminator and an NIR system. As a result, the target object was clearly visible with THz active imaging regardless of the presence or absence of smoke, whereas the image contrast of the target deteriorated with increasing smoke density when using NIR active imaging. There were no appreciable image changes due to temperature differences. Therefore, THz active imaging using an incoherent array illuminator seems to be an effective method to ensure visibility in a fire environment such as a room filling with smoke in the early stages of a fire.

Active imaging with incoherent sub-terahertz radiation in smoky environments

Active imaging with incoherent sub-terahertz radiation in smoky environments

Multi-Robot Searching with Sparse Binary Cues and Limited Space Perception

In this paper, we consider the problem of searching for a source that releases particles in a turbulent medium with searchers having binary sensors and limited space perception.To this aim, we extend an information-theoric strategy to multiple searchers and demonstrate its efficiency both in simulation and robotic experiments. The search time is found to decay as $1/n$ for $n$ cooperative robots as compared to $1/\sqrt{n}$ for independent robots so that significant gains in the search time are obtained with a small number of robots, {\it e.g.} $n=3$. Search efficiency results from pooling sensory information between robots to improve individual decision-making (three detections on average per searcher were sufficient to reach the source). The methods is robust to odometry errors and is thus relevant to robots searching in low visibility conditions, {\it e.g.} firefighter robots exploring smoky environments.

Firefighter Wayfinding in Dark Environments Monitored by RFID

A building on fire is a smoky and dark environment both for firefighters and for civilians trapped inside. The faster firefighters find a way to search for and rescue civilians at a fire scene, the higher the survival rate of those trapped inside. This study presents a discussion on the characteristics of firefighter wayfinding under low visibility. The firefighters who participated in this study underwent testing at a training ground. The participants’ search and wayfinding paths were recorded using radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology. The results revealed that the mean searching time in each room decreased from 135 to 19 s as the firefighters became increasingly familiarized with the task. As expected, data also shows that smaller rooms contributed to shorter searching times. Most participants could manage a maximum of three rooms, with wayfinding confusion manifested after they had searched through the third room. These findings are crucial for the design of fireground strategies and training.

An inexpensive particle monitor for smoker behaviour modification in homes

ObjectiveTo compare the response of a new particle counting instrument (Dylos DC1700) with that produced by a device (TSI Sidepak Personal Aerosol Monitor AM510) commonly used to measure PM2.5 in...

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Portland Cement Composites for Smoke Detection

Smoke detection with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/cement composites have been studied. Pellets of MWCNTs reinforced Portland cement have been casted with varying MWCNTs %. The DC transient studies depicted an increase in conductivity when exposed to smoke. Responsivity in the range 26-46% has been obtained under smoky environment based on MWCNTs % in the composites. Ionic conductivity increased with frequency at room temperature under ambient and smoky environments. In this paper, we also report fabrication technique of the pellets and the sensing mechanism is explained on the basis of ionic conductivity of the cementitious material in combination with the conductive carbon fibers present in the porous matrix of the cement.

Multi-Sensor Person Following in Low-Visibility Scenarios

Person following with mobile robots has traditionally been an important research topic. It has been solved, in most cases, by the use of machine vision or laser rangefinders. In some special circumstances, such as a smoky environment, the use of optical sensors is not a good solution. This paper proposes and compares alternative sensors and methods to perform a person following in low visibility conditions, such as smoky environments in firefighting scenarios. The use of laser rangefinder and sonar sensors is proposed in combination with a vision system that can determine the amount of smoke in the environment. The smoke detection algorithm provides the robot with the ability to use a different combination of sensors to perform robot navigation and person following depending on the visibility in the environment.

Training to Reduce Spatial Disorientation and Improve Navigation Ability of Crewmembers in Space Vehicles

SUMMARY These investigators have used virtual reality to examine methods for astronauts to successfully navigate through a complex space station environment in an emergency egress situation - even when visibility is restricted. There were 36 men and women who were trained (guided tours) to navigate through a virtual space station (based on the ISS) using head-mounted displays and hand controllers in one of three reference-frame orientations. Subjects also took two 3D spatial skills tests. Then, the subjects' to use their environmental knowledge to perform a simulated emergency egress task was tested. Subjects demonstrated a better sense of direction and could describe the configuration of the station better when they were trained using a Station reference frame. Local reference frame trainees learned landmarks better, and they more rapidly when they could see their landmarks; however, they were the slowest to egress in a smoky (visually impaired) environment. Subjects who received both types of egressed as quickly as the Locally-trained group and pointed as accurately as the Station-trained group, but their descriptions of station configuration were not as accurate as those of the Station-trained group. Subject performance in the spatial skills tests was an even better predictor of performance. These results provide information to enhance of astronauts for emergency egress from a space vehicle. The investigators suggest customized to the individual astronaut's spatial ability or a sequenced mixture of Local training and Station training..

Design and Implementation of a New Nonradioactive-Based Machine for Detecting Oil–Water Interfaces in Oil Tanks

In the oil industry, many applications require the measurement of more than one liquid level interface, often in challenging environments. In this paper, a new ultrasonic-based technique has been developed to determine oil, emulsion, and water levels in oil tanks. It consists of a compact and programmable ultrasound-based multilayer level measurement device for which a feed-forward neural network is implemented. The advantages of this method over current methods include contactless distance measurement, higher accuracy, lower cost, simpler setup, and not using ionizing radiation. The other advantage of this technique over light-based methods is its insensitivity to a dusty and smoky environment and independence of the object material and surface. Preliminary experiments have been conducted on the device. In this paper, the design and operating parameters of the device are discussed, and evidence of satisfactory performance is given.

Experimental exposure to wood smoke: effects on airway inflammation and oxidative stress

Background:Particulate air pollution affects cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and mortality. A main hypothesis about the mechanisms involved is that particles induce inflammation in lower airways, systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.Objectives:To...

P1-032: Cancer and How the Community Responses to Nutrition Factors in Developing Country Nepal

The prevalence rate of cancer in Nepal is high. Due to poverty and illiteracy, ost of the patient come to the hospital in later stage. smoking and indoor pollution is major problem in urban and rural community of Nepal. This study was to find out the epidemiology and prevalence of lung cancer in community. Methods:A case-control study involving interviews and clinical reports with 764 patients with lung cancer and 795 population-based controls was conducted in different part of Nepal, where mortality rates are high among men and women Cigarette smoking was found to be the principal cause of lung cancer in this population, accounting for 55% of the lung cancers in males and 37% in females. The attributable risk percentage among females is high compared to elsewhere in Nepal, largely because of a higher prevalence of smoking with local made alcohol among women and poor nutrition diet. After adjustment for smoking, there were also significant increases in lung-cancer risk associated with several measures of exposure to air pollutants. Risks were twice as high among those who reported smoky outdoor environments, and increased in proportion to years of sleeping on beds heated by coal-burning stoves (chulo), and to an overall index of indoor air pollution. Threefold increase in lung cancer risk was found among men industrial occupation. The associations with both smoking and indoor air-pollution were stronger for squamous cell and small cell carcinomas than for adenocarcinoma of the lung. The patient intakes mostly smoked food and having poor vegetables and fruits regularly.