Tank Truck Research Articles

Trench Fires Resulting from Accidental Releases from Tanker Trucks: Assessing the Thermal Effect on Roadside Territory

The risk posed by spill and subsequent fire during road transportation of flammable liquid is considered in the paper. Attention is paid to a pool fire than can occur in roadside terrain. Circumstances and road situations increasing the likelihood of a spill and fire accident are analysed. The problem under study is an assessment of thermal radiation induced by a roadside pool fire. This study applied a pool fire model known as a trench fire to a roadside situation. The trench fire is considered to be a likely type of a pool fire due to presence of roadside ditches and other oblong low areas along the road. The estimation of the thermal radiation from trench fires is carried out in the deterministic way due to actual lack of systematic uncertainty modelling related to pool fires. Deterministic models developed for estimating the radiation of pool and trench fires are presented and illustrated by a transportation case study. The case study reveals that the thermal radiation emitted by a trench fire can endanger objects positioned in the intermediate vicinity to the road. Further spread of fire into more distant locations is possible only through the domino effect. Incorporation of the thermal radiation models into a transportation risk assessment is discussed in brief. Findings of this study are viewed as knowledge that can be used for refining the estimation of risk posed by transportation of hazardous materials.

Integrated production and distribution planning for industrial gases supply chains

A challenge in planning the operations of multisite production networks is the need to simultaneously balance production across sites while satisfying customers demand and keeping customer service levels high and overall costs low. Accordingly, we present a planning approach for the simultaneous optimization of production and distribution operations. Specifically, we consider a regional Argon supply chain, comprised of multiple production sites and customers, in which liquid Argon is distributed through tanker trucks under cryogenic conditions. The proposed approach first generates detailed routes and then uses these routes in an integrated model to fully optimize production and distribution. Using a series of case studies, based on industrially inspired data, we show that the proposed approach leads to high quality results for regional networks of real-world sizes.

Multi-Objective Optimization of a T-Shaped Anti-Sloshing Baffle Based on NSGA-II

Unlike the solid cargo in the truck, the liquid in the tank truck fluctuates with the movement of the vehicle. Most of the current research study focuses on the transverse shock caused by the sloshing liquid and control of the liquid movement in the lateral direction. However, the movement of the fluid in the longitudinal direction also harms the vehicle dynamic. It is caused by the acceleration or deceleration of the truck. To lower the risk, the T-shaped anti-sloshing baffle is designed based on the current research study. To improve the conflict performance of the anti-sloshing baffle, the approximation model and multi-objective optimization method are initiated. The relationship between the anti-sloshing effect and the structural parameters of the anti-sloshing baffle is established by the Kriging method. The NSGA-II is initiated to minimize the maximum pressure caused by the moving liquid and the increasing mass of the anti-sloshing baffle. The maximum pressure is decreased by 40.97%, and the anti-sloshing baffle mass is decreased by 2.77%. With the optimized anti-sloshing baffle, the maximum pressure, waving damping time, and the baffle mass are decreased; the force on the tank walls and baffles is distributed more evenly, and the safety of the truck is improved.

Real-time risk assessment model for hazmat release accident involving tank truck

The main objective of this paper is to develop a real-time risk assessment model for havzmat release accidents involving a tank truck. The proposed model can make full use of multiple real-time data and static data for the purpose of quantifying the risk of hazmat release faced by the tank truck at each moment in the driving process. In order to achieve the above function, we improve the risk quantification method in ARAMIS (Accidental Risk Assessment Methodology for Industries System) for real-time risk assessment. For quantifying the possibility, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method based on fuzzy rules is used to synthesize multiple evaluation indicators; For quantifying the intensity and vulnerability, a “potential impact zone” model based on the Gaussian plume model is proposed to describe the influence range of toxic gas leak, and point of interest (POI) data is used to identify critical targets. Through the analysis of the road test results, the effectiveness of the proposed model is verified. The significance of this study is to provide a real-time risk quantification tool for tank trucks, which can be programmed and embedded into various driving auxiliary or safety management systems in the future.

Optimal Scheduling for Integrated Energy-Mobility Systems Based on Renewable-to-Hydrogen Stations and Tank Truck Fleets

Emerging hydrogen energy storage technologies present a potential opportunity to increase the flexibility and resiliency of the integrated power and transportation system with ultra-high penetration of renewable energy. This paper studies a conceptual integrated energy-mobility system (IEMS) based on renewable-to-hydrogen stations (RHSs) and tank truck fleets. In an RHS, the renewables power the grid while also charge a hydrogen energy storage unit that can perform power-to-hydrogen (P2H) and hydrogen-to-power (H2P) operations. Besides, using tank truck fleets, the RHS will distribute its surplus hydrogen products to local consumers, e.g., refueling stations serving hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The operation framework of the IEMS is analyzed, and some preprocessing technologies are developed to reduce modeling complexity, then, a joint optimal scheduling model, involving renewable generation contract, P2H, and H2P of the station, hydrogen product demands of the local consumers, vehicle routing problem of the truck fleets, is established. Afterward, the formulated problem is solved by a heuristic method based on the Exhaustive Search and Genetic Algorithm. Numerical results verify the effectiveness of the joint optimal scheduling model and illustrate that the IEMS has the potentials to promote hydrogen-integrated transportation and power systems.

Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida from refrigerated raw milk: genetic diversity and lipoproteolytic activity.

In this research communication the genetic diversity of Pseudomonas fluorescens (n = 67) and Pseudomonas putida (n = 44) isolated from refrigerated raw milk from bulk tank trucks were verified. The relationship between the genetic profile of the isolates and their lipoproteolytic potential was evaluated using skim milk agar and tributyrin agar (21°C/72 h). The lipoproteolytic potential (low or high), evaluated by the diameter of the halos (cm), was correlated with the number of milk producing properties that contributed to each sample (one sample = one bulk tank truck; 8-80 producers/sample) and the distance between the dairy properties and the processing plant (21-370 km). P. fluorescens was confirmed in all samples, while P. putida in 60% samples. For both species, two clusters (I and II) were observed, and the first one showed lower genotypic diversity and the presence of isolates with 100% similarity. P. fluorescens isolates presenting at least 70% similarity were 83.9% in Cluster I (n = 31) and 44.4% in Cluster II. In both clusters (I and II) observed in the P. fluorescens dendrogram, the occurrence of high proteolytic and lipolytic potential were equivalent. The higher the number of farms per milk sample, the greater the lipoproteolytic intensity of P. fluorescens isolates. In relation to P. putida isolates, 74% presented at least 50% similarity in Cluster I (n = 27) and only 35% in Cluster II (n = 17). The occurrence of high proteolysis linked to P. putida was proportional between both Clusters, but the occurrence of high lipolysis was greater in Cluster II. No significant association was detected between P. putida isolates and the variables studied. The results indicate the circulation of P. putida and P. fluorescens with 100% similarity in different milk producing regions. The level of genetic diversity was related only to the lipolytic capacity of P. putida.

Study on the handheld monitoring equipment and the supervisory method for transportation loss of oil tank trucks

At present, the oil of oil fields in remote areas and well sites without petroleum pipeline are mainly transported by oil tankers. Oil will spill and be stolen during the process of transportation, resulting in a large difference between the amount of oil loaded at first and the amount of oil unloaded in the end. The traditional method is to measure and print the bill when loading oil, not to re-measure when unloading oil, and to pay according to the bill, which causes great economic loss. Aiming at tackle this problem, this paper designs and realizes a handheld monitoring device and supervision method for the transportation loss of oil tanker. It integrates EEPROM, RTC real-time clock, PCF8563T memory, LED display lamp, LCD1602 display screen and speakers, and communicates and transmits oil quantity information with primary instruments of oil pumping equipment and oil unloading equipment, the information stored by the device can be read by the communication software of the host computer, and the information can be analyzed, calculated and settled accurately by the management software of the host computer. It can effectively prevent oil leakage and oil stealing during transportation.

Study on the Liquid Centroid Positions of Elliptical Tank Trucks under Different Steering Conditions

There is a certain gas phase space in the filling of tank trucks, and the position of the liquid center of mass in the tank will change when the tank truck is being steered, which affects the driving stability of the vehicle. Taking the elliptical cross section of the tank truck body as the research object and based on the quasi-static mechanical model, the exact algorithm model of liquid centroid positions in different steering conditions of tank trucks have been deduced. Then, taking centrifugal acceleration, the liquid filling ratio, and the tank shape and dimension as independent variables and the centroid coordinates as the dependent variables, respectively, and applying MATLAB to describe the change of the liquid centroid position, the liquid centroid position in the elliptical tank truck is described when the elliptical tank truck is being steered. The factors affecting the steering stability of the tank truck are also analyzed. The conclusion provides a theoretical basis for further research into the running stability of tank trucks, the optimization of a tank’s shape and size, the modeling of lateral sloshing mechanics, and the software algorithm for the reconstruction of tank truck accidents.

Optimizing diesel fuel supply chain operations to mitigate power outages for hurricane relief

Hurricanes can cause severe property damage and casualties in coastal regions. Diesel fuel plays a crucial role in hurricane disaster relief. It is important to optimize fuel supply chain operations so that emergency diesel fuel demand for power generation in a hurricane’s immediate aftermath can be mitigated. It can be challenging to estimate diesel fuel demand and make informed decisions in the distribution process, accounting for the hurricane’s path and severity. We develop predictive and prescriptive models to guide diesel fuel supply chain operations for hurricane disaster relief. We estimate diesel fuel demand from historical weather forecasts and power outage data. This predictive model feeds a prescriptive stochastic programming model implemented in a rolling-horizon fashion to dispatch tank trucks. This data-driven optimization tool provides a framework for decision support in preparation for approaching hurricanes, and our numerical results provide insights regarding key aspects of operations.

Dietary intake and prevalence of metabolic syndrome among tanker truck drivers in Ghana

PurposeThis study aims to assess dietary intake and prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among tanker truck drivers in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study design enrolled 212 fuel tanker drivers. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary and biochemical data were collected. MetS was assessed using the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) 2005 criteria. A three-day 24-h dietary recall was used to assess dietary intake. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the predicting factors of MetS among study participants.FindingsThe prevalence of MetS was 19.6% according to NCEP ATP III criteria. The prevalence of obesity, high BP, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidemia among participants were 7.5, 39.7, 37.7 and 57.3%, respectively. The energy intake for 176 (88.4%) of the participants was inadequate. The predicting factors of MetS were age (OR: 1.3, p = 0.04), glycated haemoglobin (OR: 9.6, p = 0.004), systolic blood pressure (OR: 1.2 95%, p = 0.01) and service years (OR: 0.8, p = 0.01).Research limitations/implicationsThe current study focused on MetS among tanker truck drivers in Kumasi metropolis, which makes the current findings only limited to drivers of tanker truck within the municipality. Additionally, the 24-h dietary recall could be subjected to recall bias. However, the study is still of relevance as it becomes the first to target such a group within the municipality, taking into consideration the importance of these tanker truck drivers in driving the economy of Ghana.Originality/valueThis study highlights dietary intake and MetS among fuel tanker drivers previously underreported in the Ghanaian population. Findings of this study would inform further studies on lifestyle-related determinants of MetS among other cohort of drivers in other settings within the country.

Effects of Evaporative Emissions Control Measurements on Ozone Concentrations in Brazil

In this work, the possible benefits obtained due to the implementation of evaporative emissions control measures, originating from vehicle fueling processes, on ozone concentrations are verified. The measures studied are: (1) control at the moment when the tank trucks supply the fuel to the gas stations (Stage 1); (2) control at the moment when the vehicles are refueled at the gas stations, through a device installed in the pumps (Stage 2); (3) same as the previous control, but through a device installed in the vehicles (ORVR). The effects of these procedures were analyzed using numerical modeling with the VEIN and WRF/Chem models for a base case in 2018 and different emission scenarios, both in 2018 and 2031. The results obtained for 2018 show that the implementation of Stages 1 and 2 would reduce HCNM emissions by 47.96%, with a consequent reduction of 19.9% in the average concentrations of tropospheric ozone. For 2031, the greatest reductions in ozone concentrations were obtained with the scenario without ORVR, and with Stage 1 and Stage 2 (64.65% reduction in HCNM emissions and 31.93% in ozone), followed by the scenario with ORVR and with Stage 1 and Stage 2 (64.39% reduction in HCNM emissions and 32.98% in ozone concentrations).

Rollover stability analysis of liquid tank truck taking into account the road profiles

The rollover stability of the tank truck was quite poor compare with others due to the influence of the oscillating liquid inside the tank. In addition, it was also affected by road excitation during driving. Therefore, the paper presents the impact of the road profiles in turning and lane change maneuvers on the rollover stability characteristics of a liquid tank truck. Firstly, the study applies the quasi-static method and the roll model to built the dynamic model of a circular cross-section tank truck. After that, the Lagrange method and the D'Alembert's principle are used to set up the differential equations which are then used to investigate rollover stability of vehicle corresponding with each liquid level. The research used the value of the load transfer ratio (LTR), crest factor of LTR and the roll angle of suspension to evaluate vehicle stability in the time domain and the transfer function magnitude of LTR in the frequency domain. The simulation results had shown that the tank truck tends to a rollover phenomenon at the fluid level in tank of 50% and 75% (0.8m and 1.2m) when the vehicle ran survey road profiles in a steady state turning maneuver and in a lane change maneuver as there was not the road excitation. The research results can provide recommendations when operating liquid tank truck, developing control systems and warning of rollover.

Microbiological profile of raw refrigerated and processed bovine milk at dairy industries from Vale do Taquari, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Milk is an essential food, widely consumed by the population. Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of milk. Milk quality is influenced by several factors in all its stages of production. The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological profile of refrigerated and processed raw bovine milk from industries in Vale do Taquari, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, using metagenomic analysis. A total of six samples were collected, one of refrigerated raw milk from the tanker truck, one of pasteurized milk and one of milk sterilized by the ultra-high temperature (UHT) process, in each of the industries. The identification of the milk microbiota was performed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The results show that refrigerated raw milk has a greater number of microorganisms, followed by pasteurized milk and sterilized milk, successively. Processed milk showed the presence of beneficial microorganisms such as Streptococcus thermophilus and Streptococcus macedonicus. Nevertheless, even UHT milk showed the presence of microorganisms considered harmful, such as the Bacillus cereus group, Aeromonas dhakensis, Enterobacter bacterium and Acinetobacter haemolyticus. Metagenomics is a valuable tool for the thorough evaluation of the milk microbiota in order to implement the processing stages in industries.

Влияние изменения климата и водообеспеченности на социально-экономические аспекты и здоровье населения в Аральском районе Кызылординской области, Казахстан

The research aimed to investigate the impacts of climate change and water availability on the socio-economic aspects and overall health of the population in Aral District of Kyzylorda Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study focused on the following indicators: demographic characteristics of fertility, mortality (total, infant, maternal), natural population growth and life expectancy, population health indicators, disease incidence growth due to adverse ecology and harsh climate in 2005-2019. In addition, a sociological survey was conducted (August 31-September 10) in 15 settlements inside the study area that included 120 people. The survey aimed to collect feedback from the district residents on their general wellbeing and health status. The questionnaires and survey allowed establishing that overall the residents in the study area were satisfied with their level of income, did not associate their health condition with climate change, and did not intend to migrate elsewhere. In other words, in Aral District of Kyzylorda Region population migration occurs mainly due to the desire to obtain secondary and higher education, as well as improve housing conditions. The water supply in the study area showed no significant regression relation with climate change due to the installation of water pumps and delivery of drinking water by tank trucks. The most important finding is that – contrary to the initial hypothesis – based on the survey outcomes, the district demonstrated a stable increase in population due to births and immigration. Thus, according to this study Kazakhstan’s section of the Aral Sea Region manifests no catastrophic situation.

Stability of tanker trucks using the Davies method

The stability of heavy vehicles is an issue that has been worked on in recent times. For this, several models that allow to determine how prone a vehicle is to rollover have been developed. However, most of these models use fixed loads to take their measurements without including shifting loads that in certain cases decrease the stability of the vehicles. With this in mind, this article proposes a two-dimensional kinematic model to determine the Static Rollover Threshold (SRT) using the Davies Method as an analysis tool. Lastly, a case study is carried out to determine the influence of the load on the reduction of vehicle stability.

Focus on Tank truck drivers Vision in ensuring Safe Road transportation of hazardous petroleum products

Focus on Tank truck drivers Vision in ensuring Safe Road transportation of hazardous petroleum products

MODEL OF VEHICLE ROUTING PROBLEM WITH SPLIT DELIVERY, MULTI TRIPS, MULTI PRODUCTS AND COMPARTMENTS FOR DETERMINING FUEL DISTRIBUTION ROUTES

The industrial development in Indonesia encourages companies to have high sensitivity in competing to meet consumer demands promptly by considering minimum distribution costs. One of the factors that can affect distribution costs is route determination. Determining the distribution route is the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP). The purpose of VRP is to arrange the order of distribution routes to produce a minimum total distance. This study aims to determine the fuel distribution route at TBBM Rewulu in one delivery period to obtain the optimal distribution route and minimize the vehicle mileage. Delivery is carried out using three types of tanker trucks with heterogeneous capacities. This study uses a mathematical model of Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) by considering split delivery, multi trips, multi-products, and compartments.The branch and bound method in the LINGO solver has been used to solve this problem. This model was tested on a simple case using data of 8 customers with different distances and demand shipped by truck. The results obtained indicate that no boundaries are violated, and all consumers are served. The mathematical model built is still general, so it can solve similar cases. A model can be developed for further research by adding VRP variants such as time windows and adding the product types to represent the entire existing system.

Implementation of a Computerized System Based on the Recursive Core Heuristic (RCH) Algorithm for Optimal Filling of Tankers

The paper focuses on the implementation of a computerized dispatching system for petroleum products in service stations for the company SEPCONGO. The objective is to achieve a software allowing to automate the optimal planning of filling of tanker trucks by using the tools proposed by Operational Research, more precisely of the combinatorial optimization resolution methods for the multiple backpack problem. In this contribution we propose the design and realization of a computerized system for optimal filling and dispatching of tank trucks through the service stations of the City of Kinshasa based on a mathematical optimization problem, with making an optimal good decision. Knowing the trajectory of vehicles is important for a company because it saves time and capital. In this article, we clearly show that with a backpack algorithm we can easily solve the dispatching problem. However, we are proposing a system that will allow SEPCONGO to optimize the delivery of products through the city of Kinshasa in particular and those of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Phyto-based sodium chloride hydrogel for highway winter maintenance of porous asphalt pavements

The need of the highway agencies to customize their winter maintenance operations on porous asphalt pavements prompted the authors to develop an innovative anti-icing technology based on the hot liquid spray application of a saline hydrogel. A bio-based (phyto-based) thermo-sensitive sodium chloride (NaCl) brine, that has the ability to form a gel simply by coming into contact with a very cold surface, was conceived. The increase in viscosity and the formation of a gel-like structure would make this anti-icing product able of filling the surface voids without permeating through the mixture (longer residual deicing effectiveness), while maintaining at the same time the pavement frictional resistance. In view of adopting sustainable winter maintenance strategies, this innovative blend was formulated by exploiting the thickening and gelling properties of wall-cell polysaccharides contained in seaweeds fibers. The mechanisms of gel formation were experimentally studied in laboratory, analyzing in detail the thermal and rheological properties of the salt hydrogel during the different phases of preparation, storage and application. On the basis of this characterization, a full-scale validation was carried out on an existing highway porous asphalt pavement. For this purpose, a tank truck prototype was equipped with a heating capacity tank and a customized specific spraying system.

Toward a detailed understanding of the rocket propulsion process and prediction on the trajectory of a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE)

To mitigate the hazards of fragments during a runaway reaction explosion or a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE), an accurate estimate of the maximum kinetic energy of the fragments and the trajectory is critical. On June 13, 2020, an LPG tanker truck slanted over and exploded on the highway interchange at Wenling, Zhejiang Province, China. A BLEVE occurred initially, with the cylindrical vessel rupturing into one end-cap and one rocket-like vessel. The 12-ton rocket-like projectile was thrown 364 m away, resulting in an LPG vapor cloud larger than 300 m, followed by several explosions ultimately. It provided a good opportunity to study the ‘rocket’ BLEVE process and to evaluate the potential trajectory model. Image analysis technique and 3D modeling using SketchUp were employed to reconstruct the spatial and temporal information in the accident, by comparing the Sketchup model with the accident video information processed by MATLAB. An accurate trajectory of the fragment was reconstructed, giving the projectile velocity to be 170–176 m/s and the averaged trajectory angle around 8°. The BLEVE process was further modeled using a two-phase flow discharge model together with a rocket propulsion model, and the predicted results fit well with those as estimated by the reconstructed model. The trajectory of the fragment was also modeled using the projectile velocity and trajectory angle, together with discussion on the effects of air drag resistance, which provided a good prediction and fit well with the trajectory in the SketchUp model.