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Date submitted2021-04-27
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Date accepted2021-11-30
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Date published2021-12-27
Regularities of electrochemical cleaning of oil-contaminated soils
Electrochemical cleaning of oil-contaminated soils is a promising area of environmental safety, as it can be easily organized even in locations remote from settlements. For this purpose, a power source and a system of electrodes are necessary as equipment. It is possible to use an electric generator if there are no power supply lines nearby. The material of electrodes affects the features of redox processes, which can affect the energy consumption and the degree of soil cleansing from oil or oil products. Therefore, the correct choice of electrode materials is one of the important tasks in the field of engineering electrochemical methods of purification. Changes in the main parameters (humidity, temperature, degree of acidity) in an oil-contaminated model soil, similar in composition to one of the oil fields, were investigated. Measurements of parameters when using graphite and metal electrodes were carried out at several fixed sections of the interelectrode space depending on the treatment time. The established patterns of parameter changes in the purification of oil-contaminated soils allow us to draw conclusions about the stages of the electrochemical process, its speed, and energy efficiency. The results obtained form a basis for designing industrial facilities for soil treatment.
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Date submitted2020-10-13
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Date accepted2021-03-02
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Date published2021-04-26
Trace element accumulation by soils and plants in the North Caucasian geochemical province
Long-term studies of the North Caucasian geochemical province allowed to establish regional abundances and calculate accumulation (dispersion) factors for chemical elements in rocks, soils, and plants. Certain natural regional patterns characterize the province. Associations of elements in high and low concentrations are often determined by the predominant composition of rocks: carbonate-terrigenous, terrigenous, and igneous. The study of the average contents of several chemical elements in the soils of the province showed that the association of accumulated elements includes metals with different migration characteristics. Thus, despite the rather close values of the ionic radii, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Li (judging by the ionic potential) are characterized by the formation of cations, while Mn, Mo, and Zr form complex ions. Such elements as Zn, Cu, and Pb are mainly accumulated on hydrosulfuric barriers, while Mo, Co, and Mn are stopped by oxygenous barriers. For Cu, Zn, Mo, and Co, biogenic accumulation plays a significant role, while for Pb and Ni it is practically absent. The absolute dispersion of the elements did not reach environmentally hazardous values, although it indicates a fairly intensive migration. In woody plants, Ba, Nb, Sc, Sr, and Zn are accumulated most intensively.
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Date submitted2020-03-20
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Date accepted2020-05-24
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Date published2020-06-30
Landscape monitoring studies of the North Caucasian geochemical province
The data on the geochemical features of the bedrocks and soils of the province are given. Considerable attention is paid to regional abundances, as well as enrichment and dispersion factors of the chemical elements in landscapes. Using the example of the North Caucasus, it is shown that for such indicators as phytomass, geological, geomorphological, and geobotanical features, it is possible to make a preliminary outlining of regional structures corresponding to geochemical provinces. At the same time, a subsequent geochemical study of these structures remains mandatory. Upon determining certain geochemical associations, geochemical provinces can be basically distinguished; to a large extent, geochemical properties of these accumulated and scattered associations of elements contribute to the regional soil geochemistry. The results of long-term monitoring studies of the North Caucasus geochemical province have shown that the key features of the regional landscapes are due to the composition of bedrock and the presence of a large number of ore deposits and occurrences. The data obtained are the basis for assessing the state of the environment in conditions of increasing anthropogenic impact, and the established regional abundances can be used to assess the degree of pollution in agricultural, residential, and mining landscapes.
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Date submitted2020-06-14
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Date accepted2020-06-14
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Date published2020-06-30
Geochemical approach in assessing the technogenic impact on soils
- Authors:
- Galina I. Sarapulova
The soil assessment was carried out in the technogenically-affected area of Irkutsk Oblast with the geochemical approach as a key geoecological method using physical and chemical techniques of analysis and ecodiagnostics. Diagnostic signs of the disturbed natural properties of the soil were revealed up to a depth of 40 cm in the profile based on macro- and micromorphometric parameters. The content of heavy metals (HM) – Pb, Zn, Hg, and Cu with an excess of standards was determined, and empirical HM – pH correlations were obtained by statistical clustering of the data array. The contributions of additional factors affecting the chemical element distribution in the soil layer were investigated. Significant soil contamination with sulfates and the possibility of implementing the ion-exchange of HM andfor element immobilization were revealed. It was shown that reactions with sulfates and the influence of pH, HM exchange processes involving mobile K and P can determine the nature of the described chemical element distribution in the multi-factor-contaminated technogenic soil. However, the effectiveness of such types of interaction is different for each metal and also depends on the quantitative ratio of substances and soil characteristics, even under a minor change in pH. Two-parameter correlations of HM distribution in sulfate-contaminated soils confirmed the different degrees of involvement of chemical elements in these types of interactions. The results obtained and the identified factors are of applied significance and can be used as the basis for geoecological differentiation of the contaminated soil, as well as for determining local geochemical fields in the technogenesis zone. Areas of advanced research are related to three-dimensional modeling for a more complete study of the cause-and-effect relationships of geochemical parameters.
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Date submitted2020-05-07
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Date accepted2020-05-24
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Date published2020-06-30
Study of the technogenesis of the Degtyarsky mine by audio-magnetotelluric express sounding
- Authors:
- Vadim A. Davydov
The audio-magnetotelluric express sounding was performed at four sections crossing the mine field of the currently not functioning Degtyarsky mine. Field measurements were carried out by a universal broadband receiver “OMAR-2m” with active electromagnetic field sensors developed at the Institute of Geophysics UB RAS. Based on the obtained data, deep sections of the electrophysical parameters of the medium – apparent resistivity and effective longitudinal conductivity – are drawn. The nature of the geoelectric structure of the section allows mapping of the major lithochemical contamination plume and identifying the tectonic disturbance zones that drain aggressive mine waters. The mine waters of the Degtyarsky mine are a source of dangerous technogenic pollution. Despite the neutralization of surface runoff, underground routes of acidic water migration occur along tectonic cracks, primarily in the zone of the regional Serovsko-Mauksky fault. Tectonic zones in the mine area contain contaminated fissure-vein water, which is transited at a depth of 70 to over 200 m. Discharging ascending springs of such waters can be located at a great distance from controlled hydrological objects and pollute sources of drinking and household water supply. Urban development in the western and eastern parts of Degtyarsk does not fall within the distribution zone of polluted water. The southern part of the city is located beyond the watershed of the mine water flow area, but a danger of local contamination by tectonic disturbance zones remains possible. The worst environmental situation is observed in the northern outskirts of Degtyarsk, which falls into the area of heavy pollution of underground and surface waters. Besides, acidic fumes from the flooded Kolchedanny quarry can affect the health of city residents when emitted to the atmosphere.
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Date submitted2020-01-10
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Date accepted2020-01-14
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Date published2020-02-25
Biogeochemical assessment of soils and plants in industrial, residential and recreational areas of Saint Petersburg
Soils and plants of Saint Petersburg are under the constant technogenic stress caused by human activity in industrial, residential, and recreational landscapes of the city. To assess the transformed landscapes of various functional zones, we studied utility, housing, and park districts with a total area of over 7,000 hectares in the southern part of the city during the summer seasons of 2016-2018. Throughout the fieldwork period, 796 individual pairs of soil and plant samples were collected.A complex of consequent laboratory studies performed in an accredited laboratory allowed the characterization of key biogeochemical patterns of urban regolith specimens and herbage samples of various grasses. Chemical analyses provided information on the concentrations of polluting metals in soils and plants of different land use zones.Data interpretation and calculation of element accumulation factors revealed areas with the most unfavorable environmental conditions. We believe that a high pollution level in southern city districts has led to a significant degree of physical, chemical, and biological degradation of the soil and vegetation cover. As of today, approximately 10 % of the Technosols in the study area have completely lost the ability to biological self-revitalization, which results in ecosystem malfunction and the urgent need for land remediation.
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Date submitted2019-02-01
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Date accepted2019-09-16
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Date published2020-02-25
Priority parameters of physical processes in a rock mass when determining the safety of radioactive waste disposal
- Authors:
- V. S. Gupalo
Consideration of geodynamic, hydrogeochemical, erosion and other quantitative characteristics describing evolutionary processes in a rock mass is carried out when choosing a geological formation for the disposal of radioactive waste. However, the role of various process parameters is not equal for safety ensuring and additional percentages of measurement accuracy are far from always being of fundamental importance. This makes it necessary to identify various types of indicators of the geological environment that determine the safety of radioactive waste disposal for their detailed study in the conditions of the burial site. An approach is proposed to determine the priority indicators of physical processes in the rock mass that determine the safety of disposal of various types of radio active waste and require increased attention (accuracy, frequency of measurements) when determining in - situ conditions. To identify such factors, we used the sensitivity analysis method that is a system change in the limits of variable values during securty modeling in order to assess their impact on the final result and determine the role of various physical processes in ensuring safety.
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Date submitted2019-05-16
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Date accepted2019-06-29
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Date published2019-10-23
Ensuring the Safety of Construction Works During the Erection of Buildings and Structures
- Authors:
- L. A. Goldobina
- P. A. Demenkov
- O. V. Trushko
When constructing buildings and structures for industrial and civil purposes, it is important to ensure safe working conditions for the tower crane operator and contractors of construction and installation works on the construction site, since these conditions largely determine the performance of the tower crane and the pace of construction in general. Accidents associated with the use of lifting equipment in construction often lead not only to injuries and death within the construction industry, but also affect passers-by who find themselves in the danger zone due to the non- compliance of the construction organization project with the requirements of existing codes of rules containing requirements for labor protection and industrial safety in construction. The article analyzes the causes of accidents in construction that result from the operation of tower cranes, as well as ways to ensure their reliable and safeoperation. The theoretical substantiation and engineering and technical solutions of safety during construction and installation works during the construction of objects due to the improvement of the design of the tower crane cabin and its equipment are offered. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of sensorimotor activity of the operator of the construction machine, which are the basis for engineering solutions developed at the level of inventions of tower cranes cabins of increased visibility and their equipment, are presented.
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Date submitted2019-05-25
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Date accepted2019-07-01
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Date published2019-10-23
Study of the Anthropogenic Impact on the Change of Geoecological Conditions of the Khojahasan Lake, Azerbaijan
- Authors:
- V. A. Mammadov
- A. M. Salamov
- H. Kh. Khalilova
The paper considers the results of geoecological and geophysical studies conducted in the Khojahasan Lake basin in the Western part of Baku. The main purpose of the work was to study the anthropogenic impact on geoecological conditions of the lake. To assess the development of exogenous geological processes in the coastal zone of the lake and their impact on the environment, geophysical studies were carried out by the vertical electric sounding (VES). From 1990 to 2014, the physical and chemical characteristics of water and sediments were studied in a representative section of the lake. Metal concentrations, including such toxic elements as Cu, Zn, Cd, Sr, Ba, Pb, Cr, and Ni, were determined in the trace element composition of bottom sediments. It was revealed that since the mid-XIX century and especially since the second half of the XX century the high rate of population growth and urbanization in the territory of the Absheron Peninsula (in the Republic of Azerbaijan the name Apsheron was changed to Absheron) led to intensive use of natural resources and increased anthropogenic load on the environment. Technogenesis actively violates the natural cycle of matter and energy in lakes (limnogenesis), along with other natu- ral media, as lake basins are located in lowlands and often accumulate industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other discharges. Pollutants accumulated in the lake basin affect hydrobiochemical conditions, transform quantitative and qualitative indicators of the aquatic environment and bottom sediments. Factors affecting the lake landscape are ge- netically different, unequal in the degree and nature of the impact, as well as induration.
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Date submitted2019-05-17
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Date accepted2019-07-25
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Date published2019-10-23
Investigation of the Possibility of Immobilization of Mobile Forms of Arsenic in Technogenic Soils
- Authors:
- O. L. Kachor
- G. I. Sarapulova
- A. V. Bogdanov
Levels of contamination of three mining industrial zones in Irkutsk Oblast and Zabaykalsky Krai were revealed by means of geoecological and geochemical monitoring. Bulk contents and mobile forms of As in soils, stubs, bricks, and dumps of the mining and processing industry were defined. This allowed revealing features of chemical composition of technogenic substrates for the purpose of a choice of a way of their neutralization. The possibility of chemical immobilization of mobile ionic forms of As in natural and man-made objects by treatment with alkaline reagents was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed pharmacolite CaHAsO 4 ·2H 2 O, calcium arsenate Ca 3 (AsO 4 ) 2 , and segnititePb(Fe 3+ ) 3 AsO 4 (AsO 3 OH)(OH) 6 that are formed in the obtained solid insoluble precipitates. Formation of new solid insoluble compounds indicates the chemical binding (immobilization) of arsenic-containing compounds and the irreversibility of the process. This allows us to offer an effective way of fixing toxic agents to reduce migration in the environment by stabilizing immobilized forms. Experiments with the use of lignin sludge ash (accumulated waste of the closed Baikal pulp and paper mill) for the neutralization of arsenic-containing waste of mining and metallurgical industries were carried out. Application of modified coal sorbing agents for the sorption of residual mobile forms of As (after treating with an alkaline reagent) allows achieving a decrease in its concentrations to the TLV standard for a hazardous substance. NoritRO 3520 is the most effective sorbing agent. The results are of high applied importance for the implementation of the method of chemical immobilization of mobile ion forms of As in technogenesiszones.
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Date submitted2018-09-13
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Date accepted2018-11-09
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Date published2019-02-22
Lignin sludge application for for-est land reclamation: feasibility assessment
- Authors:
- M. A. Pashkevich
- T. A. Petrova
- E. Rudzisha
The article analyses waste generation of pulp and paper industry in North-Western Russia. The environmental impact of waste storage facilities of the pulp and paper mill was assessed, the need for utilization of lignin sludge was justified. In North-Western Russia, 1.21 million hectares of disturbed areas are in need for reclamation; they are abandoned quarries and lands alienated for pipeline and road construction. The suitability of lignin sludge for preparation of artificial fertile soils for reclamation purposes is estimated. For this purpose, experiments were carried out to create an artificial mixture with different ratios of lignin sludge and soil, to detect the maldevelopment of several plant species grown on various compositions of lignin sludge and soils. It was revealed that lignin sludge as an organic additive to soils is not toxic to vegetation and living organisms, allowing improving fertility of artificial soils.
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Date submitted2018-09-04
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Date accepted2018-11-16
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Date published2019-02-22
Development of an occupational safety management system based on the process approach
- Authors:
- V. A. Filimonov
- L. N. Gorina
The article discusses the relevance and possibility of using the process approach in the development and implementation of occupational safety management systems based on GOST 12.0.230-2007, which is the main document in this area for all industrial enterprises and organisations of the Russian Federation. The system of occupational safety management in the organisation is considered taking into account all its internal communications and input-output parameters. It is shown that the process approach used in the design of the occupational safety management system in the organisation, allows categorising the list of works (processes), participants, resources (responsible, performers, documents, etc.), the control and correction processes. The methodological substantiation of the process approach to the design of the occupational safety management system in the organisation is given, the basic issues of its applicability are considered. A context diagram of the process of an occupational safety management system is drawn in the IDEF0 graphical notation by means of the SADT structural analysis technology. The decomposition of the context diagram to the required levels of detail is presented and the balance factor of the models is calculated.
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Date submitted2018-08-25
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Date accepted2018-10-26
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Date published2019-02-22
Metrological support of monitoring systems based on unmanned aerial vehicles
- Authors:
- E. A. Kremcheev
- A. S. Danilov
- Yu. D. Smirnov
The article discusses the fields and methods of application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Current legislation in Russia and in the world, significantly limit the use of UAV in monitoring. For the first time, we present a solution to the problem of a monitoring measurement system included in the state register of measuring instruments using the example of the basic UAV model. We conducted an analysis of promising approaches to the creation of UAV metrological and methodological support, as well as ways to adapt their target load to meet the challenges of operational monitoring of air pollution.
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Date submitted2018-07-12
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Date accepted2018-09-16
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Date published2018-12-21
Environmental Geochemical Assessment of Technogenic Soils
- Authors:
- G. I. Sarapulova
The purpose of this study was to obtain diagnostic features and criteria for the distribution of heavy metals in technogenically altered soils in the area of industrial facilities, depending on their altered geochemical properties, which make it possible to fix chemical elements in landscapes (the formation of geochemical barriers). On the basis of the geoecological assessment, disturbance of the soil buffer properties, which is reflected in the ionic composition change, alkalization, pH increase, and sulfate-chloride salinization have been revealed. This forms the heavy metals alkaline barrier. For example, in case of Cu, Pb, Zn, and N, it contributes to their accumulation and subsequent concentration in the soil layer due to the exchange interactions between chemical elements and Na + , K + , Ca 2+ cations. Soil saturation with sulphates also increases the probability of metals demobilization in the soil layer. It has been shown that intra-sectional soil migration of oil products (one of the most common pollutants of industrial areas) and chemical elements occurs at a depth of 30-50 cm, where the oil products based on a clay sorption layer form a technogenic barrier.
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Date submitted2018-07-15
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Date accepted2018-09-07
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Date published2018-12-21
Justification of rational methods for provision of air to faces of operating coal mines of Vietnam during deepening of mines
- Authors:
- S. G. Gendler
- Tkhe Kha Nguen
Based on the analysis of the mining and geological conditions for developing coal deposits in Vietnam, the existing mining safety regulations, the application of methods for calculating the air supply of working and development faces using the methane factor and modern methods of mathematical modeling of the ventilation of mines threr was developed the procedure for analyzing the efficiency of air distribution management considering the proposed indicator - energy efficiency coefficient for ventilation systems, determined by the efficiency of air use and energy consumption. Relations have been obtained that determine the relationship between the aerodynamic resistance of negative regulators, the number of simultaneously developed working and development faces, the performance of main ventilation fans and the consumed electric power.
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Date submitted2017-12-27
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Date accepted2018-03-22
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Date published2018-06-22
Mathematical model of heat exchange processes for heat ptotective cooling suit of a rescuer
- Authors:
- V. R. Alabev
- G. V. Zavyalov
Fires are followed by the range of factors hazardous for human health; a radiant thermal stream accompanied by the high temperature of the environment is one of these factors. For protection of firemen special protective clothing from heat impact and the insulation type clothing are used. The paper demonstrates that the concept of action of such clothing is based on the passive heat protection owing to the use of materials with low conducting capacity or high specific heat. The time of effective protection of a suit is not considerable which reduces the duration of work under the unfavorable climatic conditions drastically, increases the work labor input, leads to the hyperthermia. One of the ways focused on the improvement of the heat protective clothing is a design of suits with cooling, which is stated in the paper. The paper shows that the developed heat protective suits on the basis of water-ice cooling elements are not widely used due to considerable costs. A more reasonable idea refers to the design of heat protective suits with cooling by using running water as the most available coolant circulating along polyvinylchloride pipes arranged between the layers of a suit.
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Date submitted2017-11-06
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Date accepted2018-01-12
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Date published2018-04-24
Improvement of the procedure of recruitment of personnel for hazardous work environment
- Authors:
- N. D. Tskhadaya
- D. Yu. Zakharov
With the purpose of the reduction of the number of the emergency and abnormal situations in the oil mines conditioned by the influence of the «human factor» an opportunity of application of the system of permit to the works with respect to the real functional state of the personnel is considered in the paper. A «human factor» may become a reason not only for the occurrence but also for the development of the emergency situation according to the unfavorable scenario.The arduous labor conditions such as heating environment, low level of lighting, high level of the dust load may result in the multiple increase of the negative influence of the factors of the real functional state on the quality and safety of the operations. Reasoning from this fact, the consideration of the factors of the functional state in the process of getting a permit to works in the oil mines is of vital importance and requires a well-reasoned and integrated assessment.
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Date submitted2017-11-22
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Date accepted2018-01-04
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Date published2018-04-24
Justification of a methodical approach of aerologic evaluation of methane hazard in development workings at mines of Vietnam
- Authors:
- V. V. Smirnyakov
- Nguen Min' Fen
The methods of evaluation of the aerological conditions to be performed for the purpose of normalization of mining conditions are provided in the present review; the location of possible accumulations of explosive gases during the drift of the development workings are taken into account. To increase the safety of the development working regarding the gas factor, a complex evaluation of a working was developed with respect to the dynamics of methane emission and air coursing along the working which is strongly affected by the character of the leakages from the ventilation ducting. Thereby, there occurs a necessity of the enhancement of a methodical approach of calculation of ventilation of a working which consists in taking into consideration a total aerodynamic resistance of the booster fan including the local resistances of the zones of the working. An integer simulation of the gas-air flows realized on the basis of a software package FLowVision allows to evaluate a change in the methane concentration in the zones of local accumulations.
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Date submitted2017-10-29
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Date accepted2017-12-31
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Date published2018-04-24
Risk assessment of accidents due to natural factors at the Pascuales – Cuenca multiple-use pipeline (Ecuador)
- Authors:
- Dzh. Zambrano
- S. V. Kovshov
- E. A. Lyubin
The natural aspects of the accident risk at the Pascuales – Cuenca multiple-use pipeline (Ecuador) are analysed in the paper. The Russian Methodological recommendations for the quantitative analysis of accident risks at hazardous production plants of oil trunk pipelines and oil product trunk pipelines issued in 2016 are used as a methodological framework due to relatively poorly defined evaluation mechanism for natural factors of accidents at oil trunk pipelines in the most widespread international accident risk assessment methodologies. The methodological recommendations were updated to meet the environmental conditions of oil pipelines of Latin America. It was found that the accidents due to natural factors make up approximately 15 % of cases at oil trunk pipelines in Ecuador. Natural geographical features of the areas surrounding the main Ecuadorian Pascuales–Cuenca oil trunk pipeline and its relatively short length allow defining three zones along the line in terms of the accident risk: lowland coastlines, high plateaus, and foothills. Calculations and analysis revealed that the maximum predicted specific frequency of accidents is characteristic of the lowland seaside area. The evidence showed that physical and chemical properties of soils and significant seismic activity are the root causes of failures.
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Date submitted2017-07-07
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Date accepted2017-08-29
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Date published2017-12-22
Environmental efficiency and legal possibility of mineralized water dispose in the suprasalt sequence of the verkhnekamskoe deposit
- Authors:
- S. Yu. Kvitkin
- V. V. Kovalskaya
The production of potash fertilizers at PJSC Uralkali is accompanied by the formation of excess solutions/brines, located on the sludge dump, where also comes water from salt brines and tailing piles, clay-salt slimes and atmospheric precipitation. After mechanical purification and reduction of the solutions/brines mineralization in the order of 5 million m 3 /year are emitted into surface waters. The studies carried out by Uralkali in 2000-2006 at the Verkhnekamskoe field, revealed an opportunity of underground disposal of mineralized brines/wastewater in the upper part of the salt-marl layer, directly overlapping the salt deposits and situated at depths not exceeding 300 m. Obtained results are confirmed by the state geological commission of the Federal Agency on Mineral Resources. The location of mineralized solutions in reservoir beds with an almost unlimited capacitive potential does not lead to the change in the hydrodynamic and hydrochemical regime of the underground hydrosphere and lessen the burden on the environment. To implement underground disposal of mineralized process brines/wastewater, it is necessary to amend the «Concerning Subsurface Resources» Federal Law. Proposals of Uralkali to amend the «Concerning Subsurface Resources» Federal Law are supported by the Federal Agency for Mineral Resources and Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources.
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Date submitted2017-07-06
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Date accepted2017-09-17
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Date published2017-12-22
Assessment of widespread air pollution in the megacity using geographic information systems
- Authors:
- M. A. Pashkevich
- T. A. Petrova
Approaches for assessing atmospheric conditions in megacities are proposed using an example of St. Petersburg. An article provides results of field observations on atmospheric air quality conducted with a mobile laboratory of Saint-Petersburg Mining University. Temporal distribution was analysed for concentrations of key pollutants: oxides of nitrogen, ammonia, and carbon; sulphur dioxide; hydrogen sulphide; methane; total hydrocarbons. The given framework for interpreting the data on atmospheric monitoring exploits spatial distribution of pollutant concentrations. The proposed ways for solving the problem of atmospheric pollution in certain megacity districts are based on geographic information systems allowing modelling widespread air contamination.
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Date submitted2017-05-09
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Date accepted2017-07-23
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Date published2017-10-23
On development of system for environmental monitoring of atmospheric air quality
- Authors:
- M. V. Volkodaeva
- A. V. Kiselev
The article suggests the directions for development of the system of environmental monitoring of atmospheric air quality in the Russian Federation, namely: an increase in the number of stationary control posts for atmospheric pollution in each specific city; expansion of the list of cities where constant measurements of pollutant concentrations are conducted; expansion of the list of controlled impurities through the introduction of automated air quality monitoring systems, the development of computational methods for monitoring air quality, including not only information on pollution levels in terms of compliance with hygienic standards, but also assessment of pollution levels from the perspective of environmental risk to the health of the population. There is a great sensitivity of plants to the low quality of atmospheric air in comparison with the sensitivity of animals and humans. The air quality standards for vegetation are given. It is proposed to evaluate the quality of atmospheric air not only from the point of view of the impact on human health, but taking into account the impact on vegetation, to include in the program route observations carried out by mobile atmospheric air monitoring laboratories, territories with public green areas, which will increase the information content of atmospheric air monitoring and the state of green spaces. In connection with the increasing noise level in large cities and the lack of a permanent noise monitoring system, it is proposed to equip existing and new monitoring stations with noise level meters to provide reliable information for the development of relevant environmental measures.
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Date submitted2017-03-04
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Date accepted2017-05-20
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Date published2017-08-24
Topological interlocking as a principle of engineering design in consruction of marine and coastal structures
- Authors:
- V. Yu. Piirainen
- Yu. Z. Estrin
As a discussion contribution, a new concept for solving problems of bank protection structures based on topological interlocking is presented, which opens up a way to obtaining new segmented or modular designs of building elements and structures. The relevance of the modular design principle based on the use of natural laws of harmonization of artificially created forms is justified. In this concept, the idea of Platonic solids is further developed in a quest for new types of harmony and practical technological and engineering design applications at macro scale. The ever growing capabilities of modern building materials and technologies make it possible to create new construction systems on the basis of the modular principle, one of the most interesting forms of which is topological interlocking. This innovative principle of engineering design and its many advantages are considered in relation to bank protection structures. Variants of new promising designs based on topological interlocking are presented.
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Date submitted2016-12-28
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Date accepted2017-03-10
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Date published2017-06-23
Sources of heating microclimate in the process of thermal mining development of high-viscosity oil fields
- Authors:
- M. A. Nor
- E. V. Nor
- N. D. Tskhadaya
The paper examines main sources of heating microclimate in order to develop technologies of microclimate parameter normalization in mine workings as a part of thermal mining technology of high-viscosity oil extraction. Operations under conditions of heating microclimate, whose parameters exceed threshold criteria, can provoke dehydration, fainting and heat stroke among workers. In order to guarantee safe working conditions, provisions are made to introduce norms on threshold values of temperature and humidity parameters, going above which is probable when applying existing thermal mining technologies of high-viscosity oil extraction. Basing on temperature-humidity survey, a comparative analysis of dependency between air temperature in the producing galleries and their configuration has been performed. A hypothesis has been suggested that, from the position of temperature limits, the period of efficient service of circular producing galleries is shorter compared to extended panel ones.
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Date submitted2016-12-28
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Date accepted2017-03-08
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Date published2017-06-23
Assessment of professional risk caused by heating microclimate in the process of un-derground mining
- Authors:
- M. L. Rudakov
- I. S. Stepanov
The paper reviews the possibility to apply probit-function to assess professional risks of underground mining under conditions of heating microclimate. Operations under conditions of heating microclimate, whose parameters exceed threshold criteria, can lead to dehydration, fainting and heat stroke for mine workers. Basing on the results of medico-biological research on the effects of microclimate on human body, the authors have assessed probabilistic nature of excessive heat accumulation depending on heat stress index. Using Shapiro-Wilk statistics, an assessment has been carried out in order to test correspondence of experimental data on heat accumulation in the human body to the normal law of distribution for different values of heat stress index, measured in the process of underground mining operations under conditions of heating microclimate. The paper justifies construction of a probit-model to assess professional risks caused by overheating for various types of underground mining operations, depending on their intensity. Modeling results have been verified by way of comparison with a currently used deterministic model of body overheating. Taking into account satisfactory convergence of results, the authors suggest using probit-model to assess professional risks of overheating, as this model allows to obtain a continuous dependency between professional risk and heat stress index, which in its own turn facilitates a more justified approach to the selection of measures to upgrade working conditions of personnel.