Review of experimental methods to determine spontaneous combustion susceptibility of coal – Indian context

This paper presents a critical review of the different techniques developed to investigate the susceptibility of coal to spontaneous combustion and fire. These methods may be sub-classified into the two following areas: (1) Basic coal characterisation studies (chemical constituents) and their influence on spontaneous combustion susceptibility. (2) Test methods to assess the susceptibility of a coal sample to spontaneous combustion. This is followed by a critical literature review that summarises previous research with special emphasis given to Indian coals

An Investigation into the Presence of Hexa-valent and Total Chromium in Water Sources Around Sukinda Chromite Belt, Orissa

The paper describes a study on the presence of hexa-valent and total chromium in different water sources of sukinda chromite belt, Orissa, which contributes 99% of total chromium ore production in India. The study has been carried out in 4 phases during February 2002 to May 2003. The paper presents the experimental investigation for the determination of hexa-valent and total chromium concentration in water bodies and the results of analysis for all the study periods

Determination of Virgin Rock Temperature in Raniganj Coalfield

The paper presents results of virgin rock temperature measurements in 22 production districts of 16 coal mines in Raniganj coalfield for computation of geothermic gradient. The gradient has also been measured by taking temperature measurements in 9 surface boreholes. It has been observed that minimum subsurface isothermal at the depth of 20 m below surface has a temperature of 28.25°C after which the virgin rock temperature rises at a constant rate of 2.25°C/100 m

Retrieval of precise land surface temperature from ASTER night-time thermal infrared data by split window algorithm for improved coal fire detection in Jharia Coalfield, India

The study proposed a methodology for the retrieval of precise Land Surface Temperature (LST) in Jharia Coalfield from night-time ASTER multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) data by split-window algorithm (SWA) using atmospheric transmittance and band-specific Land Surface Emissivity (LSE). For deriving night-time atmospheric transmittance, water vapor content was retrieved from night-time ASTER TIR data by modified split-window covariance and variance ratio approach. Improved LSE was retrieved by the proposed modified LSE model by integrating refined thermal emission-vegetation cover model, modified normalized difference water index and bandwidth-weighted red band reflectivity model. The retrieved SWA LST was compared with LST obtained by single-channel algorithm (SCA) across three coal fire test sites to demonstrate significant improvement in temperature contrast between coal fire and background pixels. Besides, SWA LST based coal fire thermal anomalies are significantly comparable (including substantially reduced false alarms) with in-situ observations than that of SCA LST

Some effects of particle size on the sintering of titanium and a master sintering curve model

The press-and-sinter method of producing net shapes was applied to titanium alloys. The quantitative effects of the particle size of titanium and Ti-6Al-4V powders on the green and sintered densities were examined. Most powders were pressed at 100 to 800 MPa and sintered under vacuum at 1100 °C, 1200 °C, or 1300 °C for 2 hours. The green density was higher for coarser powders and for powders with a wider size distribution. The sintered density was higher for finer powders and for powders with a wider size distribution. The densification parameter was little affected by the compaction pressure but increased as the particle size was reduced. An empirical model of densification based on the master sintering curve approach was developed, with the activation energy for densification of titanium found to be approximately 160 kJ/mol

Understanding and Enhancing Sepsis Survivorship. Priorities for Research and Practice.

An estimated 14.1 million patients survive sepsis each year. Many survivors experience poor long-term outcomes, including new or worsened neuropsychological impairment; physical disability; and vulnerability to further health deterioration, including recurrent infection, cardiovascular events, and acute renal failure. However, clinical trials and guidelines have focused on shorter-term survival, so there are few data on promoting longer-term recovery. To address this unmet need, the International Sepsis Forum convened a colloquium in February 2018 titled "Understanding and Enhancing Sepsis Survivorship." The goals were to identify gaps and limitations of current research and shorter- and longer-term priorities for understanding and enhancing sepsis survivorship. Twenty-six experts from eight countries participated. The top short-term priorities identified by nominal group technique culminating in formal voting were to better leverage existing databases for research, develop and disseminate educational resources on postsepsis morbidity, and partner with sepsis survivors to define and achieve research priorities. The top longer-term priorities were to study mechanisms of long-term morbidity through large cohort studies with deep phenotyping, build a harmonized global sepsis registry to facilitate enrollment in cohorts and trials, and complete detailed longitudinal follow-up to characterize the diversity of recovery experiences. This perspective reviews colloquium discussions, the identified priorities, and current initiatives to address them