Approaches for preventing and mitigating accidental gaseous chemical releases

This paper presents a review of approaches to prevent and mitigate accidental releases of toxic and flammable gases. The prevention options are related to: choosing safer processes and materials, preventing initiating events, preventing or minimizing releases, and preventing human exposures. the mitigation options include: secondary confinement, de-inventory, vapor barriers, and water sprays/monitors. Guidelines for the design and operation of effective post-release mitigation systems are also presented

Mitigation of unconfined releases of hazardous gases via liquid spraying

The capability of water sprays in mitigating clouds of hydrofluoric acid (HF) has been demonstrated in the large-scale field experiments of Goldfish and Hawk, which took place at the DOE Nevada Test Site. The effectiveness of water sprays and fire water monitors to remove HF from vapor plume, has also been studied theoretically using the model HGSPRAY5 with the near-field and far-field dispersion described by the HGSYSTEM models. This paper presents options to select and evaluate liquid spraying systems, based on the industry experience and mathematical modeling

Mitigation options for accidental releases of hazardous gases

The objective of this paper is to review and compare technologies available for mitigation of unconfined releases of toxic and flammable gases. These technologies include: secondary confinement, deinventory, vapor barriers, foam spraying, and water sprays/monitors. Guidelines for the design and/or operation of effective post-release mitigation systems and case studies involving actual industrial mitigation systems are also presented

The OSHA and EPA programs on preventing chemical accidents and potential applications in the photovoltaic industry

OSHA issued in 1992, the Process Safety Management (PSM) of Highly Hazardous Substances. This rule requires owners/operators of facilities that handle hazardous chemicals in quantities greater than the listed thresholds to establish all the elements of a PSM. EPA has issued in June 1996, the rules for a Risk Management Program which also refers to specific substances and threshold quantities. These rules are applicable to all the facilities that use or store any of 139 regulated substances at quantities ranging from 100 lb to 10,000 lb. The RMP rule covers off-site hazards, while the OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM) rule covers worker safety issues within the plant boundary. Some of the listed substances may be found in photovoltaic manufacturing facilities. This brief report presents the basic elements of these two rules and discusses their potential applicability in the photovoltaic industry

LIFE CYCLE INVENTORY ANALYSIS IN THE PRODUCTION OF METALS USED IN PHOTOVOLTAICS.

Material flows and emissions in all the stages of production of zinc, copper, aluminum, cadmium, indium, germanium, gallium, selenium, tellurium, and molybdenum were investigated. These metals are used selectively in the manufacture of solar cells, and emission and energy factors in their production are used in the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of photovoltaics. Significant changes have occurred in the production and associated emissions for these metals over the last 10 years, which are not described in the LCA databases. Furthermore, emission and energy factors for several of the by-products of the base metal production were lacking. This report aims in updating the life-cycle inventories associated with the production of the base metals (Zn, Cu, Al, Mo) and in defining the emission and energy allocations for the minor metals (Cd, In, Ge, Se, Te and Ga) used in photovoltaics

Model institutional infrastructures for recycling of photovoltaic modules

This paper describes model approaches to designing an institutional infrastructure for the recycling of decommissioned photovoltaic modules; more detailed discussion of the information presented in this paper is contained in Reaven et al., (1996)[1]. The alternative approaches are based on experiences in other industries, with other products and materials. In the aluminum, scrap iron, and container glass industries, where recycling is a long-standing, even venerable practice, predominantly private, fully articulated institutional infrastructures exist. Nevertheless, even in these industries, arrangements are constantly evolving in response to regulatory changes, competition, and new technological developments. Institutional infrastructures are less settled for younger large- scale recycling industries that target components of the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream, such as cardboard and newspaper, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastics, and textiles. In these industries the economics, markets, and technologies are rapidly changing. Finally, many other industries are developing projects to ensure that their products are recycled (and recyclable) e.g., computers, non-automotive batteries, communications equipment, motor and lubrication oil and oil filters, fluorescent lighting fixtures, automotive plastics and shredder residues, and bulk industrial chemical wastes. The lack of an an adequate recycling infrastructure, attractive end-markets, and clear the economic incentives, can be formidable impediments to a self- sustaining recycling system

Energy return on investment (EROI) of solar PV: an attempt at reconciliation

In a recent Point of View piece, William Pickard made an excellent case for the importance of energy return on investment (EROI) as a useful metric for assessing longterm viability of energy-dependent systems from bands of hunter-gatherers, to modern society and, finally to the specific case of a solar electricity generating project. The author then highlighted a seeming disparity between a number of different research groups 1) Fthenakis group at Brookhaven, 2) Prieto group in Madrid, 3) Weißbach group in Berlin, and 4) Brandt group at Stanford all of whom have recently published values for the EROI (or similar metric) for solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Unfortunately, in so doing, the author directly compares results calculated using different system boundaries, methodologies, and assumptions. It is the purpose of this response to (1) adjust the results for the four groups to better compare like systems and (2) outline details of two methodological issues common in the EROI literature. The objective of these two activities is to explain much of the apparent disparity between the different EROI values produced by the different research groups

Estimation of photovoltaic potential for electricity self-sufficiency: A study case of military facilities in northwest Spain

Renewable energies, including photovoltaic energy, are attracting widespread international attention, in reaction to worsening environmental problems and the diminishing long-term sustainability of fossil fuel energies. In this work, the potential benefits of installing photovoltaic panels on several buildings at the Spanish Naval Military School (Escuela Naval Militar, ENM) of Mar ın are considered. The two salient advantages are significant economic savings from the production and the sale of electricity to the Spanish Electricity Network and achieving selfsufficiency in electricity requirements. Consequently, the main objective of this work is to estimate the energy potential of photovoltaic installations on the roofs of the ENM buildings. This is the first time that a project of this nature and size is presented to the Spanish Navy. To that end, a three-dimensional geographic analysis of the buildings is performed using three freeware software: Trimble SketchUp, Skelion, and Photovoltaic Geographical Information System. An economic study is also conducted to determine the feasibility of the installations, by estimating the Net Present Value of the photovoltaic installation and the Internal Rate of Return associated with the project. Subsequently, a sensitivity analysis that considers the most important parameters for the calculation of the amortization period is reported. The results show that the installation could fulfill the ENM electrical demands and could, in addition, generate significant economic benefits. The conclusions end with a recommendation to consider the merits of the proposed solution.Regional Government of Castilla y Le on (Ref. BU034U16), under European Regional Development Fund, and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness under the IþD þ i state programme Challenges for the Society (Ref. ENE-2014-54601-R). One of the authors, David Gonz alez Pe~na, thanks Junta de Castilla-Le on for economic support (PIRTU Program, ORDEN EDU/301/2015

China’s rising hydropower demand challenges water sector

Demand for hydropower is increasing, yet the water footprints (WFs) of reservoirs and hydropower, and their contributions to water scarcity, are poorly understood. Here, we calculate reservoir WFs (freshwater that evaporates from reservoirs) and hydropower WFs (the WF of hydroelectricity) in China based on data from 875 representative reservoirs (209 with power plants). In 2010, the reservoir WF totaled 27.9 × 109 m3 (Gm3), or 22% of China’s total water consumption. Ignoring the reservoir WF seriously underestimates human water appropriation. The reservoir WF associated with industrial, domestic and agricultural WFs caused water scarcity in 6 of the 10 major Chinese river basins from 2 to 12 months annually. The hydropower WF was 6.6 Gm3 yr−1 or 3.6 m3 of water to produce a GJ (109 J) of electricity. Hydropower is a water intensive energy carrier. As a response to global climate change, the Chinese government has promoted a further increase in hydropower energy by 70% by 2020 compared to 2012. This energy policy imposes pressure on available freshwater resources and increases water scarcity. The water-energy nexus requires strategic and coordinated implementations of hydropower development among geographical regions, as well as trade-off analysis between rising energy demand and water use sustainability