Experimental investigation on concentration profiles and fluctuations of dense gases in wind tunnel

One of the most frequent accident scenario following a loss of containment during HazMat transportation or processing is represented by the dispersion of a dense gas release. Several dispersion models are available to this purpose, more or less rigorously accounting for gravity slumping, air entrainment and possible heat transfer. Under confined geometry, the correct evaluation of possible concentration fluctuations represent an up-to-date research topic, both considering the process sector and a peculiar application represented by operating theaters for surgery. In this last context, the use of heavier than air gas is usually performed for anaesthetic application, while few validation data are available on the dispersion behavior following a fugitive emission and exposure of persons inside the enclosure. On these bases, the experimental phase of this paper was performed in a laboratory-scale wind tunnel of circular section, under different Reynolds number regimes, considering a continuous release scenario of two tracer gases, namely carbon dioxide and sulphur hexafluoride, at different low release rates. A detailed study on concentration fluctuations and time series is presented yielding reliable information on the influence of the different source types and flow rates. Conclusions are drawn on practical feasibility and application of the experimental results, in view of safe optimization of the design and mode of operation of ventilation systems in the considered settings

Integrated Environmental Study for Beach Management: A Methodological Approach

This paper aims to present a project convened by the University of Genoa and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM), in collaboration with Local Authorities, concerning the development of tools for beach management in the Riviera del Beigua (Liguria Region, Italy). The aim of the first step of the project is to assess the environmental state of resort beaches examining them interdisciplinary, through a data analysis based on a sound understanding of the components of the physical and the human system. The following step will be the treatment of the data, through the use of various instruments, which use a synthesis analysis, such as the traditional SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, and the use of a set of environmental and socio-economic indicators. Finally, our ultimate target is to propose guidelines, which will supply an instrument to back up policies concerning beach planning and management.Costal management, Sustainable tourist, Integrated assessment, Indicators

El papel del acoplamiento pelágico-bentónico en la estructuración de las comunidades litorales bentónicas en la bahía de Terra Nova (Mar de Ross) y en el Estrecho de Magallanes

In Antarctic and peri-Antarctic regions, benthic communities are persistent in time and show high biomass and large numbers of individuals, mainly consisting of suspension and deposit feeders. In fact, apart from recruitment, the major factor structuring these communities is the high flow of organic matter from the pelagic domain to the bottom, representing an important energy source for the benthic organisms. The aim of this paper is to review, compile and compare the data from earlier investigations in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the Straits of Magellan, in order to come to a more general conclusion about the role of the pelagic-benthic coupling in structuring littoral benthic communities in southern coastal areas. Few measurements of flux rates and the biochemical composition of the sinking particles occurring in Antarctic and peri-Antarctic shallow waters are available, but a compilation of our own data and others allows a comparison of these two systems. The different environmental conditions between Antarctica and the Straits of Magellan lead to differences in the origin of the particulate organic matter and in its biochemical composition, and consequently in the coupling between pelagic and benthic domains. At Terra Nova Bay the summer particulate matter shows a high labile fraction of a good food value: its flux has been evaluated at about 0.67 g m-2d-1. Conversely, the Straits of Magellan show multi-structured ecosystems where the quality and quantity of the organic matter flux towards the bottom change according to the local geomorphology and current dynamics. Moreover, the three-dimensional assemblages of suspension-feeders, so common in Antarctic shallow waters, seem to be absent in the Magellan area. In particular sponges, gorgonarians and bryozoans play a secondary role inside the Straits of Magellan, where polychaetes (60%) and molluscs (9-10%) are dominant on soft bottoms, and where they reach high values in density and biomass. Bivalves seem to play an important role in both regions: for instance, at Terra Nova Bay, the scallop Adamussium colbecki processes about 14 % of the total carbon flux, with an assimilation efficiency of 36 %. This scallop seems to be able to adapt its reproductive period and its trophic behaviour to the changes in the quality and quantity of the pelagic events. The pulsing trend of the vertical flux, which in a few weeks can reach the total annual input, produces significant changes in the physiology (growth, reproduction, spawning) and trophic behaviour of many benthic species, such as sponges and polychaetes. The study of the pelagic-benthic coupling could be essential in the evaluation of the trophic capacity and the environmental response around sites of sea-farming, which are an ever-growing activity in the Magellan area.En las regiones Antártica y periantártica, las comunidades bentónicas son persistentes en el tiempo y muestran altos valores de biomasa y número de individuos. Estas comunidades están constituídas, principalmente, por organismos suspensívoros y detritívoros. Aparte del reclutamiento, el factor más importante en estructurar estas comunidades es el flujo de materia orgánica desde la zona pelágica al bentos, lo que representa una importante fuente de energía para los organismos del fondo. No obstante la gran importancia de la producción primaria como suministro de alimento para las comunidades béntonicas litorales, la información sobre la tasa de flujo y la composición bioquímica del material que sedimenta es reducida. Muestreos rea lizados con trampas de sedimento han mostrado altos valores de flujo de materia orgánica caracterizado por una elevada presencia de paquetes fecales, particularmente importantes en el transporte de materia orgánica desde la zona fótica a las aguas profundas. En Bahía Terra Nova (Mar de Ross) la materia orgánica estival presenta una fracción lábil importante, un alto valor alimentario y un flujo que se evaluó en aproximadamente 0.67 g m-2d-1. Las diferentes condiciones ambientales de la Antártida y el Estrecho de Magallanes ocasionan diferencias en el origen y en la composición bioquímica de la materia orgánica particulada y, consecuentemente, en el acoplamiento entre los dominios pelágico y bentónico. El Estrecho de Magallanes, contrariamente a las observaciones hechas en la Antártida, muestra un sistema de flujo de materia orgánica hacia el fondo , debido a su geomorfología peculiar y a la dinámica de las corrientes. Por otra parte, los agrupamientos tridimensionales de suspensívoros, comunes en las aguas someras antárticas, parecen estar ausentes en el área del Estrecho de Magallanes. Particularmente esponjas, gorgonias y briozoos desempeñan un papel secundario en el interior del Estrecho de Magallanes, donde poliquetos (60%) y moluscos (9-10%) dominan en los fondos blandos, alcanzando altos valores de densidad y biomasa. Los bivalvos desempeñan un papel importante en ambas regiones: en la Bahía de Terra Nova, el pectínido Adamussium colbecki procesa aproximadamente el 14% del flujo total de carbono, con una eficiencia de asimilación del 36%. Este pectínido sería capaz de adaptar su periodo reproductivo y su estrategia trófica a los cambios en la calidad y la cantidad de materia orgánica. Los pulsos del flujo vertical, que en pocas semanas puede alcanzar el suministro total anual, producen cambios significativos en la fisiología (crecimiento, reproducción, freza) y en el comportamiento trófico de algunas especies bentónicas, como esponjas y poliquetos. Finalmente, el estudio del acoplamiento bentos-pélagos puede ser esencial en la evaluación de la capacidad trófica y la respuesta ambiental para la ubicación de zonas de cultivos marinos, actividad en continuo crecimiento en el área de Magallanes

Tecnologias Multimédia no Apoio ao Ensino da Assistência Pré-Hospitalar

Vivemos num mundo em constante mudança, onde a evolução tecnológica está cada vez mais presente no nosso quotidiano e as suas influências são inúmeras nas nossas vidas. Por outro lado, a vida humana é algo extremamente valioso e único pelo que a sociedade, também nessa área, tem procurado evoluir e dotar-se de novos meios e mecanismos de atuação, que possibilitem um socorro rápido e adequado em situações que possam em algum momento pôr em perigo a vida do ser humano. Pretendemos com o presente estudo, correlacionar estas duas vertentes, a do socorro á vítima para apoio á vida humana e a tecnologia no sentido de contribuir para uma formação mais distribuída mas ao mesmo tempo capaz de transmitir conhecimentos necessários á formação dos que socorrem. Para o efeito, planeamos o desenvolvimento de um Objeto de Aprendizagem (OA) denominado CiTAT (Curso Interativo de Tripulante de Ambulância de Transporte) que tem como objetivo acrescentar valor a todos os que são obrigados a frequentar o curso em regime presencial de Tripulante de Ambulância de Transporte (TAT). Após uma fase de análise do estado da arte relacionada com este tipo de formação, e após termos percebido como funciona e que tipos de recursos utilizam, analisámos temas relacionados com este tipo de formação como o “Sistema Integrado de Emergência Médica” o “Exame á Vítima”, o “Suporte Básico de Vida” e as “Emergências de Trauma”. Percebemos que a mudança de paradigma de formação das pessoas passou a ter novas formas de distribuir conhecimento em formato digital e que proporciona aos formandos um ensino distribuído em formatos de e-learning ou de b-learning. Os Objetos de Aprendizagem (OA) parecem assumir um relevo especial no ensino da área da saúde, abordando áreas temáticas e proporcionando aos seus utilizadores mecanismos de autoavaliação após a visualização dos conteúdos pedagógicos. Após o desenho do modelo concetual do CiTAT, avançamos para a produção de recursos necessários para a sua integração no OA. Após uma fase de testes e ajustes, avançamos para a sua avaliação final por parte dos utilizadores e preparamos um questionário para aferir o potencial de utilização deste tipo de soluções no ensino de TAT, atendendo ao facto de ser uma formação obrigatória e cuja recertificação é feita de três em três anos. O passo final foi a sua distribuição ao nível global, sendo o CiTAT catalogado com metadados e colocado no repositório MERLOT.We live in a changing world, where technological evolution is increasingly present in our daily lives and its influences are frequent in our lives. On the other hand, human life is extremely valuable and unique, so the society has been seeking to evolve and to provide itself with new means and mechanisms of action that allow a quick and appropriate aid in situations that may at some point endanger the human life. With this study we intend to relate two aspects, the aid of victim to support to human life and technology to contribute to a more distributed training, but at the same time capable of transmitting knowledge required to the formation of those who rely upon. For this purpose, we developed a Learning Object (LO) called CiTAT (Curso Interativo de Tripulante de Ambulância de Transporte). The goal of this learning object is to add value to all attendees of the classroom-based course “Tripulante de Ambulância de Transporte” (TAT). After an Analysis of the state-of-the-art, related with this type of formation, and after we realized how it works and what types of resources are used, we analyzed issues related to this kind of training as the "Integrated System of Medical Emergency", the " Victim's Examination", the "Basic Life Support" and the " Trauma Emergencies." We have realized that the change of education paradigm has evolved to a new paradigm with new ways of distributing knowledge in digital format, which gives to trainees a teaching distributed in formats of e-learning or b-learning. The Learning Objects seems to have particular importance in the health learning, addressing different thematic areas and providing to its users self-assessment mechanisms after the visualization of the educational content. After the design of the conceptual model of CiTAT, we move into the production of resources necessary for its integration into the LO. After a testing phase and some products improvements, we advance for a final Evaluation and we prepared a survey to assess the potential use of this kind of solutions in the teaching of the TAT course, considering the fact that compulsory training and whose recertification is done every three years. The final step was the CiTAT distribution at the global level, being cataloged with metadata and placed in the MERLOT repository

Multicomponent dispersion of hydrocarbons at sea: Source term evaluation and hydrodynamic simulation of the spill

The evaluation of the ecological consequences of spill accidents including factors such as persistence, and long-term exposure became more stringent following some notable events and still represents an up-to-date research issue. This study focuses on the possibility of proper source identification of a multi component sea spill and is motivated by actual findings of small quantities of floating and/or stranded waxy material in some areas of Liguria and Tuscany, in early summer 2017. The paper presents a thorough hydrodynamic simulation, carried out with an oil-spill Lagrangian particle model to study the trajectories of the different released material and determine its probable source. A short-cut mathematical simulation of the step-by-step process of formation by on-board activities and subsequent water interaction is proposed so as to highlight the limitations and the potential applicability of the method, also in light of setting-up early warning systems to prevent stranding of the oil slick in sensitive coast environments

An oil pipeline catastrophic failure: Accident scenario modelling and emergency response development

In spite of advanced technologies, inherent safety and safety management system, pipeline loss of containments and large-scale releases of hazardous substances are still common accidents leading to severe consequences for human health, environment and assets, both in Europe and in developing Countries. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the catastrophic failure of a pipeline connecting the port oil terminal with a downstream oil plant, in the North part of Italy, causing a major oil spill into a river and subsequently into the Genoa harbor (Italy). Firstly, the impact of atmospheric dispersion is evaluated then, assuming oil containment failure, the hydrodynamic dispersion of the spill into the sea is studied. By means of numerical methods, we performed a consequence-based assessment incorporating the effects, the hazardous distance and the reaction time scale, related to oil spill. Results are focused on the atmospheric dispersion of the "key" oil volatile fractions and the propagation in the sea of the medium-heavy fractions, both performed by Lagrangian simulations

Avaliação do Estágio de Evolução do Relevo em Pequenas Bacias Hidrográficas no Sudoeste do Município de São Pedro do Sul, RS1

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o estádio de evoluçãodo relevo em pequenas bacias hidrográficas localizadas no sudoestedo município de São Pedro do Sul-RS. Foram analisadas treze bacias deterceira ordem de ramificação, sendo oito na área da provínciageomorfológica Depressão Periférica Sul-riograndense e cinco em área próximaao rebordo do Planalto (transição para os Planaltos e Chapadas daBacia do Paraná). Para prognosticar o desencadeamento de processoserosivos, utilizaram-se técnicas de análise do relevo a partir de integraishipsométricas, integrais volumétricas, relação de material erodido e razãodo relevo. Constatou-se que as bacias próximas ao rebordo do planaltoapresentaram maior razão de relevo, quando comparadas com as da área daDepressão Periférica, refletindo a relação infiltração deflúvio e revelandomaior predisposição à instabilidade nessas bacias. Entretanto, deve-se considerarque algumas das formas apresentadas pelas curvas hipsométricas,na área da Depressão Periférica Sul-riograndense, são indicadores de relevodecorrente de acúmulo de sedimentos transportados a partir das cabeceirasde drenagem

As tecnologias de comunicação usadas para produzir uma educação cientifica-tecnologica

Anais do II Seminário Seminário Estadual PIBID do Paraná: tecendo saberes / organizado por Dulcyene Maria Ribeiro e Catarina Costa Fernandes — Foz do Iguaçu: Unioeste; Unila, 2014O trabalho foi desenvolvido e aplicado em um colégio da rede pública através do PIBID-UFPR (Programa Institucional de Bolsa de Iniciação à Docência), este trabalho tem o intuito de incluir “objetos-problemas” ligados à tecnologia no ensino de uma turma de terceira série do ensino médio. Especificamente neste trabalho, o objeto escolhido foi o rádio de galena, tendo como embasamento técnico e didático o material desenvolvido pelo GREF-USP (Grupo de Reelaboração do Ensino de Física). O objetivo central de nosso trabalho é utilizar o rádio mostrar a interação de tecnologia e ciência, fazendo com que o pensamento científico dos estudantes possa ser mais crítico, principalmente frente a questões tecnológicas. O enfoque CTS foi bastante utilizado durante nosso trabalho, estando presente em reflexões acerca da mudança de pensamento diante as tecnologias de informação e comunicaçã

SWIMMING VELOCITY COMPARISSON BETWEEN ELITE SWIMMING AND TRIATHLON BRAZILIAN ATHLETES

The purpose of this study was to identify the pattern of elite athletes in velocity modalities swimming and triathlon through Velacqua equipment comparing the kinematic variables that affect the performance of these two modalities in swimming. Participated at this study eight swimmers and eight triathletes, who performed a 25m swimming at maximal speed. The results showed higher VS to swimmers than the triathletes, indicating a higher performance of this group. It is also observed greater values of Vmin, lower CV values and greater LS values indicating that the swimmers are able to maintain more constant velocity, and they do not let the velocity decreases too much during the competition