Pulmonary function tests in compressed natural gas pump workers in Surat city

Background: Various studies have known abatements in lung function and several other health problems associated with longstanding air pollution exposure. One of the most cost-effective and environmental alternative of conventional fuels (petrol and diesel) is compressed natural gas (CNG). The increasing use of CNG as a fuel (as it is safe and cheap as compare to the conventional fuels) can add one more bug to the list of work-related disease. Aims and Objectives: This study is to evaluate the respiratory functions of CNG pump workers. Materials and Methods: The present study was held on 82 male subjects. The study group included of non-smoking healthy adult males, age group of 20–40 years working in different CNG stations in Surat city for >6 months and 8 h per day. The control group included of non-smoking healthy adult males, age group of 20–30 years working or studying in the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research (SMIMER). Results: Out of 82 male subjects, 30 subjects were control and 52 subjects were CNG station workers. The study group comprised of 52 healthy non-smokers in the age group of 20–40 years working in different CNG station in Surat city for >6 months and 8 h/day. The control group comprised of 30 healthy non-smokers males between the age group of 20–30 years working or studying in the SMIMER. Conclusion: In this study, we have not found statistically significant deterioration in pulmonary functions of CNG pump workers when compared to controls.

Baseline survey of psychosocial factors levels and their health effects in a cohort study of natural gas field workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To investigate the level of psychosocial factors in workplace and their health effects among workers in a natural gas field. Methods: A prospective and open cohort of natural gas field workers was established to study the level of workplace psychosocial factors and their health effects, with a follow-up every 5 years. In October 2018, a cluster sampling method was used to conduct a baseline survey of 1737 workers in a natural gas field, including a questionnaire survey on demographic characteristics, workplace psychosocial factors and mental health outcomes, physiological indicators such as height and weight, and biochemical indicators such as blood routine, urine routine, liver function and kidney function. The baseline data of the workers were statistically described and analyzed. The psychosocial factors and mental health outcomes were divided into high and low groups according to the mean score, and the physiological and biochemical indicators were divided into normal and abnormal groups according to the reference range of normal values. Results: The age of 1737 natural gas field workers was (41.8±8.0) years old, and the length of service was (21.0±9.7) years. There were 1470 male workers (84.6%). There were 773 (44.5%) high school (technical secondary school) and 827 (47.6%) college (junior college) graduates, 1490 (85.8%) married (including remarriage after divorce), 641 (36.9%) smokers and 835 (48.1%) drinkers. Among the psychosocial factors, the detection rates of high levels of resilience, self-efficacy, colleague support and positive emotion were all higher than 50%. Among the mental health outcomes evaluation indexes, the detection rates of high levels of sleep disorder, job satisfaction and daily stress were 41.82% (716/1712), 57.25% (960/1677) and 45.87% (794/1731), respectively. The detection rate of depressive symptoms was 22.77% (383/1682). The abnormal rates of body mass index (BMI), triglyceride and low density lipoprotein were 46.74% (810/1733), 36.50% (634/1737) and 27.98% (486/1737), respectively. The abnormal rates of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, uric acid, total cholesterol and blood glucose were 21.64% (375/1733), 21.41% (371/1733), 20.67% (359/1737), 20.55% (357/1737) and 19.17% (333/1737), respectively. The prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes were 11.23% (195/1737) and 3.45% (60/1737), respectively. Conclusion: The detection rates of high level psychosocial factors in natural gas field workers are high, and their effects on physical and mental health remain to be verified. The establishment of a cohort study of the levels and health effects of psychosocial factors provides an important resource for confirming the causal relationship between workplace psychosocial factors and health.

Geographic Information Systems based approach for assessing the locational feasibility for biomethane production from landfill gas and injection in pipelines in Brazil / Abordagem baseada em sistemas de informação geográfica para avaliação da viabilidade locacional da produção de biometano a partir de gás de aterro sanitário e injeção em dutos no Brasil

ABSTRACT Biomethane can readily replace fossil fuels including natural gas, which has similar physical and chemical properties. In Brazil, municipal solid waste is predominantly disposed of in landfills. Landfill gas is mostly employed for electricity generation, but still at low levels when compared to the existing potential. Production of biomethane from landfill gas may be an alternative to exploit the existing potential, but Brazil's pipeline network is rather limited and concentrated along the country's coast. In this context, the research sought to identify the locational viability of using landfill gas to produce biomethane and injecting it into pipelines, considering the available potential and its proximity to Brazil's existing pipeline network. The QGis software was used to integrate the information. Territorial arrangements with a biomethane production capacity of more than 15,000 Nm3 day−1 and located up to 50 km from the pipeline network were considered feasible. The research estimated a potential production equivalent to 3,407,027 Nm3 day−1 of biomethane from landfills in Brazil. This potential corresponds to 6% of country's natural gas consumption in 2019 and is almost 32 times greater than current production of biomethane from all substrates used with this purpose in that year. The results indicate the suitability of using geographic information systems to identify regions that can benefit from the production of biomethane from landfill gas using the existing natural gas pipelines as an alternative to the electricity generation and provides relevant subsidies to the formulation of more efficient public policies in both the sanitation and energy sectors.

RESUMO O biometano pode substituir facilmente os combustíveis fósseis, incluindo o gás natural, que possui propriedades físicas e químicas similares. No Brasil, os resíduos sólidos urbanos são descartados predominantemente em aterros sanitários. O gás dos aterros sanitários é empregado principalmente na geração de eletricidade, mas ainda em níveis baixos quando comparado ao potencial existente. A produção de biometano a partir do gás de aterro pode ser uma alternativa para explorar o potencial existente, mas a rede de gasodutos do Brasil é bastante limitada e concentrada ao longo da costa do país. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa buscou identificar a viabilidade locacional do uso de gás de aterro sanitário para produzir biometano e injetá-lo em dutos, considerando o potencial disponível e sua proximidade com a rede de dutos existente no Brasil. O software QGis foi utilizado para integrar as informações. Foram considerados viáveis arranjos territoriais com uma capacidade de produção de biometano maior que 15.000 Nm3 dia−1 e localizados a até 50 km da rede de gasodutos. A pesquisa estimou uma produção potencial equivalente a 3.407.027 Nm3 dia−1 de biometano a partir de aterros sanitários no Brasil. Esse potencial corresponde a 6% do consumo de gás natural do país em 2019 e é quase 32 vezes maior que a produção de biometano de todos os substratos utilizados com essa finalidade naquele ano. Os resultados indicam a adequação do uso de sistemas de informação geográfica para identificar regiões que podem se beneficiar da produção de biometano a partir de gás de aterro sanitário, utilizando os gasodutos de gás natural existentes como alternativa à geração de eletricidade e fornece subsídios relevantes para a formulação de políticas públicas mais eficientes, tanto no setor de saneamento quanto no de energia.

Effect of psychological capital and social support on job satisfaction among workers in a natural gas field / 中国职业医学

@#To explore the effects of psychological capital social support and their interaction on job satisfaction in Methods natural gas field workers. A total of 1 473 workers from a natural gas field were selected as the research subjects ， using convenient sampling method. Job Satisfaction Questionnaire Psychological Capital Questionnaire and Social Support ， Results Scale were used to investigate the scores of job satisfaction psychological capital and social support level. The ， ， detection rates of job satisfaction psychological capital and social support in the high level group were 55.9% 52.5% and ， 48.1% respectively. The detection rates of job satisfaction of workers in the high level psychological capital group and high level （ social support group were higher than those in the low level psychological capital group and low level social support group 67.4% vs ， vs ， P ） 43.3% 71.9% 41.2% all <0.01 . The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that psychological capital ［ （CI） （ - ） and social support had positive effects on job satisfaction odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were 1.58 1.17 2.41 （ - ）， ， P ］ ， and 2.53 1.82 3.52 respectively all <0.01 . Moreover the psychological capital and social support had additive effect on ［ CI （ - ）， CI job satisfaction relative excess risk of interaction and 95% was 3.07 1.02 5.12 attributable proportion and 95% was （ - ）， CI （ - ）］， 0.48 0.35 0.61 synergy index and 95% was 2.34 1.72 3.16 but there was no multiplication interaction between （P ）Conclusion psychological capital and social support >0.05 . Psychological capital and social support can positively affect job satisfaction of natural gas workers. There is an additive interaction between psychological capital and social support on job ， satisfaction but no multiplicative interaction is found. Keywords: ； ； ； ； ； Psychological capital Social support Job satisfaction Interaction Natural gas Worker

Virtual Reality Applied in a Thermoelectric Power Plant Planning

Abstract The planning of a new thermal power plant is linked to the various decision elements and evaluation criteria. Factors such as the plant's geographic positioning, primary energy supply points, paths, and means of delivery of this primary energy should be analyzed. Similar studies are imposed when studying the change of a thermoelectric plant's primary energy source occurs. In Brazil, several plants are currently investigating the exchange of their primary fuel from oil to gas due to the decrees issued by ANEEL. This paper presents software, which uses virtual reality to assist in the various stages of the planning process and in the analyses that must be performed. This software was developed for the Hidrotermica Group and had as the primary target the Borborema Thermoelectric Power Plant.

Revisión del proceso de separación de fases del gas natural a alta presión en la industria Oil&Gas / Review of the natural gas phases separation process at high pressure in the Oil&Gas industry / Revisão do processo de separação de fases do gás natural para alta pressão na indústria de Oil&Gas

Resumen La separación física de líquidos y gases es una de las operaciones de producción, procesamiento y tratamiento en la industria petrolera, necesaria para prevenir daños en equipos rotativos, evitar corrosión en tuberías y cumplir con las especificaciones de calidad del gas natural para uso doméstico. Cuando la presión de operación aumenta, la diferencia de densidades entre las fases disminuye, lo cual dificulta el proceso de separación. Se realiza la revisión del estado del arte, desde los años 90 hasta el presente, de las diferentes metodologías para separar las fases líquida y gaseosa del gas natural, así como las variables de diseño con aplicación a sistemas que operan a alta presión; prestando especial énfasis en los avances encontrados utilizando Dinámica de Fluidos Computacional. Los resultados muestran que, aunque los separadores centrífugos y los separadores supersónicos son más compactos y de fácil mantenimiento comparados con los separadores gravitacionales, éstos últimos continúan siendo la estrategia más favorable cuando se combinan alta presión y baja cantidad de líquido (menos del 4% vol), como es el caso del gas natural. Conclusión adjudicada, en parte, a la falta de estudios experimentales/numéricos que involucren al gas natural en equipos alternativos al separador gravitacional

Abstract The Physical separation of liquids and gases is one of the main operations of production, processing and treatment in the oil industry; it is necessary to prevent damage to rotating equipment, to avoid corrosion in pipes and to achieve with the natural gas quality specifications for domestic use. When the operating pressure increases, the density difference between the phases decreases, which makes the separation process difficult or in some cases impossible. In this work, the state of the art of the different methodologies to separate the liquid and gaseous phases of natural gas is reviewed , as well as the design variables applied to systems that operate at high pressure from the 90's to the present; with special emphasis on the advances found using Computational Fluid Dynamics. The results show that, although both centrifugal and supersonic separators are more compact and easy to maintain compared to gravitational separators, gravitational separators remain the most favorable strategy when combining high pressure and low liquid load (less than 4%vol), as is the case of natural gas. Conclusion awarded, in part, to the lack of experimental/numerical studies involving natural gas in alternative equipment to the gravitational separator

Resumo A separação física de líquidos e gases é uma das principais operações de produção, processamento e tratamento na indústria do petróleo, necessária para evitar danos ao equipamento rotativo, para evitar a corrosão nos tubos e para cumprir as especificações de qualidade do gás natural para uso doméstico. Quando a pressão de operação aumenta, a diferença de densidade entre as fases diminui, o que torna o processo de separação difícil ou, em alguns casos, impossível. Neste trabalho, é realizada a avaliação do estado da arte de diferentes metodologias para separar as fases líquida e gasosa do gás natural e as variáveis de design com aplicação para sistemas que operam a alta pressão a partir dos anos 90 até a data atual; com ênfase especial nos avanços encontrados usando a Dinâmica dos Fluidos Computacional. Os resultados mostram que, embora ambos os separadores centrífugos e supersónicos são mais compactos e de fácil manutenção comparado com separadores gravitacionais, o último continua a ser a estratégia favorecida quando a alta pressão e de baixa quantidade de líquido são combinados (menos de 4% vol), como é o caso do gás natural; Conclusão concedida, em parte, à falta de estudos experimentais/numéricos envolvendo gás natural em equipamentos alternativos ao separador gravitacional

Costo efectividad del gas natural domiciliario como tecnología sanitaria en localidades rurales del Caribe Colombiano / The cost-effectiveness of installing natural gas as a sanitary alternative for rural communities on the Colombian Caribbean coast burning biomass fuels

Objetivo Valorar el impacto económico del Gas Natural Domiciliario -GND- como tecnología sanitaria sobre la enfermedad respiratoria asociada al humo de biomasa en localidades del caribe colombiano. Métodos Tres estudios combinados: a) carga de enfermedad respiratoria asociada al uso de combustibles de biomasa; b) costos de la enfermedad (Infección Respiratoria Aguda -IRA- y Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica-EPOC); y c) análisis de costo efectividad del GND para reducir morbilidad por enfermedades respiratorias. Resultados En las localidades se esperarían anualmente 498 (477-560) casos de IRA que generaría 149 (119-196) hospitalizaciones, 6 (4-10) muertes y 7 291 (5 746 -9 696) AVAD. También se esperarían 459 (372-684) casos de EPOC, 138 (93- 239) hospitalizaciones, 11 (5-26) muertes y 1 500 (973-2 711) AVAD. Los costos de esta carga de enfermedad en ausencia del GND son anualmente de 5,2 (3,8-8,3) millones de dólares. De éstos, la mayoría son costos de EPOC (cerca del 85 por ciento). Los costos por IRA y EPOC, luego de instalado el GND, ascienden a 3,5 (2,5-5,7) millones de dólares. Los costos evitados serían 1,6 (1,2-2,6) millones de dólares, (30 por ciento de los costos de la carga). El costo efectividad incremental de introducir el GND sería un poco más de 56 (22-74) mil dólares por muerte evitada y entre 43 y 66 dólares evitar un AVAD. Conclusiones Frente a la no intervención, la instalación del GND resulta ser una tecnología costo efectiva para la reducción de las enfermedades respiratorias asociadas al consumo de combustibles de biomasa.

Objective Evaluating the economic impact of natural gas as a sanitary technology regarding respiratory disease associated with indoor air pollution in rural localities on the Colombian Caribbean coast. Methods Three studies were carried out: the burden of respiratory disease was evaluated (acute lower respiratory infection-ALRI and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - COPD), disease costs were studied and the cost effectiveness of natural gas was analysed in terms of reducing indoor air pollution. Results Without natural gas in these localities, it would be expected that 498 (477-560) cases of ALRI per year would lead to 149 (119-196) hospitalisations, 6 (4-10) deaths and 7 291 (5,746-9,696) disability adjusted life years (DALY) annually. Furthermore, it is expected that 459 (372-684) cases of COPD per year would lead to 138 (93-239), hospitalisations, 11 deaths (5-26) and 1 500 (973-2 711) DALY annually. Annual disease burden cost was 5,2 (3,8-8,3) million dollars before installing domiciliary natural gas (DNG); most of such cost arose from COPD (around 85 percent). ARI and COPD costs after installing DNG would rise to 3,5 (2,5-5,7) million dollars; avoided costs would be 1,6 (1,2-2,6) million dollars, (30 percent of disease burden cost without DNG). The incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) of installing DNG would be 56 (22-74) thousand dollars per life saved and ICER per DALY saved would be 43-66 dollars. Conclusion DNG is a sanitary technology which reduces the burden of indoor air pollution-associated respiratory diseases arising from burning biomass fuel in rural localities in a cost-effective way.

Evaluation for Indoor Air Pollution Caused by Gaseous Combustion Products From Three Kinds of Domestic Fuels / 环境与健康杂志

Objective To evaluate the influence of gaseous combustion products of the natural gas (NG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and coal on the indoor air quality. Methods The three kinds of domestic fuels were burned in the designed experimental rooms and the concentrations of SO2, NO2, CO and formaldehyde in the indoor air were determined according to the standard methods at the same time, the emission characteristics of SO2, NO2, CO in these fuels were analyzed also. Results The emission level of CO was the highest in the four combustion products of all three fuels. According to the average daily usage in general families in China, the emission of CO in the coal combustion was much higher than that in combustion of NG and LPG. The unit emission of CO of the coal for house use could reach 30 136 mg/kg, much higher than LPG(8 725 mg/kg)and NG(2 755 mg/kg). The unit emissions of NO2 of LPG combustion (42.69 mg/kg) was higher than the coal and NG (20.01 mg/kg, 11.87 mg/kg), so in the unventilated rooms it could still make the indoor air quality exceed Chinese indoor air quality standard limits. Conclusion Burn of NG or LPG in the kitchen could also cause indoor air pollution.