Showing 6 results for Petrochemical
R Nabizadeh Noudehi , F Fakheri Raouf , N Jafarzadeh Hagigi Fard , M Monavari ,
Volume 4, Issue 4 (7-2006)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The Razi Petrochemical Complex is one of the greatest factories producing nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and various other chemicals. The site, comprising 17 production units with a total surface area of around 100 hectares, is located on the outskirts of Imam Khomeini port. The ammonia (1) section of the plant, with its production capacity of 1000 tons/year, was selected as the setting for this research on the feasibility of waste minimization programs.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted form October 2003 to May 2005, and it involved more than 20 visits to the site to gather data. We covered areas such as quality and quantity of liquid waste, reasons for waste generation and the production period. We also studied the current system of waste management. The materials were subsequently classified according to method proposed by the United Nations. Finally, strategies were proposed to minimize waste production.
Results: Results showed that the unit produced 305509.38 cubic meters of liquid waste annually, and water used for cooling accounted for 62.35% of the total volume. The main reasons for the production of liquid waste were problems with the production. Over 95% of the waste was produced on a permanent basis. After classification, it emerged that 18.02% of the material was dangerous. Currently, 85.65% of the liquid waste in this factory is disposed of in the surrounding environment, and 14.35% is recycled.
Conclusion: The proposed strategies for minimizing the liquid waste production materials in the factory are: recycling and re-use (95%), production process modifications (4.79%), and volume reduction (0.01%). With the use of waste minimization methods, we can avoid the dumping of huge amounts of waste into the environment, reduce the loss of raw material, and make out a strong case for the efficiency of waste minimization efforts.
M Shakerkhatibi, H Ganjidoust, B Ayati, E Fatehifar,
Volume 6, Issue 3 (2-2009)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Acrylonitrile (ACN) is widely used as a main raw material in the Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) resin-manufacturing units and other industrial and commercial processes. ACN, due to its toxicity, is not easily decomposed by microorganisms. The discharge of improperly treated ACN-containing wastewater into a natural water body may cause serious environmental problems and severe adverse impact on the aquatic ecology. This study attempts to isolate and identify bacteria which utilize ACN as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen from the activated sludge of petrochemical wastewater treatment system. The performance of the isolated strains in treating different initial ACN concentrations was also investigated under aerobic conditions. In addition, the performance of biodegradation and the metabolic intermediates and end-products in the process were determined.
Materials and Methods: Experiments were conducted with three batch reactors, the volume of each one being 250 mL. The activated sludge samples as a microbial seeding were taken from the return sludge line of the aeration tank of the wastewater treatment facility in Tabriz Petrochemical Complex. Phosphate-buffered medium (PBM) was used to make available minerals and trace elements, and ACN was used as the sole carbon and nitrogen source for microbial growth. R2A medium was used to obtain pure colonies, and to identify the isolated strain, Gram staining and microscopic examination followed by biochemical and physiologic analyses using selective media such as O-F glucose, MacConkey agar, TSI agar, EMB and SS agar, nitrate reduction, gelatin liquefaction, lactose fermentation, oxidase, catalase and SIM were used. In the final stage, the performance of biological systems in degrading different initial concentrations of ACN and its intermediate and end-products were investigated.
Results: The findings indicated that when the ACN concentration was 500 mg/L, the average removal efficiency after 46 and 70 h reached 46% and 98%, respectively. But at an initial concentration of 700 mg/L, the removal efficiency of the ACN in the biological system was 50% after 46 h and 98.6% after 94 h . However, when the ACN concentration was increased to 1000 mg/L, the removal efficiency after 46 and 94 h was only 30% and 40%, respectively, and after 118 h of reaction, the remaining concentration of ACN was about 580 mg/L. Furthermore, the results of isolation and identification experiments revealed that at the optimum operation of the biological system the strain belonging to the gamma group of Proteobacteria as Pseudomonas putida had the best ability to degrade ACN.
Conclusion: Biological processes can degrade ACN and the abilities of different bacterial strains in this degradation vary. The rod-shaped Gram-negative P. putida could easily adapt to ACN concentrations up to 700 mg/L and utiliz ACN and its intermediate- and end-products as a carbon and nitrogen source for growth in the process. Thus, this strain is expected to play an important role in aeration tanks for treating ABS resin-manufacturing wastewater.
M Ghasemi, G Nasl Saraji, A Zakerian, M Azhdari,
Volume 8, Issue 1 (6-2010)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Today in many work environments, such as nuclear, military and chemical industries, human errors may result in disasters. Accidents in different parts of the world bear evidence to this examples are the Chernobyl disaster (1986), the Three Mile Island accident (1974), and the Flixborough explosion (1974). Thus, identification of human error, especially in complex and intricate systems, and devising control measures are essential.
Materials and Methods: This project was a case study conducted in Zagross Methanol Company in Asalouye (South Pars), Iran. The walking-talking-through method was used to collect the required data and complete the Systematic Human Error Reductive and Predictive Approach (SHERPA) worksheets. The process experts and control room operators were interviewed and technical documents of the Company examined.
Results: Analysis of the SHERPA worksheets indicated that the majority (48.62%) of the 222 errors identified were action errors, followed by checking errors (31.97%), retrieval errors (6.75%), selection errors (0.9%), and communication errors (11.7%).
Conclusion: The results of this study show that the method can be used effectively in different industries, especially chemical industries, to identify human errors that may potentially lead to dangerous situations and accidents.
A Mazlomi, M Hamzeiyan Ziarane, A Dadkhah, M Jahangiri, M Maghsodipour, P Mohadesy, M Ghasemi ,
Volume 8, Issue 4 (2-2011)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Today in most of the work environments, such as nuclear, military and chemical industries, human error may result in catastrophic events. A common characteristic of large technological systems is that massive amounts of potentially dangerous materials are kept in one single unit controlled by control room operators. A control room is indeed the heart of a system of this type and any error in task performance by the operators may have undesirable consequences which could never be compensated. In this study we aimed to identify and assess human errors in the control room of the Aromatic Unit of Bouali-Sina Petrochemical Company, Iran using the CREAM method.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional and analytical-descriptive study carried out in the control room of the Aromatic Unit of Bouali-Sina Petrochemical Company, Iran with 39 operators. After a job analysis by the hierarchical task analysis (HTA), probable control modes and cognitive failure probability were determined for occupational tasks using the basic and the extended CREAM methodologies.
Results: Based on the results of the basic CREAM method, control modes for the tasks of action, Boardman and shift control supervisor were determined as Opportunistic Control mode, while for the task of control room head it was obtained as Tactical control mode. With regard to the error types, the following results were obtained on the basis of the extended method of CREAM: execution failure (51.70%), interpretation failure (19.55%), planning failure (14.94%), and observation failure (13.81%).
Conclusion: The basic CREAM method showed the common performance factors (CPCs) leading to reduced performance reliability to be the number of simultaneous tasks, time of day (circadian rhythm), and adequacy and quality of training and experience. These factors caused the operators to choose an opportunistic control mode. In addition, based on the extended CREAM method results, the most noticeable cognitive failure was execution failure. In addition, the most important cognitive activities related to the control process in the control room were communication, execution, diagnosis, monitoring, and planning. Based on these findings, providing instructions and guidelines for work procedures, holding training courses, shift work scheduling, optimization of the communication systems and modifications in the control software are essential to minimize human errors in the Bouali Sina Petrochemical Company control room.
Alireza Choobineh, Ahmad Soltanzadeh, Seyed Hamidreza Tabatabaie, Mehdi Jahangiri,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (3-2012)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Shift work may induce adverse effects such as health problems on human life. The purpose of this study was to investigate shift work-related health problems and their associated risk factors among workers of petrochemical industries.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in 21 petrochemical companies affiliated to the National Petrochemical Industries Company, Iran. The study population consisted of 3580 workers (44.2% shift- and 55.8% day-workers). Data were collected on demographic characteristics, shift schedules, and health problems using anonymous questionnaires. Statistical analyses and modeling were performed using SPSS version 11.5.
Results: The mean age of the day-workers with a job tenure of 8.87±7.22 years and of the shift-workers with a job tenure of 8.22±7.02 years was 34.56±8.19 and 33.15±7.73 years, respectively. Analysis of the data showed that prevalence of health problems among shift-workers was higher than that of day-workers. Furthermore, based on multiple linear regression analysis, it was revealed that, in addition to shift-working itself, other variables such as long working-hours, type of employment, age, job tenure, education, and job title also had a role in creating problems.
Conclusion: Although in the shift-working system the main risk factor associated with health problems among the workers is the work itself, there are also other risk factors, such as demographic and occupational variables.
Alireza Choobineh, Mandana Aghabeygi, Hamidreza Tabatabaei, Afshin Fallahpour, Fouzieh Javadpour, Ahmad Soltanzadeh,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (11-2013)
Abstract
Background and Aim: After conducting a comprehensive study on shift work systems in petrochemical companies and recommending appropriate shift schedules, some companies changed shift patterns. After a year, the present study was carried out at a petrochemical company which changed its shift pattern from 4-4-4 to 3-3-3. The objective of the study was evaluation of effectiveness of shift schedule change on shift workers’ health problems.
Materials and Methods: In this study, samples consisted of 195 shift workers of the present study and 44 shift workers from the previous study. Data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire, in which questions on demographic characteristics, health problems and workers’ opinions about shift pattern change were included. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 11.5.
Results: The results showed that prevalence of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal problems were not statistically different between the two groups (p>0.05), but prevalence of some psychological disorders were lower in the present study subjects as compared to the individuals of the previous study (p<0.01). The results revealed that from the viewpoint of shift workers new shift pattern improved quality and quantity of sleep. The findings showed that 76.8% of the subjects evaluated the new shift schedule to be better than the previous one.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, changing the shift pattern from 4-4-4 to 3-3-3 resulted in reduction of prevalence of psychological problems. Therefore, the change implemented in the shift pattern was useful.
