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Techreport Reference D2.1 - Literature review on past accident
Maritime transport of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) has increased for 20 years, involving the risk of major pollution accidents with potentially more hazardous than oil. Chemicals may involve long-term environmental effects and the risks for public safety can be more severe for chemical releases (European Maritime Safety Agency [EMSA], 2007). Approximately 2,000 chemicals are transported by sea and only a few hundred chemicals are transported in bulk, but it represents the main volume of the chemical trade (Purnell, 2009). Alongside the expansion of chemicals transported at sea, incidents involving chemical tankers increased accordingly. Still, information on past and more recent incidents is not easily available. Furthermore, in the case of marine accident involving HNS, spill response is difficult due to the chemicals spilled, particularly when gas or volatile substances are released. The vapour cloud created can be toxic, flammable or explosive and there is a necessity to protect the crew, the population nearby as well as the environment and the stakeholders involved in marine pollution response. As an example, Figure 1 shows a picture of the explosion which occurred in September 2019 in the Ulsan harbour, South Korea. This explosion is the consequence of a styrene monomer leak on the chemical tanker Stolt Groenland that led to a massive explosion with fireball and mushroom cloud. The present report is a literature review on past accidents that have induced the formation of a toxic, flammable or explosive gas cloud. The information gathered will allow better identification of 1) the categories of chemicals most involved; 2) the main risks generated by the gas cloud dispersion in the air and 3) the consequences of a chemical slick on fire at the water surface as well as the hazard due to a vapour cloud explosion. This work is part of WP2: Enhancing knowledge and data on gases and evaporators of the MANIFESTS program (Managing risks and impacts from evaporating and gaseous substances to population safety) that studies risks associated to accidental chemical spills in the marine environment. The aim of this WP is to contribute to a better prediction of the consequences of vapour clouds due to marine accidents. This would facilitate the intervention of marine pollution organisms and would also help to protect population nearby, as we would know precisely where the dangerous area is.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2021 OA
Unpublished Reference Quantification of hydrodynamic changes induced by an offshore mussel aquaculture farm (Part 1)
The goal of this end-of-studies internship proposed by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS) is the quantification of hydrodynamic changes (especially sea currents) induced by an offshore aquaculture farm similar to that of the industrial project “Westdiep Sea Farm”. The mussel aquaculture technique used in this project is known to disturb currents by, among other things, increasing the velocity of currents under the farm and significantly increasing the turbulence developing in the wake of the rigs. However, according to the knowledge of the RBINS, no study quantifies these disturbances. From an environmental point of view, an open question is whether or not these changes can modify the erosion/sedimentation pattern around the farm, leading, for example, to a risk of destabilization of the neighbouring sandbanks. First, the objective of this internship is to implement the parameterization of droppers impacts in the COHERENS hydrodynamic model. For this, a literature study will be carried out. Then, a sensitivity study will be conducted in order to use the implementation in a test case of a similar and simplified mussel farm. If time permits, the final objective would be to apply these different tests and simulations on the realistic case of the "Westdiep Sea Farm".
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA
Mastersthesis Reference Etude d'impact des changements hydrodynamiques induits par une ferme d'aquaculture de moules offshore
About 30 years ago, researchers of RBINS developed COHERENS (coupled hydrodynamical-ecological model for regional and shelf seas), a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model designed for a wide range of applications in coastal and shelf seas, estuaries, lakes and reservoirs. The main goal of this internship is to quantify the hydrographic changes (especially marine currents) induced by an offshore mussel aquaculture farm similar to the industrial project "Wesdiep Sea Farm", using the COHERENS model. The mussel aquaculture technique used in this project is known to disturb currents and turbulence in the water column. The goal of this internship is to implement the parameterisation of the impacts of the mussel droppers in the COHERENS hydrodynamic model as well as the addition of a new source term for turbulent kinetic energy production. Then, a sensitivity study will be carried out using the implementation made in a test case of a simplified mussel aquaculture farm. Note that in parallel to this report, a more complete report was produced for RBINS within the framework of this internship and the student has already been offered a contract of employment.
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022 OA
Techreport Reference Etude archéo-anthropologique du site de Huy, rue Saint-Hilaire
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2023
Techreport Reference Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Merksplas Formation
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Techreport Reference Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Jagersborg Member (Kieseloolite Formation)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Techreport Reference Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Pey Bed (Brunssum Member)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Techreport Reference Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Brunssum Member (Kieseloolite Formation)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Techreport Reference Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Op-den-Berg Facies (Kieseloolite Formation)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022
Techreport Reference C header Lithostratigraphic identification sheet Waubach Member (Kieseloolite Formation)
Located in Library / RBINS Staff Publications 2022