Iman Chalabi a third-year student in The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering has won the top prize in the 2015 Minerva Canada James Ham Safe Design Awards for designing a system that renders crude oil cargo non-flammable in the event of train derailment or collision.
Chalabi’s safe design solution is a ‘smart tank’ rail car to transport crude oil or any type of flammable fuel. His system relies on sensors to detect collision or uncontrolled rolling, much like the sensors that deploys airbags in a car. When sensors trigger, small tanks inside the fuel cars deploy a mix of water and surfactants into the oil or fuel through high-pressure nozzles. This creates an emulsion that’s significantly less flammable than the raw oil or fuel, rendering it less likely to explode. If the tank car is punctured in the collision, the oil or fuel that leaks out will also be much less susceptible to sparks and less likely to ignite. His design also includes a gas pressure sensor and release valve to relieve explosive pressure inside the tank.
Chalabi received the award along with a plaque and $3,500 prize, at the plenary session of the Workplace Safety & Prevention Conference.