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Title: Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks

Abstract

A parametric air dispersion analysis has been conducted to define the range of tank vapor concentrations from the Hanford Site underground tanks that can potentially occur in the worker breathing zones from active and passive releases from the waste tanks. The potential influences of tank farm specific release characteristics, ambient meteorological conditions, local farm surface roughness, and topographical influences are considered. The parametric approach allows consideration of the full range venting configurations and potential vapor concentration over the range of meteorological conditions at the Hanford Site. The results indicate that occasional short duration exposures of up to several seconds to relatively undiluted headspace air can be expected in the immediate vicinity of the tank vents. Average concentrations which represent diffusion, as well as spatial averaging, fall off rapidly with distance for the passive vents and to a lesser extent for the forced-air stacks. The addition of the influence of the surface roughness elements on the tank farms will result in a faster decrease of concentrations with downwind distance.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
15020936
Report Number(s):
PNNL-14767
830403000; TRN: US0504714
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; HANFORD RESERVATION; STORAGE FACILITIES; GASES; EMISSION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; METEOROLOGY; Dispersion; Plume; Tanks; Vapor; Concentration; Atmospheric

Citation Formats

Droppo, James G. Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks. United States: N. p., 2004. Web. doi:10.2172/15020936.
Droppo, James G. Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15020936
Droppo, James G. 2004. "Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15020936. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15020936.
@article{osti_15020936,
title = {Characterization of the Near-Field Transport and Dispersion of Vapors Released from the Headspaces of Hanford Site Underground Storage Tanks},
author = {Droppo, James G},
abstractNote = {A parametric air dispersion analysis has been conducted to define the range of tank vapor concentrations from the Hanford Site underground tanks that can potentially occur in the worker breathing zones from active and passive releases from the waste tanks. The potential influences of tank farm specific release characteristics, ambient meteorological conditions, local farm surface roughness, and topographical influences are considered. The parametric approach allows consideration of the full range venting configurations and potential vapor concentration over the range of meteorological conditions at the Hanford Site. The results indicate that occasional short duration exposures of up to several seconds to relatively undiluted headspace air can be expected in the immediate vicinity of the tank vents. Average concentrations which represent diffusion, as well as spatial averaging, fall off rapidly with distance for the passive vents and to a lesser extent for the forced-air stacks. The addition of the influence of the surface roughness elements on the tank farms will result in a faster decrease of concentrations with downwind distance.},
doi = {10.2172/15020936},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/15020936}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2004},
month = {Fri Jul 30 00:00:00 EDT 2004}
}