Phenomenology and modeling of heavy gas dispersion

Conference · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5045187

Morgan, Jr, D L; Chan, S T; Morris, L K

The dispersion of hazardous heavy gases in the atmosphere is subject to certain physical phenomena not present in the dispersion of passive pollutants. In predicting the size and location of the hazardous region of concentration, it is important to consider the alteration in turbulent diffusion, gravity flow, and, for cold gases, heat flow from the ground. The existence and significance of these phenomena have been confirmed by quantitative measurements of their effects in the Burro and Coyote series of large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) spill experiments. The physics basic to these phenomena has been incorporated into two predictive computer models: SLAB (one-dimensional) and FEM3 (three-dimensional). These models have been used to simulate the experiments, and their results have been compared to the experimental data. Both models perform reasonably well in predicting the downwind extent of hazardous concentration as well as the size and shape of the gas cloud. In addition, FEM3 can predict details of the dispersing cloud such as cloud bifurcation and terrain effects. 12 references, 6 figures.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5045187
• Report Number(s): UCRL-89460; CONF-840475-3; ON: DE84008800
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
DIFFUSION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS SPILLS
GASES
HEAT FLOW
LIQUEFIED GASES
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATURAL GAS
TESTING
VALIDATION
VELOCITY
WIND