Numerical simulations of atmospheric releases of heavy gases over variable terrain

Conference · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:5113529

Chan, S T; Rodean, H C; Ermak, D L

In this report, a three-dimensional, conservation equation model for simulating the dispersion of heavy gases has been described and used to simulate the vapor dispersion of two markedly different (regarding the role of gravity-flow) LNG spill experiments. Two numerical simulations of the NG dispersion were carried out for each experiment. The first assumed a flat terrain and the second used a numerical simulation of the actual terrain at the test site. In general, good agreement between model predictions and field measurements, regarding maximum downwind distances to the LFL, time histories of temperature and concentration at several representative locations, and concentration contours on certain horizontal and crosswind surfaces was observed. The overall results obtained in the model calculations with the simulated actual topography were shown to correlate much better with the field data and, in particular, many important features of the vapor cloud observed under the light wind conditions of Burro 8 were reproduced in the variable terrain simulation. These include the vortex-induced high concentration regions resulting in the bifurcation of the NG cloud and the deflection of the NG cloud due to sloping terrain.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5113529
• Report Number(s): UCRL-87256; CONF-820936-2; ON: DE82020351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030800* -- Natural Gas-- Environmental Aspects
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CALIFORNIA
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION IX
FIELD TESTS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS SPILLS
GASES
LIQUEFIED GASES
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATURAL GAS
NORTH AMERICA
SIMULATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
TESTING
TOPOGRAPHY
USA
VAPORS