Atmospheric dispersion modeling at the Rocky Flats Plant. Progress report, December 1981-December 1985

Technical Report · Fri Jul 25 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5221253

Hodgin, C R

The Rocky Flats Plant applies atmospheric dispersion modeling as a tool for Emergency Response, Risk Assessment, and Regulatory Compliance. Extreme variations in terrain around the facility have necessitated the development of an advanced modeling approach. The Terrain-Responsive Atmospheric Code (TRAC) was developed to treat realistically the changing wind, stability, dispersion, and deposition patterns that are experienced in mountainous areas. The result is a detailed picture of dose and deposition patterns associated with postulated or actual releases. A unified approach was taken to modeling needs at Rocky Flats. This produces consistent dose projections for all applications. A Risk Assessment version of TRAC is now operational. A high-speed version of the code is being implemented for Emergency Response, and development of a regulatory version is under way. Public, scientific, and governmental acceptance of TRAC is critical to successful applications at the Rocky Flats Plant. A program of peer review and regulatory approval was initiated to provide a full outside evaluation of our techniques. Full field validation (tracer testing) is key to demonstrating reliability of the TRAC model. A validation study was planned for implementation beginning in early CY-1986. The necessary funding ($500,000) is being sought. Although the TRAC model development and approval program was developed for site-specific needs at the Rocky Flats Plant, potential exists for wider application within the Department of Energy (DOE). The TRAC model can be easily applied at other sites in complex terrain. A coordinated approach to model validation throughout the Albquerque Operations Office (AL) or DOE complexes could prove more cost effective than site-by-site evaluations. Finally, the model approval procedure developed jointly by Rocky Flats and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is general and could be applied to other models or as the basis for a DOE-wide program.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International Corp., Golden, CO (USA). Rocky Flats Plant
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP03533
• OSTI ID: 5221253
• Report Number(s): RFP-3916; ON: DE86015587
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
510600 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Regulations-- (-1989)
530200* -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Assessment of Energy Technologies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
COMPLIANCE
COMPUTER CODES
EMERGENCY PLANS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
ROCKY FLATS PLANT
T CODES
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS