HCI in rocket exhaust clouds: atmospheric dispersion, acid aerosol characteristics, and acid rain deposition
NASA is examining Space Shuttle launch impacts. Solid rocket exhaust includes approx. 60 tons HCl and approx. 87 tones alumina particles emitted below 2.5 km, of which 50-80% forms an altitude stabilized exhaust cloud (EC). Several 60% smaller Titan-III EC were sampled by aircraft for this study. Three distinct features are presented: (a) an analysis of HCl (gaseous plus aqueous) data traces. Total range of peak HCl was 25-0.5 ppm (3-300 min) for 8 EC. Power-law decays of peak HCl applied. Calculated HCl dispersions for 7 standard meteorologies are also shown. (b) An analysis of simultaneous HCl (g), HCl (g + aq) data for 2 EC. Vapor-liquid HCl/H/sub 2/O equilibria were calculated for a flat surface aqueous aerosol. HCl partitioning varied with EC dilution and H/sub 2/O content. HCl (aq) and aqueous mass fraction maximized early at > 3 molal and > 0.1 mg/g air. Calculated H/sub 2/O (g + aq) compared favorably with independent EC measurements. (c) An analysis of wet deposition after EC interception at approx. 30 min by a convective storm. A 28 km/sup 2/ acid chloride (1 < pH < 3) footprint was defined. In conclusion, (a) HCl dispersion in large EC tends to follow power-law decay, but HCl concentration may vary widely (100 times after 1 h) with meteorology, (b) HCl (g/aq) and H/sub 2/O (g/aq) partitioning is consistent with equilibrated acid aerosol compositions, and (c) localized deposition of highly acidic rain may occur sometimes.
- Research Organization:
- Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
- OSTI ID:
- 6813333
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 33:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
HCl in rocket exhaust clouds - atmospheric dispersion, acid aerosol characteristics, and acid rain deposition
Aluminum speciation and equilibria in aqueous solution: II. The solubility of gibbsite in acidic sodium chloride solutions from 30 to 70C
Related Subjects
ACID RAIN
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
EXHAUST GASES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
ROCKET ENGINES
AERIAL MONITORING
AEROSOLS
PARTICULATES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENGINES
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MONITORING
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
RAIN
SOLS
WASTES
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)