Development of a video image-based methodology for estimating large-1FL scale transient hydrocarbon smoke plume size and extent

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6969065

Leonard, J T; Budnick, E K; Back, G G; Ganey, S J

Interest in burning crude oil as a means to mitigate large scale oil spills at sea led to mid-scale evaluation of relevant crude oil burning characteristics. As part of this effort, a computer-based field measurement technique for estimating the size, shape, and extent of visible smoke plumes was developed. Of the experiments in which measurements were made, Test 7 provided data on plume trajectory for the largest distance from the pan. Good agreement was obtained between corresponding 35 mm photographs and digitized images used to estimate plume volume and trajectory. In Test 7, at 600 s after ignition, the leading edge of the smoke plume had risen to 750 m and traveled 1800 m downwind from the pan. The estimated total volume of the smoke plume at 600 s after ignition was 3.8 x 10(exp 8)cum. At that time, the total volume of the smoke plume was increasing at a rate of 3.2 x 10(exp 6)cum/s. Limited evaluation indicates that the MS-DOS based method provides reasonably accurate estimates of visible smoke plume geometry in the near-field. Field accuracy depends on plume size, wind speed and direction, and the resolution of the equipment.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 6969065
• Report Number(s): PB-92-238559/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FIELD TESTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IGNITION
IMAGE PROCESSING
MAGNETIC STORAGE DEVICES
MAGNETIC TAPES
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING METHODS
MEMORY DEVICES
OIL SPILLS
OXIDATION
PATTERN RECOGNITION
PETROLEUM
PLUMES
PROCESSING
SIZE
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRAJECTORIES
VIDEO TAPES