Characteristics of Leakage and Diffusion for a Chlorine Storage Tank Based on Simulation

Abstract

In order to study the influence of accidental leakage of a chlorine tank and chlorine diffusion, a 3D model of leakage and diffusion of a chlorine tank was established according to the actual scene of a Chlor-alkali workshop in chemical enterprises. Based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, the chlorine diffusion in an open space was numerically simulated. The influence of topography, leakage location, and discharge source form on the leakage, and diffusion of chlorine was discussed. The results show that the concentration difference of chlorine leakage diffusion at 100 s between a flat terrain and a complex terrain is about 4590 times, and the existence of obstacles is not conducive to the flow and diffusion of chlorine. Under the same external conditions, the diffusion rate of chlorine leakage at the top and middle of the first 30 s is faster than that at the bottom, and the influence range of chlorine leakage at the top of the tank is larger. The concentration difference between continuous leakage and instantaneous leakage at 100 s is 4 × 10⁷ times, and the harm of continuous leakage to the human body is much greater than that of an instantaneous leakage.