A review of recent field tests and mathematical modelling of atmospheric dispersion of large spills of Denser-than-air gases

Large-scale spills of hazardous materials often produce gas clouds which are denser than air. The dominant physical processes which occur during dense-gas dispersion are very different from those recognized for trace gas releases in the atmosphere. Most important among these processes are stable stratification and gravity flow. Dense-gas flows displace the ambient atmospheric flow and modify ambient turbulent mixing. Thermodynamic and chemical reactions can also contribute to dense-gas effects. Some materials flash to aerosol and vapor when released and the aerosol can remain airborne, evaporating as it moves downwind, causing the cloud to remain cold and dense for long distances downwind. Dense-gas dispersion models, which include phase change and terrain effects have been developed and are capable of simulating many possible accidental releases. A number of large-scale field tests with hazardous materials such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), ammonia (NH₃), hydrofluoric acid(HF) and nitrogen tetroxide(N₂O₄) have been performed and used to evaluate models. The tests have shown that gas concentrations up to ten times higher than those predicted by trace gas models can occur due to aerosols and other dense-gas effects. A methodology for model evaluation has been developed which is based on the important physical characteristics of dense-gas releases.