Diffusion simulation and risk assessment model establishment of chlorine gas leakage based on terrain conditions

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Apr;30(19):54742-54752. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-26181-4. Epub 2023 Mar 7.

Abstract

This study researches the impact of terrain factors on chlorine gas diffusion processes based on SLAB model. Simulating the law of wind speed changing with altitude by calculating the real-time speed with vertical height combing actual terrain data, and integrating the influence of terrain on wind speed by using Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) algorithm, K-turbulence model, and standard wall functions, then plotting the gas diffusion range in the map with terrain data according to the Gaussian-Cruger projection algorithm and dividing the hazardous areas according to the public exposure guidelines (PEG). The accidental chlorine gas releases near Lishan Mountain, Xi'an City, were simulated by the improved SLAB model. The results show that there are obvious differences analyzing contrastively the endpoint distance and area of chlorine gas dispersion under real terrain condition and ideal condition at different times; it can be found that the endpoint distance of the real terrain conditions is 1.34 km shorter than that of the ideal conditions at 300 s with terrain factors, and also the thermal area is 3,768,026m2 less than that of the ideal conditions. In addition, it can predict the specific number of casualties within different levels of harm at 2 min after chlorine gas dispersion, and casualties are constantly changing over time. The fusion of terrain factors can be used to optimize the SLAB model, which is expected to provide an important reference for effective rescue.

Keywords: Casualties; Chlorine gas; Dispersion; SLAB model; Terrain factor.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants* / analysis
  • Chlorine*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Wind

Substances

  • Chlorine
  • Air Pollutants