Atmospheric dispersion of toxic gases in a complex environment

Abstract

This paper describes a study which was initiated by the BITC (Bureau International Technique du Chlore) and carried out at the Von Karman Institute for The main purpose of the project was the setting up of a suitable mathematical model and associated computer code to describe the down-wind dispersion o In studies on toxic gases, typical concentrations are usually low and the “hazard range” we are interested in is a long way from the source. Source The model can deal with a wide variety of sources (jets, stacks, area sources) and releases (instantaneous, short duration continuous). Moreover, obsta The model has been extensively validated against wind tunnel experiments and against other models used in atmospheric dispersion prediction. Close agre On the basis of the validation tests carried out and the consistent results obtained, it is concluded that the BITC model can be regarded as a robust a We consider that the dispersion model here described is not just another one in an already too long list but that it constitutes a definite improvement