Abstract
In this study, the effects of the mesh barrier on the free dispersion of ammonia were numerically investigated under different atmospheric conditions. This study presents the detail and flow feature of the dispersion of ammonia through the mesh barrier on various free stream conditions to decline and limit the toxic danger of the ammonia. It is assumed that the dispersion of the ammonia occurred through the leakage in the pipeline. Parametric studies were conducted on the performance of the mesh barrier by using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with realizable k-<TEX>${\varepsilon}$</TEX> turbulence model. Numerical simulations of ammonia dispersion in the presence of mesh barrier revealed significant results in a fully turbulent free stream condition. The results clearly show that the flow behavior was found to be a direct result of mesh size and ammonia dispersion is highly influenced by these changes in flow patterns in downstream. In fact, the flow regime becomes laminar as flow passes through mesh barrier. According to the results, the mesh barrier decreased the maximum concentration of the ammonia gas and limited the risk zone (more than 500 ppm) lower than 2 m height. Furthermore, a significant reduction occurs in the slope of the upper boundary of <TEX>$NH_3$</TEX> risk zone distribution at downstream when a mesh barrier is presented. Thus, this device highly restricts the leak distribution of ammonia in the industrial plan.
Highlights
Several researches (Galeev, 2013a; Labovský et al, 2011) have shown that people who live and work near petrochemical plant and/or gas storages area are at risk for a variety of health problems such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems and danger of death due to exposure to harmful leaking pollutants of hazardous gases such as CO and NH3
Numerical simulations have been performed to inves tigate the effect of using a mesh barrier on the disper sion of ammonia as a leak from a pipeline in a various atmospheric conditions
Parameters such as leak rates, leak direction and barrier mesh size have been studied to cover all aspects of the flow behavior of the mesh barrier in free streams on a flat surface
Summary
Several researches (Galeev, 2013a; Labovský et al, 2011) have shown that people who live and work near petrochemical plant and/or gas storages area are at risk for a variety of health problems such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems and danger of death due to exposure to harmful leaking pollutants of hazardous gases such as CO and NH3. Various scien tists (Galeev, 2013b; Mack et al, 2013; Pandya et al, 2012) have focused on free dispersion of toxic gas as a main concern of different industrial plants. Since amm onia is a common substance, which has many uses owing to its chemical and physical properties, it is widely used in various applications (refrigerators, condensors). Ammonia is a substance that is extremely toxic, explosive, flammable and cor rosive in certain conditions. It cannot be forgotten that the failure of a storage tank of ammonia in Dakar on March 24, 1992, caused a large number of fatalities (129 dead and more than 1100 injured) some of which were due to the toxic nature of ammonia and occurred several weeks after the accident
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