Simulation of plume dispersion from single release in Fusion Field Trial-07 experiment

Abstract

Accurate description of source–receptor relationship is required for an efficient source reconstruction. This is examined by simulating the dispersion of plumes resulted from the available ten trials of single releases conducted at Fusion Field Trials, Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The simulation is addressed with an earlier developed IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) dispersion model using the dispersion parameters in terms of measurements of turbulent velocity fluctuations. Simulation is described separately in both stable and unstable conditions, characterizing the peak as well as overall observed concentration distribution. Simulated results are compared with those obtained using AERMOD.With IIT model, peak concentrations are predicted within a factor of two in all the trials. The higher concentrations (>5 × 10−4 g m−3) are well predicted in stable condition and under-predicted (within a factor of two) in unstable condition whereas relatively smaller concentrations (<5 × 10−4 g m−3) are severely under-predicted in stable conditions and over-predicted in unstable conditions.The AERMOD exhibits the similar prediction of concentrations as shown by IIT model in most of the trials. Overall, both the models predict 70–80% concentrations in stable conditions and 85–95% concentrations in unstable conditions within a factor of six. The statistical measures for both the models are found well in agreement with the observations.