Transport of breeder reactor-fire-generated sodium oxide aerosols for building-wake-dominated meteorology

Abstract

This report describes the methodology used and results obtained in efforts to estimate the sodium aerosol concentrations at air intake ports of a liquid-metal cooled, fast-breeder nuclear reactor. An earlier version of this methodology has been previously discussed (Fields and Miller, 1985). A range of wind speeds from 2 to 10 m/s is assumed, and an effort is made to include building wake effects which, in many cases, dominate the dispersal of aerosols near buildings. For relatively small release rates, on the order of 1 to 10 kg/s, the plume rise is small and estimates of aerosol concentrations are derived using the methodology of Wilson and Britter (1982), which describes releases from surface vents. For release rates on the order of 100 kg/s much higher release velocities are expected, and plume rise is considered. An effective increase in release height is computed using the Split-H methodology with a parameterization suggested by Ramsdell (1983), and the release source strength is transformed to rooftop level. Evaluation of the acute release aerosol concentration is then based on the methodology for releases from a surface release of this transformed source strength. For a horizontal release, a methodology is developed to chart the plume pathmore » as a function of release and site meteorology parameters. Results described herein must be regarded as maximum aerosol concentrations, based on models derived from generic wind tunnel studies. More accurate and site-specific results may be obtained through wind tunnel simulations and through simulating emissions from release points other than those assumed here.« less