Citation

McQuaid J, Fitzpatrick RD. J. Occup. Accid. 1983; 5(2): 121-133.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The ability of a water-spray to entrain large quantities of air offers the possibility of assisting the dispersion of ground-hugging heavy-gas plumes, thereby reducing the hazard. An analytical study has been carried out of the response of a heavy-gas plume to the action of a series of water sprays distributed across the direction of drift of the plume. Such a distribution is referred to as water-spray barrier and its effect is represented in the analytical model as a line source of air. The concentration distribution in the plume is calculated by means of a 'box' model for heavy-gas dispersion. The infuence of the following factors is investigated: (1) the distance from the source of gas to the barrier; (2) the strength of the line source representing the barrier; and (3) the way in which the action of the barrier changes the geometry of the plume. The results obtained are relevant to the design of practical installations.