Title: Using plume rise schemes to model highly buoyant plumes from large fires

Authors: H.N. Webster, B.J. Devenish, J.M. Haywood, A.P. Lock, D.J. Thomson

Addresses: Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK. ' Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK. ' Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK. ' Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK. ' Met Office, FitzRoy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK

Abstract: The atmospheric dispersion model Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME) is used to simulate the smoke plume from the explosion at the Buncefield oil depot. Simple modelling, in which the plume rise is included through an effective elevated source term, captures the transport and spread of the plume well. More complex modelling, using the NAME plume rise scheme, underestimates the plume rise and plume vertical spread. We consider a number of potential reasons for this underprediction and compare NAME predictions against large-eddy simulations (LES) of the plume.

Keywords: NAME; atmospheric dispersion modelling; Buncefield oil depot; plume rise; lofting; latent heat; LES; large-eddy simulation; smoke plumes; highly buoyant plumes; large fires; air pollution; air quality; plume vertical spread; Buncefield explosion.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2011.038422

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2011 Vol.44 No.1/2/3/4, pp.226 - 234

Published online: 29 Apr 2015 *

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