OCA Course

Off-site Consequence Analysis for Fire, Explosion and Dispersion of Hazardous Chemicals

A four-day coordinated course is offered by BlazeTech Corporation:

Day One will cover the basics of Off-site Consequence Analysis (OCA) and their regulatory context.  Example OCAs will be carried out for worst-case and alternate scenarios using BlazeTech’s computerized version of the EPA OCA Tables .  Attendees will receive a free copy of this software with registration.

Day Two will cover Advanced Off-site Consequence Analysis.  We will examine alternate scenarios using more realistic modeling methods compared to those that form the basis of the EPA Tables.  These will yield more accurate and often shorter hazard distances than the ones predicted by EPA Tables.  For example, accounting for reaction of halogenated compounds with atmospheric moisture may produce cloud lift-off and result in a significant decrease in the hazard distance at ground-level.

Day Three will cover the dispersion hazards from the simultaneous release of a mixture of reacting chemicals in the open atmosphere.  This includes the normal discharge from demilitarization operations (OBOD) and rocket launches as well as accidental releases resulting in conflagrations involving several chemicals or multiple reactions.  We will feature BlazeTech’s ADORA software (Atmospheric Dispersion of Reacting Agents). This software is unique in its ability to calculate the products of reactions, i.e., the emission factors from major conflagrations.

Day Four will provide hands-on training for ADORA.

Course Outline

Day One: Basic Off-site Consequence Analysis

Regulatory Issues

CAA 112r Requirements and RMP

Applicability and Regulated Substances

Programs 1, 2 and 3

 Requirements for OCA Calculations

Worst-case Scenario

Alternate Release Scenario

Regulatory Status of Models

Characterization of Accidental Releases

Major Historical Accidents

Fire, Explosion and Dispersion

 OCA using BlazeTech’ s Computerized EPA Tables

Toxic Gas/Liquid

Flammable Gas/Liquid

Thermal Radiation

Overpressure

Related Issues

Toxicity

Mitigation Effects

Hazard/Risk Analysis

Class Discussion

Day Two: Advanced Off-Site Consequence Analysis

Introduction

Dispersion

Source Term Characterization

Dense Cloud and Plume Rise

Complex Terrain, Deposition

Instantaneous Buoyant Puff Rise

Building Effects/Plume Lift Off

Plume Modeling with One-step Reaction

Averaging time/toxicity

Comparison of Available Models

Explosions

Deflagration, Detonation and Transitions

Confined Explosion of Gases

Unconfined Vapor Cloud Explosions

Blast and Overpressure Calculations

TNT Equivalent Yields

Multi-energy Method

Structural Response

Fires

Pools and jets

Vapor Clouds and Flash Fires

Fire balls and BLEVEs

Thermal Radiation

 Class Discussion

Day Three: Dispersion Hazards from Release of Mixtures of Reacting Chemicals

Introduction

Regulatory Context: RCRA and state requirements

Open Burn Open Detonation  (OBOD)

Rocket Launch and Accidents

Industrial Conflagrations

Cloud Physics

Burn vs. Detonation

Fireballs and Stems

Above vs. Below Ground Detonation

Cloud chemistry

Thermochemical Equilibrium

Kinetic Approximations

Prediction of Emission Factors

Case Studies Using ADORA

Dugway’s Bangbox MunitionTests

Discharge from Titan IV and Delta Rockets

Propane Conflagration involving Chlorine

Parametrics to Minimize Off-site Hazards

Water Deluge Effects

Class Discussion

Day Four: Hands-on Training for ADORA

Case Studies

Input/Outputs, Databases

 Contact Address

 BlazeTech Corporation                     Tel: (617) 661-0700

24 Thorndike St.                                Fax: (617) 661-9242

Cambridge, MA 02141-1882            URL: http://www.blazetech.com

U.S.A.                                               e-mail: amoussa@blazetech.com