The development of a dispersion modeling casebook for potential hazardous chemical releases

In order to be effective, emergency response actions must be implemented and notifications made almost immediately following a release of hazardous chemicals into the environment. This is particularly true for airborne releases in which dangerous concentrations of a chemical may reach off-site receptors in a matter of minutes. For these releases, preplanning is extremely important. A well-designed dispersion modeling casebook can be a valuable tool for emergency management personnel in these emergencies. This thesis develops a methodology for preparing a dispersion modeling casebook for the potential release of hazardous chemicals. The development of such a casebook consists of several steps including: selecting the chemicals to be considered, obtaining representative meteorological conditions for a facility, determining which airborne chemical concentration levels are going to represent "trigger values" (values that prompt notification and/or protective action), and performing the dispersion modeling to determine the concentrations that result from several credible chemical release scenarios. The methodology developed in this thesis can be used by any industrial or research facility to prepare a dispersion modeling casebook for airborne hazardous chemical releases. Using the methodology developed in this thesis, a dispersion modeling casebook was prepared for Oak Ridge National Laboratory.