title: Experimental and numerical study of heavy gas dispersion in a ventilated room.
abstract: In order to better evaluate the consequences of an accidental release of heavy gas, such as uranium hexafluoride (UF(6)), in some installations in the nuclear fuel cycle, an experimental and numerical study was conducted by IRSN on heavy gas dispersion in a ventilated room. This study was based on about 20 injection configurations of a large quantity of a heavy tracer gas, sulphur hexafluoride (SF(6)), inside two ventilated rooms of different sizes. Stratification of the tracer gas was detected in all the configurations studied, even at low concentrations. Numerical simulations performed with the multidimensional CFX code enabled the stratification and the concentration levels reached in the rooms to be predicted overall, and the higher the air flow rate, the more satisfactory the comparison between simulation and experiment.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), Airborne Pollutants and Containment Study and Research Department, DSU/SERAC, BP 68, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France. laurent.ricciardi@irsn.fr
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prévost
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouilloux
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sestier-Carlin
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000392:Air Movements; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000396:Air Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D005459:Fluorides / Q000032:analysis; D005740:Gases; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride / Q000032:analysis; D017974:Uranium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D014691:Ventilation