Atmosphere (Jul 2021)

Toward Development of a Framework for Prediction System of Local-Scale Atmospheric Dispersion Based on a Coupling of LES-Database and On-Site Meteorological Observation

  • Hiromasa Nakayama,
  • Toshiya Yoshida,
  • Hiroaki Terada,
  • Masanao Kadowaki

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12070899
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 7
p. 899

Abstract

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An accurate analysis of local-scale atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials is important for safety and consequence assessments and emergency responses to accidental release from nuclear facilities. It is necessary to predict the three-dimensional distribution of the plume in consideration of turbulent effects induced by individual buildings and meteorological conditions. In this study, first, we conducted with meteorological observations by a Doppler LiDAR and simple plume release experiments by a mist-spraying system at the site of Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Then, we developed a framework for prediction system of local-scale atmospheric dispersion based on a coupling of large-eddy simulation (LES) database and on-site meteorological observation. The LES-database was also created by pre-calculating high-resolution turbulent flows in the target site at mean wind directions of class interval 10°. We provided the meteorological observed data with the LES-database in consideration of building conditions and calculated the three-dimensional distribution of the plume with a Lagrangian dispersion model. Compared to the instantaneous shots of the plume taken by a digital camera, it was shown that the mist plume transport direction was accurately simulated. It was concluded that our proposed framework for prediction system based on a coupling of LES-database and on-site meteorological observation is effective.

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