CFD-Based Ventilation Analysis - Basis for Conducting Consequence and/or Risk-Based Assessments

The combination of powerful capabilities in the development of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) drawings; i.e., 3D models; and the performance of formidable computer processors confirm the execution of robust Computational Fluid Dynamics - CFD-based simulations in manageable short-duration periods of time; i.e., minutes. Using CFD tools allow considering the fluid-geometry interaction, key factor for identifying specific features of the site section being analyzed. This information is not possible to be foreseen when using screening tools based on experimental data correlated and/or phenomenological methods.

The present paper illustrates a case study that provides examples of how a CFD-based ventilation analysis can provide insight information of areas that require special attention when a consequence or risk-based assessment is to be performed. The identification of regions with air recirculation, stagnant flow areas with low wind speeds, congestion volumes, etc. verify leak locations and orientations to be evaluated when performing advanced dispersion, fire, and explosion analysis.