Author
Wang, W.
Title
Mathematical Model of Vaporization During Gasoline Spills.
Coporate
Worcester Polytechnic Inst., MA
Report
Thesis, May 1997, 96 p.
Keywords
gasoline | mathematical models | vaporization | hydrocarbons | computer codes | equations | methodology | tunnels | ignition source
Identifiers
mass vaporization flow rate; non-dimensionalized mass transfer rate
Abstract
A theoretical model of a spreading, vaporizing gasoline pol has been developed. The model represents gasoline as a three-component hydrocarbon mixture (including the possible presence of an oxygenated hydrocarbon) with a time varying mixture vapor pressure. A computer code, GASPIVA (Gasoline Spill and Vaporization), has been programmed to solve the differential equations with a user specified time step. The model has been used to simulate the gasoline evaporation test made by Mackay and Matsugu. Good agreement with the test result can be achieved providing a low wind speed about 0.02 m/s is usedin the computation. The actual wind speed are not reported, but was most likely greater than 0.02 m/s, implying that the model overestimates the vaporizationr rate. The model has been used to simulate a gasoline spill and evaporation in ventilated tunnels. Results show the peak vaporization rate to be sensitive to the choice of component to represent gasoline, even though all compositions have the same initial vapor pressure. The most volatile compositon produced a peak vaporization rate (0.621 kg/s) that is almost eight times as large as the least volatile composition (0.080 kg/s).

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