Fire/Explosion Capabilities

of ALOHA® 5.4.1.2:
A Facility Siting Case Study

Michael Roberts
ABS Consulting

EFCOG SAWG 2010

April 28, 2010
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• What is ALOHA?
• Applicability to DOE Complex facilities
• Discussion of new fire/explosion capabilities
• Application to facility siting case study
• Summary

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WHAT IS ALOHA?

• Areal LOcations of Hazardous Atmospheres

(ALOHA®) was developed by NOAA
• ALOHA was designed for use by emergency
responders to chemical releases, as well as
for emergency planning and training
• Prior to Version 5.4, ALOHA’s capabilities
were limited to modeling the toxic
consequences of hazardous chemical
releases

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WHAT IS ALOHA? (cont.)
• ALOHA Version 5.4.1.2 was released in April
2009
• New fire/explosion modeling capabilities:
– Pool fires
– Jet fires (i.e., flare-type releases)
– BLEVE fireballs
– Flash fires
– Vapor cloud explosions
• ALOHA may be downloaded from:
http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/cameo/

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APPLICABILITY TO DOE COMPLEXES

• ALOHA Version 5.2.3 is listed as “toolbox”

code in the DOE Software Assurance Central
Registry

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APPLICABILITY TO DOE COMPLEXES
(cont.)

• Inclusion in the Registry provides to DOE

sites knowledge of the pedigree of the
safety software quality assurance (SSQA)
level for ALOHA Version 5.2.3
• ALOHA Version 5.4.1.2 is not currently in
the DOE Software Assurance Registry
• DOE sites must assume the
responsibility to determine that the
quality assurance level meets DOE SSQA
requirements if ALOHA Version 5.4.1.2 is
used

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

• Vapor cloud explosion major assumptions:

– Uses Baker-Strehlow-Tang methodology
– Flammable mass (0.9LEL - LEL)
– Explosion efficiency
• Detonation – 100%
• Deflagration – 20%
– Ignition options
• “Hard” – ~106 Joules
• “Soft” – ~1 Joule

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION
CAPABILITIES (cont.)

• Vapor cloud explosion major assumptions:

(cont.)
– Congestion options
• High – area blockage ratio > 40%
• Low – area blockage ratio < 10%

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NEW FIRE/EXPLOSION CAPABILITIES
(cont.)

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FACILITY SITIING CASE STUDY

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FACILITY SITIING CASE STUDY (cont.)

• Release through 3-inch relief valve leading

to:
– Jet fire
– Flash fire
– Vapor cloud explosion
• Failure of storage vessel engulfed in
flames leading to:
– BLEVE fireball

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JET FIRE RESULTS

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FLASH FIRE RESULTS

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VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION RESULTS

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VAPOR CLOUD EXPLOSION RESULTS
(cont.)

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BLEVE FIREBALL RESULTS

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SUMMARY

• ALOHA Version 5.4.1.2 has new fire/

explosion modeling capabilities
• Version 5.4.1.2 is not in the DOE Software
Assurance Central Registry (i.e., has not
undergone SSQA)
• New capabilities merit SSQA consideration
• Technical Documentation and Software
Quality Assurance for project Eagle-ALOHA
(February 2006)
• Available by contacting Mark W. Miller of
NOAA (Mark.W.Miller@noaa.gov)

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