Numeric Study on Propellant Leakage in Atmospheric Environment

Leakage risk management is very important for propellant storage because of its poisonousness. Numerical method was used to study the leakage, volatilization and dispersion of liquid propellant. The results of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation show that leaked liquid UDMH (unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine) will jet on the ground under the pressure of storage tank and then it disperses forward slowly with the liquid film. Therefore, it is necessary to set a safety cofferdam around the storage tank. Based on the Gaussian dispersion model, the dispersion process of liquid propellant in pools under different atmospheric conditions was simulated. The results show that atmospheric stability and wind speed influence the risk distance after UDMH leaking. The less stability of atmosphere and lower wind speed , the longer the risk distance is. Hence, the field atmosphere condition should be considered when the risk distance is determined.