Modeling the release, behavior, and fate of bitumen-water emulsions

摘要

The Hazardous Materials Response and Assessment Division (HAZMAT) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administriation (NOAA) is currently studying the implications of the release and behavior of new substitutes for heavy fuel oils. These s ubstitutes, bituemen and water emusions, may have a positive, neutral or negative buoyancy depdnding on the properties of the surrounding water. The unique physical characteristics of these types of products suggest that modifications are reuqired to existing oil behavior models. Three areas of study and experimentation have been identified: (1) estimation discharge rates from a leaking tanker (2) understanding weathering of the product, and (3) looking at the consequences of subsurface transport. This paper discusses the modeling approach for each area.