Development of a Video Image-Based Methodology for Estimating Large ScaleTransient Hydrocarbon Smoke Plume Size and Extent

摘要

Interest in burning crude oil as a means to mitigate large scale oil spills atsea led to mid-scale evaluation of relevant crude oil burning characteristics. As part of this effort, a computer-based field measurement technique for estimating the size, shape, and extent of visible smoke plumes was developed. Of the experiments in which measurements were made, Test 7 provided data on plume trajectory for the largest distance from the pan. Good agreement was obtained between corresponding 35 mm photographs and digitized images used to estimate plume volume and trajectory. In Test 7, at 600 s after ignition, the leading edge of the smoke plume had risen to 750 m and traveled 1800 m downwind from the pan. The estimated total volume of the smoke plume at 600 s after ignition was 3.8 x 10(exp 8)cum. At that time, the total volume of the smoke plume was increasing at a rate of 3.2 x 10(exp 6)cum/s. Limited evaluation indicatesthat the MS-DOS based method provides reasonably accurate estimates of visible smoke plume geometry in the near-field. Field accuracy depends on plume size, wind speed and direction, and the resolution of the equipment.