The choice of droplet size probability distribution function for oil spill modeling is not trivial

MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN

卷:163

Article

Faillettaz, Robin^1,2  Paris, Claire B.¹  Vaz, Ana C.¹  Perlin, Natalie¹  Aman, Zachary M.³  Schlueter, Michael⁴  Murawski, Steven A.⁵ 

[1] Univ Miami, Rosenstiel Sch Marine & Atmospher Sci, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149 USA

[2] IFREMER, STH, F-56100 Lorient, France

[3] Univ Western Australia, Sch Mech & Chem Engn, Ctr Energy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia

[4] Hamburg Univ Technol, Inst Multiphase Flows, Eissendorfer Str 38, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany

[5] Univ S Florida, Coll Marine Sci, 140 7th Ave S, St Petersburg, FL 33701 USA

关键词: Droplet size distribution;    DSD;    Oil spill;    Oil spill model;    Oil model;    Deepwater Horizon;    Blowout;    d50;    Probability distribution function;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111920

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

The droplet size distribution (DSD) formed by gas-saturated oil jets is one of the most important characteristics of the flow to understand and model the fate of uncontrolled deep-sea oil spills. The shape of the DSD, generally modeled as a theoretical lognormal, Rosin-Rammler or non-fundamental distribution function, defines the size and the mass volume range of the droplets. Yet, the fundamental DSD shape has received much less attention than the volume median size (d50) and range of the DSD during ten years of research following the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout. To better understand the importance of the distribution function of the droplet size we compare the oil rising time, surface oil mass, and sedimented and beached masses for different DSDs derived from the DWH literature in idealized and applied conditions, while keeping d50 constant. We highlight substantial differences, showing that the probability distribution function of the DSD for far-field modeling is, regardless of the d50, consequential for oil spill response.

【 授权许可】

Free