I.

ALOHA® Two-Day Training

Course - Instructor Manual
n Overview of course
• What is ALOHA
• When to use and not to use
• Learn about dispersion modeling
• Demonstration and hands-on experience in
running ALOHA
• Examples and exercises

1
II. What is ALOHA?
n ALOHA stands for Areal Locations of
Hazardous Atmospheres
n ALOHA is an air dispersion model to
evaluate hazardous chemical release
scenarios and predict dispersion

2
What Can ALOHA Do?
n Estimates impact distances from releases of
hazardous substances
• Using toxicological and physical properties of
released chemical
• Using real-time conditions
n Plots the predicted affected area, as well as
concentrations at important locations
n Provides estimates, not precise answers

3
4
ALOHA Answers Questions
n What is the release rate forming the cloud?
n What is the danger from release of the
chemical?
n What areas downwind may be affected?

5
History of ALOHA and Its Uses
n Developed by:
• NOAA’s Hazardous Materials Response and
Assessment Division and
• EPA’s Chemical Emergency Preparedness and
Prevention Office
n Developed for:
• Chemical emergency response
• Chemical emergency planning
• Intuition building
6
Users of ALOHA
n Fire departments
n Emergency planners
n SERCs and LEPCs
n Chemical facilities
n Health care facilities
n Universities

7
Run Separately or as Part of
CAMEO®
n CAMEO® is a suite of three separate
integrated software applications
• ALOHA® - air dispersion modeling of
chemical releases
• CAMEO® - response and planning
databases
• MARPLOT® - mapping application

8
What do you need to do to Run
ALOHA?
■ Specify site data
• Incident location
• Release time/date
n Specify hazardous chemical from over 900
• Various chemical property data
n Enter weather conditions

9
What do you need to do to Run
ALOHA?
n Enter source information
• Direct
• Puddle
• Tank
• Pipe
n Enter level of concern
n Plot footprint on map showing possible off-
site receptors (e.g., school, road)
10
Two Platforms for Running
ALOHA
n Windows
• Version 3.1, 95, or NT
• 2.5 Mb on hard drive
• At least 80286 microprocessor (80386 better)
n Macintosh
• 2 Mb on hard drive
• Prefer math co-processor chip or Power PC

11
III. Demonstrating a Scenario
n Paper mill uses liquid chlorine
n Release:
• Columbia, South Carolina
• January 15, 1996 at 1 pm
• Tank punctured, creating 10 by 3 inch hole
• Hole is 6 inches above bottom of tank
n Tank
• Holds liquid chlorine at ambient temperature
• Vertical tank, 3 feet diameter and 4 feet high 12
III. Demonstrating a Scenario
(Continued)
n Weather conditions
• Sky overcast
• Air temperature 70oF
• Wind 360 degrees at 12 knots
• Rain earlier in day
n What is downwind distance of the IDLH?

13
IV. Basics of Air Dispersion
Modeling

14
15
Air Dispersion Models
n Uses
• Emergency planning and response
• Research
n Complexity, costs vary greatly
n Appropriate to needs

16
17
Two Kinds of Dispersion
Modeling
n Modeling routine emissions
• e.g., SO2 gas from plant stack
• Source strength well-defined, continuous and not time-
varying
• Simple Gaussian model
n Modeling accident releases
• e.g., Leaking valve on a chlorine cylinder
• More difficult to model than routine modeling
– users often guess important inputs such as source term
– pressurized releases not well understood
• Gaussian model too simple 18
19
Five Important Areas for
Accident Release Modeling
n Meteorology and local conditions
n Dispersion mechanism
n Source strength
n Level of concern
n Interpreting results

20
Meteorology and Local
Conditions
n Wind speed
n Wind direction
n Atmospheric stability (A through F)
n Ground roughness
n Inversions

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Cloud Meander under High and
Low Wind Speeds

28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Two Separate Dispersion
Models
n Neutrally buoyant gases
• Approximately same density as air
• Wind moves pollutant passively downwind
n Heavy (or dense gases)
• More dense than air
• Transport by gravity slumping, inertia, as well
as wind

35
36
Determining Which Model to
Use?
n Neutrally buoyant vs Dense gas depend on:
• Effective Density
– Temperature
– Aerosol formation
• Release concentration
• Dilutions

37
38
Several Dense Gas Models
n DEGADIS
n SLAB
n HGSYSTEM

39
40
Source Strength (Continued)
n Liquid
n Gas
n Gas/liquid mixture (two-phase)

41
42
43
44
 Level of Concern
n Many Levels of Concern
Chemical IDLH* ERPG-3*
Phosgene 2 ppm 1 ppm
Chlorine 10 ppm 50 ppm
Ammonia 300 ppm 1000 ppm
* IDLH has no contact duration, ERPG-3 has a 60-minute
duration
n Dose
• Incorporates concentration and exposure time
45
Interpreting Results
n Greatest Influence
• Source strength
• Atmosphere stability
• Level of concern
• Type of chemical
n Recognize limitations
n Evaluate uncertainties in inputs and outputs
n Check reasonability of results
46
Hands-On Exercise
(Site Data Menu)
n Date: March 12, 1996 at 4:15 AM
n Location: Release at factory near
n Topeka, Kansas
n Building of concern: Office building 1 mile
south of factory

47
Hands-On Exercise
(Setup Menu)
n Chemical: Anhydrous ammonia
n Weather from airport 5 miles away
• Wind: 5 knots from North
• Air temperature: 22oF
• Relative humidity: 58%
• Estimated cloud cover: 1/10

48
Hands-On Exercise
(Setup Menu)

n Direct source: 12,000 lb. of anhydrous

ammonia released in 30 minutes from
storage at ambient temperature
n What was the distance of the IDLH?
n Was the office building affected by the
release?

49
Hands-On Exercise
(Setup Menu)

n Puddle source: Pool of hydrogen fluoride

formed
n Location: Same
n Atmospheric conditions: Same
n Puddle: 1,000 ft2 and is 0.5 cm deep
n What is the distance of the IDLH?
n Was the office building affected by puddle?
50
Hands-On Exercise
(Setup Menu)
n Tank Source: Leak from a 10 ft. diameter by
25 ft. long tank storing 100,000 lb. of
hydrogen fluoride
n Tank has a 3 in. hole 60% up from the
bottom
n What is the distance of IDLH?
n Was the office building affected by release?
51
Hands-On Running of
ALOHA
n Date: May 23, 1996 at 7 AM
n Wind is east at 2 m/sec, clear skies, 50%
humidity, 65oF, flat topography
n Release at Publicly Owned Treatment Works
(POTW) - Houston, Texas
n Building of concern: Schoolhouse, 1 kilometer
away from the POTW
n 65 tons of liquid chlorine in a 10 by 20 ft. tank
pressurized at 14 atm; 1-inch hole in bottom of
tank 52
I. ALOHA Training Course
2nd Day
n Yesterday
• Introduction to ALOHA
• Demonstrated scenario
• Air dispersion mini-course
• Work through all ALOHA screens and some
hands on
• Questions/Answers

53
ALOHA Training Course
2nd Day
n Today
• Morning
– Hands on running of scenarios
– Effects of inputs on outputs
– When and when not to use ALOHA
– Problems and success stories
– More tips and tools for running ALOHA
• Afternoon
– Use for mapping & meeting federal requirements
– Class examples
54
– Mini-test and wrap-up
II. Hands on Running of ALOHA
n Run butane release in student workbook
• What is distance to the level of concern (LOC)?
– Change from rural to urban?
– Change LOC from 800 to 80 ppm?
– Double source strength (hint: rate double, hole
area doubles)?
– Change stability to F (hint: change release time
and wind speed)

55
56
II. Hands on Running of ALOHA
n Run anhydrous ammonia in student
workbook
• What is the distance to the LOC?

57
III. Effect of Inputs on Outputs
n If you increase......what happens to footprint
• Wind speed.....?
• Atmospheric stability towards F.....?
• Ground roughness.....?
• Level of concern.....?
• Release rate or amount.....?
• Release duration.....?

58
Effect of Inputs on Outputs
n If you increase......what happens to footprint
• Puddle area.....?
• Puddle temperature.....?
• Air or ground temperature.....?
• Solar radiation.....?
• Tank/pipe rupture size.....?
• Vessel pressure.....?
• Vessel temperature.....?
• Air exchange rate in building.....?
59
IV. When and When Not to Use
ALOHA?
n Times to use caution
• Very low wind speeds
• Very stable atmospheric conditions
• Wind shifts and terrain steering effects
• Concentration patchiness
n Various effects that ALOHA cannot
account for

60
Caution: Very Low Wind Speeds
n Wind direction is least predictable when
wind speed is low
n (maybe footprint here) ALOHA predicts
“enlarged” footprint due to wind direction
changes
n ALOHA does not accept very low wind
speeds -- below 1 m/s or 2 knots at 10
meters
61
Caution - Very Stable
Atmospheric Conditions
n Most stable late at night or very early in
morning
n Gas concentrations build up in
valleys/depressions
• ALOHA does not account for this

62
Caution - Wind Shifts and
Terrain Steering Affects
n Winds shift with terrain
n ALOHA assumes wind direction and speed
are constant
n ALOHA ignores terrain steering
n ALOHA assumes ground is flat and free of
obstacles
n One hour and 10 kilometer (6 mile) cutoff

63
Caution - Concentration
Patchiness
n Patchiness difficult in modeling
n ALOHA calculates averages

64
Effects that ALOHA Cannot
Account for:
n Fires or chemical reactions
n Particulates
n Solutions and mixtures
n Terrain

65
V. Case Histories
n Two examples of successes
n Three examples of limitations, common
problems

66
Success - Use of Property Data
Hydrogen Fluoride Release
n Tank pool or two-phase?
• Storage temperature 50oF
• Boiling point 67oF
n Conclusion: Tank pool

67
Success - Address Chemical
Reactions

n Sodium hypochlorite and sulfuric acid are

used & stored at a sewage treatment plant.
n If the two chemicals mix, they will react
violently and produce chlorine gas.
n ALOHA used to estimate how much sodium
hypochlorite could be stored without
creating a significant chlorine explosion
hazard to residents outside the plant.
68
Limitation - Indoor Release

69
Limitation - Release of
Refrigerated Chemical
n Ammonia tank
• Refrigerated ammonia released from a broken
pipe connected to a storage tank
• User selected “Pipe” as source
• “Pipe” source in ALOHA is for releases of
pressurized gases from pipelines
• Refrigerated ammonia is a liquid
• User should select “Tank” as the source

70
Limitation - Release of Oleum
n Picture oleum release
• Tank car filled with oleum
• Tank was being heated in order to off-load
• Safety valve blew out and vapor was released
• Responders tried to use ALOHA but found out
that oleum was not in library
• Because oleum is a mixture of two chemicals, it
was not in ALOHA’s chemical library. ALOHA
does not model chemical mixtures
71
Take Home Points
n Recognize ALOHA’s main limitations
n Have some understanding of the chemicals
being modeled
n Practice with ALOHA and understand basic
air modeling concepts

72
VI. Tools for Using ALOHA
n Student workbook
n ALOHA Manual
n “Ask Dr. ALOHA”
n User groups
n ALOHA Decision Keys

73
74
More Tips on Running ALOHA
n Interpreting ALOHA’s lady bug lines
n Handling two-phase releases

75
76
Handling Two-Phase Releases
n Chlorine, 1-ton cylinder, valve leak
• Boiling point -29oF
• Two-phase footprint 1.7 miles
• Pool evaporation footprint 0.5 miles
n ALOHA can handle two-phase
• Alerts you to two-phase
• Assumes no rainout
n Use care when temperature near boiling
77
VII. Use for Mapping and
Meeting Federal Requirements

78
Mapping ALOHA Footprints
n Footprint on map useful for consequence
analysis
n Plot ALOHA® footprint using MARPLOT®
mapping application in CAMEO®
n “Sharing” menu links ALOHA and
MARPLOT

79
Sharing Menu in ALOHA

80
ALOHA Footprint on Map

81
ALOHA Concentration Graph
for Location on Map

82
Federal Requirements
n ALOHA useful for modeling:
• Emergency planning for EHSs under
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-
Know Act (EPCRA)
• Hazard analysis under Clean Air Act section
112(r)
– EPA’s Risk Management Program Rule

83
ALOHA Use for EPCRA
n Emergency planners must develop
emergency plan
• Must include facilities with EHSs
• May include real-time hazards analysis for
EHSs
– Green Book
– ALOHA
– Other models or methods

84
Differences Between Green
Book and ALOHA
Green Book: ALOHA:
• Continuous release for gases at • Can specify duration of release
rate based on 10-minute release for gases
• Rate of liquid release from pool • Modeling of liquid release from
based on simple evaporation pool takes many factors into
equation account
• Uses Gaussian dispersion only • Uses Gaussian or heavy gas
dispersion, as appropriate
• Lookup tables apply to solids • Not applicable to solids and low
and low volatility liquids volatility liquids
• Estimates approximate ranges • Accounts for more of the
for threat factors that influence release
rate and dispersion
85
Refining a Screening Scenario
with CAMEO

86
When to Use ALOHA versus CAMEO’s
Screenings & Scenarios?

n CAMEO’s Screenings & Scenarios is

primarily a screening tool for planning
n ALOHA is more appropriate for emergency
response
n ALOHA handles more site- and release-
specific factors
• Hole size, vessel type, atmospheric conditions

87
RMP Offsite Consequence
Analysis
n Scenarios
• Worst case
• Alternative
n Models
• OCA Guidance
• ALOHA
• Other appropriate models
n Modeling parameters specified in rule
• Level of concern (worst case and alternative)
• Wind speed and atmospheric stability (worst case)
• Ground level release (worst case)
• Appropriate gas density (worst case and alternative)
88
Who Might Use ALOHA for
RMP?
n Facilities
• Modeling for RMP
• Modeling for screening
n Planners
• Modeling for comparison with submitted results

89
ALOHA Advantages for RMP
n Models toxic substances
n Handles required modeling parameters
n Can model many alternative scenarios quickly
n Can model flashing releases
n Can model puff releases
n MARPLOT used with ALOHA will show locations
of public and environmental receptors

90
ALOHA Limitations for RMP
n No fires/explosions
n Six-mile limit for distances
n No accounting for indoor releases
n No solutions/mixtures

91
Differences Between OCA
Guidance and ALOHA
OCA Guidance: ALOHA:
• Dense gas lookup tables based • Uses DEGADIS model for
on SLAB model dense gases
• Release rate from liquid pool • Release rate from liquid pool
based on simple equation accounts for many factors
• Distance results to 25 miles • Distance results to 6 miles
• Estimates approximate ranges
for threat
• No flashing releases • Models flashing releases
• No puff releases • Models puff releases

92
VIII. Examples/Scavenger Hunt

93
IX. Conclusions
n Keys to getting the most from ALOHA
• Practice modeling
• Know ALOHA’s limitations
• Be familiar with air dispersion modeling
concepts
• Consider taking an introductory chemistry
class
• Access to chemical library

94