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EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT MODELING FOR HYDROCARBON SPILLS INTO THE SUBSURFACE
Citation:
Weaver, J., B. Lien, AND R. Charbeneau. EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT MODELING FOR HYDROCARBON SPILLS INTO THE SUBSURFACE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/A-92/119 (NTIS PB92191147).
Description:
Hydrocarbons which enter the subsurface through spills or leaks may create serious, long-lived ground-water contamination problems. onventional finite difference and finite element models of multiphase, multicomponent flow often have extreme requirements for both computer time and site data when applied to field scale problems. ften, data limitations result in situations where application of complex models is not scientifically justifiable. implified models of the separate phase flow of the hydrocarbon and its dissolution into ground water may be appropriate for gaining insight into the significant phenomena, emergency response, or generic simulation for regulatory development. his paper outlines the components of a set of screening models for this problem and focuses on parameter sensitivity. abulated values of soil properties are used to model releases in typical soil materials. he availability of standard deviations of parameter values allows assessment of model response with regard to typical parameter variability. his knowledge has important consequences for emergency response applications which tend to rely on tabulated data instead of site specific data. ltimate interest usually lies with dissolved aqueous concentrations, so the parameter sensitivity is assessed through concentrations predicted for down-gradient wells, as well as other significant aspects of the model results.