Transient Large-Scale Chlorine Releases in the Jack Rabbit II Field Tests: Rainout Source Data Analysis

Abstract

Sponsored by the Chemical Security Analysis Center (CSAC) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense, and Transport Canada, the Jack Rabbit II tests were designed to release liquid chlorine at ambient temperature in quantities of 5 to 20 T for the purpose of quantifying the behavior and hazards of catastrophic chlorine releases at scales represented by rail and truck transport vessels. Phase 1 of the two-year testing campaign was conducted at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, in August and September of 2015. Five successful field trials were conducted in which chlorine was released in quantities of 5 to 10 tons through a 6-inch circular breach in the tank and directed vertically downward at 1 m elevation over a concrete pad. In 2016, four trials were conducted with three releases of nominally 10 T at different orientations and a single release of 20 T vertically downward. Data from the 2015 tests are available. This paper summarizes preliminary analysis of the available data from the concrete pad including analysis of the temperature measurements below and grade in the concrete pad.