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File: 082696_doc1_621.txt
shipped from this location every two to three weeks. Stocks are
at their highest just prior to the arrival of the ship.
3) Anhydrous ammonia is a toxic gas. It is colorless
with a pungent, characteristic odor. The IDtH concentration,
i.e., the concentration from which one could escape within 30
minutes without escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health
effects is 500 ppm for ammonia. Exposure even to lower
concentrations of the gas produces a prompt and violent
irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Additional
information concerning the toxicity of ammonia can be found in
Appendix A.
4) More significantly, it is unknown if the Ml7Al gas
masks are effective against ammonia. The MOP? suits, however, are
known to be effective against ammonia provided saturation of the
air does not occur.
5) The toxicity of ammonia and the unknown
effectiveness of the gas masks against this chemical make it
desirable to determine the threat of its release to various
locations in the Al Jubayl area. Computer simulation were
performed to determine this threat. Two scenarios were
considered: in the first, the gas escapes instantaneously, and in
t:he second a puddle of ammonia is formed. The instantaneous
release-scenario is intended to represent a high-speed misssile
- striking the tank. Obviously, such a hit would scatter the tank
and its contents in all directions. However, this event is
difficult to model mathematically. Thus, the next worse-case
scenario is cnsidered, i.e., the entire contents of the tank are
released at once. While this specific event may not occur with
great frequency, it closely approximates the effects of a high-
speed missile. The puddle is created when the tank ruptures and
the ammonia, which is stored at cryog~enic temperatures, leaks out
of the tank.
6) The results of the computer simulations are
summarized below. The discussion focuses primarily on the threat
to the camp areas and the commercial port because these sites are
critical to military operations. In addition, the results are
highly dependent on wind direction. Wind direction in Eastern
Saudi Arabia varies greatly during certain months of the year.
For example, for January through March, the wind is from a single
direction (north-northwest) less than half. the time. The wind
comes from a variety of directions the rest of the time. Appendix
B provides additional information concerning wind behavior in
this region. Appendix C provides additional details about the
simulations.
7) The following results were obtained for the tanks
located in the industrial city. If an instantaneous release of
ammonia occurred during the day from these tanks, a lethal cloud
(concentration 500 ppm or greater) of the gas, 1.6 km in
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