Multiparameter Diagnostics and Modeling of Chemical Reactions in Dust and Debris Laden Environments

Precision weapon strikes of chemical and biological agents can lead to large-scale dispersion of harmful aerosols in the battlefield and civilian sites. Hence, understanding and predicting the dissemination and decomposition of these liquids in agent defeat scenarios are of prime interest to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and other governmental agencies for planning purposes. However, dust and debris due to damage from nearby structures can alter the late-time combustion process. The goal of the proposed work is the experimental validation of numerical models that can predict the evaporation, decomposition, and combustion of DIMP under dust and debris laden environments, transitioning from homogeneous to turbulent and more realistic blast field combustion conditions. The highly integrated effort will develop and evaluate the advanced diagnostics, experimental processes, and the modeling and simulation (M&S) needed to (i) analyze dust and debris generated as a function of time to determine effects on the chemistry throughout the process (not just end states), (ii) explore the effects of mixing, pressure, temperature, size of fireball, and late-time combustion of the agent, metals and other species, and (iii) incorporate the methodologies developed into mission planning software for DoD/DOE and commercial programs in the modeling of environmental effects.