Numerical approach to minimize mercury contamination by geometric and parametric optimization

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Occupational Health
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• High vapor pressure of mercury leads to significant concentrations in working environments.
• Ventilation is a standard method for reducing hazardous material concentrations below permissible limits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a numerical model for understanding mercury vapor spatial distribution.
• To investigate the impact of airflow rate and architectural design on mercury vapor concentration.

Main Methods:

• Development of a numerical model to simulate mercury vapor dispersion.
• Validation of the model using experimental data from a precinct ventilation system.
• Parametric study on airflow rates (100-1200 LPM) and containment architectural designs.

Main Results:

• The validated model achieved an 8.14% absolute average error.
• Architectural design modifications significantly reduced both average and peak mercury concentrations.
• The model accurately predicts spatial variations and high-concentration regions of mercury vapor.

Conclusions:

• Numerical modeling is a valuable tool for assessing and mitigating mercury vapor exposure risks.
• Optimizing ventilation and containment design is crucial for maintaining safe working environments.
• The developed computational approach can be applied to various geometries for mercury vapor risk assessment.