Launch Safety, Toxicity, and Environmental Effects of the High Performance Oxidizer ClF(5)
Abstract
An assessment is presented for the human toxicity, environmental, and ecological consequences resulting from accidental releases of ClF5 liquid propellant. Various accident scenarios are considered involving instantaneous releases of 2000 kg of propellant. Plume dispersion profiles were calculated using the AFTOX code for typical climate conditions at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB). For a ground-based cold spill or combustion, the area exceeding long- term human exposure levels is less than 1 km square, and the exposure time is well under an hour (typically several minutes). The area exceeding short-term exposure levels is probably less than 0.1 km square. The toxic hazard is is likely to be less important than the combustion and fire hazard to on-site personnel. Plant life damage would be limited to temporary leaf burns and some defoliation within 300 meters of the spill site. Sea life would be unaffected in the vicinity of VAFB. Further study should consider the complex interplay of aerosol dynamics and heterogeneous chemistry with propellant and by-products as well as ground deposition of propellant and by-products by gaseous (dry) and aerosol (wet) fallout. The stratospheric impact of a post-launch explosion is small. Fluorine is not very destructive of the ozone due to the extreme stability of the sink molecule HF. The amount of chlorine compound resulting from a combustion of 2000 kg of ClF5 is not large enough to have a significant effect on the stratosphere, even on a transient scale. Routine solid rocket motor firings present a far greater chlorine load on the atmosphere than does any credible ClF5 accident scenario. Chlorine pentafluoride, Beryllium hydride, Environmental effects, Handling, Plume dispersion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA286095
Entities
People
- J. A. Syage
Organizations
- The Aerospace Corporation