In modern tank warfare, the threat of chemical weapon attack is an unfortunate reality. To deal with this threat and to plan for the decontamination of armored vehicles, it is critical to understand the mechanisms for desorption of vapors from surfaces exposed to chemical agents under a variety of wind speeds and wind directions. CFD provides a cost-effective method for developing an understanding of the aerodynamics around tank bodies and the dispersion of heavy vapors from the tank surface.

Fluent's CFD software can be used to investigate chemical warfare agent vapor dispersion by analyzing various tank body shapes. Using CFD analysis contributes considerable understanding of the fundamental flow and mass transfer mechanisms affecting the protection and decontamination of equipment exposed to chemical weapons.

Organic chemical vapor concentration around a Challenger I tank, exposed to wind at a 45 degree yaw
Courtesy of DERA, Porton Down, Protection and Decontamination Department