Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For Students · Hazmat Plume

Hazmat Plume for a house fire

Built for students learning it for a class or exam. See the concept move instead of memorizing formulas — and check your homework intuition. Simulate a house fire live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Hazmat Plume DispersionLive

Gaussian plume · protective action

Controls

Presets

Release rate (g/s)

Wind speed (m/s)

Action level (mg/m³)

A Gaussian plume estimates how a gas or vapor release disperses downwind. Stability class (A unstable to F stable) sets how fast the plume spreads. The dashed line is the protective action distance where concentration falls below your action level. Screening estimate only — use ERG and monitors on scene.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Protective distance>20 km

StabilityD neutral

Wind4 m/s

Governing equation

C (x, y) = \frac{50}{2 π 4 σ _{y} σ _{z}} exp (- \frac{y ^{2}}{2 σ _{y}^{2}})

Reading this result: Concentration falls off as the wind stretches and vertical mixing thins the plume — stronger wind and less stable air pull the protective distance in toward the source.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Also for:Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders General version →

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for students?: Yes — this version of "Hazmat Plume for a house fire" is framed for students learning it for a class or exam. See the concept move instead of memorizing formulas — and check your homework intuition.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.