Air pollution meteorology

and dispersion modelling

by
Gazala Habib
Atmospheric structure

• https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=bqiu4x-syDA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObnWb7yspxA
 Atmospheric structure
• Troposphere. The lowest layer of the atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface up to
the tropopause, which is at 10-15 km altitude depending on latitude and time of year;
characterized by decreasing temperature with height; rapid vertical mixing.
• Stratosphere. Extends from the tropopause to the stratopause (From ~ 45 to 55 km
altitude); temperature increases with altitude, leading to a layer in which vertical mixing is
slow.
• Mesosphere. Extends from the stratopause to the mesopause (From ~ 80 to 90 km altitude);
temperature decreases with altitude to the mesopause, which is the coldest point in the
atmosphere; rapid vertical mixing.
• Thermo sphere. The region above the mesopause; characterized by high temperatures as a
result of absorption of short-wavelength radiation by N2 and O2; rapid vertical mixing. The
ionosphere is a region of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere where ions are
produced by photoionization.
• Exosphere. The outermost region of the atmosphere (> 500 km altitude) where gas
molecules with sufficient energy can escape from the Earth's gravitational attraction.
• Over the equator the average height of the tropopause is about 18 km; over the poles, about
8 km.
 Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)
• The troposphere can be divided into 2 parts based on turbulence or friction. The Friction is
generated by the earth's surface, but that aloft friction is negligible in comparison. At some point
in the atmosphere, there is a zone where friction goes from significant to insignificant. The lower
layer of air which is subjected to turbulent (frictional) processes is known as the planetary
boundary layer (PBL). The remaining air in the troposphere is known as the free atmosphere
(because it is free of frictional influences.

 Surface layer
 Micro layer
 Mixed layer
Stable layer or
entrainment zone

Mixed layer

Few cm Micro layer

Surface layer (10% of PBL)

Mixed layer
• During the daytime, surface heating leads to
convective motion in the PBL. Heat transfer from the
surface forms rising warm air. Radiative cooling from Mixed layer
clouds forms sinking cooler air. Convective motion
also leads to significant turbulence which mixes the
air within this layer. Because of the convective
motion and significant mixing of air, this sub-layer is
called the convective layer or mixed layer. Stable layer

Few cm
• Above the mixed layer is a stable layer which Micro layer
prevents the continued upward motion of thermals. Air entrainment

Surface layer
(10% of PBL)
This stable layer also restricts turbulence, preventing
frictional influences from reaching above the PBL.

• This stable layer is called the entrainment zone,

because it is here where air from above the PBL
entrains into the mixed layer.

• During the day, the mixed layer reaches heights over

one km and makes up the entire layer of the PBL
above the surface layer.

• However, the mixed layer vanishes with the sun as

the thermally driven convection ceases.
Mixed layer height and temperature
•
Stable and residual layer • After sunset, convective motion dramatically decreases.
However, the earth's surface still affects the air, and
a stable boundary layer forms (also called
the nocturnal boundary layer).

• This boundary layer is characterised by light winds and

weaker, more irregular turbulence than in the mixed layer.

• The height of the PBL, therefore, decreases significantly

during the night.

• Though the height of the nocturnal layer varies, it is

usually less than half that of the mixed layer.

• Unlike the mixed layer, the stable boundary layer does not
have a well-defined top. Instead, it slowly merges with
the residual layer that is formed between sunset and
sunrise.
 Calculation of stable layer height
• The "e-folding height (He )" for the temperature curve that

• increases as a function of height is a measure of how

quickly the curve changes as a function of temperature (or
some other variable).
• The value of h is the height, or depth, of the stable
boundary layer.
Air parcel movement in the atmosphere
Air parcel rise and cloud formation
 Atmospheric stability
• Stability: The tendency of the atmosphere to resist or enhance vertical motion is termed stability. It is
related to both wind speed and change of air temperature with height (lapse rate).
• Neutral
• Stable
• Unstable

❑ Neutral atmosphere: when thermal structure of the atmosphere neither resists nor enhances the
mechanical turbulence.

❑ The rate of temperature decrease with altitude is called as dry adiabatic lapse rate if heat
absorption/release by moisture is involved then it is called wet adiabatic lapse rate.

❑ When the environmental lapse rate at particular place is equal to dry adiabatic lapse rate or wet adiabatic
lapse rate then the atmosphere is called neutral.
Atmospheric stability
ELR= Environmental lapse rate; MALR=moist Adiabatic lapse rate
DALR=Dry adiabatic lapse rate

ELR<MALR<DALR ELR>DALR>MALR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObnWb7yspxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDP_cLB8TCg
Conditional instability

MALR<ELR<DALR
Inversion
Radiation inversion
Subsidence inversion
ELR
DALR Plume behaviour
∆𝑇𝑇𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 ∆𝑇𝑇𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 > ∆𝑇𝑇𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 =
∆𝑧𝑧 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 > 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
Absolute Unstable condition
∆𝑇𝑇𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = Strong convection and mixing in
∆𝑧𝑧
the atmosphere

∆𝑇𝑇𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 < ∆𝑇𝑇𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃

𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 < 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷

Absolute stable condition
Week convection and week
mixing in the atmosphere

∆𝑇𝑇𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 inverted, increase in

temperature with height

No mixing
Problem
• Given the following temperature and elevation data, determine the
stability of the atmosphere.

Elevation (m) Temperature (°C)

2 14.35
324 11.13
Atmospheric dispersion

❑ Factor affecting the dispersion of pollutants Buoyancy (mass or

❑ Source characteristics: density<surrounding)
❑ Industrial plume discharge vertical through a duct or stack
Vertical velocity
❑ After leaving the stack the plume tends to expand and mix with ambient air

❑ Horizontal air will tend to bend the plume downward. While the plume is rising,
bending and moving in horizontal direction the pollutants are being diluted by
ambient air surrounding the plume.

❑ The plume rise is affected by both upward inertia of discharge gas stream and by
its buoyancy.

❑ Vertical inertia is related to exit gas velocity and mass.

❑ The plume’s buoyancy is related to the exit gas mass relative to the surrounding
gas mass.
Atmospheric dispersion
❑Increasing the exit gas velocity or the exit gas temperature will increase the plume rise.

❑The plume rise together with physical stack height is called the effective stack height.

❑The plume rise above the discharge point affects the downwind concentration at ground.

❑Higher the plume rise, the greater distance is for diluting the contaminated gases as they expand
and mix downward.
Atmospheric dispersion
• Downwind distance: The greater the distance between the point of discharge and a
ground level receptor downwind, the greater will be the volume of air available for
diluting the contaminants discharge before it reaches the receptor.

• Wind speed and direction: Wind direction determines the direction in which the
contaminated gas stream move across local terrain. The wind speed affects the plume
rise, rate of mixing and ground level concentration.
• An increase in wind speed will decrease the plume rise by bending the plume over more rapidly.
• An increase in wind speed will also increase the rate of dilution of effluent tending to lower the
downwind concentrations
• The decrease in plume rise tend to increase the ground level concentration.
• These effect, govern the distance downwind of source at which the ground level concentration
would be maximum.

• Stability: More unstable the atmosphere, the greater the diluting power.
Dispersion modelling
• A dispersion model is a mathematical description of the
meteorological transport and dispersion process that is quantified in
terms of source and meteorological parameters during a particular
time.
• The meteorological parameters required as input include wind
direction, wind speed and atmospheric stability.
• In some models vertical mixing and lapse rate can also be included.
• Stack physical height, diameter of stack at discharge point, the exit
gas temperature and velocity, and mass rate of emission of
pollutants.
 Gausian Dispersion model
• Assumptions
1. Atmospheric stability: Atmospheric stability is uniform through out the layer in which the contaminated
gas stream is discharged.

1. Turbulent diffusion: Turbulent diffusion is a random activity and hence the dilution of the contaminated
gas stream in both the horizontal and vertical direction can be described by the normal or Gausian equation.

1. Effective height: The contaminated gas stream is released into the atmosphere at a distance above ground
level that is equal to the physical stack height plus the plume rise.

1. Dilution: The degree of dilution of the effluent plume is inversely proportional to the wind speed (u).

1. Diffusion: No diffusion in x direction.

1. No reaction no deposition: The pollutant material that reaches ground level is totally reflected back into
the atmosphere that means no reaction no deposition at ground.
1. The ground reflection is accounted for by assuming a virtual source located at a distance of –H with
respect to ground level and emitting an imaginary plume with the same source strength as the real
source being modelled.
2. The same general idea can be used to establish other boundary layer conditions for the equations, such
as limiting horizontal or vertical mixing.
Gaussian dispersion model

∆𝒉𝒉
•

Gausian distribution curve

Plume dispersion coordinate system (D. B. Turner)

 Gausian dispersion model

Gausian distribution curve

 Gausian dispersion model
𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪 𝒐𝒐𝒐𝒐 𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑 𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂 𝒙𝒙, 𝒚𝒚, 𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂𝒂 𝒛𝒛 𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄 Plume Rise
𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐 𝟐𝟐
 Holland or Oak Ridge Formula
𝑸𝑸 𝟏𝟏 𝒚𝒚 𝟏𝟏 𝒛𝒛 − 𝑯𝑯 𝟏𝟏 𝒛𝒛 + 𝑯𝑯
𝑪𝑪(𝒙𝒙,𝒚𝒚,𝒛𝒛) = 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − + 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − … (𝟏𝟏)
𝟐𝟐𝝅𝝅𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝒖𝒖𝒛𝒛 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝒗𝒗𝒔𝒔 𝒅𝒅𝒔𝒔 𝑻𝑻𝒔𝒔 − 𝑻𝑻𝒂𝒂
∆𝑯𝑯 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 + 𝟐𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟐𝟐 𝑷𝑷 𝒅𝒅𝒔𝒔 … (𝟒𝟒)
𝑼𝑼 𝑻𝑻𝒔𝒔
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑚𝑚3
𝑄𝑄 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
𝑠𝑠
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
𝑠𝑠
= 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 • 𝑣𝑣𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
𝑚𝑚
𝑠𝑠
= 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 , 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑦𝑦 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑧𝑧 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 • 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑 ∆𝐻𝐻 𝑈𝑈
𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑚𝑚3 • 𝑈𝑈 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖
𝑚𝑚
𝑠𝑠
= 𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠
𝐶𝐶 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦, 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑧𝑧 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑥𝑥𝑓𝑓
𝑥𝑥,𝑦𝑦,𝑧𝑧
𝑚𝑚3 𝑚𝑚3 • 𝑃𝑃 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝
Effective stack height • 𝑇𝑇𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐾𝐾 = 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇
• 𝑇𝑇𝑎𝑎 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝐾𝐾 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠
H = 𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠 + ∆𝐻𝐻 … (2)
𝐻𝐻 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒  Briggs Formula
𝐻𝐻𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒
I. Neutral and unstable conditions, A, B, C, or D
∆𝐻𝐻(𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚) = 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝐴𝐴. 𝑥𝑥 < 𝑥𝑥𝑓𝑓 (𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟)
𝟏𝟏� 𝟐𝟐�𝟑𝟑
𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝑭𝑭 𝟑𝟑 𝒙𝒙
𝒇𝒇
∆𝑯𝑯 𝒊𝒊𝒊𝒊 𝒎𝒎 = … (𝟓𝟓)
• Wind velocity at altitude z 𝑼𝑼
Buoyancy flux parameter
𝑧𝑧 0.16 𝒎𝒎𝟒𝟒 𝑻𝑻𝒔𝒔 − 𝑻𝑻𝒂𝒂
• 𝑢𝑢𝑧𝑧 = 𝑢𝑢10 … (3) 𝑭𝑭 𝒊𝒊𝒊𝒊 = 𝒈𝒈𝑽𝑽𝒔𝒔 𝒓𝒓𝟐𝟐𝒔𝒔 … (𝟔𝟔)
10 𝒔𝒔𝟑𝟑 𝑻𝑻𝒔𝒔
𝑚𝑚
• 𝑢𝑢𝑧𝑧 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = 𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑧𝑧 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝑠𝑠
𝑚𝑚
• 𝑢𝑢10 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 at 10 m height
𝑠𝑠
𝟐𝟐. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝑭𝑭𝟎𝟎.𝟒𝟒 𝑯𝑯𝟎𝟎.𝟔𝟔
𝒔𝒔 … (𝟕𝟕) 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝑯𝑯𝒔𝒔 < 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝒎𝒎
• 𝑧𝑧 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑚𝑚 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝒙𝒙𝒇𝒇 𝒊𝒊𝒊𝒊 𝒎𝒎 = �

𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟎𝟎.𝟒𝟒 … (𝟖𝟖) 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝑯𝑯𝒔𝒔 > 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝒎𝒎

Plume rise 𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮𝑮 𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄𝒄 𝒛𝒛 = 𝟎𝟎
2 2 2
𝑄𝑄 1 𝑦𝑦 1 0 − 𝐻𝐻 1 0 + 𝐻𝐻
B. 𝑥𝑥 > 𝑥𝑥𝑓𝑓 𝐶𝐶(𝑥𝑥,𝑦𝑦,0) =
2𝜋𝜋𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 𝑢𝑢10
𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 −
2 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦
𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 −
2 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
+ 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 −
2 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
𝟏𝟏� 𝟐𝟐�𝟑𝟑 𝟐𝟐 −𝟐𝟐
𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝑭𝑭 𝟑𝟑 𝒙𝒙
𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙 𝒙𝒙 𝒙𝒙 2 2
∆𝐻𝐻 = 𝟎𝟎. 𝟒𝟒 + 𝟎𝟎. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 + 𝟐𝟐. 𝟐𝟐 𝟏𝟏 + 𝟎𝟎. 𝟖𝟖 … (𝟗𝟗) 𝑄𝑄 1 𝑦𝑦 1 𝐻𝐻
𝑼𝑼 𝒙𝒙𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙𝒇𝒇 𝐶𝐶(𝑥𝑥,𝑦𝑦,0) = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 − 2 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 −
2𝜋𝜋𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 𝑢𝑢10 2 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 2 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧

For fossil fuel power plant with heat emissions >20 MW (Briggs, 1969) 𝑸𝑸 𝟏𝟏 𝒚𝒚
𝟐𝟐
𝟏𝟏 𝑯𝑯
𝟐𝟐
𝑪𝑪(𝒙𝒙,𝒚𝒚,𝟎𝟎) = 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − … (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)
𝟐𝟐�
𝝅𝝅𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝒖𝒖𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛
𝟏𝟏
𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝑭𝑭 �𝟑𝟑 𝒙𝒙𝒇𝒇 𝟑𝟑
… (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏) 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙 < 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝑯𝑯𝒔𝒔 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑦𝑦 = 0 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑧𝑧 = 0
∆𝑯𝑯 𝒊𝒊𝒊𝒊 𝒎𝒎 = 𝑼𝑼
𝟐𝟐
𝑸𝑸 𝟏𝟏 𝑯𝑯
𝟏𝟏� 𝟐𝟐� 𝑪𝑪(𝒙𝒙,𝒚𝒚,𝟎𝟎) = 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − … (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)
𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔𝑭𝑭 𝟑𝟑 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝑯𝑯𝒔𝒔 𝟑𝟑 𝝅𝝅𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝒖𝒖𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛
… (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏) 𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇𝒇 𝒙𝒙 > 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝑯𝑯𝒔𝒔
𝑼𝑼
II. Stable condition, E and F
𝟏𝟏
𝑭𝑭 �𝟑𝟑
∆𝑯𝑯 𝒊𝒊𝒊𝒊 𝒎𝒎 = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟒𝟒 … (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)
𝑼𝑼𝑼𝑼
𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑆𝑆
𝒈𝒈 ∆𝑻𝑻𝒂𝒂
𝑺𝑺 = + 𝟎𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎℃/𝒎𝒎 … (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)
𝑻𝑻𝒂𝒂 ∆𝒁𝒁
 Pasquill Stability classes
A=Very unstable atmospheric condition
B=unstable atmospheric condition
C=slightly unstable atmosphere to neutral
D=stable conditions
E= Stable atmospheric condition
F=Very stable atmospheric condition
The values of 𝑠𝑠𝑦𝑦 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑠𝑠𝑧𝑧 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 govern by
 Turbulent structure of the atmosphere
 Height above the surface
 Surface roughness
 Sampling time over which the concentration is to be
estimated
 Wind speed and distance from the source
𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
Horizontal dispersion
coefficient
𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 = 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 0.894 …(16)

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
Vertical dispersion
coefficient
𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑑𝑑 + 𝑓𝑓 … (17)

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
 Problem
• It has been estimated that the emission of SO2 from a coal fired power
plant is 1656.2 g/s. A 3 km downwind on an overcast afternoon, what is
the centreline concentration of SO2 if the wind speed is 4.5 m/s.
• Stack parameters: 𝒗𝒗 𝒅𝒅 𝑻𝑻 − 𝑻𝑻
• Height=120 m
𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒂
∆𝑯𝑯 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 + 𝟐𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟐𝟐 𝑷𝑷 𝒅𝒅𝒔𝒔
𝑼𝑼 𝑻𝑻𝒔𝒔
• Dimeter=1.2 m
𝑧𝑧 0.16
• Exit velocity=10 m/s 𝑢𝑢𝑧𝑧 = 𝑢𝑢10
10
• Temperature= 315 °C
• Atmospheric conditions:
0.16
120
𝑢𝑢𝑧𝑧 = 4.5 = 6.7 𝑚𝑚/𝑠𝑠
10
• Pressure=95.0 kPa
• Temperature=25 °C 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 × 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 − 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
∆𝑯𝑯 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓 + 𝟐𝟐. 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟐𝟐 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗 𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐 = 𝟓𝟓. 𝟒𝟒 𝒎𝒎
𝟔𝟔. 𝟕𝟕 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓

𝟐𝟐
𝑸𝑸 𝟏𝟏 𝑯𝑯
𝑪𝑪(𝒙𝒙,𝒚𝒚,𝟎𝟎) = 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − … (𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏)
𝝅𝝅𝝈𝝈𝒚𝒚 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛 𝒖𝒖𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝟐𝟐 𝝈𝝈𝒛𝒛
 Solution
Overcast afternoon class D should be assume (foot
note of the table) 𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 = 𝑎𝑎𝑥𝑥 0.894 …(16)

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 = 68 (3)0.894 = 181.6

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧
 Solution 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧 = 44.5(3)0.516 − 13 = 65.4

Overcast afternoon class D should be assume (foot

note of the table)

𝜎𝜎𝑦𝑦 𝜎𝜎𝑧𝑧

𝟐𝟐
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟐𝟐 𝟏𝟏 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 + 𝟓𝟓. 𝟒𝟒
𝑪𝑪(𝒙𝒙,𝒚𝒚,𝟎𝟎) = 𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆𝒆 − = 𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟑𝟑 × 𝟎𝟎. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
𝟑𝟑. 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 × 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔. 𝟒𝟒 × 𝟒𝟒. 𝟓𝟓 𝟐𝟐 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔. 𝟒𝟒
𝒈𝒈 𝝁𝝁𝝁𝝁
= 𝟏𝟏. 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓 × 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏−𝟑𝟑 𝟑𝟑 = 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝟑𝟑
𝒎𝒎 𝒎𝒎
Problems
•
 Problems
• Determine the stack height for an industry source emitting 150 kg/d of 1,2
dichloromethane (C4H4Cl2) if the residential complex is sited 1.5 km
downwind and the ambient limit should not exceed 700 μgm-3. The neutral
condition (D) occur 85% of the time and this is to be the design atmospheric
condition. The characteristics are:
Gas exit velocity = 15m/s
Gas exit temperature = 150 C
Stack tip diameter= 3 m
Ambient temperature= 20 C
Horizontal wind velocity at stack top= 6 m/s
Emission rate 150 kg/d
Inversion aloft

•
 Problems

• Determine the distance downwind from the stack at which we must

switch to the inversion form of the dispersion model given the
following meteorological situation:
• Effective stack height=50 m 𝑠𝑠𝑧𝑧 = 0.47 350 − 50 = 141
• Inversion base=350 m
141 = 44.5(𝑥𝑥)0.516 − 13
• Wind speed= 7.3 m/s
141 + 13
• Cloud cover= none 44.5
= (𝑥𝑥)0.516

• Time= 11:30 h 𝑥𝑥 = 11.8 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘

• Season= summer