ES 402 - ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Air Pollution Atmospheric Dispersion

A.) Gaussian dispersion model

The Gaussian dispersion model is one way of estimating the ground-level concentration of a pollutant emitted
from a smokestack at any distance down-wind from the stack. It is a statistical representation of the dispersion
of emissions from the stack in a given space.The atmospheric dispersion of pollutants and its concentration
downwind from the stack is dependent on the condition of the atmosphere (atmospheric stability)
1.) Stability is the tendency to resist or enhance vertical motion (turbulence) in the atmosphere.
2.) A neutral atmosphere does not resist or enhance mechanical turbulence.
3.) A stable atmosphere resists turbulence, but an unstable atmosphere enhances mechanical turbulence.
4.) Furthermore, the mechanical turbulence in the atmosphere greatly affects the concentration of a pollutant.
5.) Thus, the more unstable the atmosphere is, the greater the dilution of the pollutant.
6.) Stability classes are determined for different meteorological conditions, which are dependent on wind speed
and solar insolation during the day and cloud cover during the night
7.) The classes A, B, and C stand for very unstable, unstable, and slightly unstable conditions, respectively;
8.) D stands for a neutral condition; and E and F stand for stable and very stable conditions, respectively.
9.) Class G represents the most stable atmosphere possible, and is used for the worst-case simulations.
B.) Plume rise and the "effective" stack height, H
Where: :
uH = the wind velocity at "effective" stack height, m/s
vS = exhaust gas velocity at the stack, m/s
uH plume Dh = plume rise, m
centerline h = physical height of the stack
vS Dh H = “effective “ stack height , i.e. elevation from
ground level to the plume centerline (physical
h H ua = wind speed at elevation z (usually z stack height , h and the plume rise, Dh)
=10 m), used as basis for calculating H = h + Dh
UH
Where: :
vs = stack velocity, m/s
d   T   d = stack diameter, m
H  h  DHh  h  s
1 .5   2.68  10 2
P  T s a
d  u = wind speed, m/s

  
P = atmospheric pressure, kPa
u   Ts Ts = stack gas temperature, K
Ta = air temperature, K

C.) Calculating Effective Stack Height Wind Speed, u H

1.) The surface wind speed is different at the effective stack height, which is used in the Gaussian model.
2.) To determine the effective stack height wind speed, u H use the following equation and table

Table 3 - Exponent for Calculating Effective Stack Height Wind Speed

p
uH = ua H
Za
Where:
ua = wind speed at altitude Za, m/s
H = effective stack height, m
Za= reference height from surface where air
speed is measured, m (usually 10 meters)
p = exponent is a function of atmospheric
stability class

D.) Exercise calculation 1

Determine the wind speed at “effective” stack height of 100 meters, if the wind speed measured at 10-meter
elevation is 3.5 m/sec, and atmospheric stability is class B. Assume "urban area"
u a = 3.5 m/s Z a = 10 m H = 100 from Table 3 above: p = 0.15
p 0.15
uH = ua H = 3.5 100 = 4.94 m/s
Za 10

E.) Exercise calculation 2

A sugar mill’s bagasse-fired boilers have a 2 m diameter x 30 m tall smokestack that exhausts combustion
gases at a total flowrate of 30 m3/s and a temperature of 200ºC. The atmosphere is at stability class C,
P = 101.325 kPa, and T = 27ºC. Assume “rural” area. The wind speed measured at 10-meter elevation is 2
m/s. Determine the “effective” stack height, H.
Solution:
The H at this time is not known, (hence to be solved by “trial & error”, i.e.- make an initial guess of H and
compute the wind speed, then check this "guessed H" using the equation H = h + Dh. If the "quessed H" is not
the same or very near the computed H, make another trial by using the computed H as the 2'nd guess. Continue
making trials until the the last "guessed H" has the same or very close value with the check/computed H.
2
1.) Solve for exhaust gas stack velocity, vs = 30/(p2 /4) = 9.55 m/s
2.) Make an initial assumption of D h (any value between (0.1 to 1.0 x h). Assume Dh = 1.0 x 30 = 30,
hence H = 30 + 30 = 60, Use this as the intial "quess" (or trial 1), and solve for the wind speed at H.
Trial #1: "guessed H" = 60, from Table 3 above p = 0.1, wind speed, u H = (2)(60/10)0.1 = 2.39 m/s

 sd    T  T  
H  h  Dh  h  1.5   2.68  102 P s a d 
check:
u   
  Ts  
H = 30 + (9.55)(2)/(2.39){1.5 + [(0.0268)(101.325)(473-300)/473](2)} = 57.86 m, < initial "guess"
0.1
Trial #2: Use the check value from Trial #1 as next "guessed H" = 57.86, u H = (2)(57.86/10) = 2.38 m/s
check: H = 30 + (9.55)(2)/(2.38){1.5 + [(0.0268)(101.325)(473-300)/473](2)} = 57.97 m > Trial 2 "guess"

0.1
Trial #3: Use the check value of Trial #2 for next "guess H" = 57.97, u H = (2)(57.97/10) = 2.38 m/s
check: H = 30 + (9.55)(2)/(2.38){1.5 + [(0.0268)(101.325)(473-300)/473](2)} = 57.97 m = Trial 3 "guess"
use H = 57.97 which can be rounded-off to 58 m.

F.) The Gaussian “Point” Source Plume Model

(x, 0, z)

(x, 0, 0) (x, -y, z)

(x, -y, 0)

sy and sz are functions of distance x,

and the atmospheric stability

1.) General Equation

pollutant conc. as a pollutant mass
function of downwind
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 pollutant conc. as a pollutant mass
function of downwind emission rate
position (x,y, z)

2
Q - (z - H) - (z + H) 2 - y2
C(x,y,z,H) = exp + exp exp
2p uH sy sz 2s z
2
2s z
2
2s 2
y

wind speed at
“effective” stack distribution of mass in cross-
height corresponds to distribution of mass in vertical wind dimension (y) at a given
disk area in dimension (z) at a given downwind downwind distance, x
simple model distance, x (includes the effect of
(values depend surface reflection)
upon stability
class &
downwind
distance, x) where :
C(x,y,z; H) = pollutant concentration downwind
2.) Ground Level Concentration Equation at point (x,y, z), mg/m 3
x = distance directly downwind, km
y = horizontal distance from the plume
Q - (H) 2 - y2 centerline, m
C(x,y,0,H) = exp exp Q = emission rate of pollutants, mg/s
2p uH sy sz 2s z
2
2s y
2
uH = average windspeed at effective stack
height, m/s
H = effective stack height, m
σy = horizontal dispersion coefficient, m
σz = vertical dispersion coefficient, m

2.) Ground Level Concentration Equation, directly below plume centerline

Q - (H) 2
C(x,0,0,H) = exp
2p uH sy sz 2s z
2

G.) Calculation of the horizontal and vertical dispersion coefficients, sy(x) and sz(x).
The dispersion coefficients, sy(x) and sz(x) are functions also of the distance x and the atmospheric conditions;
They are calculated using the equations shown below, and with the use of Table 2 also shown below:
1.) horizontal dispersion coefficient, σy(x) = ax0.894

2.) vertical dispersion coefficient, σz(x) = cxd + f

where:
x = distance in kilometers
σz(x) & σy(x) = in meters

3.) Table 2 - Parameters for calculating dispersion coefficients

H.) Exercise calculation 3

Determine the horizontal and vertical dispersion coefficients, sy(x) and sz(x) at a downwind distance of 500
meters (0.5 km) from the stack; and at atmospheric stability of class D.
Solution:
From Table of Dispersion Coefficient (Table 2 above), at atm. stability class D :
a = 68, c = 33.2, d = 0.725, f = - 1.7

σy(x) = ax0.894 = 68(0.5)0.894 = 36.59 m

σz(x) = cxd + f = 33.2(0.5)0.725 + (- 1.7) = 18.41 m

I.) Exercise calculation 4

Determine the ground-level concentration of SO 2 emitted out of a smokestack of coal-fired power plant at a
mass rate of 2110 mg/s, at distance of 800 meters downwind from the stack (and directly below the centerline
of the plume). The following are given:
a.) “effective” stack height, H = 45 m,
b.) wind speed at top of the smokestack, u H = 2.15 m/s
c.) The horizontal and vertical dispersion coefficients at x = 800 meters downwind :
sy(x) = 55.7 meters sz(x) = 26.5 meters

Solution : use the gaussian dispersion model equation (ground-level & directly below the plume centerline)

Q - (H) 2
C(x,0,0,H) = exp
2p uH sy sz 2s z
2

2110 - (45)2
C(0.8,0,0,45) = exp = 0.025 mg/m 3 0.025026
(2p )(2.15)(55.7)(26.5) (2)(26.5)2

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