Problem 1

A coal fired 1000 MW power plant is operating around 38% efficiency.

The ash and sulphur content in the coal used respectively are 35% and
3% and the calorific value is 21 MJ per kg of coal. Find the emission rate
of SO2 and ash generation per hours.
Problem 2

During rush hours on a busy road crossing, nearly 1200 vehicles per hour at an
average speed of 20 kmph. Of these, about 70% cars use leaded petrol. The
average fuel consumption is one liter for an average of 8 km travel. Consider
that 70% of the lead present in the fuel is emitted in the form of particulate
aerosol, find the emission rate of lead aerosol in the ambient air. (Given
concentration of lead in the fuel is 0.4𝝻g/L).
Problem 3

The average daily concentration of Sulphur dioxide is observed to be

415 µg/m3 at 25°C and 1 atm at a given location. What is the
concentration of SO2 in ppm.
Gaussian Dispersion Model
• Plume characteristics

PLUME RISE
Dh
Effective stack height
H= Dh + hs

hs

Dh is induced by both momentum and buoyancy effects of the plume

Physical speed of Thermal characteristics of plume

Emission ejected from stack in relation to ambient air
Atmospheric Dispersion

Gaussian plume model

z
x y

stack

sz
sy Plume
Centre line
Gaussian Model
• Oldest and most commonly used model type

• Assumes that the air pollutant dispersion has a Gaussian distribution, i.e. has a normal probability
distribution

• The concentration downwind from a

source is treated as spreading outward
from the centerline of the plume
following a normal statistical distribution

• Can be used for both plume or puff

• Can be used for point, area and line source

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 Assumptions of model
• Assumptions include:
• Standard deviation of concentration along wind direction is 0 (no diffusion in the
direction of plume travel),
• Wind speed is constant,
• Standard deviation of concentration in the vertical direction is determined by
atmospheric stability and distance downwind from the source

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The Pasquill’s-Gifford atmospheric stability classes
• It is defined as tendency of a parcel of air to move upward or downward after it has been
displaced vertically by a small amount.
• The stability of the atmosphere depends on the temperature difference between an air
parcel and the air surrounding it.
Stability class Definition Stability class Definition
A very unstable D neutral
B unstable E slightly stable
C slightly unstable F stable
Surface wind speed Daytime incoming solar radiation Nighttime cloud cover
m/s miles/h Strong Moderate Slight > 50% < 50%
<2 <5 A A–B B E F
2–3 5–7 A–B B C E F
3–5 7 – 11 B B–C C D E
5–6 11 – 13 C C–D D D D
>6 > 13 C D D D D
Note: Class D applies to heavily overcast skies, at any wind speed day or night 9
 Continuous Steady state Point Source at Height H above ground level
Wind moving in x direction at constant velocity u

• This Gaussian equation determines ground level pollutant concentrations based on time-averaged
atmospheric variables e.g. wind speed
•Require only two dispersion parameters, Horizontal and vertical dispersion coefficients (σy and σz
respectively), to identify the variation of pollutant concentrations away from the center of the plume and is
dependent upon stability of atmospheric conditions given by Pasquill’s stability classification.
• These dispersion coefficients, σy and σz, are functions of wind speed, cloud cover, and surface heating by the
sun.
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The ground level concentration is found by setting z = 0.

 1 y 
2
1  Hr 
2 
C  x, y,0  
Qm    
exp    
s ys z u  
 2 s y  2 sz 
 
 

The ground centreline concentrations are found by setting y = z= 0.

Qm  1H 
2

C  x,0,0  exp   r
 
s ys z u  2
sz

 
 
The maximum ground level concentration along the x-axis, <C>max, is found using.

2Qm sz 
C   
max
euH r2 s 
 y 
The distance downwind at which the maximum ground level concentration occurs is found from

Hr
sz 
2
Numerical
A stack of 40 m height and 2.3 m dia. releases SPM at a rate of 1.25 g/s into the ambient air having
temperature of 27oC. Wind velocity is 1.8 m/s. The flue gas temperature and velocity is 400oC and 6 m/s.
Plume rise may be taken as 39.8 m. Find the ground level concentration at 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 Km distances in
the downwind direction at the centre of the plume under stable atmospheric conditions. The values of σy &
σz at different downwind distances are given below:
X, Km 1 3 5 7 10
For Condition: F
σy 4 180 300 400 510
σz 30 65 95 115 150
 Solution
Given h=40 m
∆h=39.8 m
u=1.8m/s
Q=1.25 g/s
Y=0 & z=0 Substitute in Gaussian Eq.
 Solution
Given h=40 m
∆h=39.8 m
u=1.8m/s
Q=1.25 g/s
Y=0 & z=0 Substitute in Gaussian Eq.