Title: Application of inverse dispersion modelling for the determination of PM emission factors from fugitive dust sources in open-pit lignite mines

Authors: Athanasios Triantafyllou; Nicolas Moussiopoulos; ?thina Krestou; George Tsegas; Fotios Barmpas; Stelios Garas; ?elina Andreadou

Addresses: LAPEP - Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics, TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100, ?ozani, Greece; TRC - Technological Research Centre, 50100, ?ozani, Greece ' LHTEE – Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' LAPEP – Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics, TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100, ?ozani, Greece; TRC – Technological Research Centre, 50100, ?ozani, Greece ' LHTEE – Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' LHTEE – Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' LAPEP – Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics, TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100, ?ozani, Greece ' Public Power Corporation (PPC), Western Macedonia Lignite Centre, 50200 Ptolemais, Greece

Abstract: The operation of large open-pit lignite mines represents a significant source of fugitive dust emissions connected to energy production. Emission inventories can be used to provide operational estimates of the total dust burden in the surrounding areas attributable to mining operations. In this work, a methodology based on the inverse dispersion modelling approach, combining two different dispersion models, is used for preparing a dust emissions inventory for several activity types in the lignite mines of Western Macedonia, Greece. A three-year campaign of field measurement experiments provides the necessary meteorological data and upwind-downwind concentration levels in the area of each activity. A comparison of calculated emission rates provided by the two dispersion models indicates a very good agreement, while the normalised downwind concentration timeseries are accurately reproduced. Emission factors are calculated for each experiment and per-activity, leading to the formulation of empirical relations for the total fugitive dust emissions.

Keywords: inverse dispersion modelling; IDM; fugitive dust sources; emission factor; open pit mines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2017.089412

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2017 Vol.62 No.2/3/4, pp.274 - 290

Received: 22 Aug 2016
Accepted: 26 Feb 2017

Published online: 23 Jan 2018 *

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