Title: Numerical modelling of transient dispersion of air pollution in perpendicular urban street intersection with detail inclusion of traffic dynamics

Authors: Jiri Pospisil; Miroslav Jicha

Addresses: Energy Institute, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2, 61669, Brno, Czech Republic ' Energy Institute, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Technicka 2, 61669, Brno, Czech Republic

Abstract: In this study, the authors focus on the utilisation of computer modelling for the detailed identification of transient pollutants' dispersion in a perpendicular intersection equipped with traffic lights. Passenger cars are considered as the main source of the air pollution in the intersection. Car movement is at the same time a major driving force affecting the air flow in the crossroad area. A model based on an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to moving objects has been integrated into a commercial CFD software package StarCD. The inclusion of traffic dynamics is used for a correct description of dispersion processes. The air pollution concentration fields were obtained from numerical predictions for traffic light switching periods of 60, 90, and 120 s. The correctness of the developed dispersion model was assessed on the base of NO_x concentration measurements carried out in a real city intersection with similar geometry as in the numerical model.

Keywords: air pollution; intersection; CFD modelling; car; traffic lights.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2019.101834

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2019 Vol.65 No.1/2/3, pp.71 - 83

Received: 03 Jan 2018
Accepted: 07 Jan 2019
Published online: 28 Aug 2019 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article