Title: Simulation of plume dispersion using different stack configurations and meteorological inputs

Authors: Jose A. Souto; Cristina Moral; Angel Rodríguez; Santiago Saavedra; Juan J. Casares; Anel Hernández-Garces

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain ' Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain ' Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain ' Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain ' Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain ' Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technologies (INSTEC), Quinta de los Molinos, Salvador Allende y Luaces Av., La Revolución Square., 10400 La Habana, Cuba

Abstract: The application of CALMET/CALPUFF modelling system is well known, and several validation tests were performed until now; however, most of them were based on experiments with a large compilation of surface and aloft meteorological measurements, not always available. Also, the use of an operational large smokestack as tracer source is not so usual. In this work, CALPUFF model is applied to simulate the local dispersion of SO₂ (as a tracer) from the large smokestack (with four parallel liners) of a coal-fired power plant emitting SO₂ (as a tracer), considering both different stack configurations (one single point source vs. one point source per liner) and meteorological inputs (WRF model output vs. measurements). Comparison of CALPUFF results against glc measurements along three different periods shows that the best model performance was obtained by using WRF model output; better results, but not so significant, are obtained considering one point source per liner.

Keywords: air pollution; air quality; plume dispersion; CALPUFF; stack configuration; PBL modelling; model validation; smulation; meteorological inputs; atmospheric dispersion modelling; coal-fired power plants.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2014.065917

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2014 Vol.55 No.1/2/3/4, pp.139 - 147

Published online: 17 Dec 2014 *

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