AIR POLLUTION MODELLING
What is Measurement?
• Measurements tell us what the concentrations
are (or have been) at a particular location.
• They cannot tell us :
– What the conc. is going to be in the future,
Or
– What it is now at locations where no measurements
are being made.
Air Quality Models
• Air pollution/quality models help us to
understand the way air pollutants behave in
the environment.
• In principle, “ a perfect model would enable
the spatial and temporal variations in
pollutant concentration to be predicted to
sufficient accuracy for all practical purposes
and would make measurements unnecessary”
• In simplified terms,
“Air quality models use mathematical &
numerical techniques to simulate the physical
and chemical processes that affect air pollutants
as they disperse and react in the atmosphere.”
• It should be remembered that model is of no use
unless it has been validated to show that it works.
• This helps in keeping the process of model
development hand in hand with developments in
measurements.
Why to Use Air Quality Models?
• Working out which sources are responsible for
what proportion of conc. at any receptor.
• Estimating population exposure on a higher
spatial or temporal resolution than is
practicable by measurement.
• Determining whether a permitted facility is
complying with state or federal requirements.
• Deciding whether emissions from a facility (existing or
proposed) pose a threat to public health or the
environment.
• Assessing where might be the best location to site an
air monitor that reads actual data.
• Targeting emission reductions on the highest
contributors.
• Predicting concentration changes over time.
• Model predictions are useful in a wide variety of air
quality decisions, including determining
appropriateness of facility location, monitoring-
network design, and stack design.
• Models also provide information on the areas most
influenced by emissions from a source, the
contribution of weather to observed trends, and the
air quality expected under various scenarios.
Families of Models
DISPERSION MODELS
• Based on detailed understanding of physical,
chemical & fluid dynamical processes in the
atmosphere.
• These models are typically used in the permitting
process to estimate the concentration of
pollutants at specified ground level receptors
surrounding an emission source provided the
emissions and other controlling parameters are
known.
RECEPTOR MODELS
• These models are observational techniques
which use the chemical and physical
characteristics of gases and particles
measured at source and receptor to both
identify the presence of and to quantify
source contributions to receptor
concentrations.
STOCHASTIC MODELS
• Which are based on semi-empirical mathematical
relationships b/w pollutant conc. and any factors
that might affect them, regardless of the
atmospheric physical processes.
BOX MODELS
• In which inputs to and outputs from a defined
volume of the atmosphere are used to calculate
the mean concentrations within that volume.
Levels of Modeling
• The choice of dispersion model depends on a
number of factors. There is a wide range of models
available, and it is important that the user selects the
model that fits the demands of the task. Generally,
there are three levels of assessment:
Screening assessment
Refined assessment
Advanced assessment
• Screening Assessment is utilized to determine a
specific event or the likelihood of a specific event.
• Screening assessments are a simple and quick way to
estimate a “worst case” concentration; however, in
some cases the screening models may not provide the
worst case ground level concentrations.
• Refined assessment, because of its higher
level of sophistication, more closely estimates
actual air quality impacts.
• Advanced assessment treats specific
dispersion processes in greater detail. It
potentially gives more accurate results but
requires more input data.
MODELLING PROTOCOL
• A hierarchy of commonly used dispersion models
has been established, categorizing the models
according to how they might be used within the
assessment process.
• For example, 'screening‘ models are used as a
benchmark or an initial step of the review, and
refined models for more detailed analysis.
• Advanced models may be needed, depending
upon the type of source(s) being studied and the
complexity of the situation.
Modeling Decisions
INPUTS FOR AIR DISPERSION MODELS
• Depends upon the type of model used, but a list
of basic information simulation may include:
i. Pollution Emission rates (often the max possible
amounts emitted by a source operating at full
capacity)
ii. Size and height of the pollution source
iii. Temperature of emissions
iv. Velocity of the emissions as they leave the source
v. Historic wind speed and direction
vi. Stability class and mixing height
vii. Historic temperature and other whether data
viii. Near by buildings and land contour
ASSIGNMENT # 1
• What are the different types of commercially
available air dispersion models ? Categorize
them according to the classification & list
their particular characteristics and
applications.
