Power plants pollution model

Computers can be used to generate models of power plant pollution such as the one seen here. (FMA Production)... 

The horizontal dispersion of a plume has been modeled by the use of expanding cells well mixed vertically, with the chemistry calculated for each cell (31). The resulting simulation of transformation of NO to NO2 in a power plant plume by infusion of atmospheric ozone is a peaked distribution of NO2 that resembles a plume of the primary pollutants, SO2 and NO. The ozone distribution shows depletion across the plume, with maximum depletion in the center at 20 min travel time from the source, but relatively uniform ozone concentrations back to initial levels at travel distances 1 h from the source. 

Perry, S. G., Paumier, J. O., and Burns, D. J., Evaluation of the EPA Complex Terrain Dispersion Model (CTDMPLUS) with the Lovett Power Plant Data Base, pp 189-192 in "Preprints of Seventh Joint Conference on Application of Air Pollution Meteorology with AWMA," Jan. 14-18,1991, New Orleans, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 1991. Bums, D. ]., Perry, S. G., and Cimorelli, A. ]., An advanced screening model for complex terrain applications, pp. 97-100 in "Preprints of Seventh Joint Conference on Application of Air Pollution Meteorology with AWMA," Jan. 14-18, 1991, New Orleans, American Meteorological Society, Boston, 1991. 

It appears that a permanent solution to the world energy problem, dramatic reduction of biospheric hydrocarbon combustion pollution, and eliminating the need for nuclear power plants (whose nuclear component is used only as a heater) could be readily accomplished by the scientific community [18]. However, to solve the energy problem, we must (1) update the century-old false notions in electrodynamic theory of how an electrical circuit is powered and (2) correct the classical electrodynamics model for numerous foundations flaws. 

Several types of models are commonly used to describe the dispersion of atmospheric contaminants. Among these are the box, plume, and puff models. None are suitable, however, for describing the coupled transport and reaction phenomena that characterize atmospheres in which chemical reaction processes are important. Simulation models that have been proposed for the prediction of concentrations of photochemically formed pollutants in an urban airshed are reviewed here. The development of a generalized kinetic mechanism for photochemical smog suitable for inclusion in an urban airshed model, the treatment of emissions from automobiles, aircraft, power plants, and distributed sources, and the treatment of temporal and spatial variations of primary meteorological parameters are also discussed. 

Portions of the material described here are derived from a comprehensive airshed modeling program in which the authors are participating (17). This chapter focuses on urban airshed models however novel models have been proposed for urban air pollution problems of a more restricted scale— particularly, the prediction of concentrations in the vicinity of major local sources, notably freeways, airports, power plants, and refineries. In discussing plume and puff models earlier we pointed out one such class of models. Other work is the model proposed by Eschenroeder (18) to predict concentrations of inert species in the vicinity of roadways and the modeling of chemically reacting plumes, based on the Lagrangian similarity hypothesis, as presented by Friedlander and Seinfeld (19). 

Because of very complex terrain the application of simple dispersion models is very limited in Slovenia. Traffic pollution and the high level of surface ozone are the main current air pollution problems in the country. No official standard model for regulatory purposes has been accepted in Slovenia up to present. The US EPA model ISC3 is used for routine dispersion calculations from point sources. Some other imported models were tested in Slovenia but only on research basis. A neural network forecasting model was developed for the Sostanj thermal power plant. No urban air pollution studies are reported from Slovenia. Air pollution modelling is performed at the Jozef Stefan Institute, Dept, of Environmental Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia (US, 2005), AMES d.o.o. and the Hydrometeorological service. 

Farber, P.S., Livengood, C.D., "Energy and Economic Impacts of Pollution Control Equipment for Coal-Fired Power Plants An Assessment Model," 1979, presented at 72nd Annual Meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Much more detailed studies were carried out by Doolgindachbaporn (1995) and Ross et al (1998) for the Moe Moh valley, the relatively small area in Northern Thailand were the Mae Moh Power Plant is located. The resolutions were selected to be in the range of 5 to 10km cells. Differing in some details, these models indicate the area of the most polluted zone to be about 100 km. Similar pollution areas from individual sources with stack heights of 75-125 m, were shown for many other regions and reviewed in workshop reports on HM deposition (Pacina et al, 1993 de Leeuw, 1994, EMEP/MSC-E, 1996). 

A k-e atmospheric dispersion model POLLUT was developed at the TU Munchen [93] to describe hot gas plumes escaping from stacks of power plants. The code was used in a DLR study [45] to investigate hydrogen dispersion upon accidents with LH2 powered cars releasing their tank contents both in open terrain and in a road tuimel. 

Nitrous oxides are formed naturally by decomposition of nitrogen compounds in the soil. N2O is also a man-made chemical used as a propellant for food spray cans and as an anesthetic. It can also be a by-product of pollution control devices installed on smokestacks at power plants. In any case, man-made nitrous oxides formed in the lower part of the atmosphere diffuse to the upper atmosphere where they contribute to ozone depletion. Knowledge of the rate of reaction (6.64) would help us model how long nitrous oxide survives in the atmosphere. 

Pedit et al. [226] used a kinetic model for the scale-up of ozone/hydrogen peroxide oxidation of some volatile organochlorine compounds such as trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. The kinetic model was applied to simulate the ozone/hydrogen peroxide treatment of these pollutants in a full-scale demonstration plant of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The authors confirmed from the model that the reaction rate of the pollutant with ozone was several orders of magnitude lower than that with the hydroxyl radical. When considering that the natural organic matter acts as a promoter of hydroxyl radicals, the ozone utilization prediction was 81.2%, very close to the actual 88.4% experimentally observed. 

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