Numerical simulation of air concentration and deposition of metals emitted from a power plant with a boundary layer forecast model and air pollution prediction system (BLFMAPS)

Abstract

A 3-dimensional numerical modeling study of the evolution and characterization of particles emitted from a coal-fired power plant that is located on the northern shore of Lake Erie in Ontario, Canada was conducted using the BLFMAPS-a Mesoscale Boundary Layer forecast and Air pollution prediction system. This system contains a mesoscale meteorological boundary layer forecast model (BLFM) and a set of air pollution transport, dispersion and deposition modules. The modeling system was utilized to simulate meteorology and the air concentration, dry deposition and wet deposition of particulate matter emitted during January and September 2000. We simulated particle concentration and deposition for a few metals as function of three particle size bins, <2.5  m, 2.5 to 10  m, and >10  m in diameter. During these time periods an instrumente research aircraft measured the chemical and physical properties of the particles in the plume. The numerical experiments will provide the sensitivity of the model to particle size, and particle density on the predicted concentration and deposition. Particle size dependent deposition showed some interesting patterns and phenomena. Coarser particles have a stronger deposition rate than the finer particles. Finer particles have a longer lifetime in the atmosphere and transport over long distances.