Adaptive finite element simulation of stack pollutant emissions over complex terrains

A three-dimensional finite element model for the pollutant dispersion is presented. In these environmental processes over a complex terrain, a mesh generator capable of adapting itself to the topographic characteristics is essential. The first stage of the model consists on the construction of an ad...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Oliver Serra, Albert|||0000-0002-3783-8670; Montero Garcia, Gustavo; Montenegro Armas, Rafael; Rodriguez Barrera, Eduardo; Escobar Sánchez, José M.; Pérez Foguet, Agustí|||0000-0002-2737-4710
Format: Article
Publication date:2013
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repository:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/26322
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/26322
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2012.10.051
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Finite element method
Adaptive tetrahedral mesh
Air quality modelling
Eulerian description
Power plant emissions
Wind field simulation
Elements finits, Mètode dels
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Matemàtiques i estadística::Anàlisi numèrica::Mètodes en elements finits
Description
Summary:A three-dimensional finite element model for the pollutant dispersion is presented. In these environmental processes over a complex terrain, a mesh generator capable of adapting itself to the topographic characteristics is essential. The first stage of the model consists on the construction of an adaptive tetrahedral mesh of a rectangular region bounded in its lower part by the terrain and in its upper part by a horizontal plane. Once the mesh is constructed, an adaptive local refinement of tetrahedra is used in order to capture the plume rise. Wind measurements are used to compute an interpolated wind field, that is modified by using a mass-consistent model and perturbing its vertical component to introduce the plume rise effect. Then, we use an Eulerian convection–diffusion–reaction model to simulate the pollutant dispersion. In this work, the transport of pollutants is considered and dry deposition is formulated as a boundary condition. The discretization of the stack geometry allows to define the emissions as boundary conditions. The proposed model uses an adaptive finite element space discretization, a Crank-Nicolson time scheme, and a splitting operator. This approach has been applied in La Palma island. Finally, numerical results and conclusions are presented.