Dispersion of Particulate Matter and Sulphur Oxides from Thermal Power Plant: a Case Study

• Published in: Environmental modeling & assessment 2021-10, Vol.26 (5), p.763-778
• Main Authors: Singh, Jayant, Srikanth, R., Ramasesha, Sheela K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air pollution; Air quality; Air quality measurements; Applications of Mathematics; Atmospheric boundary layer; Boundary layer; Boundary layers; Case studies; Coal-fired power plants; Detection limits; Dispersion; Earth and Environmental Science; Electric power production; Electric power-plants; Environment; Greenhouse gases; Math. Appl. in Environmental Science; Mathematical Modeling and Industrial Mathematics; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Oxides; Particulate emissions; Particulate matter; Pollutants; Power plants; Sulfur; Sulfur compounds; Sulfur dioxide; Sulfur oxides; Thermal power; Thermal power plants
• ISSN: 1420-2026; 1573-2967
• DOI: 10.1007/s10666-021-09790-6

Coal-fired thermal plants are known to pollute the atmosphere with emission of many greenhouse gases and particulate matter. The power generation from these thermal plants cannot be stopped completely because it forms the backbone of the Indian grid power supply. It is necessary to study the dispersion patterns of pollutants that affect the health of the people. The dispersion patterns are location-specific since they depend on local meteorological conditions. In this study, the dispersion of particulate matter (PM) and sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) from a power plant with a 275 m-high stack are studied under different atmospheric boundary layers (ABLs) of neutral, stable and unstable conditions up to a distance of 30 km from the stack. The plume of the PM spreads under all conditions. During some parts of the day, PM settles around the stack while at other times PM keeps suspending in the air for the full distance under study. Sulphur dioxide dilutes to concentrations below the detection limits in 12–13 km from the stack for neutral and unstable boundary layers whereas for the stable boundary layer, the dispersion is up to 30 km. The 24-h weighted average concentration of sulphur dioxide, at 10-m height from the ground, is 14.2 μg/m 3 at a distance of 25 km from the power plant, which is comparable with the value of 9.2 μg/m 3 measured at the Air Quality Stations located around the same distance. Based on the results, policy changes that need to be implemented are suggested.