Pollution Scenarios through Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Based on Real Measurements of Selected Urban Areas in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Entisar Alkatheeri, Fadi Al Jallad, Muthanna Al Omar

National Energy and Water Research Center, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

DOI: 10.4236/acs.2012.23033                

Abstract

Power requirements in the city of Al Mirfa in western Abu Dhabi are covered by the Al Mirfa Power and Distillation Plant. Comprehensive emission inventories for 2007-2008 were used to execute an ENVIMAN (OPSIS AB Company, Sweden) Gaussian dispersion model to predict ambient ground level concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM₁₀) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) at selected receptors considering all emission sources located in the area. Two years of meteorological data was used in conjunction with the dispersion model to compute NO_x and SO₂ levels in and around the power plant. To validate the model, computed results were compared with the average values measured at a fixed Air Quality Station in Al Mirfa city. The highest hourly, daily and annual ground level concentrations under exiting meteorological conditions were then analyzed. The computed results for the study area revealed that daily, hourly and annual concentration values did not exceed the Federal Environment Agency (FEA) standard, and the contribution of plant emissions to the ground levels pollutants in the surrounded area range from 3.1 to 109 μg/m³ for NO₂, and 1.1 to 41.4 μg/m³ for CO. This study can be considered a baseline study for any future expansion in the plant. Based on these results, mitigation strategies are not required.

Keywords

Power Plant; Sulfur Dioxide; Nitrogen Oxides; Emissions

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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