On the scavenging of gaseous nitrogen compounds by large and small rain drops: II. Wind tunnel and theoretical studies of the simultaneous uptake of NH3, SO2 and CO2 by water drops

Abstract

An experimental investigation of the simultaneous absorption of NH3 and SO2 from the ambient atmosphere by freely falling water drops has been carried out in the Mainz vertical wind tunnel. The experimental results were found to be in good agreement with the results derived from computations with the Kronig-Brink convective diffusion model and also with a model which assumes a drop to be well mixed at all times. Encouraged by this agreement, these computation schemes for the uptake of gas by single drops where incorporated in a pollution washout model with realistic SO2, NH3 and CO2 gas profiles. This model allows an entire raindrop size distribution to fall through a gas layer. The results of this ‘plume-model’ show that the SO2 uptake is strongly dependent on the NH3 concentration in the atmosphere and on the rainrate. We also find that the small drops contribute more towards the washout of these gases. In the case of simultaneous presence of NH3 and SO2, desorption of these gases is negligible.