Real-time control of sulphur dioxide emissions from an industrial area

Abstract

Real-time emission control is an air quality policy which is alternative to permanent emission reduction. In general terms, it consists of controlling emission only when a forthcoming episode is forecast. Thus, control costs are lower than costs due to permanent abatement. The natural application is a case characterized by a limited number of polluting sources. In more specific terms, a real-time emission control scheme consists of the following operations at the beginning of each time interval (hour, say). 1. (i) Collect current concentration and meteorological measures by a monitoring network. 2. (ii) Forecast future values of relevant local meteorological variables. 3. (iii) On the basis of information about current concentration values, forecast meteorology and scheduled emissions predict future concentrations. 4. (iv) If future concentrations exceed some reference level, reduce the scheduled emissions. The paper describes a case study [application of scheme (i)–(iv)] to SO 2 pollution from the industrial area in the Venetian lagoon region). The general characteristics are the following: The meteorological predictors [step (ii)] are simple stochastic methematical predictors. The concentration predictor [step (iii)] is based on a complex forecast algorithm (Kalman predictor). It is derived from the “stochastic version” of the numerical solution of the advection-diffusion partial differential equation. The control policy [step (iv)] is assumed to consist of mixing with cleaner fuel under the constraint of maintaining the production scheduled by each polluting plant. The results of the case study are supplied as cost-effectiveness curves (cost versus effectiveness of the control action).