Validation of optical remote sensing measurement strategies applied to industrial gas emissions

Abstract

In May 2004 a field campaign was conducted at a power plant in Spain, aiming to validate the use of a miniaturized, fibre‐optic, ultraviolet, differential optical absorption spectrometer (mini‐DOAS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2) flux quantification. Emissions were determined by integrating the total number of molecules in a vertical cross‐section of the gas plume, and multiplying them by the wind component at plume height. Calculated wind data were compared with balloon soundings. Plume height, computed from a tomographic reconstruction of the plume, was compared with stereo‐photogrammetric methods and a plume rise model. Finally, SO2 fluxes were compared to emissions reported by the power station. Although the meteorological conditions during the field campaign were adverse, with large fluctuations in wind speed and wind direction, the optical measurements performed proved to be practically feasible and compared well with the techniques used for validation. SO2 fluxes derived by the mini‐DOAS were within 7% of those reported by the power station.