Atmospheric Pollutant Emissions Research Articles

Emission Variations of Primary Air Pollutants from Highway Vehicles and Implications during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Beijing, China.

According to the traffic flow variation from January 2019 to August 2020, emissions of primary air pollutants from highway vehicles were calculated based on the emission factor method, which integrated the actual structure of on-road vehicles. The characteristics of on-highway traffic flow and pollution emissions were compared during various progression stages of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The results showed that the average daily traffic volume decreased by 38.2% in 2020, with a decrease of 62% during the strict lockdown due to the impact of COVID-19. The daily emissions of primary atmospheric pollutants decreased by 29.2% in 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. As for the structure of on-highway vehicle types, the small and medium-sized passenger vehicles predominated, which accounted for 76.3% of traffic, while trucks and large passenger vehicles accounted for 19.7% and 4.0%, but contributed 58.4% and 33.9% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, respectively. According to the simulation results of the ADMS model, the average concentrations of NOx were reduced by 12.0 µg/m3 compared with the same period in 2019. As for the implication for future pollution control, it is necessary to further optimize the structure of on-highway and the road traffic vehicle types and increase the proportions of new-energy vehicles and vehicles with high emission standards.

An environmental and techno-economic analysis of transporting LNG via Arctic route

The Northern Sea Route (NSR) might be a promising route for LNG transportation from the LNG plants in Russia’s Yamal Peninsula to Northeast Asia countries with significant savings in sailing distance and time compared to traditional Suez Canal Route (SCR). However, surging transportation activities along NSR might harm the environment with the greenhouse gas (GHG) and atmospheric pollutant emissions. Little research has been done to investigate the environmental and techno-economic potential of transporting LNG via NSR. Furthermore, this paper analyses the relevance of an Arc4 ice-class vessel, not currently used for this route. This paper targets to address the question that how much GHGs and atmospheric pollutants does a carrier emit and how is the feasibility of different fuel types for the summer and winter transportation considering environmental impacts. An environmental and techno-economic model quantifying the emissions and total costs have been developed and 3 scenarios of using different fuel types (HFO, MDO, LNG) are proposed to investigate the environmental and economic performances in summer and winter respectively. Our results reveal that the unit cost of transporting LNG via NSR is around 90 U.S. $ cents/GJ in summer and 120 $ cents/GJ in winter considering environmental cost. The findings also show that in the short run when regardless of environmental cost, HFO is still the preferable option for ships by its competitive cost. While when considering the environmental cost, LNG has better economic and environmental performance than other fuel types. So, for the long run, LNG might be encouraged to be the main fuel used in Arctic.

ADAPTATION OF THE WEB-SERVICE OF AIR POLLUTION FORECASTING FOR OPERATION WITHIN CLOUD COMPUTING PLATFORM OF THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL GRID INFRASTRUCTURE

Introduction. Air pollution modeling is a powerful tool that allows developing scientifically justified solutions to reduce the risks posed by atmospheric emissions of pollutants. Problem Statement. Cloud computing infrastructures provide new opportunities for web-based air pollution forecasting systems. However the implementation of these capabilities requires changes in the architecture of the existing systems. Purpose. The purpose is to adapt the web service of forecasting the atmospheric pollution in Ukraine to operate in the cloud computing platform of the Ukrainian National Grid infrastructure. Materials and Methods. The web client – web server – cloud computing architecture was used. The calculation of the model is performed in the cloud infrastructure, while the client and server parts operate on separate computers. Results. With the developed service the forecast of air pollution is possible for every point at the territory of Ukraine for more than thirty substances, including chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others. The forecast is performed using the data of the WRF-Ukraine numerical weather prediction system and visualized through a web interface. The capabilities of the developed system were demonstrated by the example of simulation of air pollution in part of Kyiv affected by the releases from the Energia incineration plant during pollution episode in September, 2019. The total releases of toluene gas from incineration plant and from the fire on spontaneous waste landfill, which is located a few km from Kyiv, were estimated and analyzed. For the considered period the fire could bring considerable additional amounts of pollutants to the studied region. The confidence interval for the maximum airborne concentration for the considered period is estimated from 0.7 to 2.1 mg·m-3 which is higher than the permissible value (0.6 mg· m-3). Conclusions. The presented system could be used by institutions responsible for response to environmental accidents. Keywords: air pollution, atmospheric dispersion, web-systems, cloud computing. Introduction. Air pollution modeling is a powerful tool that allows developing scientifically justified solutions to reduce the risks posed by atmospheric emissions of pollutants. Problem Statement. Cloud computing infrastructures provide new opportunities for web-based air pollution forecasting systems. However the implementation of these capabilities requires changes in the architecture of the existing systems. Purpose. The purpose is to adapt the web service of forecasting the atmospheric pollution in Ukraine to operate in the cloud computing platform of the Ukrainian National Grid infrastructure. Materials and Methods. The web client – web server – cloud computing architecture was used. The calculation of the model is performed in the cloud infrastructure, while the client and server parts operate on separate computers. Results. With the developed service the forecast of air pollution is possible for every point at the territory of Ukraine for more than thirty substances, including chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others. The forecast is performed using the data of the WRF-Ukraine numerical weather prediction system and visualized through a web interface. The capabilities of the developed system were demonstrated by the example of simulation of air pollution in part of Kyiv affected by the releases from the Energia incineration plant during pollution episode in September, 2019. The total releases of toluene gas from incineration plant and from the fire on spontaneous waste landfill, which is located a few km from Kyiv, were estimated and analyzed. For the considered period the fire could bring considerable additional amounts of pollutants to the studied region. The confidence interval for the maximum airborne concentration for the considered period is estimated from 0.7 to 2.1 mg·m-3 which is higher than the permissible value (0.6 mg· m-3). Conclusions. The presented system could be used by institutions responsible for response to environmental accidents.

Internalization of external congestion and CO2emissions costs related to road transport: The case of Tunisia

All productive activities have associated a set of external effects with the same diverse nature. Considering transport as an economic production process makes it possible to account for its overall balance both in terms of the products and the resources it consumes. Road transport involves a series of costs that can be separated internally when they are borne by the user, the infrastructure operator, or the transport service and externally, which are not those paid for by the user and may affect society. In this paper, an economic engineering method (EEM) to internalize external congestion and CO2 emission transport costs in the Tunisian case to quantify the environmental impact of atmospheric pollution emissions associated with fuel-based energy carriers (negative transport externalities) is used. The method is applied in Tunisia to compare the potential impact of other policy options and the need to rebalance existing policies, develop a central transport network, develop research and development programs, and take steps to complement existing legal measures. The results allow for the quantification of congestion and CO2 emission in road transport to discuss some marginal and policy implications in sustainable road transport. Advances in the internalization of transport externalities have made it possible to establish a more suitable framework for dealing with many transport problems.

COVID-19’s lockdown effect on air quality in Indian cities using air quality zonal modeling

The complete lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the improvement of air quality across the countries particularly in developing countries including India. This study aims to assess the air quality by monitoring major atmospheric pollutants such as AOD, CO, PM2.5, NO2, O3 and SO2 in 15 major cities of India using Air Quality Zonal Modeling. The study is based on two different data sources; (a) grid data (MODIS- Terra, MERRA-2, OMI and AIRS, Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA) and (b) ground monitoring station data provided by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) / State Pollution Control Board (SPCB). The remotely sensed data demonstrated that the concentration of PM2.5 has declined by 14%, about 30% of NO2 in million-plus cities, 2.06% CO, SO2 within the range of 5 to 60%, whereas the concentration of O3 has increased by 1 to 3% in majority of cities compared with pre lockdown. On the other hand, CPCB/SPCB data showed more than 40% decrease in PM2.5 and 47% decrease in PM10 in north Indian cities, more than 35% decrease in NO2 in metropolitan cities, more than 85% decrease in SO2 in Chennai and Nagpur and more than 17% increase in O3 in five cities amid 43 days pandemic lockdown. The restrictions of anthropogenic activities have substantial effect on the emission of primary atmospheric pollutants.

Emission Characteristics of Atmospheric Pollutants from Vessels in the Pearl River Delta

To control emissions from vessels, the establishment of emission inventories is a basic work. The paper first calculates emission inventory from vessels in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region using the bottom-up method based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, then analyses the emission characteristics, and based on which, the reduction effect of several emission control measures is discussed. The results of the study show that vessels in the PRD region emitted a total of 18,900 tons of SO2, 284,800 tons of NOx, 24,300 tons of PM10, 70,800 tons of HC, and 18,400 tons of CO in the year of 2017; emissions of atmospheric pollutants are highest under the mode of Slow-steaming, and lowest under the mode of Anchored; emissions from vessels are mainly concentrated in the port area and near the channel; China’s scheme of domestic emission control areas (DECAs) for vessels can have a good effect on sulfur oxide control.

Analysis of the effectiveness of the “Environmental Protection Tax Law” from the tax amount of atmospheric pollutants

China’s atmospheric pollutants are mainly sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, and the “Environmental Protection Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China” stipulates relevant regulations on the collection of environmental protection taxes on atmospheric pollutant emissions. In this paper, by calculating the equivalent pollutant emissions of various terminal energy sources, according to the environmental protection tax items and tax standards, the environmental protection tax payable for various terminal energy sources is obtained. By comparing the environmental protection tax amounts of various terminal energy sources, it is found that the current environmental protection tax collection standards are too low, which can neither compensate for the economic and environmental losses caused by pollutants emitted by fossil energy sources, nor improve the price advantage of clean energy.

Fuel Cell Power Systems for Maritime Applications: Progress and Perspectives

Fuel cells as clean power sources are very attractive for the maritime sector, which is committed to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas and atmospheric pollutant emissions from ships. This paper presents a technological review on fuel cell power systems for maritime applications from the past two decades. The available fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, renewable methane and methanol for fuel cells under the context of sustainable maritime transportation and their pre-processing technologies are analyzed. Proton exchange membrane, molten carbonate and solid oxide fuel cells are found to be the most promising options for maritime applications, once energy efficiency, power capacity and sensitivity to fuel impurities are considered. The types, layouts and characteristics of fuel cell modules are summarized based on the existing applications in particular industrial or residential sectors. The various research and demonstration projects of fuel cell power systems in the maritime industry are reviewed and the challenges with regard to power capacity, safety, reliability, durability, operability and costs are analyzed. Currently, power capacity, costs and lifetime of the fuel cell stack are the primary barriers. Coupling with batteries, modularization, mass production and optimized operating and control strategies are all important pathways to improve the performance of fuel cell power systems.

Improved Regression Kriging Prediction of the Spatial Distribution of the Soil Cadmium by Integrating Natural and Human Factors

Mastering the spatial distribution of heavy metals in the soil plays an important supporting role in the scientific formulation of soil pollution risk management and control strategies. Few factors were considered and multiple collinearity between parallel variables existed,resulting in low prediction accuracy. OK (common Kriging method), NRK (regressive Kriging method based on natural factors only), and NARK (regressive Kriging based on natural-human factors)were used to simulate the spatial distribution of soil Cd by selecting 23 natural-artificial influencing factors. The prediction accuracy was evaluated based on an empirical study of the area around Shaoguan Qujiang smelter. The results showed that the above-standard rate of soil cadmium in this area reached 85.93%, and the effect on the spatial heterogeneity of soil cadmium was shown as air emissions from smelters > air emissions from steel plants > pH > organic matter > Euclidean distance to road > Euclidean distance to river. The root-mean-square error and average absolute error of NARK's prediction results for soil cadmium were 26.86% and 30.56% lower than that of the OK method, respectively. The model determination coefficient R2 increased from 0.78 to 0.88. Compared with that of NRK, it was reduced by 24.15% and 24.23% and R2 increased from 0.81 to 0.88. The NRK combining natural and human factors significantly improved the simulation accuracy of the spatial distribution of soil cadmium, and the addition of human factors as auxiliary variables, especially atmospheric point source pollution emissions, greatly contributed to the improvement of the model accuracy.

Analysis of Air Pollutant Emission Differences and Emission Reductions of Coal-fired Stoves of Different Residents

In order to explore the differences in air pollutant emissions of different types of stoves, this study selected five common new types of residential coal-fired stoves (square coal stoves, baffle heat exchange stoves, kang heating and cooking integrated stoves, Gasification forward burning and gasification reverse burning stoves) Simulated combustion and atmospheric pollutant emission level monitoring in the laboratory to quantitatively evaluate the environmental effects of different stoves, identify the influencing factors and causes of differences in pollution emission levels, and propose furnaces Suggestions for improvement of pollution reduction such as R & D and design. The results show that: ① The emission of air pollutants differs greatly among different stoves, and the intensity of pollution emitted by the stoves with kang heating and cooking is the largest. The emission intensity of the three types of atmospheric pollutants (SO2, NOx and particulate matter) is 2.9 kg t-1 It is 1.6 times the average value; stoves using square coal technology have the lowest air pollutant emission intensity, which is 65% of the average value. ②The emission of gaseous pollutants in different furnaces at different combustion stages also showed obvious differences and characteristics. During the fire stage, the NOx emission concentration of the square coal stove is 0.49mg ⋅ m-3, which is 45% ∼ 72% lower than that of other types of stoves; the SO2 emission concentration of the gasification anti-burning stove is 1.38mg ⋅ m- 3. Compared with other types of stoves, the maximum reduction is 28%. ③The factors that affect the emission of atmospheric pollutants of the stove include the application technology and the type of combustion. The stoves with square coal and gasification anti-burning technology have better environmental benefits, but the economic costs of the two types of stoves are 20,000 yuan and 18,000 Yuan, significantly higher than other types of stoves. ④Considering the differences in pollution emissions from different stoves, it is recommended to adopt differentiated economic policies and strict emission and product standards, promote the use of energy-saving and environmentally friendly stoves, and reduce the emission of atmospheric pollutants from coal-fired stoves.

Numerical simulation of combustion distribution in a gas burner

The combustion effect of natural gas-air mixed combustion is optimised through an effective and rational design of the burner structure, thereby reducing the emission of atmospheric pollutants and achieving energy saving and emission reduction. This paper starts from the geometric model of the burner and uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology to numerically simulate the combustion distribution in the burner, which results in the combustion distribution of the burner after optimising the structure. The guiding effect of the blower guide vanes on the airflow is weak, and the back pressure effect of the guide vanes mounting body is significant, which reduces the primary air volume and prolongs the combustion history in the central region of the flame; The temperature field is evenly distributed and the combustion is well distributed; CH4 and CO in the furnace chamber are basically burned out and the NO concentration in the furnace chamber is about 800 ppm, which basically meets the emission standard and the combustion effect is good. This paper has certain guiding significance for the study of burner structure.

An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Atmospheric Environmental Quality and Economic Growth in Shaanxi Province

According to the panel data of Shaanxi province from 2005 to 2018, the simultaneous equations were constructed through cubic polynomials to study the relationship between the atmospheric environment and economic growth in Shaanxi. The results show that the relationship between air pollution and GDP per capita in Shaanxi province presents an inverted n-shaped curve, which indicates that the economic growth in Shaanxi province causes the fluctuation of air quality, and reflects the relationship that the air pollution in Shaanxi improves first, then worsens and finally improves further with the economic growth. At the same time, the research results show that adjusting the industrial structure, increasing investment in environmental management, reducing the emission of atmospheric pollutants, and reducing energy consumption can promote the sustainable development of the Shaanxi economy and improve the quality of the atmospheric environment.

Numerical Modeling of Solid and Gaseous Fuel Combustion in the TP-14A Boiler Furnace to Reduce PCDD/F and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The issues related to the emission of atmospheric pollutants during the provision of energy supply services and the circulation of household waste in settlements are considered. The ways of air pollution by toxic compounds and the formation of greenhouse gases with existing methods of waste heat treatment are analyzed. The issues of reducing the content of toxic emissions in combustion products are studied on the basis of a numerical experiment by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The combustion processes in the power boiler TP-14A (E 220/100) are considered and adequate boundary conditions for the processes of aerodynamics, heat transfer and combustion of gas fuel are determined. The temperature, velocity and concentration fields in the furnace of the investigated boiler have been determined. According to the results of the calculations performed, the formation of chemical underburning and nitrogen oxides is predicted.

Using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Fluorescence (SRXRF) to Assess the Impacts of Shipping Emissions on the Variations of PM10-bound Elemental Species

Shipping activities significantly contribute to global atmospheric pollutant emissions. Numerous studies have used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (SRXRF) to identify elemental species in atmospheric particles, yet few studies have applied this technique for assessing PM10-bound chemical species from shipping emissions. In this study, we conducted simultaneous sampling of PM10 at three air quality observation sites located close to Laem Chabang Sea Port (LCSP) from 24 May to 27 June 2020. The PM10 samples were then chemically characterised using SRXRF at the Beam Line 5.1 Wiggler (BL5.1W) in the Siam Photon Source, Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand). We identified unique features in the SRXRF spectra of PM10 samples collected from the site adjacent to LCSP. The average percentage contributions of selected metals at LCSP occurred in the order of Fe > Cu > Te > As > Br > Kr > Mn > Cr > Ni > V > Ti > P > Se > S > Cl, which is in good agreement with the results of previous studies conducted in Bangkok. Although some previous studies highlight the importance of V/Fe as the diagnostic binary ratio that can be used as a chemical proxy for categorizing shipping related particles, this application can be problematic-particularly in the atmospheric environment with high contents of iron-rich dust aerosols. In stead of employing V/Fe, the diagnostic binary ratios of As/V and Se/V can be considered as alternative geochemical tracers for classifying shipping emissions associated aerosols. By applying the concept of enrichment factor (EF), Se is exceedingly enriched in all observatory sites indicating that industrial emissions were the dominant contributor of Se at the ambient air of Lam Chabang. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) successfully classify a group of V, Ti, Ga, and Ni at all sampling sites, which may be caused by shipping activities coupled with industrial emissions.

Investigation and Research on the Treatment of Air Pollution by Heating Boiler of Beijing University of Chemical Technology

On June 10, 2015, Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau issued “Boiler Atmospheric Pollutant Emission Standard” DB11/139-2015. Starting from April 1, 2017, NOx emissions from newly built boilers must be below 30mg/m3 and from in-use boilers must be below 80mg/m3. For implementing the emission reduction work in Beijing, according to current situation of boiler room in Beijing University of Chemical Technology, the school authorities do a series of work, including visits, market research and data analysis, attend academic conferences. On how to deal with the problem of air pollutant discharge standard of boilers in our university, we analyse the relevant emission standards at home and abroad, pollution prevention and control technology, low-nitrogen combustion principle of gas-fired industrial boilers and its technical development status, and put forward three solutions[1][2]. Through the comparison of advantages and disadvantages, the optimal solution is obtained.

Сomputer-based calculation of atmospheric pollutant emissions by automobile transport at controlled crossings

The paper uses pollutant emissions calculation methods in accordance with GOST (All-Union State Standard) in combination with the method of mathematical statistics, which makes it possible to determine the amount of emissions from automobile transport, which is in line at a red traffic light in the area of a controlled intersection. The methods allow calculating such environmental indicators as the mass of pollutant emissions, the concentration of pollutants and the Air Pollution Index. The authenticity of this technique is confirmed by testing the hypothesis on the Pearson Law of distribution of pollutants. Based on the combined methodology, the software has been developed with the purpose to monitor atmospheric air pollution. This approach will make it possible to qualitatively assess the level of atmospheric air pollution and take timely measures in the event of dangerous environmental conditions.

Assessment of atmospheric pollutant emissions with maritime energy strategies using bayesian simulations and time series forecasting

With increasingly stringent regulations on emission criteria and environment pollution concerns, marine fuel oils (particularly heavy fuel oils) that are commonly used today for powering ships will no longer be allowed in the future. Various maritime energy strategies are now needed for the long-term upgrade that might span decades, and quantitative predictions are necessary to assess the outcomes of their implementation for decision support purpose. To address the technical need, a novel approach is developed in this study that can incorporate the strategic implementation of fuel choices and quantify their adequacy in meeting future environmental pollution legislations for ship emissions. The core algorithm in this approach is based on probabilistic simulations with a large sample size of ship movement in the designated port area, derived using a Bayesian ship traffic generator from existing real activity data. Its usefulness with scenario modelling is demonstrated with application examples at five major ports, namely the Ports of Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Long Beach, and Hamburg, for assessment at Years 2020, 2030, and 2050 with three economic scenarios. The included fuel choices in the application examples are comprehensive, including heavy fuel oils, distillates, low sulphur fuel oils, ultra-low sulphur fuel oils, liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, biofuel, methanol, and electricity (battery). Various features are fine-tuned to reflect micro-level changes on the fuel choices, terminal location, and/or ship technology. Future atmospheric pollutant emissions with various maritime energy strategies implemented at these ports are then discussed comprehensively in details to demonstrate the usefulness of the approach.

Separating the impact of gradual lockdown measures on air pollutants from seasonal variability

Analysis of near-surface measurements at several measuring points in Graz, Austria, reveals the impact of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on the emission of atmospheric pollutants. We quantify the effects at traffic hotspots, industrial and residential areas. Using historical data collected over several years, we are able to account for meteorological and seasonal confounders. Our analysis is based on daily means as well as intraday pollution level curves. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has decreased drastically while the levels of particulate matter PM10 and carbon monoxide (CO) mostly exhibit little change. Traffic data shows that the decrease in traffic frequency is parallel to the decline in the levels of NO2 and NO.

Environmental problems of gasoline and diesel fuel use in Russia

The present study considers an environmental analysis of gasoline and diesel fuel use in Russia. Volume dynamics of atmospheric pollutant emission from stationary and mobile sources is presented. Chemical composition of vehicle exhaust gases is examined and toxicity of components is estimated as well as their adverse health effects in exposed people. The changes in the concentrations of detected substances in recent years are analyzed. Prospects for the use of NGV (natural gas vehicle) fuels are defined. Comparative characterization of toxic substances emissions into the environment when using natural gas instead of petroleum fuel is provided.

Modeling of fuel combustion in boilers of large and small capacity to reduce the toxicity of combustion products

The issues related to the emission of atmospheric pollutants during the provision of energy supply services and the circulation of household waste in settlements are considered. The ways of air pollution of the residential area with toxic compounds, which are form by the existing methods of heat treatment of waste and during the operation of individual sources of heat supply for residential buildings, are analyzed. The issues of reducing the content of toxic emissions in combustion products are studied based on a numerical experiment using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Furnace processes in the energy boiler TP-14A (E 220/100) and the individual hot water boiler Vitocrossal 200 VIESSMANN are considered. The appropriate boundary conditions for the processes of aerodynamics, heat exchange and combustion of gas fuel have been defined. Numerical researches were carried out based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS), with the closure of the equations using the two-parameter k-ε model. The combustion process was modeled as the transport of reactants Species Transport. The combustion calculations were performed using the Eddy-dissipation model. The scheme of a one-stage oxidation reaction to the final products of CO2 and H2O, the initial gaseous fuel — methane for the VIESSMANN Vitocrossal 200 boiler, and the products of coal dust gasification for the TP-14A boiler was used. The temperature, velocity and concentration fields in the boiler fireboxes have been determined. Based on the results of the calculations performed, the formation of chemical underburning and nitrogen oxides is predicted. The possibilities of numerical modeling of such processes are shown based on new directions in Chemkin modeling technology and the application of the ISAT algorithm. It is noted that they are also promising for modeling the kinetics of combustion processes using household waste as a fuel, but in this area of research, their application is still strongly limited by the computing power of available processors.