Hybrid Modeling Approaches Applied to AERMOD Modeling Analyses

摘要

AERMOD (American Meteorological Society (AMSJ/EPA Regulatory Model) is the USEPA's preferred near-field dispersion modeling system for regulatory applications. While the initial plume characteristics of emissions sources can often be appropriately characterized by available guidance and the source types provided in AERMOD (e.g., point, area, volume, etc.), some situations are more difficult to characterize such as unconfined buoyant releases. We explore the use of techniques to characterize AERMOD volume source parameters for such unconfined buoyant releases. The first step uses the plume rise calculations of a model (such as BLP or OBODM) that is specifically developed for the unique release type. The initial plume characteristics calculated by the model are then input to AERMOD as a volume source, thereby using the most current dispersion algorithms to predict downwind ambient air quality concentrations. This two-step hybrid approach provides the modeler with a method to best parameterize a non-routine emissions source, while utilizing a preferred state-of-the-science dispersion model.