Considerations for Modeling Small-Particulate Impacts from Surface Coal-MiningOperations Based on Wind-Tunnel Simulations

摘要

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 provide for a reexamination of the currentEnvironmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) methods for modeling fugitive particulate (PM10) from open-pit, surface coal mines. The Industrial Source Complex Model (ISCST2) is specifically named as the method that needs further study. As part of EPA's effort to assess the ISCST2 model for applications to surface coal mining, a wind-tunnel study was performed to both highlight the important parameters to consider for modeling and to provide some results for comparison with the model. Sensitivity analyses indicated that important modeling features are the pit depth, the crosswind dimension, and the height and location of the source. The presence of steps along the sidewalls was found to be of little significance. The comparison of the combination case with the ISCST2 model indicates that open pits act as modified area sources where the emissions are greatest near the upwind side of any actual pit.