American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA

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Measurements of High Spatial Resolution of Ultrafine and Coarse Aerosol Particles in Industrial Plume

JAN HOVORKA, Veronika Docekalova, Miroslav Klán, Filip Kobrzek, Petr Marecek, Charles University in Prague

     Abstract Number: 432
     Working Group: Combustion

Abstract
Industrial plumes pose critical parameter to the air quality of surrounding environment. However, dispersion of industrial plume is rather modeled than measured at nowadays, which limits air pollution source apportionment based on earth-bound measurements at single receptor. To partially overcome such limitation, we conducted measurements of highly resolved horizontal and vertical profiling of aerosol particles in an industrial plume evolved in proximity to residential area.

Unmanned, remotely controlled airship with GPS 10Hz position tracking, electrically powered with propulsion vectoring which allows average cruising airspeed of 4 ms$^(-1), was used. The airship was equipped with specially designed gondola carrying temperature/relative humidity sensor and three aerosol monitors connected to 50 cm long pre-heated inlet. The monitors acquired 1Hz data on TSP of PM$_(10), PM$_(2.5) and PM$_1 and number concentration of fine and ultrafine particles. Two overnight and one early morning flights were conducted above large heavy-industry complex and residential area nearby. Airborne measurements revealed limited horizontal and upward vertical dispersion but efficient downward vertical plume dispersion. Results of airborne measurements concur with ground-based measurements at the air monitoring station situated in residential area nearby. There were recorded several episodes of remarkably elevated SO$_2 and CO concentrations concurrently with particle number size distribution with count median diameter at about 40 nm and particle number concentration reaching 10^5 cm^-3. Bearing on mind absence of strong local heating source or dense traffic near the station, industrial plume hitting the ground is relevant explanation of such elevated pollutant levels.

This project is supported by the Czech Grant Agency (P503/12/G147)