STUDY OF PLUME BEHAVIOUR
RAVI KUMAR GARRE
Contents covered
• Lapse rates
• Inversions
• Winds
• Moisture
• Plume behaviour
Lapse rate
• The rate of decrease of atmospheric temperature
with altitude is known as lapse rate.
• In a well mixed air which is dry, for every 300m
increase in altitude, the temperature decreases
by 1.8˚C. This vertical temperature gradient is
called as lapse rate.
• Wherever temperature is high, the concentration
of pollutants will be low. Because gases increase
their volume at high temperatures and get
diluted in atmosphere.
Negative lapse rate
• If the temperature of atmosphere increases with
altitude, the rate of decrease of temperature with
altitude is called as negative lapse rate.
• When negative lapse rate occurs, a dense cold
stratum of air at ground level gets covered by
warmer air at higher level.
• during negative lapse rate, the concentration of
pollutants increases near their source of
emission.
Adiabatic lapse rate
• The lapse rate of an air parcel as it moves
upwards in atmosphere, and expands slowly to a
lower environmental pressure without exchange
of heat, is known as adiabatic lapse rate.
• Normal adiabatic lapse rate is 0.9 to 1˚C per
100m altitude.
• The smoke or any gaseous pollutants mass, as a
parcel move upwards, by virtue of lower density
and higher temperature, reach atmosphere
density equal to air density.
Atmospheric stability
 Super adiabatic lapse rate –
• When adiabatic lapse rate is less than
environmental lapse rate, then that adiabatic lapse
rate is called as super adiabatic lapse rate.
• In that case atmosphere is said to be super
adiabatic condition and unstable atmosphere.
• This unstable atmosphere enhance the vertical
movement or air pollutants.
• So during super adiabatic condition, the dispersion
of air pollutants will be more.
Atmospheric stability
Sub adiabatic lapse rate –
• When adiabatic lapse rate is greater than
environmental lapse rate, then that adiabatic
lapse rate is called as sub adiabatic lapse rate.
• In that case atmosphere is said to be sub
adiabatic condition and stable atmosphere.
• This stable atmosphere stops the vertical
movement of air pollutants.
• So, during sub adiabatic condition and when the
atmosphere is stable, the dispersion of air
pollutants will be too low. And in stable
atmosphere the pollutants tends to concentrate
near their sources of emission and increase the
severity of air pollutants near their sources.
Inversions
• Some times a dense cold stratum of air at ground level
gets covered by light warmer air at higher level. This
phenomenon is called as inversion.
• During inversions,
o Negative lapse rate occurs
o Atmosphere is stable
o Sub adiabatic condition takes place
o Air pollutants do not disperse
o Vertical movement of air pollutants will be low/ blocked
o Air pollutants accumulated below warmer air, i.e. with in
the cold stratum of air
Inversions
Radiation inversion –
• Radiation inversion usually occurs during nights.
• When the earth loses heat by radiation and cools
the air contact with surface.
• If the air is moist and its temperature is below the
dew point, fog will form.
• The cold air stratum is covered by warmer air, and
the vertical movement is stopped until the Sun
warms the lower air next morning.
• This type of inversion is more common in winter
because of longer nights.
Inversions
Subsidence inversion –
• It occurs at modest altitudes an often remains
for several days.
• It is caused by anti cyclones (i.e. high pressure
areas surrounded by low pressure areas).
• At the air sinks, it compressed and gets heated
to form a warm dense layer. This act as a lid to
prevent the upward movement of
contaminants.
• When drops to less than 200m, extreme
pollution occurs.
Winds
• The moving air is known as wind.
• In friction layer at the earth’s surface, winds are
generally gusty and changeable, due to mechanical and
thermal turbulences.
• The direction and speed of surface winds primarily
govern the drift and diffusion of pollutant emissions
near ground levels.
• Gustiness determines the extent to which the
pollutants are mixed and diluted with atmosphere.
• The higher the wind speed near the source of emission,
the more rapidly the pollutants would be carried away
from the source.
Moisture
• Water vapour present in the air can block and
obstruct the solar radiation reaching the ground
and also the heat radiation reflected from the
sun.
• Humidity also leads to formation of fogs and
makes atmosphere stable. Such a stability stops
the wind speed and make the pollutants to be
concentrated at an area.
• Excessive moisture in the atmosphere leads to
rains, which are help in improving the quality of
ambient air.
Plume behaviour
• Plume – the emitted pollutants either gases/
smoke from a source
• Stack – source of origin of pollutants
• The diffusion of pollutants in atmosphere
considered as plume behaviour. It is governed
by environmental lapse rate and adiabatic
lapse rate.
Plume behaviour
Plume behaviour
Types of plume – the following are different
types of plumes characterised by different
relative positions of environmental lapse rate
and adiabatic lapse rate:
1. Looping plume
2. Neutral plume
3. Coning plume
4. Fanning plume
5. Lofting plume
6. Fumigating plume
7. Trapping plume
Looping plume
• Looping plume has a
wavy character
• Occurs under super
adiabatic conditions,
when atmosphere is
highly stable and under
strong lapse rates
• When ELR>ALR
Looping plume
• Unstable atmosphere
allows rapid mixing of
pollutants with high
degree of turbulence
• The dispersion of plume
would be rapid.
Neutral plume
• Neutral plume is
upward vertical rise of
the plume from stack.
• This occurs when ELR
is equal to ALR.
• The upward lifting of
plume will continue till
it reaches an air of
density similar to that
of the plume itself.
Neutral plume
Coning plume
• Neutral plume tends to
cone when wind velocity
is greater than 32 Kmph
• And when clouds block
the solar radiation during
day and earths radiation
during nights.
• This plume dispersion is
called as a cone because
it makes a cone like shape
about the plume line.
Coning plume
• Coning plume
occurs under sub
adiabatic conditions
(i.e. when ELR<ALR).
• Under such conditions,
atmosphere is slightly
stable, and there is
limited vertical mixing.
Fanning plume
• Fanning plume, under
extreme inversion
conditions, caused by
negative environmental
lapse rate.
• Extending even above the
top of the stack, the
emission will spread
horizontally.
• It cannot lift upward due
to stable environment.
Fanning plume
• In this case there will be
no vertical mixing, and
the plume will extend
horizontally.
• Such plume pattern is
called as fanning plume.
• In areas where such
conditions are caused by
radiation inversions, high-
rise stacks, rising higher
than the usual inversion
layer may be adopted.
Lofting plume
• When there exists a
strong super adiabatic
lapse rate above a surface
inversion, then the plume
is said to be lofting.
• Such a plume have
minimum down wind
mixing, as its downward
motion is prevented by
inversion, but the upward
mixing is quite turbulent
and rapid.
Lofting plume
• The dispersion of
pollutants be rapid
• No concentration of
pollutants will touch
the ground
• This would be most
ideal case for dispersion
of pollutants.
Fumigating plume
• When an inversion layer
occurs at a short
distance above the top
of the stack, and super
adiabatic conditions
prevail below the stack,
the plume is said to be
fumigating plume.
Fumigating plume
• The pollutants cannot
escape above the top of
the stack because of
inversion layer, and they
will be brought down
near the ground and
below the inversion
caused by strong lapse
rate.
• Quite bad case of
atmospheric conditions
for dispersion.
Trapping plume
• When inversion layers
occurs both above and
below the stack opening,
trapping plume results.
• The emitted plume will
neither go up and nor
move down.
• Would remain confined
between two inversions.
• This is a bad condition of
dispersion as the
dispersion cannot go
above a certain height.
Plume types
Thank you

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Study of plume behaviour

  • 1. STUDY OF PLUME BEHAVIOUR RAVI KUMAR GARRE
  • 2. Contents covered • Lapse rates • Inversions • Winds • Moisture • Plume behaviour
  • 3. Lapse rate • The rate of decrease of atmospheric temperature with altitude is known as lapse rate. • In a well mixed air which is dry, for every 300m increase in altitude, the temperature decreases by 1.8˚C. This vertical temperature gradient is called as lapse rate. • Wherever temperature is high, the concentration of pollutants will be low. Because gases increase their volume at high temperatures and get diluted in atmosphere.
  • 4. Negative lapse rate • If the temperature of atmosphere increases with altitude, the rate of decrease of temperature with altitude is called as negative lapse rate. • When negative lapse rate occurs, a dense cold stratum of air at ground level gets covered by warmer air at higher level. • during negative lapse rate, the concentration of pollutants increases near their source of emission.
  • 5. Adiabatic lapse rate • The lapse rate of an air parcel as it moves upwards in atmosphere, and expands slowly to a lower environmental pressure without exchange of heat, is known as adiabatic lapse rate. • Normal adiabatic lapse rate is 0.9 to 1˚C per 100m altitude. • The smoke or any gaseous pollutants mass, as a parcel move upwards, by virtue of lower density and higher temperature, reach atmosphere density equal to air density.
  • 6. Atmospheric stability  Super adiabatic lapse rate – • When adiabatic lapse rate is less than environmental lapse rate, then that adiabatic lapse rate is called as super adiabatic lapse rate. • In that case atmosphere is said to be super adiabatic condition and unstable atmosphere. • This unstable atmosphere enhance the vertical movement or air pollutants. • So during super adiabatic condition, the dispersion of air pollutants will be more.
  • 7. Atmospheric stability Sub adiabatic lapse rate – • When adiabatic lapse rate is greater than environmental lapse rate, then that adiabatic lapse rate is called as sub adiabatic lapse rate. • In that case atmosphere is said to be sub adiabatic condition and stable atmosphere. • This stable atmosphere stops the vertical movement of air pollutants. • So, during sub adiabatic condition and when the atmosphere is stable, the dispersion of air pollutants will be too low. And in stable atmosphere the pollutants tends to concentrate near their sources of emission and increase the severity of air pollutants near their sources.
  • 8. Inversions • Some times a dense cold stratum of air at ground level gets covered by light warmer air at higher level. This phenomenon is called as inversion. • During inversions, o Negative lapse rate occurs o Atmosphere is stable o Sub adiabatic condition takes place o Air pollutants do not disperse o Vertical movement of air pollutants will be low/ blocked o Air pollutants accumulated below warmer air, i.e. with in the cold stratum of air
  • 9. Inversions Radiation inversion – • Radiation inversion usually occurs during nights. • When the earth loses heat by radiation and cools the air contact with surface. • If the air is moist and its temperature is below the dew point, fog will form. • The cold air stratum is covered by warmer air, and the vertical movement is stopped until the Sun warms the lower air next morning. • This type of inversion is more common in winter because of longer nights.
  • 10. Inversions Subsidence inversion – • It occurs at modest altitudes an often remains for several days. • It is caused by anti cyclones (i.e. high pressure areas surrounded by low pressure areas). • At the air sinks, it compressed and gets heated to form a warm dense layer. This act as a lid to prevent the upward movement of contaminants. • When drops to less than 200m, extreme pollution occurs.
  • 11. Winds • The moving air is known as wind. • In friction layer at the earth’s surface, winds are generally gusty and changeable, due to mechanical and thermal turbulences. • The direction and speed of surface winds primarily govern the drift and diffusion of pollutant emissions near ground levels. • Gustiness determines the extent to which the pollutants are mixed and diluted with atmosphere. • The higher the wind speed near the source of emission, the more rapidly the pollutants would be carried away from the source.
  • 12. Moisture • Water vapour present in the air can block and obstruct the solar radiation reaching the ground and also the heat radiation reflected from the sun. • Humidity also leads to formation of fogs and makes atmosphere stable. Such a stability stops the wind speed and make the pollutants to be concentrated at an area. • Excessive moisture in the atmosphere leads to rains, which are help in improving the quality of ambient air.
  • 13. Plume behaviour • Plume – the emitted pollutants either gases/ smoke from a source • Stack – source of origin of pollutants • The diffusion of pollutants in atmosphere considered as plume behaviour. It is governed by environmental lapse rate and adiabatic lapse rate.
  • 15. Plume behaviour Types of plume – the following are different types of plumes characterised by different relative positions of environmental lapse rate and adiabatic lapse rate: 1. Looping plume 2. Neutral plume 3. Coning plume 4. Fanning plume 5. Lofting plume 6. Fumigating plume 7. Trapping plume
  • 16. Looping plume • Looping plume has a wavy character • Occurs under super adiabatic conditions, when atmosphere is highly stable and under strong lapse rates • When ELR>ALR
  • 17. Looping plume • Unstable atmosphere allows rapid mixing of pollutants with high degree of turbulence • The dispersion of plume would be rapid.
  • 18. Neutral plume • Neutral plume is upward vertical rise of the plume from stack. • This occurs when ELR is equal to ALR. • The upward lifting of plume will continue till it reaches an air of density similar to that of the plume itself.
  • 20. Coning plume • Neutral plume tends to cone when wind velocity is greater than 32 Kmph • And when clouds block the solar radiation during day and earths radiation during nights. • This plume dispersion is called as a cone because it makes a cone like shape about the plume line.
  • 21. Coning plume • Coning plume occurs under sub adiabatic conditions (i.e. when ELR<ALR). • Under such conditions, atmosphere is slightly stable, and there is limited vertical mixing.
  • 22. Fanning plume • Fanning plume, under extreme inversion conditions, caused by negative environmental lapse rate. • Extending even above the top of the stack, the emission will spread horizontally. • It cannot lift upward due to stable environment.
  • 23. Fanning plume • In this case there will be no vertical mixing, and the plume will extend horizontally. • Such plume pattern is called as fanning plume. • In areas where such conditions are caused by radiation inversions, high- rise stacks, rising higher than the usual inversion layer may be adopted.
  • 24. Lofting plume • When there exists a strong super adiabatic lapse rate above a surface inversion, then the plume is said to be lofting. • Such a plume have minimum down wind mixing, as its downward motion is prevented by inversion, but the upward mixing is quite turbulent and rapid.
  • 25. Lofting plume • The dispersion of pollutants be rapid • No concentration of pollutants will touch the ground • This would be most ideal case for dispersion of pollutants.
  • 26. Fumigating plume • When an inversion layer occurs at a short distance above the top of the stack, and super adiabatic conditions prevail below the stack, the plume is said to be fumigating plume.
  • 27. Fumigating plume • The pollutants cannot escape above the top of the stack because of inversion layer, and they will be brought down near the ground and below the inversion caused by strong lapse rate. • Quite bad case of atmospheric conditions for dispersion.
  • 28. Trapping plume • When inversion layers occurs both above and below the stack opening, trapping plume results. • The emitted plume will neither go up and nor move down. • Would remain confined between two inversions. • This is a bad condition of dispersion as the dispersion cannot go above a certain height.