Measurements and Modelling of Air Pollution in a Street Canyon in Helsinki

A measuring campaign was conducted in the street canyon 'Runeberg street' in Helsinki in 1997. Hourly concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO_X), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and ozone (O₃) were measured at the street and roof levels, and the relevant hourly meteorological parameters were measured at the roof level. The hourly street level measurements and on-site electronic traffic counts were conducted during the whole year 1997, and roof level measurements were conducted during approximately two months, from 3 March to 30 April in 1997. The Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM) was used to calculate the street concentrations and the results were compared with the measurements. The overall agreement between measured and predicted concentrations was good for CO and NO_x, but the model slightly overestimated the measured concentrations of NO₂. The database, which contains all measured and predicted data, is available for a further testing of other street canyon dispersion models.     

应用OSPM模式进行澳门街区峡谷污染评价

采用ＯＳＰＭ模式计算澳门城区街区峡谷内污染物浓度，进行污染评价．计算结果表明，对于高宽比较大的街区峡谷，ＯＳＰＭ模式有良好的适用性；在考察的时段内，澳门街区峡谷内机动车污染已经达到相当严重的程度，必须通过相应的措施进行控制．     

应用OSPM模型计算太原市交通大气污染时空分布

文章以太原市机动车排放的实际数据结合气象因素与街道构造,采用OSPM模型计算了2008年太原市夏季（7月）与冬季（12月）车流量高峰期街道内的一次NOx与CO的小时浓度,验证了适用性,并使用模型对太原市55条主干道进行了扩散模拟计算,结果表明：OSPM模型可以较好地模拟太原市NOx与CO的扩散;太原市冬季交通大气污染物浓度要明显高于夏季;从空间分布上来看,污染物浓度基本与车流量分布一致;对比国家大气二级环境质量标准来看,太原市主干道NOx超标较为严重,夏季达到了83.64%,冬季达到了98.18%;夏季CO浓度计算结果全部在二级标准限值内,冬季超标率为16.36%。     

Examination of Traffic Pollution Distribution in a Street Canyon Using the Nantes'99 Experimental Data and Comparison with Model Results

During the Nantes'99 experiment, pollution concentrations, temperature, flow and turbulence conditions were measured at several locations in Rue de Strasbourg, Nantes, France. Traffic was measured by vehicle counters at different places within the street. Traffic speed was monitored as well. The measuring campaign was conducted in the period June–July 1999 but only data from a selected intensive observation period are used in this study. This period was selected to suit conditions required for study of the traffic produced turbulence and the thermal effects and is characterised by quite low wind speeds. The data are used here for examination of concentration distributions in the street. Measurements are compared to model results calculated by a simple parameterised model, the Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM) and a 3-D CFD model MISKAM. Both models reproduce reasonably well the observed distribution of pollutants in the street. Due to predominantly low wind speed conditions, such effects as the traffic produced turbulence play a quite significant role. The model results provided by MISKAM are scaled using a velocity scale depending on the traffic produced turbulence. Application of a scaling velocity depending on wind speed only, provides unrealistic results.     

Comparison of Numerical Street Dispersion Models with Results from Wind Tunnel and Field Measurements

Numerical dispersion models developed and validated in different European countries were applied to data sets from wind tunnel and field measurements. The comparison includes the Danish Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM) and the microscale flow and dispersion model MISKAM. The latter is recommended for application in built-up areas in the draft of the new German guideline VDI 3782/8. In a first step the models were applied to simplified street configurations. Different parameters as length and height of adjacent buildings and the angle of the incoming flow were varied. The results were compared to recent wind tunnel measurements. In a second step the models were applied to two extensively investigated field data sets from Jagtvej, Copenhagen and G ttinger Straße, Hannover. Intensified and more transparent and accessible validation procedures would be helpful for the thorough user.     

The performance evaluation of WinOSPM model for urban street canyons of Nantes in France

Air quality modelling is primarily the quantative approach. It is more difficult as it demands input data accuracy, uncertainties and the efficient methodologies to judge the extent of models accuracy. As a result, model validation has to be regarded as an integral part of the modelling process. Furthermore, models are often validated on a limited number of testcases therefore, appropriate evaluation procedure must be implemented to ensure these models will be applicable for various conditions. The study presented here was carried out to evaluate theWinOSPM (Preliminary version of windows based Operational Street Pollution Model) for air pollutants viz. CO, NO, NO₂, NO_x and C₆H₆ for three street canyons of Nantes (France) and for the three base years 1999, 2000, and 2001. Each street canyon selected for this study has typical and unidentical features. The rue de Strasbourg and Boulevard Victor Hugo have many building exceptions whereas rue Crébillon has not any. Application of the model above to the three street canyons revealed that WinOSPM could be used in the case when measurements are not available. This was justified from the results at rue Crébillon. The special interest was in the benzene modelled values as its content in fuel has been targeted to reduce to 1% for the years 2000 and onwards (from its 5% until the year 1999). The 50 to 70% reduction in the benzene concentrations is found for both the years i.e. in 2000 and 2001. This has further justified that air quality models are useful and interesting tools in optimising emission reduction strategies. Moreover, it is also the new pollutant added to the measurement campaign of Air Pays de la Loire (APL) for the city of Nantes. For benzene weekly averages are estimated from the hourly-modelled values for all the streets and compared with that of measurements. They are found in excellent agreement with each others. For other pollutants annual means and percentiles were compared. The statistical analysis was done to evaluate the models performance using index of agreement and correlation coefficient. The index of agreement (d) and correlation coefficient (r) for all the streets show that estimated concentration levels are in good agreement with that of measurements. From the index of agreements, it can be inferred that model has very less potential for errors. The models sensitivity to building-exceptions was also tested for the rue de Strasbourg. Results did not reflect this feature very well. It is perceived that the influence of this feature might have been suppressed in averaging the annual hourly values. This influence is apparently seen in hourly average time series variations. Finally, WinOSPM model was found a simple but very useful model. It could very well represent the detailed flow and dispersion conditions in urban streets.     

Analysis of the St. Petersburg Traffic Data using the OSPM Model

Since October 1998 two DOAS instruments were installed at the level of the first floor and at the top of a building located in St. Petersburg at Pestelya Street. The collected datacovers the time period of December 1998–March 2001, and include concentrations of benzene, toluene, NO and NO₂, ozone and SO₂. There is also an additional information about the traffic intensity and meteorological conditions. The results of the analysis of this data set, using the OSPM model, are presented here with the goal to understand the features of the air pollution dispersion in this street canyon and to analyse the information about the emission factors of the vehicles. In particular, the model results are used for the solution of the inverse problem of reconstructing the emission factors from measured concentrations. The results obtained indicate that most of the concentrations are well inside the Russian standards with the only exception of NO₂ (mean and 98-th percentile are equal to 57.8 and 119.2 g m^-3 for the street level). The same values for benzene are 18.5 and 62.6, respectively. Emission estimates show that there is a possibility that the NO_x and benzene basic emission factors recommended by the Russian national guidelines could result in overestimating the traffic emissions. These considerations are supplemented with the model sensitivity tests carried out in connection with the problem of predictability of NO₂ concentrations in the street canyon. Tests indicate that NO₂ concentrations are not very sensitive to NO_x emissions because of the usually low urban background ozone levels.     

街道峡谷机动车尾气污染扩散模拟与影响因子分析研究

为预测和分析街道峡谷污染物浓度,研究了街道峡谷污染物浓度影响因子.利用重庆市交通干线街道峡谷两侧NOx浓度的监测数据,验证了街道峡谷机动车尾气污染扩散模型--OSPM模型.风速转换系数修正后的OSPM模型的模拟值与实测值的R达0.862 58;风场因子验证了风速转换系数修正后的OSPM模型能较好地模拟重庆市街道峡谷的污染物浓度,一定程度上能满足环境空气质量评价要求.同时,通过分析OSPM模型的影响因子,提出了控制街道峡谷机动车尾气污染状况的建议.     

OSPM - A Parameterised Street Pollution Model

For many practical applications, as e.g. in support of air pollution management, numerical models based on solution of the basic flow and dispersion equations are still too complex. Alternative are models that are basically parameterised semi-empirical models making use of a priori assumptions about the flow and dispersion conditions. However, these models must, be thoroughly tested and their performance and limitations carefully documented. The Danish Operational Street Pollution Model (OSPM) belongs to this category of parameterised models. In the OSPM, concentrations of exhaust gases are calculated using a combination of a plume model for the direct contribution and a box model for the recirculating part of the pollutants in the street. Parameterisation of flow and dispersion conditions in street canyons was deduced from extensive analysis of experimental data and model tests. Results of these tests were used to further improve the model performance, especially with regard to different street configurations and a variety of meteorological conditions.     

Application of Dispersion Modelling for Analysis of Particle Pollution Sources in a Street Canyon

The dominating source of particles in urban air is road traffic. In terms of number concentration, its main contribution is within the range of ultrafine particles (Dp < 100 nm). The dispersion conditions, i.e. transport and dilution, of the submicrometer particles are expected to be like for gases and therefore the particle concentrations in a street canyon can be calculated using gaseous pollutants dispersion models. Such processes, like coagulation or condensation, are less important due to the short residence time within the street canyon environment.Two extensive measuring campaigns were conducted in the street Jagtvej in Copenhagen, Denmark. The particle size distributions were measured by a Differential Mobility Analyser (DMA) coupled to a particle counter, providing high time resolution data (1/2 hourly) on a continuous basis. Measurements of NO_x, CO and meteorological parameters were also available. The measured particle number concentrations, especially below 100 nm, reveal very similar dependence on the meteorological conditions as the NO_x concentrations. This underpins the conclusion that dilution properties are similar for particles and NO_x. For particle sizes over 100 nm, somewhat different behaviour is observed. This points toward existence of additional particle sources, not related to traffic emissions within the street canyon. A significant contribution is believed here to be attributed to long-range transport. The total particle emission from traffic, including daily variation and size distribution, has been calculated using the OSPM dispersion model. Results are in accordance with a previous analysis based on statistical modelling.