While the eddy diffusivity approach is useful theoretically, it is not

convenient experimentally and does not provide a useful framework for

correlation.

Sutton solved this difficulty by proposing the following definition for

a dispersion coefficient.

(37)

s x2
1
C
2
ut 2n
2

with similar relations given for sy and sz. The dispersion coefficients,
sx, sy, and sz represent the standard deviations of the concentration in
the downwind, crosswind and vertical (x, y, z) direction, respectively.
A plume dispersing in a normal distribution along two axes -
distance crosswind and distance vertically
Plume Model

as the gaseous
plume is dispersed
eventually you get
reflection back off of
the ground
 Values for the dispersion coefficients are much easier to obtain
experimentally than eddy diffusivities.

The dispersion coefficients are a function of atmospheric conditions

and the distance downwind from the release. The atmospheric conditions
are classified according to 6 different stability classes shown in Table
2. The stability classes depend on wind speed and quantity of sunlight.
During the day, increased wind speed results in greater atmospheric
stability, while at night the reverse is true. This is due to a change in
vertical temperature profiles from day to night.
 The dispersion coefficients, sy and sz for a continuous source were
developed by Gifford and given in Figures 10 and 11, with the
corresponding correlation given in Table 3. Values for sx are not provided
since it is reasonable to assume sx = sy. The dispersion coefficients sy and
sz for a puff release are given in Figures 12 and 13. The puff dispersion
coefficients are based on limited data (shown in Table 3) and should not be
considered precise.

Pasquills equations, along with the correlation for the dispersion

coefficients (by Gifford) are known as the Pasquill-Gifford model.
Table 2 Atmospheric Stability Classes for Use with the Pasquill-Gifford
Dispersion Model

Day radiation intensity Night cloud cover

Wind
speed (m/s) Calm &
Strong Medium Slight Cloudy
clear

<2 A AB B

23 AB B C E E

35 B BC C D E

56 C CD D D D

>6 C D C D D
Stability class for puff model :
A,B : unstable
C,D : neutral
E,F : stable
Figure 10 Horizontal dispersion coefficient for Pasquill-Gifford plume
model. The dispersion coefficient is a function of distance downwind and
the atmospheric stability class.
Figure 11 Vertical dispersion coefficient for Pasquill-Gifford plume
model. The dispersion coefficient is a function of distance downwind and
the atmospheric stability class.
Figure 12 Horizontal dispersion coefficient for puff model. This data is
based only on the data points shown and should not be considered reliable
at other distances.
Figure 13 Vertical dispersion coefficient for puff model. This data is
based only on the data points shown and should not be considered reliable
at other distances.
Table 3 Equations and data for Pasquill-Gifford Dispersion Coefficients

Equations for continuous plumes

Stability class sy (m)

A sy = 0.493x0.88
B sy = 0.337x0.88
C sy = 0.195x0.90
D sy = 0.128x0.90
E sy = 0.091x0.91
F sy = 0.067x0.90
Stability
class
x (m) sz (m)
0.88
100 300 sZ = 0.087x
A
300 3000 log10sz = -1.67 + 0.902 log10x + 0.181(log10x)
0.95
100 500 sZ = 0.135x
B
500 2 104 log10sz = -1.25 + 1.09 log10x + 0.0018(log10x)

C 100 105 sZ = 0.112x

0.91

0.85
100 500 sZ = 0.093x
D
500 105 log10sz = -1.22 + 1.08 log10x - 0.061(log10x)
0.82
100 500 sZ = 0.082x
E
500 105 log10sz = -1.19 + 1.04 log10x - 0.070(log10x)
0.80
100 500 sZ = 0.057x
F
500 105 log10sz = -1.91 + 1.37 log10x - 0.119(log10x)
 Data for puff releases

x = 100 m x = 4000 m
Stability
condition
sy (m) sz (m) sy (m) sz (m)

Unstable 10 15 300 220

Neutral 4 3.8 120 50

Very stable 1.3 0.75 35 7

 z 2
2
Q *
1 x ut y2
C x, y , z , t m
exp


2 (38)
2 s xs ys z
3 2
2 s s 2
s z

x y

The ground level concentration is given at z = 0.

(39)
y 2
2
1 x ut
*
Q
C x, y,0, t m
exp
s

2
2 3 2s xs ys z 2 s y

x

 The ground level concentration along the x-axis is given at y = z= 0.

Qm* 1 x ut 2
C x,0,0, t exp (40)
2 s xs ys z 2 s x
3 2

The centre of the cloud is found at coordinates (ut,0,0). The

concentration at the centre of this moving cloud is given by
Qm* (41)
C ut ,0,0, t
2 3 2s xs ys z

The total integrated dose, Dtid received by an individual standing at

fixed coordinates (x,y,z) is the time integral of the concentration.

Dtid x, y, z C x, y, z, t dt (42)
0
 The total integrated dose at ground level is found by integrating
Equation 39 according to Equation 42. The result is -

Qm* 1 y2 (43)
Dtid x, y,0 exp
s ys z u 2s
2
y

The total integrated dose along the x-axis on the ground is

*
(44)
Q
Dtid x,0,0 m

s ys z u
Frequently the cloud boundary defined by a fixed concentration is
required. The line connecting points of equal concentration around the
cloud boundary is called an isopleth.
 (46)
1 y2 2
C x, y , z
Q z
exp 2 2
s ys z u 2 s y sz

The ground level concentration is given at z = 0.

1 y
2

C x, y,0
Q
exp
s ys z u 2 s y
(47)

 The concentration along the centreline of the plume directly
downwind is given at y = z= 0.

C x,0,0 (48)
Q
s ys z u

For continuous ground level releases the maximum concentration

occurs at the release point.
 (49)

Qm
2

C x, y , z
1 y
exp
2s y s z u 2 s y



1 z Hr 1zH
2

exp exp r


2 sz 2 s z

Reason for last term in the

expression is that as the gaseous
plume is dispersed eventually you
get reflection back off of the ground
The ground level concentration is found by setting z = 0.

2
1 y 1 H r
2
C x, y,0
Qm (50)
exp
2s ys z u
2 s y 2 sz

The ground centreline concentrations are found by setting y = z= 0.

1H
2

C x,0,0
Qm
exp r (51)
s ys z u 2 s z
 The maximum ground level concentration along the x-axis, <C>max,
is found using.
2Qm sz
C (52)
max
euH r2 s
y

The distance downwind at which the maximum ground level

concentration occurs is found from
Hr
sz (53)
2

The procedure for finding the maximum concentration and the

downwind distance is to use Equation 53 to determine the distance
followed by Equation 52 to determine the maximum concentration.
 For this case the centre of the puff is found at x = ut. The average
concentration is given by

Qm 1 y
2

C x, y , z , t exp
2 s xs ys z
32
2 s y


1zH 2
1zH 2
(54)

exp r
exp r


2 s z 2 s z

The time dependence is achieved through the dispersion coefficients,
since their values change as the puff moves downwind from the release
point.

If wind is absent (u = 0), Equation 54 will not predict the correct result.

At ground level, z = 0, and the concentration is computed using

Q * 1 y 1 Hr
2 2

C x, y,0, t m
exp

2 s xs ys z
32
2 s y 2 s
z
(55)

 The concentration along the ground at the centreline is given at any
y = z = 0,
Q * 1H
2

C x,0,0, t m
exp
s
r
(56)
2 3 2s xs ys z z
2

The total integrated dose at ground level is found by application of

Equation 42 to Equation 55. The result is

Q * 1 y 1 Hr
2 2

Dtid x, y,0 m
exp
(57)
s ys z u 2 s y 2 s
z

 (58)

C x, y, z , t (Puff equations with moving coordinate

system, Equations 54 through 56)
1 y
2

2
exp 1 Hr
2 s y s
2 z

where t is the time since the release of the puff.

 The plume model describes the steady state behaviour of material
ejected from a continuous source. The puff model is not steady-state and
follows the cloud of material as it moves with the wind. As a result, only
the puff model is capable of providing a time dependence for the release.

The puff model is also used for continuous releases by representing

the release as a succession of puffs. For leaks from pipes and vessels, if tp
is the time to form one puff, then the number of puffs formed, n, is given
by

t (59)
n
tp
 where t is the duration of the spill. The time to form one puff, tp, is
determined by defining an effective leak height, Heff. Then,
H eff (60)
tp
u

where u is the wind speed. Empirical results show that the best Heff to
use is
H eff height of leak 1.5 (61)

For a continuous leak,

Qm* Qm t p (62)
 and for instantaneous release divided into a number of smaller puffs,

Qm*
Q
*
m total
(63)
n

where (Qm*)total is the release amount.

This approach works for liquid spills, but not for vapor releases. For
vapor releases a single puff is suggested. ..
On an overcast day, a stack with an effective height of 60 meters is
releasing sulfur dioxide at the rate of 80 grams per second. The wind speed
is 6 meters per second and e is 2.72. Determine:

a. The mean concentration of SO2 on the ground 500 meters downwind.

b. The mean concentration on the ground 500 meters downwind and 50

meters crosswind.

c. The location and value of the maximum mean concentration on ground

level directly downwind.
a. This is a continuous release. The ground concentration directly
downwind is given by;

Qm 1H
2

C x,0,0 exp r
s ys z u 2 s z

From Table 2, the stability class is D. the dispersion coefficients are

obtained from Figures 10 and 11. The resulting values are sy = 39 meters
and sz = 22.7 meters. Substituting these;

1 60 m 2
C 500 m,0,0
80 gm s
exp
3.1439 m 22.7 m 6 m s 2 22.7 m
1.45 10 4 gm m 3
Figure 10 Horizontal dispersion coefficient for Pasquill-Gifford plume
model. The dispersion coefficient is a function of distance downwind and
the atmospheric stability class.
Figure 11 Vertical dispersion coefficient for Pasquill-Gifford plume
model. The dispersion coefficient is a function of distance downwind and
the atmospheric stability class.
b. The mean concentration 50 meters crosswind is found using
following equation and setting y = 50. The results from part a are applied
directly,
1 y 2
C 500 m,50 m,0 C 500 m,0,0 exp
2 s y


2

1.45 10 gm m exp
4 1 50 m

3

2 39 m
6.37 10 5 gm m 3
c. The location of the maximum concentration is found from Equation;

Hr 60 m
Using Eqs. 53 & 52 sz 42.4 m
2 2

From Figure 11, the dispersion coefficient has this value at x = 1200 m. At
x = 1200 m, from Figure 10, sy = 88 m. The maximum concentration is
determined using following equation;

2Qm s z

C
max
euH r2 s y

280 gm s 42.4 m
2
2.723.146 m s 60 m 88 m
4.18 10 4 gm m 3