The research objective was to calibrate a model to simulate odour dispersion downwind from natural windbreaks and then, use this model to observe the effect of windbreak characteristics and climatic conditions on the size of the odour dispersion plume. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models were used for the simulations because of their capability in reproducing turbulent wind conditions. The model was initially calibrated to ensure the proper velocity recovery ratio (VRR), and then to reproduce odour plumes measured in the field by three groups of four panellists. / The visual and statistical analysis of the field panellist observations indicated that a windbreak with an optical porosity of 0.35 could reduce by 21% the length of the odour dispersion plume, as compared to a site without a windbreak. Also, these analyses indicated that the site with a windbreak offering an optical porosity of 0.55 had no significant impact on the length of the odour plume, as compared to the site without a windbreak. / The models selected for the simulations were the Fluent 6.2 standard k-epsilon and SST k-o models. Their odour dispersion calibration indicated that both models can accurately reproduce the field measured odour hedonic tone and odour concentration by transforming the odour mass fraction computed by the models into the hedonic tone with a power function, and then into the odour concentration with an exponential function. The correlations between the simulated and measured absolute HT and between the simulated and measured odour concentrations were statistically significant (P < 0.01). However, the SST k-o was preferred over the standard k-epsilon because it could physically better reproduce the high turbulence conditions created by the windbreak. / The SST k-o model simulations indicated that odour plume length was mostly affected by windbreak porosity and height, as well as distance from the source. In terms of climatic conditions, odour plume size was mostly affected for atmospheric stability conditions which generally established ambient wind speed and rate of change of temperature. Wind direction has an impact on the length of the odour plume and the formation of a fin intensifying odour concentration near the windbreak, where an angle of 45º produces the shortest odour plume and the largest fin. / Key words: Simulation; odour; dispersion; natural Windbreak; CFD.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.102997 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Lin, Xing Jun, 1960- |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Bioresource Engineering.) |
| Rights | © Xing Jun Lin, 2006 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002601724, proquestno: AAINR32208, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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