The Computational Model For Diffusion And Concentration Of Particulate Matter 2.5 Caused By Biomass Burning

Abstract

This research aims to create a simulation model for dispersion of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM_2.5) from burning agricultural waste in Nakhon Sawan province by applying two different models, NRC and Gaussian Plume. The experiment in these models used both vertical and horizontal variables for testing. For vertical testing, both models performed at a distance of 600 meters above the ground because this parameter could give the best results. Horizontal testing, however, would use the different variables to make a clear result between both models. The NRC model can only be tested with light wind; nevertheless, two different distance variables were assigned to a model, 100 and 1,000 meters, for measurement. The concentration of dust for a distance of 100 meters was 0.0815 µg/m³, and it was reduced to 0.0793 µg/m³ at a distance of 1,000 meters. In contrast, the Gaussian Plume model can be examed with various wind levels, including light, moderate, and high wind using three distance parameters, 5, 10, and 100 meters. The results of dust density could be classified into three groups: 1) 0.1940 µg/m³ 0.1183 µg/m³ and 0.0023 µg/m³ for light wind speed, 2) 3.1042x10^-5 µg/m³ 0.0057 µg/m³ and 0.0013 µg/m³ for moderate wind speed, and 3) 0.00002 µg/m³ 0.0030 µg/m³ and 0.0007 µg/m³ for high wind speed.