Influential parameters on ultrafine particle concentration downwind at waste-to-energy plants

• Numerical investigations on UFPs emission from incinerator plants were made.
• A neutral and stable atmospheric boundary layer was reproduced.
• Different operational, flue gas treatment and environmental conditions were considered.
• Operational and environmental parameters have maximum impact on UFP concentrations of 5%.
• Flue gas treatment have the major impact on UFP concentrations (up to 350%).

A numerical investigation on the parameters influencing the ultrafine particle concentrations downwind an incinerator plant has been carried out on a three-dimensional full scale model. The simulation was based on a modified version of the k–ε turbulence model in order to take into account the thermal buoyancy effect of the plume, and reproducing a stable and neutral atmospheric boundary layer by setting appropriate values of velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent dissipation rate. The ability of the model to reproduce and maintain a stable atmospheric boundary layer was evaluated by analyzing the turbulent characteristics of the flow along the domain. A parametric analysis made on the basis of different plant operational, environmental, and flue gas treatment parameters was carried out in order to evaluate the impact of incinerator plants on the background concentration of ultrafine particles. The evaluation was made at 5 km downwind the chimney in a breathable area, showing that the most significant impact is due to the flue gas treatment section, with a variation on the background concentration up to 370% for a plant hypothetically working without controls on ultrafine particles emission. Operational and environmental parameters determine variations of the concentrations ranging from 1.62% to 4.48% for the lowest and highest chimney, from 1.41% to 4.52% for the lowest and highest wind speed and from 2.48% to 4.5% for the lowest and highest flue gas velocity, respectively. In addition, plume rise evaluation was carried out as a function of wind speed and flue gas velocity from the chimney.