Livestock facilities produce pollutants like ammonia, particulate matter, and odours. Pollutant emissions may bring about adverse effects both on human health and on the environment. Vegetative Environmental Buffers (VEBs) are touted as cost-effective and easy to “install” and maintain solutions for airborne pollutant control. However, there are numerous parameters influencing the VEB effectiveness and evaluating the VEB effectiveness itself is questionable. This thesis work had four objectives. Objective 1 was to highlight gaps and research needs in the odour field (Chapter 1) and relative to the VEBs (Chapter 2). Objective 2 was to summarize and review air pollutant monitoring and related modelling approaches adopted for livestock facilities surrounded by VEBs. To accomplish this, publications based on pollutant monitoring and related modelling approaches adopted for livestock facilities surrounded by VEBs were reviewed (Chapter 4). Objective 3 was to describe wind speed profiles and pollutant concentration variations with at varying distances from the source and VEB, and height above ground. Monitoring campaigns were done at two finishing pig barns in two Minnesota counties, using a set-up shaped on the review findings of Chapter 4 (Chapter 5). Finally, objective 4 was to compare the ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) observed and modelled concentrations, and to evaluate the VEB height influence on the modelled concentrations. The model AERMOD-View (version: 12.0.0, based on AERMOD 23132) was used for this study. The two finishing pig barns’ characteristics were simulated using AERMOD-View, testing three different source types and VEB porosities, for present and future expected VEB heights (Chapter 6). This dissertation results showed that common monitoring approaches and site characteristics could be identified (Chapter 4). This study also showed that VEBs influenced both wind speeds and pollutants concentrations. VEBs displaced air masses and slowed down wind speeds upward and beyond the VEBs, respectively. VEBs and natural attenuation in conjunction contributed to the ammonia and hydrogen sulphide concentration reductions (Chapter 5). Finally, the study further highlighted that modelling the VEBs effects on ammonia and hydrogen sulphide dispersion was mainly influenced by the VEBs characteristics i.e., height and porosity (Chapter 6). The main findings of this research provide useful information and insights for the development of standardized VEBs monitoring approaches (Chapter 4). They support the need for further VEB investigations and the building of a database summarizing outcomes, site and environmental characteristics of VEB monitoring activities (Chapter 4, 5). Finally, provides useful recommendations for future efforts to model the VEBs using AERMOD-View. (Chapter 6).
Le Vegetative Environmental Buffers’ (VEBs) sono barriere vegetali ampiamente utilizzate negli USA per mitigare la dispersione di inquinanti provenienti da allevamenti intensivi. L'efficienza di abbattimento degli inquinanti da parte delle VEB è molto variabile a causa di molteplici fattori influenti (condizioni climatiche, tipo di sorgente, VEB layout, ecc...). Inoltre, la possibilità di modellare tramite specifi software l'effetto mitigativo delle VEB è ad oggi molto limitata. Il presente elaborato di tesi investiga le procedure adottate per il monitoraggio delle VEB, riporta i risultati di due campagne di monitoraggio condotte presso due allevamenti in Minnesota e infine mostra i risultati della modellazione degli effetti delle VEB effettuata tramite il software AERMOD-View. La ricerca mette in evidenza: la necessità di adottare protocolli standard per il monitoraggio delle VEB al fine di rendere i risultati di diversi studi comparabili; la necessità di investigare ulteriormente i processi alla base del funzionamento delle VEB, estendendo le dimensioni del monitoraggio sia nello spazio che nel tempo; e la necessità di combinare monitoraggio e modellazione per consentire la validazione dei risultati ottenibili tramite software in commercio.
Monitoraggio e modellazione degli effetti delle Vegetative Environmental Buffers’ (VEBs) sulla velocità del vento e sugli inquinanti / Baccini, Luca. - (2024 Jun 12).
Monitoraggio e modellazione degli effetti delle Vegetative Environmental Buffers’ (VEBs) sulla velocità del vento e sugli inquinanti
BACCINI, LUCA
2024-06-12
Abstract
Livestock facilities produce pollutants like ammonia, particulate matter, and odours. Pollutant emissions may bring about adverse effects both on human health and on the environment. Vegetative Environmental Buffers (VEBs) are touted as cost-effective and easy to “install” and maintain solutions for airborne pollutant control. However, there are numerous parameters influencing the VEB effectiveness and evaluating the VEB effectiveness itself is questionable. This thesis work had four objectives. Objective 1 was to highlight gaps and research needs in the odour field (Chapter 1) and relative to the VEBs (Chapter 2). Objective 2 was to summarize and review air pollutant monitoring and related modelling approaches adopted for livestock facilities surrounded by VEBs. To accomplish this, publications based on pollutant monitoring and related modelling approaches adopted for livestock facilities surrounded by VEBs were reviewed (Chapter 4). Objective 3 was to describe wind speed profiles and pollutant concentration variations with at varying distances from the source and VEB, and height above ground. Monitoring campaigns were done at two finishing pig barns in two Minnesota counties, using a set-up shaped on the review findings of Chapter 4 (Chapter 5). Finally, objective 4 was to compare the ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) observed and modelled concentrations, and to evaluate the VEB height influence on the modelled concentrations. The model AERMOD-View (version: 12.0.0, based on AERMOD 23132) was used for this study. The two finishing pig barns’ characteristics were simulated using AERMOD-View, testing three different source types and VEB porosities, for present and future expected VEB heights (Chapter 6). This dissertation results showed that common monitoring approaches and site characteristics could be identified (Chapter 4). This study also showed that VEBs influenced both wind speeds and pollutants concentrations. VEBs displaced air masses and slowed down wind speeds upward and beyond the VEBs, respectively. VEBs and natural attenuation in conjunction contributed to the ammonia and hydrogen sulphide concentration reductions (Chapter 5). Finally, the study further highlighted that modelling the VEBs effects on ammonia and hydrogen sulphide dispersion was mainly influenced by the VEBs characteristics i.e., height and porosity (Chapter 6). The main findings of this research provide useful information and insights for the development of standardized VEBs monitoring approaches (Chapter 4). They support the need for further VEB investigations and the building of a database summarizing outcomes, site and environmental characteristics of VEB monitoring activities (Chapter 4, 5). Finally, provides useful recommendations for future efforts to model the VEBs using AERMOD-View. (Chapter 6).File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
Baccini luca - tesi.pdf
accesso aperto
Tipologia:
Tesi di dottorato
Licenza:
PUBBLICO - Pubblico con Copyright
Dimensione
12.73 MB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
12.73 MB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri |
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.