Application of a Gaussian dispersion model for assessing SO2 concentrations from major coal-fired power plants in the highly polluted industrial region of Türkiye

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 1, 146 - 164, 22.04.2025

Gizem Tuna Tuygun

Abstract

A significant amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) emissions is released from large-scale lignite-fired thermal power plants, impacting air quality in various hotspot regions of Türkiye. Among these areas, Soma stands out because it possesses two power plants, with one being the nation’s oldest thermal facility lacking advanced desulfurization technology. This study employed the Gaussian dispersion model (AERMOD) to predict hourly SO2 concentrations for 2021 in a 50 km × 50 km area using local surface parameters from a reanalysis database instead of relying on the standard surface characteristics from AERSURFACE. The results showed that hourly concentrations exceeded 2148 times during the year at 311 receptors, which the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change set. Unlike hourly concentrations, the average daily, seasonal, and annual concentrations were below the limit values. Analysis of individual contributions from thermal power plants demonstrated that the highest SO2 concentrations primarily originated from the oldest plant. The prevailing wind direction in the region revealed that pollutant emissions most impacted the study area’s northern, eastern, and northeastern areas. Interestingly, the modeling results revealed that the thermal power plants did not substantially contribute to SO2 concentrations at the air quality monitoring station due to the meteorological and topographic conditions of the region. As a policy recommendation, it is essential to focus on broader regional monitoring strategies and comprehensive emission inventories to ensure effective environmental management and to address potential sources beyond the immediate vicinity of the power plant. In addition, further examination through correlation analyses brought to light that the topographical parameters influencing the dispersion of annual average SO2 concentrations exhibited distinct variations across regions, exerting varying degrees of the correlation coefficient.

Keywords

AERMOD , air quality , Soma , thermal power plants , Türkiye.

Türkiye'nin Yoğun Kirliliğe Sahip Sanayi Bölgesi’ndeki Büyük Kömür Yakıtlı Termik Santrallerden Kaynaklanan SO₂ Konsantrasyonlarının Değerlendirilmesinde Gauss Dağılım Modelinin Uygulanması

Abstract

Büyük ölçekli linyit yakıtlı termik santrallerden önemli miktarda kükürt dioksit (SO₂) emisyonu salınmakta ve bu durum Türkiye’nin çeşitli önemli bölgelerinde hava kalitesini etkilemektedir. Bu bölgeler arasında Soma öne çıkmaktadır, çünkü burada biri desülfürizasyon teknolojisine sahip olmayan ülkenin en eski termik santrali olmak üzere iki adet kömür yakan termik santral bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, 2021 yılı için 50 km × 50 km’lik bir alanda saatlik SO₂ konsantrasyonlarını tahmin etmek amacıyla Gauss dağılım modeli (AERMOD) kullanılmış olup, standart yüzey özellikleri sağlayan AERSURFACE yerine yeniden analiz veri tabanından alınan yerel yüzey parametreleri kullanılmıştır. Sonuçlar, yıl boyunca Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı tarafından belirlenen saatlik konsantrasyon sınır değerinin 311 alıcıda 2148 kez aşıldığını göstermiştir. Saatlik konsantrasyonların aksine, ortalama günlük, mevsimlik ve yıllık konsantrasyonlar sınır değerlerin altında kalmıştır. Termik santrallerin bireysel katkılarının analizi, en yüksek SO₂ konsantrasyonlarının esas olarak en eski santralden kaynaklandığını ortaya koymuştur. Bölgedeki hâkim rüzgâr yönü, kirletici emisyonlarının çalışma alanının kuzey, doğu ve kuzeydoğu bölgelerini en çok etkilediğini göstermiştir. Beklenenin aksine, modelleme sonuçları, bölgenin meteorolojik ve topografik koşulları nedeniyle termik santrallerin hava kalitesi izleme istasyonundaki SO₂ konsantrasyonlarına önemli ölçüde katkıda bulunmadığını ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, korelasyon analizleri ile yapılan daha ileri incelemeler, yıllık ortalama SO₂ konsantrasyonlarının dağılımını etkileyen topografik parametrelerin bölgeler arasında belirgin farklılıklar gösterdiğini ve farklı derecelerde korelasyon katsayısına sahip olduğunu gözler önüne sermiştir.

Keywords

AERMOD , hava kalitesi , Soma , termik santraller , Türkiye

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