Determination of the meteorological conditions responsible for the worst case odor impacts from area sources using two dispersion models, ISCST3 and AERMOD

Odorous compounds generated by area sources in wastewater treatment plants create issues of nuisance in the surrounding communities. Two competing meteorological factors influence the dispersion of emissions from area sources: temperature and stability. High temperatures in summer produce greater emissions from area sources. With increasing temperatures, the Henry's law constant increases and consequently, emissions increase in accordance with Henry's Law. With increasing temperatures, unstable atmospheric conditions, which contribute to the dispersion of odorous emissions in the atmosphere, persist. A completely opposite scenario takes with decreasing temperatures, with lesser emissions from wastewater treatment plants usually accompanied by lesser dispersion due to stable atmospheric conditions. The ultimate ground level concentration would be determined by whichever of these factors has a more pronounced effect; one of the primary objectives of this research was to try to identify that factor. The study utilized a rectangular clarifier located in the Central Regional Wastewater System operated by the Trinity River Authority of Texas as the source of odorous hydrogen sulfide emissions.* (Abstract shortened by UMI.); *This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation).