Saskatchewans Air Modelling and Odour Guidelines Imran Maqsood, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Saskatchewan’s Air Modelling and Odour Guidelines

Imran Maqsood, Ph.D., P.Eng. Ministry of Environment Air Quality in Saskatchewan, Saskatoon January 17, 2014

Outline

• Part 1: Air Modelling Guideline
• Part 2: Odour Guideline

AIR MODELLING: GENERAL INFORMATION

Part 1

Why Do We Need Guideline?

• To ensure consistency in conducting air

modelling in Saskatchewan

• Regulatory approvals are treated equitably
• Promote efficient use of resources

How was Guideline Developed?

• Draft prepared in 2010
• Reviewed internally & externally in 2011
• First official guideline released in 2012
• Review and update guideline periodically

Is Guideline Flexible?

• Ministry supports innovation
• We are open to new or improved methods
• Any deviation should be justified
• Pre-consultation with the ministry is

recommended to discuss variations

Is it Consistent with Other Guidelines?

• Efforts were made to maintain consistency

with modelling approaches in AB and BC

• New West Partnership between SK, AB & BC

What Standards to Use?

• Saskatchewan Air Quality Standards
• National or CCME
• Alberta Environment
• Ontario Ministry of the Environment
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

AIR MODELLING: TECHNICAL GUIDANCE

Part 1

What is Air Modelling?

• Mathematical simulation of how air

pollutants disperse in atmosphere

• Meteorology, site configuration, emission

and terrain impact transport of pollutants

Why is Modelling Conducted?

• Approval or permit applications
• Predict pollutant concentration
• Stack design
• Select monitoring sites
• Design plans for air quality management

What is SK’s Modelling Approach?

• Simple facility
• Limited number of sources

Screening

Modelling

• Complicated facility
• Multiple sources & contaminants

Refined

Modelling

• Complex terrain, Land/water interface
• Chemical transformation, traffic

Specialized

Modelling

Screening

 Simple facility  Limited number of sources

Refined

 More complicated facility  Multiple emission sources  Multiple contaminants

Specialized

 Complex terrain  Land/water interface  Chemical transformation  Road or rail traffic

SCREEN3 AERSCREEN

 Worst case emissions  Limited number of sources

AERMOD

 Worst case emissions

CALPUFF CALQ3HCR

Compliant? Compliant? Compliant?

Stop Stop Stop

no no refine refine yes yes yes refine

Air Modelling System

Meteorological Data for SK

www.environment.gov.sk.ca

Free of Cost Download Regional Met Data Files Ministry website Or Use AERMET to generate site specific files

North Central Zone

AERMOD-Ready Regional Meteorological Data Files

Surface Class Fully Processed Data Files Partially Processed AERMET Stage 3 Input File Surface/ Upper Air Station Forest Surface Profile Stage 3 Nipawin The Pas Agricultural Surface Profile Urban Surface Profile

Terrain Data for Saskatchewan

• Free download from GeoBase website
• www.geobase.ca
• Use 1:50,000 terrain data for improved

accuracy

SK’s Background Concentrations

Compare (Model Results + Background) to Standards

90th 572.0 572.0 687.0 Carbon Monoxide 99th 915.0 1030.0 1260.0 (µg/m3) 90th 572.0 458.0 687.0 99th 1030.0 1145.0 1260.0 90th 11.3 32.0 39.5 35.7 41.4 Nitrogen Dioxide 99th 28.2 58.3 69.6 69.6 80.9 (µg/m3) 90th 9.4 28.2 32.0 30.1 37.6 99th 16.9 45.1 48.9 48.9 60.2 Annual 50th 3.8 5.6 15.1 9.4 18.8 90th 0.0 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 Sulphur Dioxide 98th 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 7.9 (µg/m3) 90th 0.0 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.6 99th 2.6 2.6 5.2 5.2 5.2 Annual 50th 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Fine Particulate Matter 90th 6.5 6.6 7.5 6.6 8.3 (PM2.5) (µg/m3) 99th 13.9 14.3 13.9 8.4 14.7 Annual 50th 3.1 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.7 Particulate Matter 90th 23.1 36.3 (PM10) (µg/m3) 99th 49.1 63.3 Pollutant Averaging Period Percentile Background Concentrations For Air Dispersion Modelling Northern North Central Central Southwestern Southeastern 24 Hour 24 hours 1 Hour 8 Hour 1 Hour 24 Hour 1 Hour 24 Hour

Modelling Report Check List

IV AMBIENT IMPACT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IV.A Electronic Files

• List and description of electronic files
• Required e-files to be submitted with report
• Input & output files for models
• Input & output files for pre-processors (if applicable)
• Input & output files for post-processors (if applicable)
• Digital terrain files
• Plot files
• Final report

IV.B Report shall include a discussion on deviations from the modelling checklist

ODOUR GUIDELINE

Part 2

Did you know?

The human genome has

• 1 gene for hearing
• 3 genes for seeing
• 12 genes for tasting
• ? genes for smelling?
• 1,000

Why odour is not an ordinary air contaminant?

• Odour is a complex mixture of compounds
• It is the results of a perception
• Perception and tolerance vary from individuals
• Individual compounds cannot represent the

actual impact of a mixture

• Because of synergies, chemical measurements

cannot be used to quantify odour

• Best tool of measuring odour is still the human

nose

How is Odour Measured?

• Odour is measured using air dilution

equipment and an odour panel

• Olfactometer dilutes an odour sample with
• dour-free air to various levels
• Diluted odorous air is presented to panel
• When half of odour panel can detect
• dour, it is called odour detection threshold
• r dilution ratio

Odour concentration can be expressed as:

• D/T - Detection Threshold or Dilution to Threshold
• OU - Odour Unit or Odour Unit per volume (OU/m3)
• For example, 500 OU/m3 means when 1

volume of odour sample is diluted with 500 volumes of fresh air and it can be detected by 50% of a panel.

• All units have same conceptual meaning
• Different methods used to measure odour result

in different units

• Use OU when measured by olfactometers
• Use D/T when measured by scentometers

Scentometer / Nasal Ranger (D/T) Odour measured at receptor location Olfactometry Lab Method (OU) Odour measured at source location

Why is Odour Guideline Needed?

• No odour guideline in place
• Residents are less tolerant to odour and its

impact on property value

• Guideline defines reference criteria to which
• dour impacts can be judged
• Guideline defines the process to

demonstrate compliance with odour criteria

Odour Criteria for Field Investigation

Odour criteria Averaging time Land use 2 D/T 2 tests not less than 15 minutes apart nor more than 60 minutes apart Residential/Urban zone 4 D/T Mixed residential and commercial/Rural zone 7 D/T Industrial/Agricultural zone

Nasal Ranger (D/T) Odour measured at receptor location

Odour Criteria for Modelling

Odour Criteria Averaging Time Annual Frequency Land Use 1 OU/m3 1 hour* 99.5% Urban residential zones 2 OU/m3 Urban commercial zones or mixed residential and commercial zones 4 OU/m3 Industrial or restricted business zones and rural zones with mixed utilisation 6 OU/m3 Industrial or agricultural zones with predominantly agricultural utilisation Olfactometry Lab Method (OU) Odour measured at source location

Odour Assesement Process

Complaint verified? Conduct field odour investigation using Scentometer Stop Quantify source odour emission using olfactometry method

If 3 or more verified complaints exceed odour criteria in 30 days No If measured odour level is 2 levels higher than the criteria

Conduct odour modelling Odour complaint received

Yes Yes

Next Steps

• Validation of odour criteria study is in

progress

• Criteria will be used as a “guideline” - a

tool for odour management in Sask.

• Guideline will be reviewed periodically

Questions?

For more information, please contact: Imran Maqsood, Ph.D., P.Eng. Manager, Air Science & Monitoring Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment imran.maqsood@gov.sk.ca (306) 787-1372