Numerical Simulation of an Air Pollution Model from Continuous Single Point Sources
Authors: Hamid Ait Lhoussain, Younes Abouelhanoue, Ahmed Boujraf
DOI: 10.37326/ajsev8.10/2052
Page No: 21-33
Abstract
The paper proposes a stabilized finite element framework for simulating air pollutant dispersion from continuous point sources. The model solves the time-dependent advection–diffusion– reaction equation, incorporating wind advection, anisotropic diffusion, chemical decay, and a regularized source representation. To ensure robustness in advection-dominated regimes, the scheme combines Streamline Upwind/Petrov–Galerkin (SUPG) stabilization with implicit θ- time integration. Validation against analytical Gaussian plume solutions demonstrates that the framework accurately reproduces both single- and multi-source dispersion patterns, with relative L2-errors typically below 30% under moderate diffusion and within 60% in highly advective scenarios. Mesh refinement studies confirm convergence and reveal the interplay between plume dynamics, wind speed, and numerical resolution. The proposed framework offers a reliable and flexible tool for urban air quality assessment, industrial emission analysis, and regulatory planning, with promising extensions to adaptive meshing, nonlinear chemistry, and hybrid physics–machine learning models.
