MSc Thesis Title: Estimation and Dispersion Modeling of Aircraft Activity Emissions from Chania Airport
Thursday 20 December 2018, at:11:00, Venue: Hall K2.A3
Examination Committee
- Professor Mihalis Lazaridis (advisor)
- Associate Professor Dioynisia Kolokotsa
- Assistant Professor Paraskevi Panagiotopoulou
Abstract:
The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of civil aviation aircraft activity on local air quality during the year 2016, at the International Airport of Chania which is located at the North East of the city of Chania, of Crete Island in Greece. The aspects of the study include both the estimation of the quantities of the emissions and the modeling of their dispersion.
The examined pollutants species are carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter 2,5μm or less (PM 2,5) and sulphur oxides (SOx). Ultrafine PM is further examined, with respect to its number concentration. Moreover, carbon dioxide (CO2) is also included due to its contribution to the climate change. The estimation of the emissions has been carried out according to the methodologies provided by ICAO technical documents, whereas the dispersion modeling has been achieved through the EPA’s AERMOD which is considered a state of the art software system for this purpose. The modeled values are compared to the regulated values of the Directive 2008/50/EC. The study refers exclusively to the emissions from aircrafts’ LTO cycles, since other airport emissions have not been taken into account.
The total number of LTO cycles performed by civil aviation aircrafts during the year 2016, was 10.324 and the respective annual fuel consumption reached 9.136t. Total amounts of the released pollutants of CO, NOx, PM 2,5 and SOx were estimated to be 66,4t, 136,95t, 2,976t and 9,136t, respectively. As regards the environmental interest for the climate change, annual CO2 emissions reached 28.870t.
Dispersion models have showed that most of the examined pollutant species are not of great concern for the studied area, since their values have been much lower than the thresholds regulated by 2008/50/EC. However, the dispersion model of NOx for the averaging period of 1 hour has revealed that emissions have been much higher than the regulated value of 200μg/m3 with the maximum value of 887,25μg/m3 been recorded inside the aircrafts’ parking area at the North-West end of the airport. The exceedance suggested further examination of this pollutant, so models of one winter day and one summer day have been also developed.
