Numerical modeling of particulate matter dispersion from Kerman Cement Plant, Iran

A three dimensional diffusion model has been developed for computing the concentration of PM10 from Kerman Cement Plant, Iran. This model incorporates source-related factors, meteorological factors, surface roughness, and settling particles to estimate pollutant concentration from continuous sources. The study focused on the local environmental impact of Kerman Cement Plant. The performance of the model was found to be in good agreement with measured data; the average absolute percent deviation is 25.53%. In addition, the result of this modeling shows that the PM10 concentration in the ambient air at distances of about 600-1,400 m from the stacks is higher than the WHO guidelines of an annual average of 260 microg/m(3).