Numerical modelling of odour dispersion around a cubical obstacle using large eddy simulation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Fluid Dynamics
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Background:

• Accurate simulation of airflow and pollutant dispersion is crucial for environmental impact assessments.
• Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is a powerful computational fluid dynamics technique for modeling turbulent flows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of two different LES models (Dynamic Smagorinsky and Wall-Adapting Local Eddy viscosity - Wale) in simulating airflow and pollutant dispersion around a cubical obstacle.
• To validate LES model results against wind tunnel data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two distinct LES approaches: the Dynamic Smagorinsky model and the Wale model.
• Simulated airflow and pollutant dispersion patterns around a standardized cubical obstacle.
• Compared simulation outputs with experimental wind tunnel (WT) data.

Main Results:

• Both LES models demonstrated good agreement with WT data for mean and fluctuating flow patterns.
• LES models successfully predicted concentration fluctuation intensity and intermittency factors.
• The Dynamic Smagorinsky and Wale models showed comparable performance in simulating pollutant dispersion.

Conclusions:

• LES models, including Dynamic Smagorinsky and Wale, are reliable tools for simulating airflow and pollutant dispersion.
• LES provides accurate estimates of concentration fluctuations and intermittency, essential for environmental assessments.
• The study confirms LES as a viable method for odor impact assessment.