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Estimation of point source fugitive emission rates from a single sensor time series: a conditionally-sampled Gaussian plume reconstruction
Citation:
Foster-Wittig, T., E. Thoma, AND J. Alberston. Estimation of point source fugitive emission rates from a single sensor time series: a conditionally-sampled Gaussian plume reconstruction. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 115:101-109, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
This paper presents a technique for determining the trace gas emission rate from a point source supporting mobile measurment method series OTM 33.
Description:
This paper presents a technique for determining the trace gas emission rate from a point source. The technique was tested using data from controlled methane release experiments and from measurement downwind of a natural gas production facility in Wyoming. Concentration measurements were made from a stationary point between 25 and 150 m downwind of the source. From the fluctuating wind direction, the lateral plume geometry is reconstructed using a derived relationship between the wind direction and crosswind plume position. The crosswind plume spread is estimated with two di?erent methods (modeled and observed), and subsequently used a Gaussian plume inversion to estimate the source strengths. Based on the controlled release results, the modeled dispersion approach yields source emissions rates that underestimatethe nominal release rates with a -3 % average percent error whereas the observed dispersion approach produces a 0 % average percent error, both within the assumed uncertainty of thecontrolled release.
