AN APPLICATION OF CALPUFF DISPERSION MODEL TO A NON-STANDARD PROBLEM
Pulp and paper mill situated in the complex terrain of northern Slovakia, in the close vicinity of the city of Ružomberok, continuously releases to atmosphere 30 kg of water vapor per second. Impressive clouds above the industrial complex have given rise to concerns from the side of local citizens, suspecting the emissions to be responsible for the local increase in precipitation. Therefore, a complex study has been initiated, including model simulation of the dispersion of water vapor from the paper mill focused on the domain of 8 x 7 km in close vicinity of the paper mill. Phase conversions of water vapor in the atmosphere are a complex thermodynamic process involving many factors. However, we found out that for some practical applications a simplified approach is sufficient to assess the magnitude of the above mentioned effects. A combination of CALMET-CALPUFF models were applied to compute hourly concentrations of water vapor added to the atmosphere by emissions from the paper mill; these were compared to the hourly absolute humidity values as measured by the meteorological stations in the region, which are not supposed to be affected by the paper mill. The interest was focused on those hours in which the “background” absolute humidity was below saturation value, but additional vapor from the paper mill would bring the value to or above the saturation point. Winter periods of two years (2005, 2006) were modeled and analyzed, during which 66 hours occurred when the additional water from the paper mill caused the humidity to exceed the saturation point, compared to 478 hours with 100% background relative humidity, when the additional vapor from the mill could possibly strengthen the icing effect which would occur anyway. The study concludes that the contribution of the paper mill to total precipitation is negligible even in the close vicinity of the factory. However, in certain cases it can cause icings on a nearby E50 road communication; although these cases are not frequent, they can lead to fatal outcomes. The uncertainties associated with the study method are also discussed.
Cloud Condensation Nuclei from a Paper Mill. Part II: Calculated Effects on Rainfall
Abstract The paper mill at Port Townsend, Wash., is a source of large and giant condensation nuclei (CCN). These CCN cause the concentrations of droplets ≥30 μm in diameter to be higher in small, nonraining warm clouds located in the plume of the mill than in similar clouds unaffected by the plume. Calculations based on a model for nonsheared, warm cumulus clouds and a model for warm stratus clouds indicate that the higher concentrations of large droplets in the clouds in the plume should not cause any significant changes in the rainfall from these clouds. These results indicate that the large and giant CCN emitted by the mill are not by themselves responsible for the increased rainfall measured in the vicinity of the mill. The heat and moisture emitted by the mill, in combination with the CCN, may have been responsible for the increased rainfall.
Phytochemical and FT-IR Spectral Analysis of Certain Bamboo Species of SouthIndia
Bamboo with its varied uses has historically been an integral part of livelihoods and lifestyles in India. The present study was carried out to characterize the bioactive constituents present in the leaf extracts of certain bamboo species using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis (FT-IR). The various solvent extracts of various bamboo leaves subjected to qualitative analysis showed the availability of phytoconstituents including alkaloids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, coumarins and phytosterols. Quinones were completely absent in all the five bamboo species. The FT-IR spectrum confirmed the presence of sulphides (SS), phenols (C-O), aromatic compounds, thiols (S-H), aliphatic compounds (C-Cl) and amines (NH) in different bamboo species. The present investigation has also opened avenues for further research into the development of potent phytomedicines from different bamboo species.