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U.S. Department of Energy
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User's guide for PAL 2. 0: a Gaussian-plume algorithm for point, area, and line sources. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6357682

PAL is an acronym for the Point, Area, and Line source algorithm. PAL is a method of estimating short-term dispersion using Gaussian-plume steady-state assumptions. The algorithm can be used for estimating concentrations of non-reactive pollutants at 99 receptors for averaging times of from 1 to 24 hours, and for a limited number of point, area, and line sources (99 of each type). Calculations are performed for each hour. The hourly meteorological data required are wind direction, wind speed, stability class, and mixing height. Single values of each of these four parameters are assumed representative for the area modeled. The Pasquill-Gifford or McElroy-Pooler dispersion curves are used to characterize dispersion. The PAL model can treat deposition of both gaseous and suspended particulate pollutants in the plume since gravitational settling and dry deposition of the particals are explicitly accounted for. In the limit when pollutant settling and deposition velocities are zero, they reduce to the usual Gaussian-plume diffusion algorithms.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA). Atmospheric Sciences Research Lab.
OSTI ID:
6357682
Report Number(s):
PB-87-168787/XAB; EPA-600/8-87/009
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English