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Air Dispersion Model Input Files

  Air dispersion models can require several input files which control modeling options and provide information about site parameters that affect predicted pollutant concentrations.  As an example, the Industrial Source Complex Short Term air dispersion model accepts 2 basic input files, an input runstream file and a meteorological data file.  An optional terrain grid file and a seperate file of hourly source emission rates may be specified as well.
  Not all models require input files.  For example, SCREEN prompts the user for keyboard entered parameters, making text input files unnecessary.
 

The Runstream Setup File

  The runstream setup file contains the selected modeling options, as well as source location, emission rate, physical stack height, stack gas exit velocity, stack inside diameter, and stack gas temperature, receptor coordinates and optional ground elevation, meteorological data file specifications and location, and output options.

  Optional inputs include source elevation, building dimensions, particle size distribution with corresponding settling velocities, and surface reflection coefficients.

Meteorological Data File

  The meteorological data files can be unformatted, sequential files of meteorological data generated by the PCRAMMET and the MPRM preprocessors or formatted ASCII files that contain sequential hourly records of meteorological variables, and provide hourly stability class, wind direction, wind speed, temperature, and mixing height.

Terrain Grid File

  The optional terrain grid file contains input terrain grid data used in calculating dry depletion in elevated or complex terrain.

Hourly Source Emission Rates File

  The optional hourly source emission rates file contains a pathway and keyword (SO HOUREMIS), followed by the Year, Month, Day, Hour, Source ID, emission rate (in the appropriate units, usually g/s), and for point sources the stack gas exit temperature (°K), and stack gas exit velocity (m/s).