Modeling of SO2 gas pollutant emission of Arak Refinery using AERMOD model

The pollution of metropolises and the environments around the industrial centers is considered one of the problems in developing countries. To control air pollution, new models were made for simulation and estimation of the amounts of air dopants. AEMOD is one of the commonest models which was confirmed by the EPA. This study aimed to model the dispersion pattern of gaseous pollutant SO2 in Arak Refinery using the AERMOD model for periods of 1, 8, and 24 hours. This study was conducted with the information of 19 chimneys related to phase 1 of this industrial unit in 2014 and 2015. The results of this study showed that the concentration of SO2 in this industrial unit is higher than the permissible limit of Iran and EPA standards in one hour. Also, according to the seasonal average of emissions, this pollutant has the highest concentration in winter.