Numerical modelling of flow over stockpiles: Implications on dust emissions

This paper considers fugitive dust emissions from open aggregate storage piles on industrial sites. The process of wind erosion depends strongly on the local wind flow characteristics and is considerably affected by flow field changes caused by any modifications in terrain geometry. Prediction of wind flow over stockpiles plays a dominant role in the assessment of potential erosion and the evaluation of its environmental impact. Three-dimensional numerical simulations, based on solution of the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations and the k-ω shear stress transport turbulence model, were performed to describe the flow over two typical pile geometries with different wind directions. The surface roughness effect was also accounted for in the simulations. Results are then validated against wind tunnel derived experimental data from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study. The simulations presented in this study successfully predict flow patterns over the stockpiles. Further development of these simulations will allow testing of more realistic site configurations, including various pile geometries and complex terrain as well as different flow conditions.