Simulation of odour dispersion downwind from natural windbreaks using the computational fluid dynamics standard k-ε model.

If natural windbreaks create air turbulence and can help disperse odours from livestock operations, their dispersion effect has not been extensively researched. This paper introduces a model simulating odour dispersion downwind from natural windbreaks. The standard k-ε model of the FLUENT software was used to incorporate the effect of climatic conditions and windbreak structure. The model was calibrated for wind velocity recovery, odour concentration (OC) from field observations and inertial resistance. Once calibrated, the model accurately reproduced the odour plume developing downwind from the windbreak. The correlation between OC for 11 field trials and that simulated were statistically significant (P < 0.01), indicating that the model was accurate. The model demonstrated that a windbreak did alter the magnitude and direction of the wind velocity, thus creating a pressure jump across its width. This pressure jump produces a strong downwind turbulence forming a mixing layer capable of enhancing odour dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]