CFD Simulation of Pollutant Dispersion Patterns in Chemical Plant Environments Under Variable Wind Conditions

Abstract

Pollutant dispersion within chemical plant environments poses significant environmental and occupational safety challenges due to the potential release of hazardous gases and airborne contaminants under varying atmospheric conditions. Accurate prediction of dispersion behavior is essential for effective plant layout design, emergency response planning, and industrial risk management. This study presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation approach for analyzing pollutant dispersion patterns in chemical plant environments under variable wind conditions. The proposed modeling framework integrates atmospheric flow dynamics, turbulence modeling, plant geometry analysis, and contaminant transport simulation to evaluate pollutant movement and concentration distribution within industrial facilities. A comprehensive numerical investigation was conducted to assess the influence of wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric stability, structural obstructions, emission source location, and terrain characteristics on pollutant dispersion behavior and exposure risk. CFD simulations were employed to analyze airflow patterns, recirculation zones, plume development, and contaminant accumulation under different meteorological scenarios. Results demonstrated that wind variability and complex plant structures significantly affect pollutant transport pathways, resulting in localized concentration hotspots and uneven contaminant distribution across operational zones. The study further revealed that unfavorable wind conditions and confined plant geometries increase pollutant retention and exposure risk in worker-accessible areas. Comparative analysis indicated that optimized plant layout configurations and strategic emission control measures substantially improve dispersion performance and reduce hazardous exposure potential.