UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

PREDICTING SULPHUR DIOXIDE DISPERSION FROM MULTIPLE

SOURCES IN MAJOR CITIES IN KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA

USING INTEGRATED MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ MODEL SYSTEM

CHNG LOI KOK

FPAS 2011 9

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PREDICTING SULPHUR DIOXIDE DISPERSION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES IN MAJOR CITIES IN

KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA USING INTEGRATED MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ MODEL SYSTEM

By

CHNG LOI KOK

Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra

Malaysia, in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Science

March 2011

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Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia

in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

PREDICTING SULPHUR DIOXIDE DISPERSION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES IN

MAJOR CITIES IN KLANG VALLEY, MALAYSIA

USING INTEGRATED MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ MODEL SYSTEM

By

CHNG LOI KOK

March 2011

Chairman : Associate Professor Ahmad Makmom Hj. Abdullah, PhD

Faculty : Environmental Studies

The emission of sulphur dioxide has increased along with the industrialization and urbanization

which become the public’s major concern. It is well known as the precursor of acid

precipitation, which could bring negative impacts on the environment and human health. It is

important to have a reliable estimation of sulphur dioxide emissions in order to formulate

effective strategies for mitigation purposes. Hence, emission source estimation and air quality

assessment using air quality modeling system becomes essential in the process of developing

an

appropriate air quality plans. The goal of the study will be focused on the relationship between

pollution emission changes and the meteorological condition thus affecting the air quality in

the

study area. The primary objectives of the study is to establish an emission inventory from

different types of sources in Klang Valley, to simulate meteorological and dispersion of sulphur

dioxide in Klang Valley region using integrated model MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ, and evaluate the

performance of the model. Simulation on the meteorology condition using Fifth Generation

Mesoscale Model (MM5) was carried out and emission inventory was simulated using Sparse

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Matrix Operational Kernel Emission (SMOKE) model. The meteorological profiles from MM5

and

emission data from SMOKE model were used to simulate the dispersion of sulphur dioxide

using

Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ). The evaluation of CMAQ model revealed that the

model performed better in 12-hour averaged sulphur dioxide concentration with high

correlation value of 0.87 and low RMSE of 1.87E-03 ppmv. These results justify the use of

integrated model MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ modeling system in the Klang Valley region which has

complex terrain and land use. The model showed maximum SO2 concentration (0.041ppmv)

was located at Shah Alam industrial zone, followed by Klang industrial zone and other cities

such as Kajang, Petaling, Gombak and Cheras showed relative low SO2 concentration. The

model also showed that the highest level of sulfur dioxide was well below the guideline

recommended by DOE (0.14ppmv).

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Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia

sebagai keperluan untuk ijazah Master Sains

RAMALAN PENYEBARAN SULFUR DIOKSIDA DARI BERBILANG SUMBER

PERLEPASAN DI BANDAR-BANDAR UTAMA SEKITAR LEMBAH KLANG,

MALAYSIA DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN

SISTEM INTEGRASI MODEL MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ.

Oleh

CHNG LOI KOK

Mac 2011

Pengerusi : Profesor Madya Ahmad Makmom Hj. Abdullah, PhD

Fakulti : Pengajian Alam Sekitar

Perlepasan sulfur dioksida yang meningkat seiring dengan perindustrian dan urbanisasi telah

menjadi perhatian utama di kalangan masyarakat. Ia juga dikenali sebagai punca utama kepada

pembentukan hujan asid yang akan membawa impak negatif kepada alam sekitar dan

kesihatan manusia. Peramalan punca perlepasan sulfur dioksida adalah sangat penting untuk

merangka strategik bagi tujuan mitigasi. Oleh itu, peramalan punca perlepasan dan penilaian

kualiti udara dengan menggunakan pemodelan kualiti udara menjadi sangat penting dalam

pembentukan pelan kualiti udara. Walaubagaimanapun, inventori punca pelepasan yang

beresolusi tinggi masih tidak didapati di Malaysia. Kajian lepas yang berkenaan dengan

inventori punca pelepasan mempunyai resolusi yang rendah dan tidak dapat digunaakan dalam

kajian peyebaran sulfur dioksida. Kajian ini akan fokus dalam perhubungan antara perubahan

pelepasan pencemar dan keadaan meteorologi maka mempengaruhi kualiti udara di sekitar

tempat kajian. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk menyediakan satu inventori punca

pelepasan dari pelbagai sumber di

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Lembah Klang; bagi meramal keadaan meteorologi dan penyebaran sulfur dioksida di sekitar

Lembah Klang dengan menggunakan integrasi model MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ; dan menilai

prestasi model tersebut. Data Meteorologi data dari MM5 dan pelepasan data dari SMOKE

telah digunakan bagi meramal penyebaran sulfur dioxide dengan menggunakan CMAQ.

Penilaian CMAQ model menunjukan model tersebut beroperasi baik dengan data purata 12

jam. Penilai tersebut memberi nilai tinggi dalam kolerasi iaitu 0.87 dan RMSE yang rendah iaitu

1.87E-03 ppmv. Hasil kajian ini menunjukan integrasi model MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ adalah sesuai

digunakan di Lembah Klang yang mempunyai dataran dan guna tanah yang kompleks. Model

ini menunjukkan bahawa tahap maksima sulfur dioksida (0.041ppmv) berada di kawasan

industri Shah Alam diikuti dengan kawasan industri Klang, manakala Kajang, Petaling, Gombak

dan Cheras menunjukkan tahap sulfur dioksida yang rendah. Model ini juga menunjukkan

bahawa tahap sulfur dioksida di sekitar Lembah Klang adalah dibawah tahap yang ditetapkan

oleh Jabatan Alam Sekitar iaitu 0.14ppmv.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was financially supported by the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation

(04-01-04-SF0674). The author acknowledges assistance from the Malaysian Meteorological

Department, which provided the meteorological data, Department of Environment for

providing air pollution monitoring data, Public Works Department Malaysia for providing road

information and traffic data, Town and Country Planning Department for providing land use

and land cover data set and Department of Statistic Malaysia for providing statistics

information.

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I certify that an Examination Committee has met on 24 Mac 2011 to conduct the final

examination of Chng Loi Kok on his thesis entitled “Predicting Sulphur Dioxide Dispersion

from Multiple Sources in Major Cities in Klang Valley, Malaysia using Integrated MM5-

SMOKE-CMAQ Model System” in accordance with Universities and University College Act

1971 and the Constitution of the Universiti Putra Malaysia [P.U.(A) 106] 15 March 1998. The

committee recommends that the candidate be awarded the Master of Science.

Members of the Examination Committee were as follows:

Sutarji Kasmin, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Chairman)

Latifah Abd Manaf, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Internal Examiner)

Shaharin Ibrahim, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Internal Examiner)

Gakuji Kurata, PhD Associate Professor

Kyoto University

Japan

(External Examiner)

_______________________________

NORITAH OMAR, PhD Associate Professor and Deputy Dean

School of Graduate Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: 26 July 2011

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This thesis was submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as

fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The members of the

Supervisory Committee were as follows:

Ahmad Makmom Abdullah, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Chairman)

Wan Nor Azmin Sulaiman, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Member)

Muhammad Firuz Ramli, PhD Associate Professor

Faculty of Environmental Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

(Member)

________________________________

HASANAH MOHD GHAZALI, PhD Professor and Dean

School of Graduate Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date:

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DECLARATION

I declare that the thesis is my original work except for quotation and citations which have been

duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously, and is not concurrently,

submitted for any other degree at Universiti Putra Malaysia or at any other institutions.

_____________________

CHNG LOI KOK

Date: 24 March 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENT

Page

ABSTRACT ii

ABSTRAK iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi

APPROVAL vii

DECLARATION ix

LIST OF TABLES xii

LIST OF FIGURES xiv

LIST OF ABBREVIATION xvii

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Importance of Air Quality Modeling 1

1.2 Problem Statement 2

1.3 Research Objective 4

1.4 Significance of the Study 4

1.5 Scope of Study 5

1.6 Thesis Organization 5

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Air Quality Studies in Klang Valley Region 7

2.2 Air Quality Status in Klang Valley Region 8

2.3 Sulphur Dioxide 9

2.3.1 General Description of Sulphur Dioxide 9

2.3.2 Sources of Sulphur Dioxide 10

2.3.3 Effects of Sulphur Dioxide to Human Health 11

2.3.4 Recommended Guideline for Sulphur Dioxide 12

2.4 Factors Influencing Air Quality 14

2.4.1 Meteorology 14

2.4.2 Land use 15

2.4.3 Emission 18

2.5 Integrated Modeling System (Models-3) 19

2.5.1 Meteorological Modeling 21

2.5.2 Emission Modeling 30

2.5.3 Chemical Transport Model 32

3 METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 35

3.2 Research Domain and Site Description 37

3.3 Population 39

3.4 Estimation of Emission Inventory 40

3.4.1 Industrial 41

3.4.2 Transportation 42

3.4.3 Domestic 44

3.5 Land Use Modification 45

3.6 Modeling Parameterization 53

3.6.1 Meteorology Modeling

53

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3.6.2 Emission Modeling

55

3.6.3 Air Pollution Modeling 57

3.7 Sensitivity Analysis 59

3.8 Validation and Evaluation 62

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Estimation of Emission Inventory 65

4.2 Meteorological Condition Simulation Output 75

4.2.1 Surface Temperature Simulation Output 76

4.2.2 Wind Speed Simulation Output 83

4.3 Air Pollution Simulation Output 90

4.4 Sensitivity Analysis Results 103

4.4.1 Sensitivity of Meteorological Model (MM5) 103

4.4.2 Sensitivity of Air Pollution Model (CMAQ) 115

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Conclusion 118

5.2 Recommendations

120

REFERENCES 122

BIODATA OF STUDENT 131

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 132

LIST OF SEMINARS ATTENDED 132