Air quality at airports is a critical concern, directly impacting public health and environmental sustainability. This research involves developing and validating a jet plume model designed to quantify air quality near runways using COMSOL multiphysics engine. The model replicate
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Air quality at airports is a critical concern, directly impacting public health and environmental sustainability. This research involves developing and validating a jet plume model designed to quantify air quality near runways using COMSOL multiphysics engine. The model replicates experimental setups conducted at Schiphol Airport, simulating high Mach number flows from the jet engine with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model to analyze the dispersion of pollutants, specifically NO, NO2 and CO. Key operational and environmental variables were established as input parameters, and a time-dependent study ensured the simulated plume was fully developed. The plume analysis consisted of the examination of plume width and peak pollutant concentration. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the dominant factor influencing plume width in the model was the ambient wind speed and direction. Comparisons between model outputs and monitoring site data indicated that mean plume widths for arrivals and departures were relatively aligned for both departures and arrivals, with some discrepancies likely stemming from translating variable real-world parameters into constants within the model. Concentration results highlighted limitations in input methods for larger aircraft, while the model effectively reflected pollutant levels for medium and smaller aircraft, showcasing its potential for quantifying emissions during landing and take-off cycles.