Diode effects on street canyon ventilation in valley city: Temperature inversion and calm geostrophic wind

Abstract

In urban areas, especially in valleys, challenges from heat and pollution are common. The situation worsens due to temperature inversions, where warm air traps pollutants. A new study employed multi-scale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess ventilation in valley cities, specifically during temperature inversions and calm winds. Parameters like air change rate (ACH), local mean age of air (LMAA), and purging flow rate (PFR) were used to gauge street canyon ventilation efficiency. Factors such as atmospheric stability, city-slope positioning, and surface materials are altered to analyze impacts on urban heat island (UHI) intensity and air quality. Results indicated that katabatic winds had varied effects on pollution in different city regions, influenced by atmospheric conditions. Higher temperature lapse rates led to enhanced pollutant removal near slopes due to vortex interactions, but distant regions experienced thicker inversion layers, limiting pollutant dispersion. Conversely, anabatic winds improved ventilation with distance. Under inversion conditions, slope-city distance and surface materials played roles. For katabatic winds, city positioning significantly reduced UHI intensity, lowering LMAA by around 440s. Anabatic winds' UHI impacts ranked as atmospheric conditions, city location, and surface materials. A neutral atmosphere reduced UHI by 4.5K, but increased distance between city and slopes strengthened UHI by 4.04K. Ventilation efficiency was mainly tied to atmospheric conditions, while city location impacted pollution mitigation. This research aids in understanding air quality and airflow patterns during extreme weather events, aiding urban canyon design in valleys, especially with recurring heatwaves.