First Advisor
Xiaowei "Luke" Zhu
Date of Award
Spring 6-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Mechanical Engineering and University Honors
Department
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Language
English
Subjects
computational fluid dynamics, urban environments, turbulent flow fields, ENVI-met
Abstract
Air pollution is a significant issue faced by many major cities worldwide. The geometry and orientation of urban buildings greatly contribute to the dispersion of pollutants throughout cityscapes. To apply this information at a local level, this capstone project aims to analyze the velocity profiles of various areas in the Portland metro area using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). First, we created models for three types of urban geometry: urban, suburban, and rural. Then, we ran simulations using the high-fidelity numerical simulation tool Envi-Met to analyze the turbulent flow field which is believed to have a close relation to air pollutant dispersion. The data collected on the behavior of turbulent flow fields in the cityscape will indicate how urban environments especially the urban geometry influence the wind field and also the concentration of air pollutants. Our data analysis shows that urban geometry and building orientation significantly affect the formation of turbulent flows and dead zones, influencing pollution levels in cities. Higher packing density and varying building heights exacerbate these effects compared to rural and suburban areas. The impact of our research is to provide valuable insights for government authorities or planning departments to develop newly sustainable and densely populated metro areas.
Rights
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Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43670
Recommended Citation
Meman, Shaho Zana, "Analysis of Turbulent Flow in Portland-Metro Urban Environment" (2024). University Honors Theses. Paper 1602.