• Energy Research

Purpose. The scientific work aims to develop a new method for assessing the level of chemical air pollution in working zones located in open areas near highways using screens of different heights. Methodology. The analytical method for calculating the airflow velocity field near protective screens is based on the mathematical apparatus of the theory of complex variable functions, which allows obtaining the value of the velocity potential and the flow function, to calculate the velocity value at any point of the plane with a screen of different height. The obtained velocity field is used to calculate the level of carbon monoxide concentration in the numerical solution of the two-dimensional mass transfer equation. Findings. The developed program of numerical calculation allows conducting computational experiments on the effectiveness of the use of protective screens, taking into account changes in their geometry and meteorological conditions. The developed method based on the obtained concentration field makes it possible to carry out an assessment of the risk of chronic intoxication for the employees of the take-out trade, who are within the zone of the emission source (highway) for a long time. Originality. The regularities of changes in the concentration of carbon monoxide are established depending on the distance to the emission source at a height of 2 m from the ground in the presence of a screen of a certain height and in its absence. A risk assessment of chronic carbon monoxide intoxication has been carried out for take-out trade workers near the highway. It is shown that the presence of the screen reduces the risk of chronic CO intoxication by 10% as compared to its absence. Increasing the screen height to 1.8 m reduces the risk of chronic intoxication by 6% relatively to the situation when the screen height is 1.2 m. Practical value. The developed numerical-analytical method for calculating the level of chemical pollution in working zones in open areas and the program «Screen» created on its basis allow us to carry out a prompt forecast of atmospheric air pollution level with carbon monoxide taking into account the effectiveness of the screens. Quantitative results are necessary at the planning stage of trading places near highways, during the architectural-planned reorganization of adjacent developments.