Using exergy to assess air pollution levels from a smokestack - Part 1: methodology

Exergy is proposed as a standard to assess the potential impacts of smokestack pollutants, such as those from coal boilers and power plants. A method is developed which analyses the exergy distribution of emissions such as SO2, NO and CO2, and heat. In a companion paper, spatial variations are illustrated for temperature, concentration, thermal exergy, chemical exergy and exergy of the pollutants, and an extension of the methodology is discussed. Exergy may provide a pollution measure that captures many of the characteristics of pollutants. Exergy-based environmental methods may simplify assessments and help identify the most significant environmental impacts and hazards.