CFD evaluation of mean pollutant concentration variations in step-down street canyons

Abstract Atmospheric pollution became a big issue in densified urban areas where the ventilation in streets is not sufficient. It is particularly the case for street surrounded by high buildings so-called street canyons. The ventilation and, thus, the concentrations in this kind of street are highly relying on geometric properties of the street (width of the street, heights of the buildings, etc.). Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are used to investigate the impact of two geometric street ratios on pollutant dispersion: the ratio of the leeward to the windward building height (H1/H2) and the ratio of the street width to the windward building height (W/H2). The aim is to quantitatively assess the evolution of mean pollutant concentrations in the case of step-down street canyons with H1/H2 ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 and street width ratios W/H2 ranging from 0.6 to 1.4. Three types of recirculation regimes could be established, depending on the number and the direction of the vortices occurring inside and outside the canyon. Evolution of pollutant concentrations as a function of both ratios is provided as well as the recommended regimes in the perspective of reducing pollutant concentration in step-down street canyons at pedestrian level and near building faces.