Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS)

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The Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS) was developed in the mid-1980s as a complex source microcomputer model designed to assess the air quality impacts of proposed airport development projects.

What is EDMS Designed to Do?

The Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System (EDMS) is designed to assess the air quality impacts of airport emission sources, particularly aviation sources, which consist of:

• Aircraft
• Auxiliary power units
• Ground support equipment
• Ground access vehicles
• Stationary sources

EDMS is one of the few air quality assessment tools specifically engineered for the aviation community. It includes:

• Emissions and dispersion calculations
• The latest aircraft engine emission factors from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Engine Exhaust Emissions Data Bank
• Vehicle emission factors from the latest version of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) MOBILE6 model
• EPA-validated dispersion algorithms
• Emissions data for criteria pollutants and speciated organic gas emissions OGs (45 HAPs and 349 non-toxic compounds).

FAA Required Model

In 1998, FAA revised its policy on air quality modeling procedures to identify EDMS as the Required Model (PDF) to perform air quality analyses for aviation sources instead of the preferred model. This revised policy ensures the consistency and quality of aviation analyses performed for FAA. The FAA continues to enhance the model under the guidance of its government/industry advisory board to more effectively determine emission levels and concentrations generated by typical airport emission sources.

EDMS 5.1.3 (November 2010)

EDMS 5.1.3 contains bug fixes and improvements over EDMS 5.0, EDMS 5.0.1, EDMS 5.02, EDMS 5.1, EDMS 5.1.1 and EDMS 5.1.2 and represents a significant improvement in capabilities and functionality over the EDMS 4.x series. Here is a short list of the major improvements made in the EDMS 5.1.3 series:

Study & Overall Modeling Improvements

• Updated to the latest version of AERMOD v09292. Based on some preliminary test runs, ambient concentration results are not impacted significantly between the two versions, if at all. EPA has indicated that the runtime for AERMOD will be faster with this version.
• Updated the Airport Emissions Reduction Credit (AERC) Report for the Voluntary Airport Low Emissions.
  • A single Emission Reduction (ER) Report is now produced with useful life calculations based on user-defined useful life.
  • The user can specify source groups for ER Report.
• Fleet Database Updates:
  • Incorporated BADA version 3.8.
  • Updated the performance (INM_TYPE) and a BADA profile mappings of several aircraft-engine combinations:
    • 2 aircraft-engine combinations were mapped to new performance (INM_TYPE) and a new BADA profiles.
    • 12 aircraft-engine combinations were mapped to new performance (INM_TYPE) profiles.
    • 493 aircraft-engine combinations were mapped to new BADA profiles.
  • The number of engines for the Boeing DC-6, the Lockheed L-1329 Jetstar I, and the Lockheed L-1329 Jetstar II was corrected from 2 to 4.
  • 3 new aircraft-engine combinations have been added:
    • Boeing 747-100 Series aircraft with the JT9D-7R4D, -7R4D1 engine.
    • Boeing DC-8 Series 60 aircraft with the JT8D-7 series engine.
    • Boeing DC-9-50 Series aircraft with the JT8D-7 series engine.
• The maximum analysis year was increased from 2050 to 2099. (motor vehicle and GSE emission rates will be kept constant at 2050 values for analysis years of 2051 through 2099).
• Updated GUI and Database to accept up to 3 digits for APU usage time in minutes (e.g. 999 vs. 99).
• Updated the default GSE attached to the CASA 212 aircraft to be more representative.
• Updated NAAQS Table in the User Manual and EDMS Help.
• Recompiled MOBILE to be used on a 64-bit computer. The MOBILE results are not changed from this action.

This release includes:

• User manual (PDF)
• User manual appendix (PDF)
• EDMS 5.1.3 Release Notes (PDF)

Instructions for upgrading 5.x to EDMS 5.1.3

• If you already have EDMS 5.0, EDMS 5.0.1, EDMS 5.0.2, EDMA 5.1, EDMS 5.1.1 or EDMS 5.1.2, download the update to EDMS 5.1.3: 5.0.x-5.1.3 (EXE) (dated November 2010), and download the documentation files above.
• You do not need to apply for the BADA license again.

Instructions for ordering the EDMS 5.1.3 CD:

The EDMS 5.1.3 upgrade executable provided above will not work on an older 4.X version of EDMS. If you currently have an older version of EDMS that precedes version 5 and wish to use the features of EDMS 5.1.3, you will need to reorder the latest version of EDMS 5.1.3 and obtain a free BADA license from EUROCONTROL as follows.

1. Send the completed EDMS Order Request (PDF) to edms@cssiinc.com or call (202) 863-3706.
2. Request a free license from EUROCONTROL

   EDMS 5 uses the EUROCONTROL Base of Aircraft Data ("BADA") for aircraft performance modeling. In addition to completing the EDMS Order Request, the user must also obtain a free license directly from EUROCONTROL for use of BADA.

   Please follow these steps when completing the license agreement:

   1. Complete the Licensee portion of the agreement to the best of your ability.
      1. Legal form of company refers to how the company is registered (e.g. non-profit, LLC, etc.)
      2. The registered office of which is at: (indicate where the company is registered)
   2. Complete the Requestee official credentials section
   3. Complete the intended use of BADA section
      1. Select: EDMS Purchase
      2. You must complete all of the fields in red regarding the project that requires the use of EDMS. Be sure to describe in detail the intended use of the software in more than just a few words. You cannot use EDMS for a comparative analysis of aircraft types, and must clearly state that you will not do this.
   4. Enter the security code

   Please do NOT contact EUROCONTROL for the status of your order or BADA license.

3. Timing of EDMS Shipping

   Upon submission of the BADA license request, EUROCONTROL will notify the FAA that the request has been approved. Subsequently, CSSI Inc. will distribute the EDMS CD to the user.

EDMS Technical Support Questions:

Technical support is available via phone, fax, and email:

• Phone: (202) 863-3683
• Fax: (202) 863-2398
• Email: Get EDMS Technical Support

Other EDMS questions should be directed to:

• Phone:(202) 267-3566
• Fax:(202) 267-5594
• Email:Request EDMS Information

EDMS 5 Weather Data Information

EDMS 5 generates input files for the powerful next-generation dispersion model developed by EPA, AERMOD. The AERMOD meteorological preprocessor, AERMET, requires a significant amount of weather data in order to accurately characterize the atmosphere. Surface data for each hour is required to determine the current wind direction, wind speed, temperature and cloud cover. In addition, twice-daily upper-air observations are required to properly determine the mixing height.

Ordering Weather Data

Weather data are available for a charge from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and for free from the EPA Support Center for Regulatory Air Models (SCRAM) and WebMET.

Surface Data

AERMET supports the following surface weather data formats. NOTE that weather data downloaded from the NCDC website are NOT compatible with AERMOD, so the NCDC data from CD-ROM must be used instead.

• TD-3280: Historical and recent data can be ordered from NCDC.
• TD-3505: Historical and recent data can be ordered from NCDC.
• CD-144: Current data are not available from NCDC. However, users that already have CD-144 data can use it with the AERMET algorithms included in EDMS 4.3.
• HUSWO: Historical and recent data can be ordered from NCDC.
• SCRAM: Historical data are available from EPA at SCRAM. Choose "Met Data" then "Surface Data." Data are also available from WebMET.
• SAMSOM: Recent data can be ordered from NCDC. Historical data are also available from WebMET.

Upper-Air Data

Currently, only the TD-6201 and FSL formats are supported for the required twice-daily upper-air soundings.

• TD-6201 data are available from NCDC or WebMET.

One of these soundings must occur in the early morning hours. Typically, these soundings occur at 00:00Z and 12:00Z, which does not provide a sounding at the necessary time for many users outside the United States. If a sounding is not available for your location, the Lakes Environmental Upper Air Estimator may be appropriate. Specific guidance regarding the AERMET data requirements are provided in the AERMET User’s Guide.

Previous Releases

• 5.1.2 (November 2009)
• 5.1.1 (September 2009)
• 5.1 (September 2008)
• 5.0.2 (June 2007)
• 5.0.1 (March 2007)
• 5.0 (January 2007)
• 4.5 (June 2006)
• 4.4 (November 2005)
• 4.3 (August 2005)
• 4.21 (March 2005)
• 4.2 (September 2004)
• 4.12 (October 2003)
• 4.1GSE (October 2003)
• 4.11 (December 2002)
• 4.1 (October 2002)
• 4.0 (May 2001)
• 3.0 (1997)