Visible Emissions Evaluation Certification Training

Also Known As

Smoke School

BEFORE WE GET STARTED

DID YOU SIGN IN?

MEN WOMEN

RESTROOMS

LUNCH TIME

PLEASE DON’T TALK ON CELL PHONES DURING LECTURES

NO SMOKING

Lecture Objectives We want you to understand the following: - What visible emissions are - How they are caused - External factors that may influence them - How Visible Emissions can be controlled - The Georgia VE Regulations - How to properly evaluate VE

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

1881 City Air Pollution Laws

Chicago & Cincinnati

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

1. 1890 - Ohio regulated smoke emissions from steam boilers.

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

Ringlemann Number (1897)

A system where shades of gray can be reproduced by using a grid of black lines on a white background.

Used to determine boiler efficiency.

RINGLEMANN CHARTS

20% to 80%

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

OPACITY

THE AMOUNT, EXPRESSED IN PERCENT, THAT EMISSIONS REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF LIGHT AND OBSCURE THE BACKGROUND.

(5% increments)

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

Equivalent Opacity = (20 x Ringlemann No.)

- The opacity that is equivalent to the obscuring power of the black smoke characterized by a Ringlemann Number.

Due to the promulgation of 40 CFR 60 Method 9 in 1974, the State of Georgia no longer uses the Ringlemann System.

REGULATORY BACKGROUND

40 CFR 60, APPENDIX A

METHOD 9 - Promulgated 1974

- Visual determination of the emissions from stationary sources.

- Provides procedures for training, certification of observations and determination of plume opacity.

QUESTIONS

What are Visible Emissions

?

Questions

How are Visible Emissions Caused

?

PARTICLES

VARIOUS POLLUTION SOURCES

Combustion sources: smoke, soot, fly ash

Non-combustion sources: dust, fumes, mists, vapors, gases

Industrial Process Losses

-Chemical Processing -Mineral Processing -Petroleum Refining

-Solvent Evaporation

PARTICLES AND OPACITY

IF THE NUMBER OF PARTICLES IN A CERTAIN VOLUME OF AIR IS INCREASED, MORE LIGHT WILL BE BLOCKED.

External Factors That May Influence

Visible Emissions

How Can Visible Emissions

Be Controlled

?

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

LOW ENERGY SYSTEMS: (do not collect small particles as efficiently)

-SETTLING CHAMBER -CYCLONE HIGH ENERGY SYSTEMS: (do collect

small particles efficiently) -BAGHOUSE -WET SCRUBBER -ESP

LARGE PARTICLES FALL INTO HOPPER

50 MICRONSOR LESS

EXPANDED AREA TO SLOWDOWN GAS FLOW

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

SETTLING CHAMBER

CYCLONES centrifugal force

High efficiency -Collect particles down to 4 microns; requires high pressure at inlet. -< 3ft. in diameter. Low efficiency -Cannot collect smaller particles; -larger / less pressure

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

Baghouse - pressure, filter, 99%+

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

BAGHOUSE TIDBITS Different types of bags for different

types of exhaust. Uses particulate build-up on the

bags to clean more effectively. (pores smaller)

Sometimes use pulsed air to clean the bags. (hoppers)

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

WET SCRUBBER

Uses water to contact the particles and carry them out of the exhaust. No hoppers.

Can be very efficient.

Water needs to be cleaned and /or dried up. Settling pond.

WET SCRUBBER

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR

Very effective Moderate operating cost High installation cost Complex: may require original

contractor to repair

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

ESP OPERATION Charges particles

Attracts the charged particles to plates

Raps the plate to drop particles into the hopper

ESP

CONTROL EQUIPMENT

Questions

Some Meteorological Variables Which Influence Plume Transport, Dispersion & Opacity.

-WIND-WIND

-STABILITY-STABILITY

-PRECIPITATION -PRECIPITATION

-FRONTS-FRONTS

WIND SPEEDWIND SPEED

Affects plume dispersion. Affects plume dispersion.

High Winds = High Winds = Greater dispersion.Greater dispersion.

Low Winds = Low Winds = Less dispersion.Less dispersion.

Also affects plume rise.Also affects plume rise.

WIND DIRECTIONWIND DIRECTION

Determines the area over which Determines the area over which pollutants will move in relation to pollutants will move in relation to the source.the source.

STABILITYSTABILITY

Ability of the atmosphere to Ability of the atmosphere to

disperse pollutants.disperse pollutants.

Dominating factor in Dominating factor in

determining plume rise and determining plume rise and

dispersion.dispersion.

STABILITYSTABILITY

STABLE Atmosphere - STABLE Atmosphere -

Little vertical mixing.Little vertical mixing.

UNSTABLE Atmosphere - UNSTABLE Atmosphere -

Greater vertical mixing.Greater vertical mixing.

Cloud CoverCloud Cover

Determines the intensity of Determines the intensity of sunlight.sunlight.

Clear Sky - Unstable lower Clear Sky - Unstable lower atmosphere from surface heating.atmosphere from surface heating.

Cloudy Sky - Stable lower Cloudy Sky - Stable lower atmosphere.atmosphere.

Change of Temperature in the VerticalChange of Temperature in the Vertical

NORMAL Atmosphere - NORMAL Atmosphere -

Temperature decreases with Temperature decreases with

height.height.

INVERSION - Temperature INVERSION - Temperature

increases with height.increases with height.

INVERSIONINVERSION

Layer of air in which temperature Layer of air in which temperature

increases with height.increases with height.

Top of the layer acts like a cap to Top of the layer acts like a cap to

limit vertical dispersion.limit vertical dispersion.

Pollution often becomes trapped Pollution often becomes trapped

beneath the inversion cap.beneath the inversion cap.

Removes Removes pollutants from pollutants from the atmospherethe atmosphere

Natures Wet Natures Wet ScrubberScrubber

PRECIPITATIONPRECIPITATION

FRONTSFRONTS

Affect windsAffect winds

Affect temperaturesAffect temperatures

Affect stabilityAffect stability

Can help cause precipitationCan help cause precipitation

Questions

Advantages and Disadvantages of the

Opacity Method

SOME ADVANTAGES OF VISIBLE EMISSIONS EVALUATION

VALIDITY ESTABLISHED IN COURT. CAN QUALIFY WITH A SHORT PERIOD

OF TRAINING -TECHNICAL BACKGROUND.

SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT NOT REQUIRED.

EVALUATION NOT TIME CONSUMING. OFFERS METHODS OF SELF

MONITORING.

SOME DISADVANTAGES OF VISIBLE EMISSIONS EVALUATION

OPTIMUM POSITIONING NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE- THE GREATER THE DEVIATION FROM PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS THE LESS RELIABLE THE EVALUATION.

ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS - HIGH WINDS, RAIN, HAZE, - MAY INHIBIT RELIABLITY OR MAKE READINGS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TIME.

NO UNIVERSAL CORRELATION BETWEEN OPACITY AND MASS EMISSIONS.

VE’S NOT READILY PERFORMED AT NIGHT.

Observer Position for Reading

Visible Emissions

PRESCRIBED CONDITIONSI.POSITION:

The observer shall be positioned with the sun in the 140° sector to his or her back.

The observer shall be positioned with the wind blowing the plume at approximately right angles to his or her line of sight if possible.

The observer shall be positioned so that the longer axis of a rectangular outlet is at approximately a right angle to his or her line of sight.

The observer shall be positioned from a point not less than three stack heights nor more than a quarter mile from the base of the stack.

PRESCRIBED CONDITIONS (continued)

II: OBSERVATION: The observer’s line of sight shall not

include more than one plume, when multiple stacks are visible.

The observer should view the plume at the point of greatest opacity, usually about one diameter above the stack exit.

The observer shall not stare at the plume continually, but view the plume only at the prescribed 15 second interval.

The observer shall view the plume against a background that contrasts with the color of the plume.

Point towards the Stack

140º Angle

sun

140

°

KEEP THE SUN AT YOUR BACK EVEN ON OVERCAST DAYS

Observer positioned with the longer axis of rectangular outlets at approximately right angles to the observer’s line of view.

The observers line of sight is perpendicular to the long axis of a rectangular outlet.

The observer is positioned froma point not less than THREE ( 3 ) stackheights and not more than 1/4 milefrom the source.

OBSERVER POSITION

3H2H1H

202020

21.022.428.2

ACTUALOPACITY

OBSERVED OPACITY

H STACK

45° 27° 18°

1H 2H 3H

OBSERVER’S LINE OF VIEW SHOULD NOT INCLUDE MORE THAN ONE STACK WHEN MULTIPLE STACKS ARE INCLUDED.

Condensed Water Vapor Plumes

CAUSES OF WET PLUMES

WATER PRODUCED BY FUEL COMBUSTION.

MOISTURE FROM DRYERS. WATER INTRODUCED BY WET

SCRUBBER. WATER INTRODUCED TO

CONTROL HEAT. WATER INTRODUCED TO

CONDITION GAS FLOW

SON, THAT’S JUST STEAM

AREA OF STEAM CONDENSATION

READHERE

AREA OF STEAM CONDENSATION

READHERE

READ HERE (PREFERRED)

The Smoke Generator and

How it Works

SMOKE GENERATOR TRAILER COMPONENTS

PROPANE TANK

STORAGE

WHITE SMOKE

VAPORIZATION CHAMBER

VENT

SMOKE GENERATOR TRAILER COMPONENTS

SMOKE GENERATOR TRAILER COMPONENTS

BLACK SMOKE COMBUSTION

CHAMBER

PLUME PRODUCTION

PROPANE

PLUME PRODUCTION

WHITE SMOKE

PLUME PRODUCTION

BLACK SMOKE

SMOKE PRODUCTION PLUME PRODUCTION

Reflection, Refraction or Absorption

PLUME MEASUREMENT AND CALIBRATION

TRANSMISSOMETER

PHOTOCELL LIGHT SOURCE

PLUME MEASUREMENT AND CALIBRATION

Field Procedures and

Documentation

METHOD 9 METHOD 9 INCLUDES: PROCEDURES FOR TRAINING

AND CERTIFICATION OF OBSERVERS.

PROCEDURES TO BE USED IN THE FIELD FOR DETERMINATION OF PLUME OPACITY.

THE APPEARANCE OF A PLUME DEPENDS UPON

A NUMBER OFVARIABLES WHICH MAYBE CONTROLLABLE IN

THE FIELD

OPACITY OBSERVATIONS SHALL BE MADE AT THE POINT OF GREATEST OPACITY.

OBSERVER SHOULD NOT STARE AT THE PLUME CONTINUALLY, BUT VIEWS THE PLUME ONLY AT THE PRESCRIBED 15 SECOND INTERVAL.

THE OBSERVER SHOULD VIEW THE PLUME AGAINST A BACKGROUND THAT CONTRAST WITH THE COLOR OF THE PLUME.

A BLACK PLUME SHOULD BE READ AGAINST A LIGHT BACKGROUND

A WHITE PLUME SHOULD BE READ AGAINST A DARK TEXURED BACKGROUND

PICK UP TEST SHEET POSITION YOURSELF (SUN AT BACK)

FILL OUT TOP PORTION OF FORM LOOK AT THE STANDARDS

FIELD QUALIFYING PROCEDURES

FIELD QUALIFYING PROCEDURES

•OBSERVE DEMONSTRATION OF STANDARDS

•PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE PLUME TESTS

•TESTING FOR BLACK AND WHITE SMOKE

•MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND GRADING PROCEDURES

•RETEST, IF NECESSARY

Don’t Look From Side To Side For information !!!

FIELD QUALIFYING PROCEDURES

TESTINGA trainee must assign opacity valuesto 25 black plumes and 25 white Plumes on one continuous form.

FIELD CERTIFICATION AND FORMS

Common Errors1. STARING AT THE PLUME 2. READING THE PLUME AT THE WRONG TIME

CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TEST HAS:

Only One Circled answer on every line

Neatly marked changes

Signed

Then turn in the white original portion

Did You PASS ?

If the answers to the following questions are all yes,turn in the yellow copy.

• Were all answers within 15% opacity i.e., errors of 3 increments or less (+ or -)• Was the total error less than 38 for black smoke?

• Was the total error less than 38 for white smoke?

You must re-test if:

• There is an error of 4 increments or Greater anywhere on the Field Test Form

•The total error on either of the sets is

more than 37

QUESTIONS

THE END