Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. Applicability
1. The provisions of this Subchapter apply to
process vents associated with batch processing operations. This Subchapter
shall apply to the stationary sources that emit, or have the potential to emit,
25 tons per year (TPY) or more of VOC in the affected parishes of Ascension,
East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge, or 50 TPY or
more of VOC in the parishes of Calcasieu and Pointe Coupee. Once an operation
is considered to be covered by this Subchapter, it shall be so considered ad
infinitum. The scope of affected industries is limited to those industries in
the following standard industrial classification (SIC) codes: 2821, 2833, 2834,
2861, 2865, 2869, 2879. Compliance with this rule shall be attained within a
period of two years after promulgation. A facility that has become subject to
this regulation as a result of a revision of the regulation shall comply with
the requirements of this Section as soon as practicable, but in no event later
than one year from the promulgation of the regulation revision. Any emission
source that is subject to this rule and to the Waste Gas Disposal Rule (LAC
33:III.2115) shall comply with this rule only.
2. Exemptions from the provisions of this
Subchapter, except for the reporting and recordkeeping requirements listed in
Subsection G of this Section, are as follows:
a. combined vents from a batch process train
which have a mass annual emission (AE) total as follows:
|
Volatility Range
|
Lower Limit of AE (1b/yr)
|
|
Low
|
26,014
|
|
Moderate
|
15,935
|
|
High
|
23,154
|
b.
single unit operations that have mass AE of 500 lb/yr or less;
c. any batch process vent stream for which an
existing combustion device or recovery device is employed to control VOC
emissions is assumed to meet the 90 percent reduction requirement until the
combustion device or recovery device is replaced for any reason. Such units
shall be exempt from any monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements
under this Subchapter.
B. Definitions. Unless specifically defined
in LAC 33:III.111, the terms in this Subchapter shall have the meanings
commonly used in the field of air pollution control. Additionally, the
following meanings apply, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
Aggregated- the summation of all process
vents containing VOCs within a process.
Annual Mass Emissions Total- the sum of
all VOC emissions (lb/yr), evaluated before control, from a vent. Annual mass
emissions may be calculated from an individual process vent or groups of
process vents by using emission estimation equations contained in Chapter 3 of
the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Batch Control
Technology Guide (CTG), EPA-433/19-93-017 (November 1993) and then multiplying
by the expected duration and frequency of the emission or groups of emissions
over the course of a year. For processes that have been permitted, the annual
mass emissions total should be based on the permitted levels, whether they
correspond to the maximum design production potential or to the actual annual
production estimate.
Average Flow Rate- the flow rate in
standard cubic feet per minute averaged over the amount of time that VOCs are
emitted during an emission event. For the evaluation of average flow rate from
an aggregate of sources, the average flow rate is the weighted average of the
average flow rates of the emission events and their annual venting time,
or:
Click Here To View
Image
Batch- a discontinuous process involving
the bulk movement of material through sequential manufacturing steps. Mass,
temperature, concentration, and other properties of a system vary with time.
Batch processes are typically characterized as
non-steady-state.
Batch Cycle- a manufacturing event of an
intermediate or product from start to finish in a batch process.
Batch Process (for the purpose of
determining RACT applicability)-the batch equipment assembled and connected by
pipes, or otherwise operated in a sequence of steps, to manufacture a product
in a batch fashion.
Batch Process Train- an equipment train
that is used to produce a product or intermediate in batch fashion. A typical
equipment train consists of equipment used for the synthesis, mixing, and
purification of a material.
Control Devices- air pollution abatement
devices, not devices such as condensers operating under reflux conditions,
which are required for processing.
Emissions before Control- the emissions
total prior to the application of a control device, or if no control device is
used, the emissions total. No credit for discharge of VOCs into wastewater
should be considered when the wastewater is further handled or processed with
the potential for VOCs to be emitted to the atmosphere.
Emission Events- discrete venting
episodes that may be associated with a single unit of operation. For example, a
displacement of vapor resulting from the charging of a vessel with VOC will
result in a discrete emission event that will last through the duration of the
charge and will have an average flow rate equal to the rate of the charge. If
the vessel is then heated, there will be another discrete emission event
resulting from the expulsion of expanded vessel vapor space. Both emission
events may occur in the same vessel or unit operation.
Primary Fuel- the fuel that provides the
principal heat input to a device. To be considered primary, the fuel must be
able to sustain operation without the addition of other fuels.
Process Vent- a gas stream containing
greater than 500 ppm(v) total VOC that is discharged from a batch process.
Process vents include gas streams that are discharged directly to the
atmosphere or are discharged to the atmosphere after diversion through a
recovery device. Process vents exclude relief valve discharges, leaks from
equipment, vents from storage vessels, vents from transfer/loading operations,
and vents from wastewater. Process gaseous streams that are used as primary
fuels are also excluded. The lines that transfer such fuels to a plant fuel gas
system are not considered to be vents.
Semi-Continuous- conduction of operations
on a steady- state mode but only for finite durations (in excess of eight hours
minimum) during the course of a year. For example, a steady-state distillation
operation that functions for one month would be considered
semi-continuous.
Unit Operations- those discrete
processing steps that occur within distinct equipment that are used to prepare
reactants, facilitate reactions, separate and purify products, and recycle
materials.
Vent- a point of emission from a unit
operation. Typical process vents from batch processes include condenser vents,
vacuum pumps, steam ejectors, and atmospheric vents from reactors and other
process vessels. Vents also include relief valve discharges. Equipment exhaust
systems that discharge from unit operations also would be considered process
vents.
Volatility- low volatility materials are
defined as those which have a vapor pressure less than or equal to 75 mm Hg at
20 ° C, moderate volatility materials have a vapor pressure greater than 75 and
less than or equal to 150 mm Hg at 20 ° C, and high volatility materials have a
vapor pressure greater than 150 mm Hg at 20 ° C. To evaluate VOC volatility for
single unit operations that service numerous VOCs or for processes handling
multiple VOCs, the weighted average volatility can be calculated from the total
amount of each VOC emitted in a year and the individual component vapor
pressure, as shown in the following equation.
Click Here To View
Image
C. Control
Requirements
1. The VOC mass emission rate
from individual process vents or for process vent streams in aggregate within a
batch process shall be reduced by 90 percent if the actual average flow rate
value (in the units of scfm) is below the value of FR calculated using the
applicable RACT equation for the volatility range (low, moderate or high) of
the material being emitted when the annual mass emission total, in the units of
pounds per year, are input. The RACT equations, specific to volatility, are as
follows.
|
FR = 0.07 (AE) - 1821
|
(Low Volatility)
|
|
FR = 0.031 (AE) - 494
|
(Moderate Volatility)
|
|
FR = 0.013 (AE) - 301
|
(High Volatility)
|
2.
For aggregate streams within a process, the control requirements must be
evaluated with the successive ranking scheme described below until control of a
segment of unit operations is required or until all unit operations have been
eliminated from the process pool.
a. If, for
the process vent streams in aggregate, the value of FR calculated using the
applicable RACT equation is negative (i.e., less than zero), then the process
is exempt from the control requirements and there is no need to proceed with
the successive ranking scheme described in Subparagraph C.2.f of this Section.
This would occur if the mass annual emission rates are below the lower limits
specified in Subparagraph A.2.a of this Section.
b. If, for the process vent streams in
aggregate, the actual average flow rate value (in the units of scfm) is below
the value of FR calculated using the applicable RACT equation, then the overall
emissions from the batch process must be reduced by 90 percent and there is no
need to proceed with the successive ranking scheme described in Subparagraph
C.2.f of this Section. The owner or operator has the option of selecting which
unit operations are to be controlled and to what levels so long as the overall
control meets the specified level of 90 percent. Single units that are below
the exemption level specified in Subparagraph A.2.b of this Section would not
have to be controlled even if all units should qualify for the
exemption.
c. If, for the process
vent streams in aggregate, the actual average flow rate value (in the units of
scfm) is greater than the value of FR calculated using the applicable RACT
equation (and the calculated value of FR is a positive number), then the
control requirements must be evaluated with the successive ranking scheme
described in Subparagraph C.2.f of this Section until control of a segment of
unit operations is required or until all unit operations have been eliminated
from the process pool. Single units that are below the exemption level
specified in Subparagraph A.2.b of this Section would not have to be included
in the rankings and would not have to be controlled even if all units should
qualify for the exemption.
d.
Sources that will be required to be controlled to the level specified by the
RACT (90 percent) will have an average flow rate that is below the flow rate
specified by the RACT equation (when the source's annual emission total is
input). The applicability criterion is implemented on a two-tier basis. First,
single pieces of batch equipment corresponding to distinct unit operations
shall be evaluated over the course of an entire year, regardless of what
materials are handled or what products are manufactured in them. Second,
equipment shall be evaluated as an aggregate if it can be linked together based
on the definition of a process.
e.
To determine applicability of a RACT option in the aggregation scenario, all
the VOC emissions from a single process shall be summed to obtain the annual
mass emission total, and the weighted average flow rates from each process vent
in the aggregation shall be used as the average flow rate.
f. All unit operations in the batch process,
as defined for the purpose of determining RACT applicability, shall be ranked
in ascending order according to their ratio of annual emission (lb/yr) divided
by average flow rate (in scfm). Sources with the smallest ratios shall be
listed first. This list of sources constitutes the "pool" of sources within a
batch process. The annual emission total and average flow rate of the pool of
sources shall then be compared against the RACT equations to determine whether
control of the pool is required. If control is not required after the initial
ranking, unit operations having the lowest annual emissions/average flow rates
ratios shall then be eliminated one by one, and the characteristics of annual
emission and average flow rate for the remaining pool of equipment will have to
be evaluated with each successive elimination of a source from the pool.
Control of the unit operations remaining in the pool to the specified level
shall be required once the aggregated characteristics of annual emissions and
average flow rates have met the specified RACT. The owner or operator has the
option of selecting which unit operations are to be controlled and to what
levels so long as the overall control meets the specified level of 90
percent.
D.
Measuring Emissions and Flow Rate
1.
Determination of Uncontrolled Annual Emission Total. Determination of the
annual mass emissions total may be achieved by engineering estimates of the
uncontrolled emissions from a process vent or group of process vents within a
batch process train and multiplying by the potential or permitted number of
batch cycles per year. Engineering estimates should follow the guidance
provided in the EPA Batch CTG. Alternatively, if an emissions measurement is to
be used to measure vent emissions, the measurement must conform with the
requirements of measuring incoming mass flow rate of VOCs as described in
Subparagraph E.2.b and Clauses E.2.c.ii and iii of this Section.
2. Determination of Average Flow Rate. To
obtain a value for average flow rate, the owners or operators may elect to
measure the flow rates or to estimate the flow rates using suitable estimation
methods (e.g., EPA document EPA-453/R4-93-017, November 1993). For existing
manifolds, the average flow rate is often the flow that was assumed in the
design.
E. Performance
Testing
1. For the purpose of demonstrating
compliance with the control requirements of this Subchapter, the process unit
shall be run at full operating conditions and flow rates during any performance
test.
2. The following methods in
LAC 33:III.Chapter 60, shall be used to comply with the percent reduction
efficiency requirement listed in Subsection C of this Section.
a. Method 1 or Method 1A in 40 CFR Part 60,
Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003, as appropriate,
shall be used for selection of the sampling sites if the flow rate measuring
device is a rotameter. No traverse is necessary when the flow measuring device
is an ultrasonic probe. The control device inlet sampling sites for
determination of vent stream VOC composition reduction efficiency shall be
prior to the control device and after the control device.
b. Method 2, Method 2A, Method 2C, or Method
2D in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC
33:III.3003, as appropriate, shall be used for determination of gas stream
volumetric flow rate. Flow rate measurements should be made
continuously.
c. Method 25A or
Method 18 in 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC
33:III.3003, if applicable, shall be used to determine the concentration of VOC
in the control device inlet and outlet.
i.
The sampling time for each run will be the entire length of the batch cycle in
which readings will be taken continuously if Method 25A ( 40 CFR Part 60,
Appendix A, as incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003) is used or as
often as is possible using Method 18 ( 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A, as
incorporated by reference at LAC 33:III.3003), with a maximum of one-minute
intervals between measurements throughout the batch cycle.
ii. The emission rate of the process vent or
inlet to the control device shall be determined by combining continuous
concentration and flow rate measurements at simultaneous points throughout the
batch cycle.
iii. The mass flow
rate of the control device outlet shall be obtained by combining continuous
concentration and flow rate measurements at simultaneous points throughout the
batch cycle.
iv. The efficiency of
the control device shall be determined by integrating the mass flow rates
obtained in Clauses E.2.c.ii and iii of this Section over the time of the batch
cycle and dividing the difference in inlet and outlet mass flow totals by the
inlet mass flow total.
F. Monitoring Requirements
1. The owner or operator of an affected
facility that uses an incinerator to seek to comply with the VOC emission limit
specified under Subsection C of this Section shall install, calibrate,
maintain, and operate according to manufacturer's specifications a temperature
monitoring device equipped with a continuous recorder and having an accuracy of
+-0.5°C, or alternately +-1 percent, as follows.
a. Where an incinerator other than a
catalytic incinerator is used, a temperature monitoring device shall be
installed in the firebox or in the ductwork immediately downstream of the
firebox before any substantial heat exchange is encountered.
b. Where a catalytic incinerator is used,
temperature monitoring devices shall be installed in the gas stream immediately
before and after the catalyst bed.
2. The owner or operator of an affected
facility that uses a flare to seek to comply with Subsection C of this Section
shall install, calibrate, maintain, and operate according to manufacturer's
specifications a heat sensing device, such as an ultra-violet beam sensor or
thermocouple, at the pilot light to indicate continuous presence of a
flame.
3. The owner or operator of
an affected facility that uses an absorber to comply with Subsection C of this
Section shall install, calibrate, maintain, and operate according to
manufacturer's specifications the following equipment:
a. a scrubbing liquid temperature monitoring
device having an accuracy of +-1 percent of the temperature being monitored
expressed in degrees Celsius or +-0.02 of a specific gravity unit, each
equipped with a continuous recorder; or
b. an organic monitoring device used to
indicate the concentration level of organic compounds exiting the recovery
device based on a detection principle such as infrared photoionization or
thermal conductivity, each equipped with a continuous recorder.
4. The owner or operator of an
affected facility that uses a condenser or refrigeration system to comply with
Subsection C of this Section shall install, calibrate, maintain, and operate
according to manufacturer's specifications the following equipment:
a. a condenser exit temperature monitoring
device equipped with a continuous recorder and having an accuracy of +- 1
percent of the temperature being monitored expressed in degrees Celsius or
+-0.5°C, whichever is greater; or
b. an organic monitoring device used to
indicate the concentration level of organic compounds exiting the recovery
device based on a detection principle such as infrared photoionization or
thermal conductivity, each equipped with a continuous recorder.
5. The owner or operator of an
affected facility that uses a carbon adsorber to comply with Subsection C of
this Section shall install, calibrate, maintain, and operate according to
manufacturers specifications the following equipment:
a. an integrating steam flow monitoring
device having an accuracy of +-10 percent and a carbon bed temperature
monitoring device having an accuracy of +-1 percent of the temperature being
monitored expressed in degrees Celsius or +-0.5°C, whichever is greater, both
equipped with a continuous recorder; or
b. an organic monitoring device used to
indicate the concentration level of organic compounds exiting the recovery
device based on a detection principle such as infrared photoionization or
thermal conductivity, each equipped with a continuous recorder;
c. where a pressure swing adsorption (PSA)
unit is the final recovery device in the recovery system the temperature of the
bed near the inlet and near the outlet shall be continuously recorded. The
temperature monitoring devices shall have an accuracy of +-1 percent of the
temperature being measured or +-0.5°C. Proper operation shall be evidenced by a
uniform pattern of temperature increases and decreases near the inlet and a
fairly constant temperature near the outlet.
G. Reporting/Recordkeeping Requirements
1. Each batch processing operation subject to
this Subchapter shall keep records for a minimum of two years of the following
emission stream parameters for each process vent contained in the batch
process:
a. the annual mass emission total and
documentation verifying these values; if emission estimation equations are
used, the documentation shall be the calculations coupled with the expected or
permitted (if available) number of emission events per year. If the annual mass
emission total is obtained from measurement in accordance with Subsection E of
this Section, this data should be available;
b. the average flow rate in standard cubic
feet per minute (scfm) and documentation verifying these values.
2. Each batch processing operation
subject to this Subchapter shall keep records of the following parameters
required to be measured during a performance test required under Subsection E
of this Section and required to be monitored under Subsection F of this
Section:
a. where an owner or operator
subject to the provisions of this Section seeks to demonstrate compliance with
Subsection C of this Section through use of either a thermal or catalytic
incinerator, the average firebox temperature of the incinerator (or the average
temperature upstream and downstream of the catalyst bed for a catalytic
incinerator), measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as
the performance testing;
b. where
an owner or operator subject to the provisions of this Section seeks to
demonstrate compliance with Subsection C of this Section through use of a
smokeless flare, flare design, (i.e., steam-assisted, air-assisted or
nonassisted), all visible emission readings, heat content determinations, flow
rate measurements, and exit velocity determinations made during the performance
test; continuous flare pilot flame monitoring; and all periods of operations
during which the pilot flame is absent;
c. where an owner or operator subject to the
provisions of this Section seeks to demonstrate compliance with Subsection C of
this Section:
i. where an absorber is the
final control device, the exit specific gravity (or alternative parameter which
is a measure of the degree of absorbing liquid saturation, if approved by the
administrative authority*) and average exit temperature of the absorbing liquid
measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance
testing (both measured while the vent stream is routed normally); or
ii. where a condenser is the control device,
the average exit (product side) temperature measured continuously and averaged
over the same time period as the performance testing while the vent stream is
routed normally; or
iii. where a
carbon adsorber is the control device, the total steam mass flow measured
continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test
(full carbon bed cycle), temperature of the carbon bed after regeneration (and
within 15 minutes of completion of any cooling cycle(s), and duration of the
carbon bed steaming cycle (all measured while the vent stream is routed
normally); or
iv. the concentration
level or reading indicated by an organic monitoring device at the outlet of the
absorber, condenser, or carbon adsorber, measured continuously and averaged
over the same time period as the performance testing while the vent stream is
routed normally; or
v. where a
pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit is the final recovery device in the
recovery system the temperature of the bed near the inlet and near the outlet
shall be continuously monitored and recorded. The temperature monitoring
devices shall have an accuracy of +-1 percent of the temperature being measured
or +-0.5°C. Proper operation shall be evidenced by a uniform pattern of
temperature increases and decreases near the inlet and a fairly constant
temperature near the outlet.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
30:2054.
