EPA Method 22

1168METHOD22-VISUALDETERMINATIONOFFUGITIVEEMISSIONSFROMMATERIALSOURCESANDSMOKEEMISSIONSFROMFLARESNOTE:Thismethodisnotinclusivewithrespecttoobservercertification.SomematerialisincorporatedbyreferencefromMethod9.1.0ScopeandApplication.Thismethodisapplicableforthedeterminationofthefrequencyoffugitiveemissionsfromstationarysources,onlyasspecifiedinanapplicablesubpartoftheregulations.Thismethodalsoisapplicableforthedeterminationofthefrequencyofvisiblesmokeemissionsfromflares.2.0SummaryofMethod.2.1Fugitiveemissionsproducedduringmaterialprocessing,handling,andtransferoperationsorsmokeemissionsfromflaresarevisuallydeterminedbyanobserverwithouttheaidofinstruments.2.2Thismethodisusedalsotodeterminevisiblesmokeemissionsfromflaresusedforcombustionofwasteprocessmaterials.2.3Thismethoddeterminestheamountoftimethatvisibleemissionsoccurduringtheobservationperiod(i.e.,theaccumulatedemissiontime.)Thismethoddoesnotrequirethattheopacityofemissionsbedetermined.Sincethisprocedurerequiresonlythedeterminationofwhether1169visibleemissionsoccuranddoesnotrequirethedeterminationofopacitylevels,observercertificationaccordingtotheproceduresofMethod9isnotrequired.However,itisnecessarythattheobserverisknowledgeablewithrespecttothegeneralproceduresfordeterminingthepresenceofvisibleemissions.Ataminimum,theobservermustbetrainedandknowledgeableregardingtheeffectsofbackgroundcontrast,ambientlighting,observerpositionrelativetolighting,wind,andthepresenceofuncombinedwater(condensingwatervapor)onthevisibilityofemissions.ThistrainingistobeobtainedfromwrittenmaterialsfoundinReferences1and2orfromthelectureportionoftheMethod9certificationcourse.3.0Definitions.3.1Emissionfrequencymeansthepercentageoftimethatemissionsarevisibleduringtheobservationperiod.3.2Emissiontimemeanstheaccumulatedamountoftimethatemissionsarevisibleduringtheobservationperiod.3.3Fugitiveemissionsmeansemissionsgeneratedbyanaffectedfacilitywhichisnotcollectedbyacapturesystemandisreleasedtotheatmosphere.Thisincludesemissionsthat(1)escapecapturebyprocessequipmentexhausthoods;(2)areemittedduringmaterialtransfer;(3)1170areemittedfrombuildingshousingmaterialprocessingorhandlingequipment;or(4)areemitteddirectlyfromprocessequipment.3.4Observationperiodmeanstheaccumulatedtimeperiodduringwhichobservationsareconducted,nottobelessthantheperiodspecifiedintheapplicableregulation.3.5Smokeemissionsmeansapollutantgeneratedbycombustioninaflareandoccurringimmediatelydownstreamoftheflame.Smokeoccurringwithintheflame,butnotdownstreamoftheflame,isnotconsideredasmokeemission.4.0Interferences.4.1Occasionally,fugitiveemissionsfromsourcesotherthantheaffectedfacility(e.g.,roaddust)maypreventaclearviewoftheaffectedfacility.Thismayparticularlybeaproblemduringperiodsofhighwind.Iftheviewofthepotentialemissionpointsisobscuredtosuchadegreethattheobserverquestionsthevalidityofcontinuingobservations,thentheobservationsshallbeterminated,andtheobservershallclearlynotethisfactonthedataform.5.0Safety.5.1Disclaimer.Thismethodmayinvolvehazardousmaterials,operations,andequipment.Thistestmethodmaynotaddressallofthesafetyproblemsassociatedwithits1171use.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthistestmethodtoestablishappropriatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplicabilityofregulatorylimitationspriortoperformingthistestmethod.6.0Equipment.6.1Stopwatches(two).Accumulativetypewithunitdivisionsofatleast0.5seconds.6.2LightMeter.Lightmetercapableofmeasuringilluminanceinthe50to200luxrange,requiredforindoorobservationsonly.7.0ReagentsandSupplies.[Reserved]8.0SampleCollection,Preservation,Storage,andTransfer.[Reserved]9.0QualityControl.[Reserved]10.0CalibrationandStandardization.[Reserved]11.0AnalyticalProcedure.11.1SelectionofObservationLocation.Surveytheaffectedfacility,orthebuildingorstructurehousingtheprocesstobeobserved,anddeterminethelocationsofpotentialemissions.Iftheaffectedfacilityislocatedinsideabuilding,determineanobservationlocationthatisconsistentwiththerequirementsoftheapplicableregulation(i.e.,outsideobservationofemissionsescapingthebuilding/structureorinsideobservationofemissions1172directlyemittedfromtheaffectedfacilityprocessunit).Thenselectapositionthatenablesaclearviewofthepotentialemissionpoint(s)oftheaffectedfacilityorofthebuildingorstructurehousingtheaffectedfacility,asappropriatefortheapplicablesubpart.Apositionatleast4.6m(15feet),butnotmorethan400m(0.25miles),fromtheemissionsourceisrecommended.Foroutdoorlocations,selectapositionwherethesunlightisnotshiningdirectlyintheobserver'seyes.11.2FieldRecords.11.2.1OutdoorLocation.Recordthefollowinginformationonthefielddatasheet(Figure22-1):Companyname,industry,processunit,observer'sname,observer'saffiliation,anddate.Recordalsotheestimatedwindspeed,winddirection,andskycondition.Sketchtheprocessunitbeingobserved,andnotetheobserverlocationrelativetothesourceandthesun.Indicatethepotentialandactualemissionpointsonthesketch.11.2.2IndoorLocation.Recordthefollowinginformationonthefielddatasheet(Figure22-2):Companyname,industry,processunit,observer'sname,observer'saffiliation,