15A NCAC 02D .2609. PARTICULATE TESTING METHODS

(a)  With the exception allowed under Paragraph (b) of this Rule, Method 5 of Appendix A of 40 CFR Part 60 and Method 202 of Appendix M of 40 CFR Part 51 shall be used to demonstrate compliance with particulate emission standards. The owner or operator may request an exemption from using Method 202 and the Director shall approve the exemption if the Director determines that the demonstration compliance with an applicable emission standard is unlikely to change with or without the Method 202 results included.

(b)  Method 17 of Appendix A of 40 CFR Part 60 may be used instead of Method 5 if:

(1)           The stack gas temperature does not exceed 320º F,

(2)           Particulate matter concentrations are known to be independent of temperature over the normal range of temperatures characteristic of emissions from a specified source category, and

(3)           The stack does not contain liquid droplets or is not saturated with water vapor.

(c)  Particulate testing on steam generators that use soot blowing as a routine means for cleaning heat transfer surfaces shall be conducted so that the contribution of the soot blowing is represented as follows:

(1)           If the soot blowing periods are expected to represent less than 50 percent of the total particulate emissions, only one of the test runs shall include a soot blowing cycle.

(2)           If the soot blowing periods are expected to represent more than 50 percent of the total particulate emissions then two of the test runs shall each include a soot blowing cycle.  Under no circumstances shall all three test runs include soot blowing. The average emission rate of particulate matter is calculated by the equation:

E_AVG = S(E_S){(A+B)/AR} + E_N{((R-S)/R) - (BS/AR)}

where:

(A)          EAVG equals the average emission rate in pounds per million Btu for daily operating time. 

(B)          ES equals the average emission rate in pounds per million Btu of sample(s) containing soot blowing.

(C)          EN equals the average emission rate in pounds per million Btu of sample(s) with no soot blowing.

(D)          A equals hours of soot blowing during sample(s).

(E)           B equals hours without soot blowing during sample(s) containing soot blowing.

(F)           R equals average hours of operation per 24 hours.

(G)          S equals average hours of soot blowing per 24 hours.

The Director may approve an alternate method of prorating the emission rate during soot blowing if the owner or operator of the source demonstrates that changes in boiler load or stack flow occur during soot blowing that are not representative of normal soot blowing operations. 

(d)  Unless otherwise specified by an applicable rule or federal subpart, the minimum time per test point for particulate testing shall be two minutes, and the minimum time per test run shall be one hour.

(e)  Unless otherwise specified by an applicable rule or federal subpart, the sample gas drawn during each test run shall be at least 30 cubic feet. 

(f)  Method 201 or Method 201A in combination with Method 202 of Appendix M of 40 CFR Part 51 shall be used to determine compliance with PM10 emission standards. If the exhaust gas contains entrained moisture droplets, Method 5 of Appendix A of 40 CFR Part 60 in combination with Method 202 of Appendix M of 40 CFR Part 51 shall be used to determine PM10 emission compliance.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143-215.3(a)(1); 143-215.65; 143-215.66; 143-215.107(a)(5);

Eff. June 1, 2008.