Putting in power generation? A boiler, Thermo Oxidizer, gas turbine or process that is fired? Are you burning, gas, oil, coal, wood, biomass or maybe a combination of fuels?
The last thing some companies think of when putting in these projects is purchasing their Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMs). After all, you have 6 months to install it after going commercial. Or do you?
The air permit
Let’s start with your air permit since it will spell out the details. Air permits vary from state to state, and from installation to installation. Each air permit is specific for that specific process. The process will be given a number, and perhaps the smoke stack associated with the process also will be given a number. You must use this number when communicating with your state agency about this process.
The air permit will spell out what parameters you will have to monitor and if you need to monitor them continuously with a CEMS.
Most gas-fired units will require that NOX be monitored, and this will require a diluent
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The reporting standard also might affect the amount of monitoring required. Some air permits require reporting in an O2 corrected standard. This requires the measurement of the target gas, such as NOX and SO2 and the diluent O2. They might also require monitoring in pounds per million BTU. This is obtained through a formula supplied by the EPA in 40 cfr part 60. All that is needed for this formula is the type of fuel being burned and the measured parameters, such as NOX and SO2 plus O2.
If pounds per hour/day/month/quarter/year is required, a flow measurement needs to be included in your monitoring package. If the fuel being fired can be measured accurately, such as gas or oil, a fuel flowmeter might be all that is required. Pounds per million BTU times million BTU’s per hour equals pounds per hour (#/m BTU x m BTU/hr = #/hr). If the fuel cannot be monitored accurately by a fuel flowmeter, the air permit requires that a flow monitor be installed at or near where the gases are monitored. When installing a stack gas flow monitor, note that this is a wet measurement.
Correction for moisture must be made. The usual means of doing this is a wet/dry O2 measurement. This requires the addition of a wet O2 monitor to your CEMS package. The wet correction is not included in your permit, it is included by reference.
Everything is all spelled out in your air permit. However, some requirements are going to be included by reference, such as wet O2 monitoring. Part 60 requirements are a lot different than part 75 requirements, for instance. Per 40 cfr part 60 appendix F is another important reference.
The bidding process
When you ask for bids, it’s best to keep it simple. Do not rely on that old specification someone pasted together years ago. Technology has changed, reporting requirements have changed and your specific requirements are different than an older, generalized specification.
When asking for a bid, describe your process, the parameter you need to monitor and supply a copy of your air permit. Be sure you are getting a complete system, including the sampling system, which has the probe, umbilical, sample conditioning, analyzers and any environmental enclosures that might be required. The data acquisition and handling system with software to produce the required reports, complete with printer and storage, also should be included. Installation supervision, and start up and commissioning, also should be part of every bid. Recommended spare parts, quarterly audits and guaranteed Relative Accuracy Test Audits (RATA’s) also should be considered for the first year.
