Measurement of capture and destruction efficiencies of VOC sources
- Hayden Environmental Group, Inc., Dayton, OH (United States)
Minimum VOC capture efficiencies (CE) of sources which employ a control technology are normally incorporated into permits. BAT determinations also include a specified Destruction Efficiency (DE). Until recently, the only USEPA approved method for CE compliance efficiency was a Temporary Total Enclosure (TTE) or a Permanent Total Enclosure (PTE) that would capture 100 percent of the VOC. Both enclosures were very expensive to construct. Two alternatives were developed by the USEPA, the Data Quality Objective (DQO) and the Lower Confidence Limit (LCL). Both methods employ liquid/gas balances to determine CE and DE using Method 204F to determine liquid VOC input and Method 204B to determine CE. The purpose of this paper is to present actual field data collected on a VOC source where CE and DE were written into the permit. The local agency specified that Method 204 be used to demonstrate compliance and DQO be used to evaluate the data. The source was an oven used to cure VOC primer and backer coats of aluminum sheets used to make aluminum siding. Methods 25 and 25A were used to measure VOC concentrations at the inlet and the outlet of the fume incinerator. Testing data from a second source is included. Our suggestion to owners of sources that require collection efficiency testing is to construct permanent or temporary enclosures. After numerous tests, we have concluded, it is nearly impossible to follow the US EPA guidance on conducting CE tests. Unless the process, analytical and airflow measurements are very precise and accurate, many tests will be required before the statistics will fall within acceptable limits, if at all.
- OSTI ID:
- 617811
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9704195--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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