Tip of the Week
Click HERE for Adobe version of this Tip
How Long, How Much and How Hot?
True or
False? Method 5 specifies that a
particulate test must be done for at least 60 minutes, must collect 30 dscf and
must have the filter heated to 248±25°F.
Well, not
exactly.
Method 5
says nothing about how long a test should be, except that it should equal or
exceed the minimum time specified in the regulations, and be long enough to
collect the minimum sample volume, also specified in the regulations. As for the filter temperature, it says that
the temperature around the filter holder must be kept at 248±25°F, or some
other temperature…once again, as specified in the regulations. It goes on to say that you can operate at any
temperature lower than that specified (the theory here is that lower
temperatures could only bias the results higher, which is OK from the EPA’s
point of view).
So what are
these other regulations that contain all of this crucial information about how
to run the test? One source is the New
Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which comprise over half of the bulk of
your Part 60 CFR. These are the
“subparts”, as they are generally called, and are specific for each different
type of industry. Click HERE for an on-line version of the NSPS.
Usually,
each subpart contains a section called “Test Methods and Procedures”, which
will provide the required method and pertinent testing specifications for any
pollutant that is limited by the regulation.
Click HERE for a
handy summary of information pertaining to particulate testing at most major
industry classifications regulated under Part 60.
Other
potential regulations that influence the way the test is performed include the
National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS), as well as
specific state or local regulations.
Normally, the facility’s operating permit will specify the applicable
regulations that it must follow.