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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 115CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SUBCHAPTER HHIGHLY-REACTIVE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
DIVISION 2COOLING TOWER HEAT EXCHANGE SYSTEMS
RULE §115.764Monitoring and Testing Requirements

    (A) install a flow monitor or monitors, meeting the requirements of subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) of this section at a point that represents the flow of cooling water from only the HRVOC-containing process units; and

    (B) monitor the total strippable VOC or HRVOC concentration, in accordance with subsection (a), (b), (d), or (h) of this section at a point leaving the HRVOC-containing process unit and prior to mixing with cooling tower water from other units; or

  (2) the owner or operator of cooling tower heat exchange systems may elect to monitor cooling water flow rate at a location that is representative of the total flow rate to the cooling tower.

(h) In lieu of the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, the owner or operator of a cooling tower heat exchange system in dedicated service to a finite volume system, as defined in §115.760(b) of this title, with HRVOC and with a design capacity to circulate 8,000 gallons gpm or greater of cooling water may elect to comply with the following requirements:

  (1) install, calibrate, operate, and maintain a continuous flow monitor on each inlet of each cooling tower. Each monitor must be calibrated on an annual basis to within ±5.0% accuracy. When the cooling tower flow monitor is down, flow measurements must be used for the most recent 24-hour period in which the flow measurements are representative of cooling tower operations during monitor downtime;

  (2) determine the speciated strippable HRVOC concentration by collecting samples from each inlet of each cooling tower at least once per month in accordance with the air-stripping method in Appendix P;

  (3) determine the total strippable VOC concentration by collecting samples from each inlet of each cooling tower at least twice per week in accordance with the air-stripping method in Appendix P with an interval of not less than 48 hours between samples;

  (4) if the concentration of total strippable VOC is equal to or greater than 50 ppbw in the cooling tower water, collect an additional sample to determine total strippable VOC, speciated HRVOC, and total HRVOC from each inlet of the affected cooling tower at least once daily in accordance with the air-stripping method in Appendix P. The additional sampling to determine total strippable VOC, speciated HRVOC, and total HRVOC must continue on a daily basis until the concentration of total strippable VOC drops below 50 ppbw;

  (5) install, calibrate, operate, and maintain a continuous monitoring system to monitor the inventory level of the HRVOC in the finite volume system;

  (6) develop, implement, and follow a written monitoring plan to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (5) of this subsection. The monitoring plan must include:

    (A) specifications for all monitors used to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (5) of this subsection;

    (B) the normal hourly variation in the inventory level for the continuous monitoring system;

    (C) all process information, design specifications, and engineering calculations, used to establish the normal hourly variation in the inventory level; and

    (D) at a minimum, quarterly inspections of the continuous monitoring system to ensure proper operation;

  (7) if the hourly inventory level monitored in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (6) of this subsection is not within the normal hourly variation in the inventory level established as required in paragraph (5) of this subsection, except during maintenance activities, then the owner or operator must perform sampling for total strippable VOC as specified in paragraph (3) of this subsection within 24 hours. If the concentration of total strippable VOC is equal to or greater than 50 ppbw in the cooling tower water, then the owner or operator shall perform daily sampling to determine total strippable VOC, speciated HRVOC, and total HRVOC in accordance with paragraph (4) of this subsection until the concentration of total strippable VOC drops below 50 ppbw; and

  (8) upon written request by the executive director, the monitoring plan required in accordance with paragraph (6) of this subsection must be submitted within 30 days for review. The executive director may require additional or alternative monitoring requirements.


Source Note: The provisions of this §115.764 adopted to be effective January 17, 2003, 28 TexReg 113; amended to be effective November 13, 2003, 28 TexReg 9835; amended to be effective December 23, 2004, 29 TexReg 11623

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