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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 115CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SUBCHAPTER BGENERAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SOURCES
DIVISION 6BATCH PROCESSES
RULE §115.166Monitoring and Recordkeeping Requirements

The owner or operator of each batch process operation in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Bexar County, and Houston-Galveston-Brazoria areas shall maintain the following information for at least five years at the plant, as defined by its air quality account number, except that the five-year record retention requirement does not apply to records generated before December 31, 2000. The owner or operator shall make the information available upon request to representatives of the executive director, EPA, or any local air pollution control agency having jurisdiction in the area:

  (1) Vapor control systems. For vapor control systems used to control emissions from batch process operations, records of appropriate parameters to demonstrate compliance, including:

    (A) continuous monitoring and recording of:

      (i) for a direct-flame incinerator, the exhaust gas temperature in the firebox or in the ductwork immediately downstream of the firebox before any substantial heat exchange. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±0.5 degrees Celsius, or alternatively, ±1.0%;

      (ii) for a catalytic incinerator, the exhaust gas temperature immediately before and after the catalyst bed. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±0.5 degrees Celsius, or alternatively, ±1.0%;

      (iii) for an absorber, either:

        (I) the scrubbing liquid temperature. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±1.0% of the temperature being monitored in degrees Celsius, or alternatively, ±0.02 specific gravity unit; or

        (II) the concentration level of volatile organic compounds (VOC) exiting the recovery device based on a detection principle such as infrared, photoionization, or thermal conductivity;

      (iv) for a condenser or refrigeration system, either:

        (I) the condenser exit temperature. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±1.0% of the temperature being monitored in degrees Celsius, or alternatively, ±0.5 degrees Celsius; or

        (II) the concentration level of VOC exiting the recovery device based on a detection principle such as infrared, photoionization, or thermal conductivity;

      (v) for a carbon adsorption system, as defined in §101.1 of this title (relating to Definitions), either:

        (I) steam flow (using an integrating steam flow monitoring device) and the carbon bed temperature. The steam flow monitor shall have an accuracy of ±10%. The temperature monitor shall have an accuracy of ±1.0% of the temperature being monitored in degrees Celsius, or ±0.5 degrees Celsius, whichever is greater; or

        (II) the concentration level of VOC exiting the recovery device based on a detection principle such as infrared, photoionization, or thermal conductivity;

      (vi) for a pressure swing adsorption unit that is the final recovery device, the temperature of the bed near the inlet and near the outlet. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±1.0% of the temperature being monitored in degrees Celsius, or ±0.5 degrees Celsius; and

      (vii) for a vapor combustor, the exhaust gas temperature in the firebox or in the ductwork immediately downstream of the firebox before any substantial heat exchange. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±0.5 degrees Celsius, or alternatively, ±1.0%. Alternatively, the owner or operator of a vapor combustor may consider the unit to be a flare and meet the requirements of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph;

    (B) for flares, the requirements specified in 40 Code of Federal Regulations §60.18(b) and Chapter 111 of this title (relating to Control of Air Pollution from Visible Emissions and Particulate Matter); and

    (C) for vapor control systems other than those specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, records of appropriate operating parameters.

  (2) Process vents. A record of the following emission stream parameters for each process vent contained in the batch process:

    (A) the annual mass emission total and documentation verifying these values. If emission estimate equations are used, the documentation shall be the calculations coupled with the expected or permitted (if available) number of emission events per year; and

    (B) the average flow rate in standard cubic feet per minute and documentation verifying these values.

  (3) Performance test monitoring parameters. Records of the following parameters required to be measured during a performance test required under §115.165 of this title (relating to Approved Test Methods and Testing Requirements) and required to be monitored under paragraph (1) of this section:

    (A) where an owner or operator seeks to demonstrate compliance with §115.162 of this title (relating to Control Requirements) through use of either a direct-flame or catalytic incinerator, the average firebox temperature of the incinerator (or the average temperature upstream and downstream of the catalyst bed for a catalytic incinerator), measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test;

    (B) where an owner or operator seeks to demonstrate compliance with §115.162 of this title through use of a smokeless flare, the flare design (i.e., steam-assisted, air-assisted, or nonassisted), all visible emissions readings, heat content determinations, flow rate measurements, and exit velocity determinations made during the performance test; continuous flare pilot flame monitoring; and all periods of operations during which the pilot flame is absent; and

    (C) where an owner or operator seeks to demonstrate compliance with §115.162 of this title:

      (i) with an absorber as the final control device, the exit specific gravity (or alternative parameter which is a measure of the degree of absorbing liquid saturation, if approved by the executive director) and average exit temperature of the absorbing liquid measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test (both measured while the vent stream is routed normally);

      (ii) with a condenser as the control device, the average exit (product side) temperature measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test while the vent stream is routed normally;

      (iii) with a carbon adsorption system as the control device, the total steam mass flow measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test (full carbon bed cycle), temperature of the carbon bed after regeneration (and within 15 minutes of completion of any cooling cycle(s)), and duration of the carbon bed steaming cycle (all measured while the vent stream is routed normally);

      (iv) the concentration level or reading indicated by an organic monitoring device at the outlet of the absorber, condenser, or carbon adsorption system, measured continuously and averaged over the same time period as the performance test while the vent stream is routed normally; and

      (v) with a pressure swing adsorption unit as the final recovery device, the temperature of the bed near the inlet and near the outlet. The temperature monitoring device shall have an accuracy of ±1.0% of the temperature being monitored in degrees Celsius, or ±0.5 degrees Celsius.


Source Note: The provisions of this §115.166 adopted to be effective November 18, 1999, 24 TexReg 10095; amended to be effective January 18, 2001, 26 TexReg 493; amended to be effective January 17, 2003, 28 TexReg 113; amended to be effective May 16, 2024, 49 TexReg 3292

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