The owner or operator of each batch process operation in the Beaumont/Port
Arthur and Houston/Galveston areas shall comply with the following control
requirements.
(1) Reasonable available control technology (RACT) equations.
The volatile organic compounds (VOC) mass emission rate from individual process
vents or for process vent streams in aggregate within a batch process shall
be reduced by 90% if the actual average flow rate value (in standard cubic
feet per minute (scfm)) is below the flow rate (FR) value calculated using
the applicable RACT equation for the volatility range (low, moderate, or high)
of the material being emitted when the annual mass emission total (AE, in
pounds per year) are input. The RACT equations, specific to volatility, are
as follows:
(A) Low volatility: FR = 0.07(AE) - 1821;
(B) Moderate volatility: FR = 0.031(AE) - 494;
(C) High volatility: FR = 0.013(AE) - 301.
(2) Successive ranking scheme. For aggregate streams within
a process, the control requirements must be evaluated with the following successive
ranking scheme until control of a segment of unit operations is required or
until all unit operations have been eliminated from the process pool.
(A) If, for the process vent streams in aggregate, the value
of FR calculated using the applicable RACT equation in paragraph (1) of this
section is negative (i.e., less than zero), then the process is exempt from
the 90% control requirements, and the successive ranking scheme of subparagraph
(F) of this paragraph does not apply. This would occur if the mass annual
emission rates are below the lower limits specified in §115.167(2)(A)
of this title (relating to Exemptions).
(B) If, for the process vent streams in aggregate, the actual
average flow rate value (in scfm) is below the value of FR calculated using
the applicable RACT equation in paragraph (1) of this section, then the overall
emissions from the batch process must be reduced by 90%, and the successive
ranking scheme of subparagraph (F) of this paragraph does not apply. The owner
or operator has the option of selecting which unit operations are to be controlled
and to what levels, provided that the overall control meets the specified
level of 90%. Single units that qualify for exemption under §115.167(2)(B)
of this title do not have to be controlled even if all units should qualify
for this exemption.
(C) If, for the process vent streams in aggregate, the actual
average flow rate value (in scfm) is greater than the value of FR calculated
using the applicable RACT equation in paragraph (1) of this section (and
the calculated value of FR is a positive number), then the control requirements
must be evaluated with the successive ranking scheme of subparagraph (F) of
this paragraph until control of a segment of unit operations is required or
until all unit operations have been eliminated from the process pool. Single
units that qualify for exemption under §115.167(2)(B) of this title do
not have to be included in the rankings and do not have to be controlled.
(D) Sources that are required to be controlled to the level
specified by RACT (i.e., 90%) will have an average flow rate that is below
the flow rate specified by the applicable RACT equation in paragraph (1) of
this section (when the source's annual emission total is input). The applicability
criterion is implemented on a two-tier basis. First, single pieces of batch
equipment corresponding to distinct unit operations shall be evaluated over
the course of an entire year, regardless of what materials are handled or
what products are manufactured in them. Second, equipment shall be evaluated
as an aggregate if it can be linked together based on the definition of a
process.
(E) To determine applicability of a RACT option in the aggregation
scenario, all the VOC emissions from a single process shall be summed to obtain
the annual mass emission total, and the weighted average flow rate from each
process vent in the aggregation shall be used as the average flow rate.
(F) All unit operations in the batch process, as defined for
the purpose of determining RACT applicability, shall be ranked in ascending
order according to their ratio of annual emissions (pounds per year) divided
by average flow rate (in scfm). Sources with the smallest ratios shall be
listed first. This list of sources constitutes the "pool" of sources within
a batch process. The annual emission total and average flow rate of the pool
of sources shall then be compared against the RACT equations in paragraph
(1) of this section to determine whether control of the pool is required.
(i) If control is not required after the initial ranking, unit
operations having the lowest annual emissions/average flow rate ratio shall
then be eliminated one by one, and the characteristics of annual emission
and average flow rate for the remaining pool of equipment must be evaluated
with each successive elimination of a source from the pool.
(ii) Control of the unit operations remaining in the pool to
the specified level (i.e., 90%) shall be required once the aggregated characteristics
of annual emissions and average flow rate have met the specified cutoffs.
The owner or operator has the option of selecting which unit operations are
to be controlled and to what levels, provided that the overall control meets
the specified level of 90%.
(3) Once-in, always-in. Any batch process operation that becomes
subject to the provisions of this division by exceeding provisions of §115.167
of this title will remain subject to the provision of this division, even
if throughput or emissions later fall below exemption limits, unless and until
emissions are reduced to no more than the controlled emissions level existing
before implementation of the project by which throughput or emission rate
was reduced to less than the applicable exemption limits in §115.167
of this title; and
(A) the project by which throughput or emission rate was reduced
is authorized by any permit or permit amendment or standard permit or permit
by rule required by Chapter 116 or Chapter 106 of this title (relating to
Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification;
and Permits by Rule). If a permit by rule is available for the project, compliance
with this division must be maintained for 30 days after the filing of documentation
of compliance with that permit by rule; or
(B) if authorization by permit, permit amendment, standard
permit, or permit by rule is not required for the project, the owner/operator
has given the executive director 30 days' notice of the project in writing.
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