[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
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From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18757]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 3, 1994]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 51
[AD-FRL-5022-9]
Preparation, Adoption, and Submittal of State Implementation
Plans; Test Method 205, Appendix M
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule and notice of public hearing.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this proposed rule is to add a test method
which would be used to verify the performance and accuracy of gas
dilution systems during a field test. The test method is entitled,
``Verification of Gas Dilution Systems for Field Instrument
Calibrations,'' and will be added to 40 CFR Part 51, Appendix M, as
Test Method 205. This method will allow the facility greater
flexibility while assuring the Administrator of the quality of the
calibration of the field analyzers.
A public hearing will be held, if requested, to provide interested
persons an opportunity for oral presentation of data, views, or
arguments concerning the proposed rule.
DATES: Comments. Comments must be received on or before October 17,
1994.
Public Hearing. If anyone contacts EPA requesting to speak at a
public hearing by August 24, 1994, a public hearing will be held
September 19, 1994 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Persons interested in
attending the hearing should call the contact mentioned under ADDRESSES
to verify that a meeting will be held.
Request to Speak at Hearing. Persons wishing to present oral
testimony must contact EPA by August 24, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Comments. Comments should be submitted (in duplicate if
possible) to: Central Docket Section (LE-131), Attention: Docket Number
A-93-36, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Room M-1500, First
Floor, Waterside Mall, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.
Public Hearing. If anyone contacts EPA requesting a public hearing,
it will be held at EPA's Emission Measurement Laboratory, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina. Persons interested in attending the
hearing or wishing to present oral testimony should notify Rima
Dishakjian, Emission Measurement Branch, Technical Support Division
(MD-19), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park,
North Carolina 27711, telephone number (919) 541-0443.
Docket. Docket No. A-93-36, containing materials relevant to this
rulemaking, is available for public inspection and copying between 8:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at EPA's Air Docket Section,
Room M-1500, First Floor, Waterside Mall, 401 M Street, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20460. A reasonable fee may be charged for copying.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rima Dishakjian or Anthony Wayne,
Emission Measurement Branch (MD-19), Technical Support Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
27711, telephone number (919) 541-0443.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. The Rulemaking
A. Summary of Proposed Changes
A verification procedure for gas dilution systems is being
proposed. Gas dilution systems allow the user to dilute a high level
certified gaseous standard to the concentration levels needed for
multi-point calibration. The instrumental test methods in 40 CFR Part
60, Appendix A (e.g., Methods 3A, 6C, 7E, 10, 15, 16, 20, 25A, and 25B)
require on-site, multi-point calibration using gases of known
concentrations. An extensive field test can require the tester to
transport dozens of high pressure gas cylinders to a test site. If a
gas dilution system were available, the number of gas cylinders to be
transported to the test site would be greatly reduced. This procedure
provides a mechanism for the tester to avoid the cost and risk
associated with transport of multiple gas cylinders, while also
providing assurances to the on-site Administrator that the calibration
gases produced by the gas dilution system will be precise and accurate.
B. Comments and Responses on Draft
The proposed method was published through the Emission Measurement
Technical Information Center as Conditional Test Method 007 in April
1991. No technical comments have been submitted thus far. Several
commenters suggested that the protocol be published in the CFR, thus
resulting in this action.
II. Administrative Requirements
A. Public Hearing
A public hearing will be held, if requested, to discuss the
proposed rulemaking in accordance with Section 307(d)(5) of the Clean
Air Act. Persons wishing to make oral presentations should contact EPA
at the address given in the ADDRESSES section of this preamble. Oral
presentations will be limited to 15 minutes each. Any member of the
public may file a written statement with EPA before, during, or within
30 days after the hearing. Written statements should be addressed to
the Central Docket Section address given in the ADDRESSES section of
this preamble.
A verbatim transcript of the hearing and written statements will be
available for public inspection and copying during normal working hours
at EPA's Central Docket Section in Washington, D.C. (see ADDRESSES
section of this preamble).
B. Docket
The docket is an organized and complete file of all the information
submitted to or otherwise considered by EPA in the development of this
proposed rulemaking. The principal purposes of the docket are to: (1)
allow interested parties to identify and locate documents so that they
can effectively participate in the rulemaking process, and (2) serve as
the record in case of judicial review except for interagency review
materials [Section 307(d)(7)(A)].
C. Office of Management and Budget Review
It has been determined that this rule is not a ``significant
regulatory action'' under the terms of Executive Order 12866 and is
therefore not subject to OMB review.
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act Compliance
Pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 605(b), I hereby certify
that this attached rule, if promulgated, will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because no
additional costs will be incurred.
This rule does not contain any information collection requirements
subject to OMB review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, 44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 51
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide, Intergovernmental relations,
Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, and Volatile organic
compounds.
Dated: July 14, 1994.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
EPA proposes to amend title 40, chapter I, part 51 of the Code of
Federal Regulations as follows:
PART 51--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 51 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2), 7475(e), 7502 (a) and (b),
7503, 7601(a)(1) and 7620.
Appendix M--Recommended Test Methods for State Implementation Plans
2. Appendix M to part 51 is amended by adding Method 205 to read as
follows:
Method 205--Verification of Gas Dilution Systems for Field Instrument
Calibrations
1. Introduction
1.1 Applicability. A gas dilution system can provide known
values of calibration gases through controlled dilution of high-
level calibration gases with an appropriate dilution gas. The
instrumental test methods in 40 CFR Part 60--e.g., Methods 3A, 6C,
7E, 10, 15, 16, 20, 25A and 25B--require on-site, multi-point
calibration using gases of known concentrations. A gas dilution
system that produces known low-level calibration gases from high-
level calibration gases, with a degree of confidence similar to that
for Protocol\1\ gases, may be used for compliance tests in lieu of
multiple calibration gases when the gas dilution system is
demonstrated to meet the requirements of this method. The
Administrator may also use a gas dilution system in order to produce
a wide range of Cylinder Gas Audit concentrations when conducting
performance specifications according to Appendix F, 40 CFR Part 60.
1.2 Principle. The gas dilution system shall be evaluated on one
analyzer once during each field test. A precalibrated analyzer is
chosen, at the discretion of the source owner or operator, to
demonstrate that the gas dilution system produces predictable gas
concentrations spanning the range of concentrations expected during
the field test. After meeting the requirements of this protocol, the
remaining analyzers may be calibrated with the dilution system in
accordance to the requirements of the applicable method for the
duration of the field test. In Methods 15 and 16, 40 CFR Part 60,
Appendix A, reactive compounds may be lost in the gas dilution
system. Also, in Methods 25A and 25B, 40 CFR Part 60, Appendix A,
calibration with target compounds other than propane is allowed. In
these cases, a laboratory evaluation is required once per year in
order to assure the Administrator that the system will dilute these
reactive gases without significant loss. Note: The laboratory
evaluation is required only if the source owner or operator plans to
utilize the dilution system to prepare gases mentioned above as
being reactive.
2. Specifications
2.1 Gas Dilution System. The gas dilution system shall produce
calibration gases whose measured values are within 2
percent of the predicted values. The predicted values are calculated
based on the certified concentration of the supply gas (Protocol
gases, when available, are recommended for their accuracy) and the
gas flow rates (or dilution ratios) through the gas dilution system.
2.1.1 For gas dilution systems utilizing mass flow controllers,
the mass flow controllers in the gas dilution system shall be
calibrated against a National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) traceable standard according to the manufacturer's
instructions once per year.
2.1.2 For gas dilution systems using mass flow controllers, the
accuracy of the controllers diminishes at low flow rates. Therefore,
it is recommended that flow rates below 10 percent of flow
controller capacity be avoided.
2.2 High-Level Supply Gas. An EPA Protocol calibration gas is
recommended, due to its accuracy, as the high-level supply gas.
2.3 Mid-Level Supply Gas. An EPA Protocol gas shall be used as
an independent check of the dilution system. The concentration of
the mid-level supply gas shall be within 10 percent of one of the
dilution levels tested in Section 3.2.
3. Performance Tests
3.1 Laboratory Evaluation (Optional). If the gas dilution system
is to be used to formulate calibration gases with reactive compounds
(Test Methods 15, 16, and 25A/25B (only if using a calibration gas
other than propane during the field test) in 40 CFR Part 60,
Appendix A), a laboratory certification must be conducted once per
year for each reactive compound to be diluted. In the laboratory,
carry out the procedures in Section 3.2 on the analyzer required in
each respective test method to be laboratory certified (15, 16, or
25A and 25B for compounds other than propane). For each compound in
which the gas dilution system meets the requirements in Section 3.2,
the source must provide the laboratory certification data for the
field test and in the test report.
3.2 Field Evaluation (Required). The gas dilution system shall
be evaluated at the test site with an analyzer or monitor chosen by
the source owner or operator. It is recommended that the source
owner or operator choose a precalibrated instrument with a high
level of precision and accuracy for the purposes of this test. This
method is not meant to replace the calibration requirements of test
methods. In addition to the requirements in this protocol, all the
calibration requirements of the applicable test method must also be
met.
3.2.1 Prepare the gas dilution system according to the
manufacturer's instructions. Using the high-level supply gas,
prepare, at a minimum, one dilution for each dilution device
utilized in the dilution system. Dilution device in this method
refers to the mass flow controller, critical orifice, capillary
tube, or any other device which is used to achieve gas dilution. For
gas dilution systems utilizing mass flow controllers, it is
recommended that two dilutions be performed for each mass flow
controller range.
3.2.2 Calculate the predicted concentration for each of the
dilutions based on the flow rates through the gas dilution system
(or the dilution ratios) and the certified concentration of the
high-level supply gas.
3.2.3 Introduce each of the dilutions from Section 3.2.1 into
the analyzer or monitor one at a time and determine the instrument
response for each of the dilutions.
3.2.4 Repeat the procedure in Section 3.2.3 two times, i.e.,
until three injections are made at each dilution level. Calculate
the average instrument response for each triplicate injection at
each dilution level. No single injection shall differ by more than
2 percent from the average instrument response for that
dilution.
3.2.5 For each level of dilution, calculate the difference
between the average concentration output recorded by the analyzer
and the predicted concentration calculated in Section 3.2.2. The
average concentration output from the analyzer shall be within
2 percent of the predicted value.
3.2.6 Introduce the mid-level supply gas directly into the
analyzer, bypassing the gas dilution system. Repeat the procedure
twice more, for a total of three mid-level supply gas injections.
Calculate the average analyzer output concentration for the mid-
level supply gas. The difference between the certified concentration
of the mid-level supply gas and the average instrument response
shall be within 2 percent.
3.3 If the gas dilution system meets the criteria listed in
Section 3.2, the gas dilution system may be used throughout that
field test. If the gas dilution system fails any of the criteria
listed in Section 3.2, and the tester corrects the problem with the
gas dilution system, the procedure in Section 3.2 must be repeated
in its entirety and all the criteria in Section 3.2 must be met in
order for the gas dilution system to be utilized in the test.
4. References
4.1 ``EPA Traceability Protocol for Assay and Certification of
Gaseous Calibration Standards,'' EPA-600/R93/224, Revised September
1993.
[FR Doc. 94-18757 Filed 8-2-94; 8:45 am]
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