When formulating air pollution control regulation, it was considered a must to consider the aspect of enforcing that regulation. A regulation may be set for a specific operation, a combination of operations, or the entire processing or manufacturing facility.
From a compliance evaluation point of view, USEPA has separate standards for each affected operation in the industry. In practice however, it often may be difficult to do so. The enforcement aspects of regulations for alternative air pollution control methods are discussed below.
Process Considerations in Enforcement Aspects
The stone crusher industry is characterised by a number of separate processing operations and emission sources, a variety of equipment types and configurations, and feed rate and composition variations. Some of the particulate emission sources such as quarrying, dumping and storage are open sources.
Other operations such as conveying and loading are frequently only partially enclosed, while crushing and screening are more completely enclosed. In addition, the moisture content of the stone has a great effect on the particulate emissions. Process feed rates are not generally measured and some of the individual processes may operate on a very intermittent basis.
The process parameters that should be monitored to ensure that facilities are operated normally during enforcement tests or inspections include, the process production rate, the moisture content of the feed material and the approximate size distribution of the raw material and product but generally stone crushers are not equipped with devices for measuring process weight rates.
An analysis of moisture content is important to ensure that dust control at the time of the test is effected by the control system and not the result of unusually high moisture levels that are not normal for the plant. When the addition of moisture is part of the control system (wet dust suppression), a record should be kept of the amount of added moisture required to effectively control emissions under the worst operating and climatic conditions. Moisture would have to be determined by taking samples of the feed streams for subsequent analysis.
Formats for Enforcement
Air pollution regulations for the stone crusher industry can be expressed in terms of
(1) Quantitative particulate emission limits in terms of concentration, mass rate or process weight type units,
(2) Limits on visible emissions,
(3) Ambient air concentrations at the plant property line ,
(4) Equipment standards that include specifications on process and/or control equipments, operating conditions and monitoring requirements, and
(5) Compatible combinations of such measures.
Enforcement of Quantitative Emission Limits
The quantitative emission limits based on measured concentrations could be applied to the enclosed sources such as crusher or screen . Determination of particulate emission concentrations where control devices are used requires a source test on the exhaust of each control device as per USEPA methods.
At times more than one process may be vented to a common control device and only the total emissions from the connected processes need to be determined. For open sources such as drilling, open conveying and storage, quantitative emission limits are not applicable since there is no accurate method of measurement.
Enforcement of Visible Emission Limits
The enforcement of visible emission limits in terms of opacity or as a percent of time when emissions are visible is a feasible approach and is especially useful for fugitive sources of particulates and open processes that are controlled by wet dust suppression. Visible emission limits can also be applied to enclosed sources and used in conjunction with a quantitative emission limits or as a single limit.
The visible emission determinations can be made with established procedures as per EPA method 9 by a single trained and certified observer. The readings can be taken in one or two days and usually not during night time or during very inclement weather conditions.
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Enforcement Aspects related to Stone Crushers in USA
When formulating air pollution control regulation, it was considered a must to consider the aspect of enforcing that regulation. A regulation may be set for a specific operation, a combination of operations, or the entire processing or manufacturing facility.
From a compliance evaluation point of view, USEPA has separate standards for each affected operation in the industry. In practice however, it often may be difficult to do so. The enforcement aspects of regulations for alternative air pollution control methods are discussed below.
Process Considerations in Enforcement Aspects
The stone crusher industry is characterised by a number of separate processing operations and emission sources, a variety of equipment types and configurations, and feed rate and composition variations. Some of the particulate emission sources such as quarrying, dumping and storage are open sources.
Other operations such as conveying and loading are frequently only partially enclosed, while crushing and screening are more completely enclosed. In addition, the moisture content of the stone has a great effect on the particulate emissions. Process feed rates are not generally measured and some of the individual processes may operate on a very intermittent basis.
The process parameters that should be monitored to ensure that facilities are operated normally during enforcement tests or inspections include, the process production rate, the moisture content of the feed material and the approximate size distribution of the raw material and product but generally stone crushers are not equipped with devices for measuring process weight rates.
An analysis of moisture content is important to ensure that dust control at the time of the test is effected by the control system and not the result of unusually high moisture levels that are not normal for the plant. When the addition of moisture is part of the control system (wet dust suppression), a record should be kept of the amount of added moisture required to effectively control emissions under the worst operating and climatic conditions. Moisture would have to be determined by taking samples of the feed streams for subsequent analysis.
Formats for Enforcement
Air pollution regulations for the stone crusher industry can be expressed in terms of
(1) Quantitative particulate emission limits in terms of concentration, mass rate or process weight type units,
(2) Limits on visible emissions,
(3) Ambient air concentrations at the plant property line ,
(4) Equipment standards that include specifications on process and/or control equipments, operating conditions and monitoring requirements, and
(5) Compatible combinations of such measures.
Enforcement of Quantitative Emission Limits
The quantitative emission limits based on measured concentrations could be applied to the enclosed sources such as crusher or screen . Determination of particulate emission concentrations where control devices are used requires a source test on the exhaust of each control device as per USEPA methods.
At times more than one process may be vented to a common control device and only the total emissions from the connected processes need to be determined. For open sources such as drilling, open conveying and storage, quantitative emission limits are not applicable since there is no accurate method of measurement.
Enforcement of Visible Emission Limits
The enforcement of visible emission limits in terms of opacity or as a percent of time when emissions are visible is a feasible approach and is especially useful for fugitive sources of particulates and open processes that are controlled by wet dust suppression. Visible emission limits can also be applied to enclosed sources and used in conjunction with a quantitative emission limits or as a single limit.
The visible emission determinations can be made with established procedures as per EPA method 9 by a single trained and certified observer. The readings can be taken in one or two days and usually not during night time or during very inclement weather conditions.