Advanced Air Quality Control

Operational Air Emission Rates

Name

Institution

Course Number: Course Name

Instructor’s Name

Date

Operational Air Emission Rates

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are industrial insolvents that are used and produced during the manufacture of refrigerants, paints, and pharmaceuticals. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2020), VOCs are emitted in form of gases with higher vapor pressure and low water solubility highly contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone. When released to the atmosphere, VOCs react with nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide to create ozone molecule known as tropospheric ozone. This compound stimulates diseases in plants, hinders fertilization, and leads to the formation of greenhouse gases that cause global warming and acid rain. Despite this environmental impact, VOC’s affect the health and safety of human beings. When inhaled or absorbed through the skin, VOCs generate dangerous toxins that lead to memory loss, dizziness, visual impairments, and headaches. Columbia Southern University (n.d.) states that body mass index is usually affected by VOCs leading to colorectal cancer risks. Besides, these gases make humans susceptible to diseases such as Asthma.

A. Calculating the maximum hourly and annual emissions for interior lining material in one hour

1. For interior liner coating material: 2 vehicles per day, 5hours per day, and 4days per week, the annual emission rates are 10 gallons per vehicle.

2. The unit lining application emission rate for 2 vehicles per day, 5hours per day, and 4days per week is 2 gallons per vehicle.

Maximum number of gallons used for interior liner per one hour:

(10*2) gallons/5 = 4 gallons/hour

Maximum number of gallons used per vehicle unit lining application

(2*2) gallons/ 5= 0.08 gallons

The maximum emission rate is calculated by multiplying the coating VOC content by the maximum number of gallons used calculation formula.

1. Maximum number of gallons used for interior liner per one hour * The coating VOC content

2. Maximum number of gallons used per vehicle unit lining application* The coating VOC content

The interior liner VOC volume content is 10/12= 0.8333 VOC

Vehicle unit lining application VOC volume content is 2/12= 0.1667 VOC

Thus; The maximum emission rate for the interior liner and vehicle unit lining per hour are:

a. Interior liner: 4*0.8333= 3.3332gallons/hour= 0.10496712045889088 tons/ hour

b. Vehicle lining application: 0.8*0.8333= 0.66664 gallons/hour = 0.00247809785018 tons/ hour

The maximum emission rate for the interior liner and vehicle unit lining per year will be:

Gallons used per year = gallons used per hour *5 * 4 * VOC/day * 52(weeks)

Calculating the annual emission rate for interior liner:

4*5*4*52 *0.8333 = 3466.528 gallons per year = 12.8861088210 tons/ year

Calculating the annual emission rate for vehicle lining application:

0.8*5*4*52*0.666= 554.4448 gallons per year = 2.06103514179 tons/ year

B. Emission rate averaged over a five-hour average period= VOC emission rate per hour/5

For interior liner = 3.3332 / 5= 0.66664 gallons per hour = 0.00247809785018 tons/ hour

For Vehicle lining application= 0.66664/5 = 0.133328 gallons per hour= 0.000495619570037 tons/ hour.

Having calculated our VOC/5-hour average period for emissions, and derived in tons the VOC/year (PTE) we can review whether we surpass the DEQ permit limits. However, the PTE does not exceed the 6 lbs./ hour limit in both interior liner and the vehicle unit lining application.

C. Potential to emit refers to the maximum capacity of a stationary source to emit any air pollutant under its physical and operational design. PTE is calculated by multiplying the process hourly rate with a period of 8760 hours per year in which their continuous operation of the organization processes.

Rate of emission for interior liner per hour *8760 =3.3332*8760=29198.832 gallons/year= 108.540685838 tons/ year

Rate of emission for vehicle lining =8760*0.66664 =5839.7664 gallons/year= 21.7081371676 tons/ year

While the emission per year due to the vehicle lining does not surpass the 100 tons/year DEQ permit limits, the emission due to the interior liner surpasses this mark by more than 8 tons. According to Columbia Southern University (n.d.), such excess may require an engineer to close that process and pursue a full Title V Air Quality operating permit.

References

Columbia Southern University (Ed.). (n.d.). Advanced Air Quality Control: UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE Engineering Air Quality for Human Health. In Advanced Air Quality Control: UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE Engineering Air Quality for Human Health (pp. 1–5). MEE.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020, September 14). What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)? US EPA. https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-are-volatile-organic-compounds-vocs