§ 63.1026 - Pumps in light liquid service standards.

§ 63.1026 Pumps in light liquid service standards.

(a) Compliance schedule. The owner or operator shall comply with this section no later than the compliance dates specified in the referencing subpart.

(b) Leak detection. Unless otherwise specified in § 63.1021(b), § 63.1036, § 63.1037, or paragraph (e) of this section, the owner or operator shall monitor each pump to detect leaks and shall comply with all other provisions of this section.

(1) Monitoring method and frequency. The pumps shall be monitored monthly to detect leaks by the method specified in § 63.1023(b) and, as applicable, § 63.1023(c).

(2) Instrument reading that defines a leak. The instrument reading that defines a leak is specified in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) through (b)(2)(iii) of this section.

(i) 5,000 parts per million or greater for pumps handling polymerizing monomers;

(ii) 2,000 parts per million or greater for pumps in food/medical service; and

(iii) 1,000 parts per million or greater for all other pumps.

(3) Leak repair exception. For pumps to which a 1,000 parts per million leak definition applies, repair is not required unless an instrument reading of 2,000 parts per million or greater is detected.

(4) Visual inspection. Each pump shall be checked by visual inspection each calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from the pump seal. The owner or operator shall document that the inspection was conducted and the date of the inspection. If there are indications of liquids dripping from the pump seal at the time of the weekly inspection, the owner or operator shall follow the procedure specified in either paragraph (b)(4)(i) or (b)(4)(ii) of this section.

(i) The owner or operator shall monitor the pump as specified in § 63.1023(b) and, as applicable, § 63.1023(c). If the instrument reading indicates a leak as specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, a leak is detected and it shall be repaired using the procedures in § 63.1024, except as specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section; or

(ii) The owner or operator shall eliminate the visual indications of liquids dripping.

(c) Percent leaking pumps calculation.

(1) The owner or operator shall decide no later than the compliance date of this part or upon revision of an operating permit whether to calculate percent leaking pumps on a process unit basis or group of process units basis. Once the owner or operator has decided, all subsequent percentage calculations shall be made on the same basis.

(2) If, when calculated on a 6-month rolling average, at least the greater of either 10 percent of the pumps in a process unit or three pumps in a process unit leak, the owner or operator shall implement a quality improvement program for pumps that complies with the requirements of § 63.1035.

(3) The number of pumps at a process unit or affected facility shall be the sum of all the pumps in regulated material service, except that pumps found leaking in a continuous process unit or affected facility within 1 month after start-up of the pump shall not count in the percent leaking pumps calculation for that one monitoring period only.

(4) Percent leaking pumps shall be determined by the following equation:

Where:

%P_L = Percent leaking pumps

P_L = Number of pumps found leaking as determined through monthly monitoring as required in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. Do not include results from inspection of unsafe-to-monitor pumps pursuant to paragraph (e)(6) of this section.

P_S = Number of pumps leaking within 1 month of start-up during the current monitoring period.

P_T = Total pumps in regulated material service, including those meeting the criteria in paragraphs (e)(1), (e)(2), (e)(3), and (e)(6) of this section.

(d) Leak repair. If a leak is detected pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, then the leak shall be repaired using the procedures in § 63.1024, as applicable, unless otherwise specified in paragraph (b)(5) of this section for leaks identified by visual indications of liquids dripping.

(e) Special provisions for pumps -

(1) Dual mechanical seal pumps. Each pump equipped with a dual mechanical seal system that includes a barrier fluid system is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, provided the requirements specified in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) through (e)(1)(viii) of this section are met.

(i) The owner or operator determines, based on design considerations and operating experience, criteria applicable to the presence and frequency of drips and to the sensor that indicates failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both. The owner or operator shall keep records at the plant of the design criteria and an explanation of the design criteria; and any changes to these criteria and the reasons for the changes. This record must be available for review by an inspector.

(ii) Each dual mechanical seal system shall meet the requirements specified in paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(A), (e)(1)(ii)(B), or (e)(1)(ii)(C) of this section.

(A) Each dual mechanical seal system is operated with the barrier fluid at a pressure that is at all times (except periods of startup, shutdown, or malfunction) greater than the pump stuffing box pressure; or

(B) Equipped with a barrier fluid degassing reservoir that is routed to a process or fuel gas system or connected by a closed-vent system to a control device that complies with the requirements of either § 63.1034 or § 63.1021(b) of this part; or

(C) Equipped with a closed-loop system that purges the barrier fluid into a process stream.

(iii) The barrier fluid is not in light liquid service.

(iv) Each barrier fluid system is equipped with a sensor that will detect failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both.

(v) Each pump is checked by visual inspection each calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from the pump seal. The owner or operator shall document that the inspection was conducted and the date of the inspection. If there are indications of liquids dripping from the pump seal at the time of the weekly inspection, the owner or operator shall follow the procedure specified in paragraphs (e)(1)(v)(A) or (e)(1)(v)(B) of this section prior to the next required inspection.

(A) The owner or operator shall monitor the pump as specified in § 63.1023(b) and, as applicable, § 63.1023 (c), to determine if there is a leak of regulated material in the barrier fluid. If an instrument reading of 1,000 parts per million or greater is measured, a leak is detected and it shall be repaired using the procedures in § 63.1024; or

(B) The owner or operator shall eliminate the visual indications of liquids dripping.

(vi) If indications of liquids dripping from the pump seal exceed the criteria established in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section, or if based on the criteria established in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section the sensor indicates failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both, a leak is detected.

(vii) Each sensor as described in paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this section is observed daily or is equipped with an alarm unless the pump is located within the boundary of an unmanned plant site.

(viii) When a leak is detected pursuant to paragraph (e)(1)(vi) of this section, it shall be repaired as specified in § 63.1024.

(2) No external shaft. Any pump that is designed with no externally actuated shaft penetrating the pump housing is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(3) Routed to a process or fuel gas system or equipped with a closed vent system. Any pump that is routed to a process or fuel gas system or equipped with a closed vent system capable of capturing and transporting leakage from the pump to a control device meeting the requirements of § 63.1034 of this part or § 63.1021(b) is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section.

(4) Unmanned plant site. Any pump that is located within the boundary of an unmanned plant site is exempt from the weekly visual inspection requirement of paragraphs (b)(4) and (e)(1)(v) of this section, and the daily requirements of paragraph (e)(1)(vii) of this section, provided that each pump is visually inspected as often as practical and at least monthly.

(5) 90 percent exemption. If more than 90 percent of the pumps at a process unit or affected facility meet the criteria in either paragraph (e)(1) or (e)(2) of this section, the process unit or affected facility is exempt from the percent leaking calculation in paragraph (c) of this section.

(6) Unsafe-to-monitor pumps. Any pump that is designated, as described in § 63.1022(c)(1), as an unsafe-to-monitor pump is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, the monitoring and inspection requirements of paragraphs (e)(1)(v) through (viii) of this section, and the owner or operator shall monitor and inspect the pump according to the written plan specified in § 63.1022(c)(4).

[64 FR 34899, June 29, 1999, as amended at 64 FR 63706, Nov. 22, 1999]