§ 63.111 - Definitions.

§ 63.111 Definitions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 43177, May 16, 2024.

All terms used in this subpart shall have the meaning given them in the Act , in subpart F of this part, and in this section, as follows.

Air oxidation reactor means a device or vessel in which air, or a combination of air and oxygen, is used as an oxygen source in combination with one or more organic reactants to produce one or more organic compounds. Air oxidation reactor includes the product separator and any associated vacuum pump or steam jet.

Annual average concentration, as used in the wastewater provisions, means the flow-weighted annual average concentration, as determined according to the procedures specified in § 63.144(b) of this

subpart

.

Annual average flow rate, as used in the wastewater provisions, means the annual average flow rate, as determined according to the procedures specified in § 63.144(c).

Automated monitoring and recording system means any means of measuring values of monitored parameters and creating a hard copy or computer record of the measured values that does not require manual reading of monitoring instruments and manual transcription of data values. Automated monitoring and recording systems include, but are not limited to, computerized systems and strip charts.

Batch operation means a noncontinuous operation in which a discrete quantity or batch of feed is charged into a unit operation within a chemical manufacturing process unit and distilled or reacted at one time. Batch operation includes noncontinuous operations in which the equipment is fed intermittently or discontinuously. Addition of raw material and withdrawal of product do not occur simultaneously in a batch operation. After each batch operation, the equipment is generally emptied before a fresh batch is started.

Boiler means any enclosed combustion device that extracts useful energy in the form of steam and is not an incinerator. Boiler also means any industrial furnace as defined in 40 CFR 260.10.

By compound means by individual stream components, not carbon equivalents.

Car-seal means a seal that is placed on a device that is used to change the position of a valve (e.g., from opened to closed) in such a way that the position of the valve cannot be changed without breaking the seal.

Chemical manufacturing process unit means the equipment assembled and connected by pipes or ducts to process raw materials and to manufacture an intended product. A chemical manufacturing process unit consists of more than one unit operation. For the purpose of this subpart, chemical manufacturing process unit includes air oxidation reactors and their associated product separators and recovery devices; reactors and their associated product separators and recovery devices; distillation units and their associated distillate receivers and recovery devices; associated unit operations; associated recovery devices; and any feed, intermediate and product storage vessels, product transfer racks, and connected ducts and piping. A chemical manufacturing process unit includes pumps, compressors, agitators, pressure relief devices, sampling connection systems, open-ended valves or lines, valves, connectors, instrumentation systems, and control devices or systems. A chemical manufacturing process unit is identified by its primary product.

Closed biological treatment process means a tank or surface impoundment where biological treatment occurs and air emissions from the treatment process are routed to either a control device by means of a closed vent system or to a fuel gas system by means of hard-piping. The tank or surface impoundment has a fixed roof, as defined in § 63.111 of this subpart, or a floating flexible membrane cover that meets the requirements specified in § 63.134 of this subpart.

Closed-vent system means a system that is not open to the atmosphere and is composed of piping, ductwork, connections, and, if necessary, flow inducing devices that transport gas or vapor from an emission point to a control device.

Combustion device means an individual unit of equipment, such as a flare, incinerator, process heater, or boiler, used for the combustion of organic hazardous air pollutant emissions.

Container, as used in the wastewater provisions, means any portable waste management unit that has a capacity greater than or equal to 0.1 m³ in which a material is stored, transported, treated, or otherwise handled. Examples of containers are drums, barrels, tank trucks, barges, dumpsters, tank cars, dump trucks, and ships.

Continuous record means documentation, either in hard copy or computer readable form, of data values measured at least once every 15 minutes and recorded at the frequency specified in § 63.152(f) or § 63.152(g) of this subpart.

Continuous recorder means a data recording device that either records an instantaneous data value at least once every 15 minutes or records 15-minute or more frequent block average values.

Continuous seal means a seal that forms a continuous closure that completely covers the space between the wall of the storage vessel and the edge of the floating roof. A continuous seal may be a vapor-mounted, liquid-mounted, or metallic shoe seal. A continuous seal may be constructed of fastened segments so as to form a continuous seal.

Continuous vapor processing system means a vapor processing system that treats total organic compound vapors collected from tank trucks or railcars on a demand basis without intermediate accumulation in a vapor holder.

Control device means any combustion device, recovery device, or recapture device. Such equipment includes, but is not limited to, absorbers, carbon adsorbers, condensers, incinerators, flares, boilers, and process heaters. For process vents, recapture devices are considered control devices but recovery devices are not considered control devices, and for a steam stripper, a primary condenser is not considered a control device.

Cover, as used in the wastewater provisions, means a device or system which is placed on or over a waste management unit containing wastewater or residuals so that the entire surface area is enclosed to minimize air emissions. A cover may have openings necessary for operation, inspection, and maintenance of the waste management unit such as access hatches, sampling ports, and gauge wells provided that each opening is closed when not in use. Examples of covers include a fixed roof installed on a wastewater tank, a lid installed on a container, and an air-supported enclosure installed over a waste management unit.

Distillate receiver means overhead receivers, overhead accumulators, reflux drums, and condenser(s) including ejector-condenser(s) associated with a distillation unit.

Distillation unit means a device or vessel in which one or more feed streams are separated into two or more exit streams, each exit stream having component concentrations different from those in the feed stream(s). The separation is achieved by the redistribution of the components between the liquid and the vapor phases by vaporization and condensation as they approach equilibrium within the distillation unit. Distillation unit includes the distillate receiver, reboiler, and any associated vacuum pump or steam jet.

Duct work means a conveyance system such as those commonly used for heating and ventilation systems. It is often made of sheet metal and often has sections connected by screws or crimping. Hard-piping is not ductwork.

Enhanced biological treatment system or enhanced biological treatment process means an aerated, thoroughly mixed treatment unit(s) that contains biomass suspended in water followed by a clarifier that removes biomass from the treated water and recycles recovered biomass to the aeration unit. The mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (biomass) is greater than 1 kilogram per cubic meter throughout each aeration unit. The biomass is suspended and aerated in the water of the aeration unit(s) by either submerged air flow or mechanical agitation. A thoroughly mixed treatment unit is a unit that is designed and operated to approach or achieve uniform biomass distribution and organic compound concentration throughout the aeration unit by quickly dispersing the recycled biomass and the wastewater entering the unit.

External floating roof means a pontoon-type or double-deck-type cover that rests on the liquid surface in a storage vessel or waste management unit with no fixed roof.

Fill or filling means the introduction of organic hazardous air pollutant into a storage vessel or the introduction of a wastewater stream or residual into a waste management unit, but not necessarily to complete capacity.

First attempt at repair means to take action for the purpose of stopping or reducing leakage of organic material to the atmosphere.

Fixed roof means a cover that is mounted on a waste management unit or storage vessel in a stationary manner and that does not move with fluctuations in liquid level.

Flame zone means the portion of the combustion chamber in a boiler or process heater occupied by the flame envelope.

Floating roof means a cover consisting of a double deck, pontoon single deck, internal floating cover or covered floating roof, which rests upon and is supported by the liquid being contained, and is equipped with a closure seal or seals to close the space between the roof edge and waste management unit or storage vessel wall.

Flow indicator means a device which indicates whether gas flow is, or whether the valve position would allow gas flow to be, present in a line.

Fuel gas means gases that are combusted to derive useful work or heat.

Fuel gas system means the offsite and onsite piping and control system that gathers gaseous stream(s) generated by onsite operations, may blend them with other sources of gas, and transports the gaseous stream for use as fuel gas in combustion devices, or in-process combustion equipment such as furnaces and gas turbines, either singly or in combination.

Group 1 process vent means a process vent for which the vent stream flow rate is greater than or equal to 0.005 standard cubic meter per minute, the total organic HAP concentration is greater than or equal to 50 parts per million by volume, and the total resource effectiveness index value, calculated according to § 63.115, is less than or equal to 1.0.

Group 2 process vent means a process vent for which the vent stream flow rate is less than 0.005 standard cubic meter per minute, the total organic HAP concentration is less than 50 parts per million by volume or the total resource effectiveness index value, calculated according to § 63.115, is greater than 1.0.

Group 1 storage vessel means a storage vessel that meets the criteria for design storage capacity and stored-liquid maximum true vapor pressure specified in table 5 of this subpart for storage vessels at existing sources, and in table 6 of this subpart for storage vessels at new sources.

Group 2 storage vessel means a storage vessel that does not meet the definition of a Group 1 storage vessel.

Group 1 transfer rack means a transfer rack that annually loads greater than or equal to 0.65 million liter of liquid products that contain organic hazardous air pollutants with a rack weighted average vapor pressure greater than or equal to 10.3 kilopascals.

Group 2 transfer rack means a transfer rack that does not meet the definition of Group 1 transfer rack.

Group 1 wastewater stream means a wastewater stream consisting of process wastewater as defined in § 63.101 of subpart

F

at an existing or new source that meets the criteria for Group 1 status in § 63.132(c)

of this

subpart for Table 9 compounds and/or a wastewater stream consisting of process wastewater at a new source that meets the criteria for Group 1 status in § 63.132(d) of this subpart for Table 8 compounds.

Group 2 wastewater stream means any process wastewater stream that does not meet the definition of a Group 1 wastewater stream.

Halogenated vent stream or halogenated stream means a vent stream from a process vent or transfer operation determined to have a mass emission rate of halogen atoms contained in organic compounds of 0.45 kilograms per hour or greater determined by the procedures presented in § 63.115(d)(2)(v) of this subpart.

Halogens and hydrogen halides means hydrogen chloride (HCl), chlorine (Cl₂), hydrogen bromide (HBr), bromine (Br₂), and hydrogen fluoride (HF).

Hard-piping means pipe or tubing that is manufactured and properly installed using good engineering judgment and standards such as American National Standards Institute (ANSI) B31-3.

Incinerator means an enclosed combustion device that is used for destroying organic compounds. Auxiliary fuel may be used to heat waste gas to combustion temperatures. Any energy recovery section present is not physically formed into one manufactured or assembled unit with the combustion section; rather, the energy recovery section is a separate section following the combustion section and the two are joined by ducts or connections carrying flue gas. The above energy recovery section limitation does not apply to an energy recovery section used solely to preheat the incoming vent stream or combustion air.

Individual drain system means the stationary system used to convey wastewater streams or residuals to a waste management unit or to discharge or disposal. The term includes hard-piping, all process drains and junction boxes, together with their associated sewer lines and other junction boxes, manholes, sumps, and lift stations, conveying wastewater streams or residuals. A segregated stormwater sewer system, which is a drain and collection system designed and operated for the sole purpose of collecting rainfall runoff at a facility, and which is segregated from all other individual drain systems, is excluded from this definition.

Intermittent vapor processing system means a vapor processing system that employs an intermediate vapor holder to accumulate total organic compound vapors collected from tank trucks or railcars, and treats the accumulated vapors only during automatically controlled cycles.

Internal floating roof means a cover that rests or floats on the liquid surface (but not necessarily in complete contact with it) inside a storage vessel or waste management unit that has a permanently affixed roof.

Junction box means a manhole or access point to a wastewater sewer line or a lift station.

Liquid-mounted seal means a foam- or liquid-filled seal mounted in contact with the liquid between the wall of the storage vessel or waste management unit and the floating roof. The seal is mounted continuously around the circumference of the vessel or unit.

Loading cycle means the time period from the beginning of filling a tank truck or railcar until flow to the control device ceases, as measured by the flow indicator.

Loading rack means a single system used to fill tank trucks and railcars at a single geographic site. Loading equipment and operations that are physically separate (i.e., do not share common piping, valves, and other equipment) are considered to be separate loading racks.

Maximum true vapor pressure means the equilibrium partial pressure exerted by the total organic HAP's in the stored or transferred liquid at the temperature equal to the highest calendar-month average of the liquid storage or transfer temperature for liquids stored or transferred above or below the ambient temperature or at the local maximum monthly average temperature as reported by the National Weather Service for liquids stored or transferred at the ambient temperature, as determined:

(1) In accordance with methods described in American Petroleum Institute Publication 2517, Evaporative Loss From External Floating-Roof Tanks (incorporated by reference as specified in § 63.14 of subpart A of this

part

); or

(2) As obtained from standard reference texts; or

(3) As determined by the American Society for Testing and Materials Method D2879-83 or 96 (incorporated by reference as specified in § 63

.

14 of subpart A of this part); or

(4) Any other method approved by the Administrator.

Metallic shoe seal or mechanical shoe seal means metal sheets that are held vertically against the wall of the storage vessel by springs, weighted levers, or other mechanisms and connected to the floating roof by braces or other means. A flexible coated fabric (envelope) spans the annular space between the metal sheet and the floating roof.

Non-automated monitoring and recording system means manual reading of values measured by monitoring instruments and manual transcription of those values to create a record. Non-automated systems do not include strip charts.

Oil-water separator or organic-water separator means a waste management unit, generally a tank used to separate oil or organics from water. An oil-water or organic-water separator consists of not only the separation unit but also the forebay and other separator basins, skimmers, weirs, grit chambers, sludge hoppers, and bar screens that are located directly after the individual drain system and prior to additional treatment units such as an air flotation unit, clarifier, or biological treatment unit. Examples of an oil-water or organic-water separator include, but are not limited to, an American Petroleum Institute separator, parallel-plate interceptor, and corrugated-plate interceptor with the associated ancillary equipment.

Open biological treatment process means a biological treatment process that is not a closed biological treatment process as defined in this section.

Operating permit means a permit required by 40 CFR part 70 or part 71.

Organic hazardous air pollutant or organic HAP means any of the chemicals listed in table 2 of subpart F of this part.

Organic monitoring device means a unit of equipment used to indicate the concentration level of organic compounds exiting a recovery device based on a detection principle such as infra-red, photoionization, or thermal conductivity.

Point of determination means each point where process wastewater exits the chemical manufacturing process unit.

Note to definition for point of determination:

The regulation allows determination of the characteristics of a wastewater stream (1) at the point of determination or (2) downstream of the point of determination if corrections are made for changes in flow rate and annual average concentration of Table 8 or Table 9 compounds as determined in § 63.144 of this subpart. Such changes include losses by air emissions; reduction of annual average concentration or changes in flow rate by mixing with other water or wastewater streams; and reduction in flow rate or annual average concentration by treating or otherwise handling the wastewater stream to remove or destroy hazardous air pollutants.

Point of transfer means:

(1) If the transfer is to an off-site location for control, the point where the conveyance crosses the property line; or

(2) If the transfer is to an on-site location not owned or operated by the owner or operator of the source, the point where the conveyance enters the operation or equipment of the transferee.

Primary fuel means the fuel that provides the principal heat input to the device. To be considered primary, the fuel must be able to sustain operation without the addition of other fuels.

Process heater means a device that transfers heat liberated by burning fuel directly to process streams or to heat transfer liquids other than water.

Process unit has the same meaning as chemical manufacturing process unit as defined in this section.

Process wastewater stream means a stream that contains process wastewater as defined in § 63.101 of subpart F of this part.

Product separator means phase separators, flash drums, knock-out drums, decanters, degassers, and condenser(s) including ejector-condenser(s) associated with a reactor or an air oxidation reactor.

Product tank, as used in the wastewater provisions, means a stationary unit that is designed to contain an accumulation of materials that are fed to or produced by a process unit, and is constructed primarily of non-earthen materials (e.g., wood, concrete, steel, plastic) which provide structural support. This term has the same meaning as a product storage vessel.

Product tank drawdown means any material or mixture of materials discharged from a product tank for the purpose of removing water or other contaminants from the product tank.

Rack-weighted average partial pressure means the throughput weighted average of the average maximum true vapor pressure of liquids containing organic HAP transferred at a transfer rack. The rack-weighted average partial pressure shall be calculated using the equation below:

Where:

P = Rack-weighted average partial pressure, kilopascals.

P_i = Individual HAP maximum true vapor pressure, kilopascals, = X_i*P, where X_i is the mole fraction of compound i in the liquid.

G_i = Yearly volume of each liquid that contains organic HAP that is transferred at the rack, liters.

i = Each liquid that contains HAP that is transferred at the rack.

Reactor means a device or vessel in which one or more chemicals or reactants, other than air, are combined or decomposed in such a way that their molecular structures are altered and one or more new organic compounds are formed. Reactor includes the product separator and any associated vacuum pump or steam jet.

Recapture device means an individual unit of equipment capable of and used for the purpose of recovering chemicals, but not normally for use, reuse, or sale. For example, a recapture device may recover chemicals primarily for disposal. Recapture devices include, but are not limited to, absorbers, carbon adsorbers, and condensers.

Recovery device means an individual unit of equipment capable of and normally used for the purpose of recovering chemicals for fuel value (i.e., net positive heating value), use, reuse or for sale for fuel value, use, or reuse. Examples of equipment that may be recovery devices include absorbers, carbon adsorbers, condensers, oil-water separators or organic-water separators, or organic removal devices such as decanters, strippers, or thin-film evaporation units. For purposes of the monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements of this subpart, recapture devices are considered recovery devices.

Relief valve means a valve used only to release an unplanned, nonroutine discharge. A relief valve discharge can result from an operator error, a malfunction such as a power failure or equipment failure, or other unexpected cause that requires immediate venting of gas from process equipment in order to avoid safety hazards or equipment damage.

Reference control technology for process vents means a combustion device or recapture device used to reduce organic hazardous air pollutant emissions by 98 percent, or to an outlet concentration of 20 parts per million by volume.

Reference control technology for storage vessels means an internal floating roof meeting the specifications of § 63.119(b) of this subpart, an external floating roof meeting the specifications of § 63.119(c) of this subpart, an external floating roof converted to an internal floating roof meeting the specifications of § 63.119(d) of this subpart, or a closed-vent system to a control device achieving 95-percent reduction in organic HAP emissions. For purposes of emissions averaging, these four technologies are considered equivalent.

Reference control technology for transfer racks means a combustion device, recapture device, or recovery device used to reduce organic hazardous air pollutants emissions by 98 percent, or to an outlet concentration of 20 parts per million by volume; or a vapor balancing system.

Reference control technology for wastewater means the use of:

(1) Controls specified in § 63.133 through § 63.137;

(2) A steam stripper meeting the specifications of § 63.138(d) of this subpart or any of the other alternative control measures specified in § 63.138(b), (c), (e), (f), (g), or (h) of this subpart; and

(3) A control device to reduce by 95 percent (or to an outlet concentration of 20 parts per million by volume for combustion devices or for noncombustion devices controlling air emissions from waste management units other than surface impoundments or containers) the organic hazardous air pollutants emissions in the vapor streams vented from wastewater tanks, oil-water separators, containers, surface impoundments, individual drain systems, and treatment processes (including the design steam stripper) managing wastewater.

Residual means any liquid or solid material containing Table 9 compounds that is removed from a wastewater stream by a waste management unit or treatment process that does not destroy organics (nondestructive unit). Examples of residuals from nondestructive wastewater management units are: the organic layer and bottom residue removed by a decanter or organic-water separator and the overheads from a steam stripper or air stripper. Examples of materials which are not residuals are: silt; mud; leaves; bottoms from a steam stripper or air stripper; and sludges, ash, or other materials removed from wastewater being treated by destructive devices such as biological treatment units and incinerators.

Secondary fuel means a fuel fired through a burner other than the primary fuel burner that provides supplementary heat in addition to the heat provided by the primary fuel.

Sewer line means a lateral, trunk line, branch line, or other conduit including, but not limited to, grates, trenches, etc., used to convey wastewater streams or residuals to a downstream waste management unit.

Simultaneous loading means, for a shared control device, loading of organic HAP materials from more than one transfer arm at the same time such that the beginning and ending times of loading cycles coincide or overlap and there is no interruption in vapor flow to the shared control device.

Single-seal system means a floating roof having one continuous seal that completely covers the space between the wall of the storage vessel and the edge of the floating roof. This seal may be a vapor-mounted, liquid-mounted, or metallic shoe seal.

Specific gravity monitoring device means a unit of equipment used to monitor specific gravity and having a minimum accuracy of ±0.02 specific gravity units.

Steam jet ejector means a steam nozzle which discharges a high-velocity jet across a suction chamber that is connected to the equipment to be evacuated.

Surface impoundment means a waste management unit which is a natural topographic depression, manmade excavation, or diked area formed primarily of earthen materials (although it may be lined with manmade materials), which is designed to hold an accumulation of liquid wastes or waste containing free liquids. A surface impoundment is used for the purpose of treating, storing, or disposing of wastewater or residuals, and is not an injection well. Examples of surface impoundments are equalization, settling, and aeration pits, ponds, and lagoons.

Surge control vessel means feed drums, recycle drums, and intermediate vessels. Surge control vessels are used within a chemical manufacturing process unit when in-process storage, mixing, or management of flow rates or volumes is needed to assist in production of a product.

Table 8 compound means a compound listed in table 8 of this subpart.

Table 9 compound means a compound listed in table 9 of this subpart.

Temperature monitoring device means a unit of equipment used to monitor temperature and having a minimum accuracy of

(a) ±1 percent of the temperature being monitored expressed in degrees Celsius ((°C) or

(b) ±0.5 degrees (°C), whichever is greater.

The 33/50 program means a voluntary pollution prevention initiative established and administered by the EPA to encourage emissions reductions of 17 chemicals emitted in large volumes by industrial facilities. The EPA Document Number 741-K-92-001 provides more information about the 33/50 program.

Total organic compounds or TOC, as used in the process vents provisions, means those compounds measured according to the procedures of Method 18 of 40 CFR part 60, appendix A.

Total resource effectiveness index value or TRE index value means a measure of the supplemental total resource requirement per unit reduction of organic HAP associated with a process vent stream, based on vent stream flow rate, emission rate of organic HAP, net heating value, and corrosion properties (whether or not the vent stream contains halogenated compounds), as quantified by the equations given under § 63.115 of this subpart.

Treatment process means a specific technique that removes or destroys the organics in a wastewater or residual stream such as a steam stripping unit, thin-film evaporation unit, waste incinerator, biological treatment unit, or any other process applied to wastewater streams or residuals to comply with § 63.138 of this subpart. Most treatment processes are conducted in tanks. Treatment processes are a subset of waste management units.

Vapor collection system, as used in the transfer provisions, means the equipment used to collect and transport organic HAP vapors displaced during the loading of tank trucks or railcars. This does not include the vapor collection system that is part of any tank truck or railcar vapor collection manifold system.

Vapor-mounted seal means a continuous seal that completely covers the annular space between the wall of the storage vessel or waste management unit and the edge of the floating roof and is mounted such that there is a vapor space between the stored liquid and the bottom of the seal.

Vent stream, as used in the process vent provisions, means the gas stream flowing through the process vent.

Waste management unit means the equipment, structure(s), and/or device(s) used to convey, store, treat, or dispose of wastewater streams or residuals. Examples of waste management units include: Wastewater tanks, surface impoundments, individual drain systems, and biological wastewater treatment units. Examples of equipment that may be waste management units include containers, air flotation units, oil-water separators or organic-water separators, or organic removal devices such as decanters, strippers, or thin-film evaporation units. If such equipment is used for recovery, then it is part of a chemical manufacturing process unit and is not a waste management unit.

Wastewater stream means a stream that contains only wastewater as defined in § 63.101 of subpart F of this part.

Wastewater tank means a stationary waste management unit that is designed to contain an accumulation of wastewater or residuals and is constructed primarily of non-earthen materials (e.g., wood, concrete, steel, plastic) which provide structural support. Wastewater tanks used for flow equalization are included in this definition.

Water seal controls means a seal pot, p-leg trap, or other type of trap filled with water (e.g, flooded sewers that maintain water levels adequate to prevent air flow through the system) that creates a water barrier between the sewer line and the atmosphere. The water level of the seal must be maintained in the vertical leg of a drain in order to be considered a water seal.

[59 FR 19468, Apr. 22, 1994, as amended at 60 FR 18024, 18029, Apr. 10, 1995; 60 FR 63626, Dec. 12, 1995; 62 FR 2742, Jan. 17, 1997; 63 FR 67792, Dec. 9, 1998; 65 FR 62215, Oct. 17, 2000; 66 FR 6929, Jan. 22, 2001[89 FR 43177, May 16, 2024]