§ 98.344 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

§ 98.344 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

(a) Mass measurement equipment used to determine the quantity of waste landfilled on or after January 1, 2010 must meet the requirements for weighing equipment as described in “Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements For Weighing and Measuring Devices” NIST Handbook 44 (2009) (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(b) For landfills with gas collection systems, operate, maintain, and calibrate a gas composition monitor capable of measuring the concentration of CH₄ in the recovered landfill gas using one of the methods specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(6) of this section or as specified by the manufacturer. Gas composition monitors shall be calibrated prior to the first reporting year and recalibrated either annually or at the minimum frequency specified by the manufacturer, whichever is more frequent, or whenever the error in the midrange calibration check exceeds ±10 percent.

(1) Method 18 at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-6.

(2) ASTM D1945-03, Standard Test Method for Analysis of Natural Gas by Gas Chromatography (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(3) ASTM D1946-90 (Reapproved 2006), Standard Practice for Analysis of Reformed Gas by Gas Chromatography (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(4) GPA Standard 2261-00, Analysis for Natural Gas and Similar Gaseous Mixtures by Gas Chromatography.

(5) UOP539-97 Refinery Gas Analysis by Gas Chromatography (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(6) As an alternative to the gas chromatography methods provided in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(5) of this section, you may use total gaseous organic concentration analyzers and calculate the methane concentration following the requirements in paragraphs (b)(6)(i) through (b)(6)(iii) of this section.

(i) Use Method 25A or 25B at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-7 to determine total gaseous organic concentration. You must calibrate the instrument with methane and determine the total gaseous organic concentration as carbon (or as methane; K = 1 in Equation 25A-1 of Method 25A at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-7).

(ii) Determine a non-methane organic carbon correction factor at the routine sampling location no less frequently than once a reporting year following the requirements in paragraphs (b)(6)(ii)(A) through (b)(6)(ii)(C) of this section.

(A) Take a minimum of three grab samples of the landfill gas with a minimum of 20 minutes between samples and determine the methane composition of the landfill gas using one of the methods specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(5) of this section.

(B) As soon as practical after each grab sample is collected and prior to the collection of a subsequent grab sample, determine the total gaseous organic concentration of the landfill gas using either Method 25A or 25B at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-7 as specified in paragraph (b)(6)(i) of this section.

(C) Determine the arithmetic average methane concentration and the arithmetic average total gaseous organic concentration of the samples analyzed according to paragraphs (b)(6)(ii)(A) and (b)(6)(ii)(B) of this section, respectively, and calculate the non-methane organic carbon correction factor as the ratio of the average methane concentration to the average total gaseous organic concentration. If the ratio exceeds 1, use 1 for the non-methane organic carbon correction factor.

(iii) Calculate the methane concentration as specified in Equation HH-9 of this section.

Where:

C_CH4 = Methane concentration in the landfill gas (volume %) for use in Equation HH-4 of this subpart.

f_NMOC = Non-methane organic carbon correction factor from the most recent determination of the non-methane organic carbon correction factor as specified in paragraph (b)(6)(ii) of this section (unitless).

C_TGOC = Total gaseous organic carbon concentration measured using Method 25A or 25B at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-7 during routine monitoring of the landfill gas (volume %).

(c) For landfills with gas collection systems, install, operate, maintain, and calibrate a gas flow meter capable of measuring the volumetric flow rate of the recovered landfill gas using one of the methods specified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(8) of this section or as specified by the manufacturer. Each gas flow meter shall be recalibrated either biennially (every 2 years) or at the minimum frequency specified by the manufacturer. Except as provided in § 98.343(b)(2)(i), each gas flow meter must be capable of correcting for the temperature and pressure and, if necessary, moisture content.

(1) ASME MFC-3M-2004, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Pipes Using Orifice, Nozzle, and Venturi (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(2) ASME MFC-4M-1986 (Reaffirmed 1997), Measurement of Gas Flow by Turbine Meters (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(3) ASME MFC-6M-1998, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Pipes Using Vortex Flowmeters (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(4) ASME MFC-7M-1987 (Reaffirmed 1992), Measurement of Gas Flow by Means of Critical Flow Venturi Nozzles (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(5) ASME MFC-11M-2006 Measurement of Fluid Flow by Means of Coriolis Mass Flowmeters (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7). The mass flow must be corrected to volumetric flow based on the measured temperature, pressure, and gas composition.

(6) ASME MFC-14M-2003 Measurement of Fluid Flow Using Small Bore Precision Orifice Meters (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(7) ASME MFC-18M-2001 Measurement of Fluid Flow using Variable Area Meters (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

(8) Method 2A or 2D at 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-1.

(d) All temperature, pressure, and if necessary, moisture content monitors must be calibrated using the procedures and frequencies specified by the manufacturer.

(e) For landfills electing to measure the fraction by volume of CH₄ in landfill gas (F), follow the requirements in paragraphs (e)(1) and (2) of this section.

(1) Use a gas composition monitor capable of measuring the concentration of CH₄ on a dry basis that is properly operated, calibrated, and maintained according to the requirements specified in paragraph (b) of this section. You must either use a gas composition monitor that is also capable of measuring the O₂ concentration correcting for excess (infiltration) air or you must operate, maintain, and calibrate a second monitor capable of measuring the O₂ concentration on a dry basis according to the manufacturer's specifications.

(2) Use Equation HH-10 of this section to correct the measured CH₄ concentration to 0% oxygen. If multiple CH₄ concentration measurements are made during the reporting year, determine F separately for each measurement made during the reporting year, and use the results to determine the arithmetic average value of F for use in Equation HH-1 of this part.

Where:

F = Fraction by volume of CH₄ in landfill gas (fraction, dry basis, corrected to 0% oxygen).

C_CH4 = Measured CH₄ concentration in landfill gas (volume %, dry basis).

20.9_c = Defined O₂ correction basis, (volume %, dry basis).

20.9 = O₂ concentration in air (volume %, dry basis).

%O₂ = Measured O₂ concentration in landfill gas (volume %, dry basis).

(f) The owner or operator shall document the procedures used to ensure the accuracy of the estimates of disposal quantities and, if applicable, gas flow rate, gas composition, temperature, pressure, and moisture content measurements. These procedures include, but are not limited to, calibration of weighing equipment, fuel flow meters, and other measurement devices. The estimated accuracy of measurements made with these devices, and the technical basis for these estimates shall be recorded.

[74 FR 56374, Oct. 30, 2009, as amended at 75 FR 66472, Oct. 28, 2010; 78 FR 71969, Nov. 29, 2013]