§ 63.7823 - What test methods and other procedures must I use to demonstrate initial compliance with the opacity limits?

§ 63.7823 What test methods and other procedures must I use to demonstrate initial compliance with the opacity limits?

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 23324, Apr. 3, 2024.

(a) You (a) For each discharge end of a sinter plant, sinter plant cooler, blast furnace casthouse, BOPF shop, and large bell on a blast furnace, you must conduct each performance test that applies to your affected source based on representative performance (i.e., performance based on normal operating conditions) of the affected source for the period being tested, according to the conditions detailed in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section. Representative conditions exclude periods of startup and shutdown. You shall not conduct performance tests during periods of malfunction. You must record the process information that is necessary to document operating conditions during the test and include in such record an explanation to support that such conditions represent normal operation. Upon request, you shall make available to the Administrator such records as may be necessary to determine the conditions of performance tests.

(b) You must conduct each visible emissions performance test such that the opacity observations overlap with the performance test for particulate matter.

(c) To determine compliance with the applicable opacity limit in Table 1 to this subpart for a sinter plant discharge end or a blast furnace casthouse:

(1) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter. Alternatively, ASTM D7520-16, (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) may be used with the following conditions:

(i) During the digital camera opacity technique (DCOT) certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand).

(ii) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14).

(iii) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 63.10(b)(1) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination.

(iv) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15-percent opacity of anyone reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5-percent opacity.

(v) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

(2) Obtain a minimum of 30 6-minute block averages. For a blast furnace casthouse, make observations during tapping of the furnace. Tapping begins when the furnace is opened, usually by creating a hole near the bottom of the furnace, and ends when the hole is plugged.

(3) For the blast furnace casthouse, make observations at each opening:

(i) If EPA Method 9 is used, observations should be made separately at each opening.

(ii) If ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) is used, observations may be read for more than one opening at the same time.

(d) To determine compliance with the applicable opacity limit in Table 1 to this subpart for BOPF shops:

(1) For an existing BOPF shop:

(i) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter except as specified in paragraphs (d)(1)(ii) and (iii) of this section. Alternatively, ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) may be used with the following conditions:

(A) During the DCOT certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand).

(B) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14).

(C) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 63.10(b)(1) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination.

(D) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15-percent opacity of anyone reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5-percent opacity.

(E) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

(ii) Instead of procedures in section 2.4 of Method 9 in appendix A to part 60 of this chapter, record observations to the nearest 5 percent at 15-second intervals for at least three steel production cycles.

(iii) Instead of procedures in section 2.5 of Method 9 in appendix A to part 60 of this chapter, determine the 3-minute block average opacity from the average of 12 consecutive observations recorded at 15-second intervals.

(2) For a new BOPF shop housing a bottom-blown BOPF:

(i) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter. Alternatively, ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) may be used with the following conditions:

(A) During the DCOT certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand).

(B) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14).

(C) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 63.10(b)(1) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination.

(D) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15-percent opacity of anyone reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5-percent opacity.

(E) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

(ii) Determine the highest and second highest sets of 6-minute block average opacities for each steel production cycle.

(3) For a new BOPF shop housing a top-blown BOPF:

(i) Determine the opacity of emissions according to the requirements for an existing BOPF shop in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section.

(ii) Determine the highest and second highest sets of 3-minute block average opacities for each steel production cycle.

(4) Opacity observations must cover the entire steel production cycle and must be made for at least three cycles. The steel production cycle begins when the scrap is charged to the furnace and ends 3 minutes after the slag is emptied from the vessel into the slag pot.

(5) Determine and record the starting and stopping times of the steel production cycle.

(6) Make observations at each opening:

(i) If EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter is used, observations should be made separately at each opening.

(ii) If ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) is used, observations may be read for more than one opening at the same time.

(e) To determine compliance with the applicable opacity limit in Table 1 to this subpart for a sinter cooler at an existing sinter plant:

(1) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter. Alternatively, ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) may be used with the following conditions:

(i) During the DCOT certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand).

(ii) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14).

(iii) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 63.10(b)(1) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination.

(iv) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15-percent opacity of anyone reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5-percent opacity.

(v) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

(2) Obtain a minimum of 30 6-minute block averages.

(3) Make visible emission observations of uncovered portions of sinter plant coolers with the line of sight generally in the direction of the center of the cooler.

(f) To determine compliance with the applicable opacity limit in table 1 to this subpart for planned bleeder valve openings at a blast furnace:

(1) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter. Alternatively, ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) may be used with the following conditions:

(i) During the DCOT certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must be present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand).

(ii) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14).

(iii) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 63.10(b)(1) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination.

(iv) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15-percent opacity of any one reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5-percent opacity.

(v) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520-16 (incorporated by reference, see § 63.14) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

(2) Conduct opacity observations in 6-minute block averages starting as soon as event begins or sunrise whichever is later and ending either when the bleeder valve closes, sunset, or after the first 6-minute block average where all readings are zero percent opacity, but in no case shall the opacity observation period be less than 6 minutes.

(g) To determine compliance with the applicable opacity limit in table 1 to this subpart for slag processing, handling, and storage operations for a blast furnace or BOPF:

(1) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter.

(2) Conduct opacity observations in 6-minute blocks for 30 minutes at each: slag dumping to BF pit; BOPF slag dumping to pit; BF pit digging, BOPF pit digging; slag dumping to a pile, slag dumping to a piece of slag handling equipment such as crusher.

(h) To determine compliance with the work practice trigger for large bells on a blast furnace:

(1) Using a certified observer, determine the opacity of emissions according to EPA Method 9 in appendix A-4 to part 60 of this chapter.

(2) Conduct opacity observations of 15 instantaneous interbell relief valve emissions.

[68 FR 27663, May 20, 2003, as amended at 71 FR 39586, July 13, 2006; 85 FR 42117, July 13, 2020; 89 FR 23324, Apr. 3, 2024]