§ 98.128 - Definitions.

§ 98.128 Definitions.

Except as provided in this section, all of the terms used in this subpart have the same meaning given in the Clean Air Act and subpart A of this part. If a conflict exists between a definition provided in this subpart and a definition provided in subpart A, the definition in this subpart shall take precedence for the reporting requirements in this subpart.

Batch process or batch operation means a noncontinuous operation involving intermittent or discontinuous feed into equipment, and, in general, involves the emptying of the equipment after the batch operation ceases and prior to beginning a new operation. Addition of raw material and withdrawal of product do not occur simultaneously in a batch operation.

Batch emission episode means a discrete venting episode associated with a vessel in a process; a vessel may have more than one batch emission episode. For example, a displacement of vapor resulting from the charging of a vessel with a feed material will result in a discrete emission episode that will last through the duration of the charge and will have an average flow rate equal to the rate of the charge. If the vessel is then heated, there will also be another discrete emission episode resulting from the expulsion of expanded vapor. Other emission episodes also may occur from the same vessel and other vessels in the process, depending on process operations.

By-product means a chemical that is produced coincidentally during the production of another chemical.

Completely destroyed means destroyed with a destruction efficiency of 99.99 percent or greater.

Completely recaptured means 99.99 percent or greater of each fluorinated GHG is removed from a stream.

Continuous process or operation means a process where the inputs and outputs flow continuously throughout the duration of the process. Continuous processes are typically steady state.

Destruction device means any device used to destroy fluorinated GHG.

Destruction process means a process used to destroy fluorinated GHG in a destruction device such as a thermal incinerator or catalytic oxidizer.

Difficult-to-monitor means the equipment piece may not be monitored without elevating the monitoring personnel more than 2 meters (7 feet) above a support surface or it is not accessible in a safe manner when it is in fluorinated GHG service.

Dual mechanical seal pump and dual mechanical seal agitator means a pump or agitator equipped with a dual mechanical seal system that includes a barrier fluid system where the barrier fluid is not in light liquid service; each barrier fluid system is equipped with a sensor that will detect failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both; and meets the following requirements:

(1) 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 or agitator stuffing box pressure; or

(2) 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; or

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

Equipment (for the purposes of § 98.123(d) and § 98.124(f) only) means each pump, compressor, agitator, pressure relief device, sampling connection system, open-ended valve or line, valve, connector, and instrumentation system in fluorinated GHG service for a process subject to this subpart; and any destruction devices or closed-vent systems to which processes subject to this subpart are vented.

Fluorinated gas means any fluorinated GHG, CFC, or HCFC.

Fluorinated gas product means the product of the process, including isolated intermediates.

Fully fluorinated GHGs means fluorinated GHGs that contain only single bonds and in which all available valence locations are filled by fluorine atoms. This includes but is not limited to saturated perfluorocarbons, SF₆, NF₃, SF₅CF₃, fully fluorinated linear, branched and cyclic alkanes, fully fluorinated ethers, fully fluorinated tertiary amines, fully fluorinated aminoethers, and perfluoropolyethers.

Generically-identified process means a process that is:

(1) Identified as a production process, a transformation process where no fluorinated GHG reactant is produced at another facility, or a transformation process where one or more fluorinated GHG reactants are produced at another facility;

(2) Further identified as a reaction, distillation, or packaging process, or a combination thereof; and

(3) Tagged with a discrete identifier, such as a letter or number, that remains constant from year to year.

In fluorinated GHG service means that a piece of equipment either contains or contacts a feedstock, by-product, or product that is a liquid or gas and contains at least 5 percent by weight fluorinated GHG.

In gas and vapor service means that a piece of equipment in regulated material service contains a gas or vapor at operating conditions.

In heavy liquid service means that a piece of equipment in regulated material service is not in gas and vapor service or in light liquid service.

In light liquid service means that a piece of equipment in regulated material service contains a liquid that meets the following conditions:

(1) The vapor pressure of one or more of the compounds is greater than 0.3 kilopascals at 20 °C.

(2) The total concentration of the pure compounds constituents having a vapor pressure greater than 0.3 kilopascals at 20 °C is equal to or greater than 20 percent by weight of the total process stream.

(3) The fluid is a liquid at operating conditions.

Note to definition of “in light liquid service”:

Vapor pressures may be determined by standard reference texts or ASTM D-2879, (incorporated by reference, see § 98.7).

In vacuum service means that equipment is operating at an internal pressure which is at least 5 kilopascals below ambient pressure.

Isolated intermediate means a product of a process that is stored before subsequent processing. An isolated intermediate is usually a product of chemical synthesis. Storage of an isolated intermediate marks the end of a process. Storage occurs at any time the intermediate is placed in equipment used solely for storage.

Major fluorinated GHG constituent means a fluorinated GHG constituent of a fluorinated gas product that occurs in concentrations greater than 1 percent by mass.

No external shaft pump and No external shaft agitator means any pump or agitator that is designed with no externally actuated shaft penetrating the pump or agitator housing.

Operating scenario means any specific operation of a process and includes the information specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this definition for each process. A change or series of changes to any of these elements, except for paragraph (4) of this definition, constitutes a different operating scenario.

(1) A description of the process, the specific process equipment used, and the range of operating conditions for the process.

(2) An identification of related process vents, their associated emissions episodes and durations, and calculations and engineering analyses to show the annual uncontrolled fluorinated GHG emissions from the process vent.

(3) The control or destruction devices used, as applicable, including a description of operating and/or testing conditions for any associated destruction device.

(4) The process vents (including those from other processes) that are simultaneously routed to the control or destruction device(s).

(5) The applicable monitoring requirements and any parametric level that assures destruction or removal for all emissions routed to the control or destruction device.

Process means all equipment that collectively functions to produce a fluorinated gas product, including an isolated intermediate (which is also a fluorinated gas product), or to transform a fluorinated gas product. A process may consist of one or more unit operations. For the purposes of this subpart, process includes any, all, or a combination of reaction, recovery, separation, purification, or other activity, operation, manufacture, or treatment which are used to produce a fluorinated gas product. For a continuous process, cleaning operations conducted may be considered part of the process, at the discretion of the facility. For a batch process, cleaning operations are part of the process. Ancillary activities are not considered a process or part of any process under this subpart. Ancillary activities include boilers and incinerators, chillers and refrigeration systems, and other equipment and activities that are not directly involved (i.e., they operate within a closed system and materials are not combined with process fluids) in the processing of raw materials or the manufacturing of a fluorinated gas product.

Process condenser means a condenser whose primary purpose is to recover material as an integral part of a process. All condensers recovering condensate from a process vent at or above the boiling point or all condensers in line prior to a vacuum source are considered process condensers. Typically, a primary condenser or condensers in series are considered to be integral to the process if they are 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.

Process vent (for the purposes of this subpart only) means a vent from a process vessel or vents from multiple process vessels within a process that are manifolded together into a common header, through which a fluorinated GHG-containing gas stream is, or has the potential to be, released to the atmosphere (or the point of entry into a control device, if any). Examples of process vents include, but are not limited to, vents on condensers used for product recovery, bottoms receivers, surge control vessels, reactors, filters, centrifuges, and process tanks. Process vents do not include vents on storage tanks, wastewater emission sources, or pieces of equipment.

Typical batch means a batch process operated within a range of operating conditions that are documented in an operating scenario. Emissions from a typical batch are based on the operating conditions that result in representative emissions. The typical batch defines the uncontrolled emissions for each emission episode defined under the operating scenario.

Uncontrolled fluorinated GHG emissions means a gas stream containing fluorinated GHG which has exited the process (or process condenser or control condenser, where applicable), but which has not yet been introduced into a destruction device to reduce the mass of fluorinated GHG in the stream. If the emissions from the process are not routed to a destruction device, uncontrolled emissions are those fluorinated GHG emissions released to the atmosphere.

Unsafe-to-monitor means that monitoring personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger as a consequence of monitoring the piece of equipment. Examples of unsafe-to-monitor equipment include, but are not limited to, equipment under extreme pressure or heat.

[75 FR 74831, Dec. 1, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 51490, Aug. 24, 2012; 79 FR 73789, Dec. 11, 2014]