§ 60.271b - Definitions.

§ 60.271b Definitions.

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Act and in subpart A of this part.

Argon-oxygen decarburization vessel (AOD vessel) means any closed-bottom, refractory-lined converter vessel with submerged tuyeres through which gaseous mixtures containing argon and oxygen or nitrogen may be blown into molten steel for further refining.

Bag leak detection system means a system that is capable of continuously monitoring relative particulate matter (dust) loadings in the exhaust of a baghouse to detect bag leaks and other conditions that result in increases in particulate loadings. A bag leak detection system includes, but is not limited to, an instrument that operates on triboelectric, electrodynamic, light scattering, light transmittance, or other effect to continuously monitor relative particulate matter loadings.

Capture system means the equipment (including ducts, hoods, fans, dampers, etc.) used to capture particulate matter generated by the operation of an electric arc furnace (EAF) or AOD vessel and transport captured particulate matter to the air pollution control device.

Charge means the addition of iron and steel scrap or other materials into the shell of an EAF or the addition of molten steel or other materials into the top of an AOD vessel.

Charging period means the time period when iron and steel scrap or other materials are added into the top of an EAF until the melting and refining period commences.

Control device means the air pollution control equipment used to remove particulate matter from the effluent gas stream generated by an EAF or AOD vessel.

Damper means any device used to open, close or throttle a DEC system or hood designed to capture emissions from an EAF or AOD vessel and route them to the associated control device(s). It does not include isolation dampers used to isolate a fan or baghouse compartment for repair or cleaning, or dampers controlling collection of emissions from equipment other than an EAF or AOD vessel.

Direct-shell evacuation control system (DEC system) means a system that designed to create and maintain a negative pressure within the EAF shell during melting and refining, and transports emissions to the control device.

Dust-handling system means equipment used to handle particulate matter collected by the control device for an EAF or AOD vessel subject to this subpart. For the purposes of this subpart, the dust-handling system shall consist of the control device dust hoppers, the dust-conveying equipment, any silo, dust storage equipment, the dust-treating equipment (e.g., pug mill, pelletizer), dust transfer equipment (including, but not limited to transfers from a silo to a truck or rail car), and any secondary control devices used with the dust transfer equipment.

Electric arc furnace (EAF) means a furnace that produces molten steel and heats the charge materials with electricity using-carbon electrodes. For the purposes of this subpart, an EAF shall consist of the furnace shell and roof and the transformer. Furnaces that continuously feed direct-reduced iron ore pellets as the primary source of iron are not affected facilities within the scope of this definition.

Electric arc furnace facility means the EAF(s) or AOD(s) subject to this rule and the air pollution control equipment used to remove particulate matter from the effluent gas stream generated by the EAF(s) or AOD(s).

Furnace static pressure means the pressure exerted by the flow of air at the walls of the furnace, perpendicular to the flow, measured using a manometer or equivalent device to determine pressure inside an EAF when DEC systems are used or pressure in the free space inside the EAF.

Heat cycle means the period beginning when scrap is charged to an EAF shell and ending when the EAF tap is completed or beginning when molten steel is charged to an AOD vessel and ending when the AOD vessel tap is completed.

Melting means that phase of steel production cycle during which the iron and steel scrap is heated to the molten state.

Melting and refining period means the time period commencing at the initial energizing of the electrode to begin the melting process and ending at the initiation of the tapping period, excluding any intermediate times when the electrodes are not energized as part of the melting process.

Modified facility means any physical or operational change to an existing facility which results in an increase in the emission rate (in kilograms per hour) to the atmosphere of any pollutant to which a standard applies. Upon modification, an existing facility shall become an affected facility for each pollutant to which a standard applies and for which there is an increase in the emission rate to the atmosphere. See § 60.14.

Negative-pressure fabric filter means a fabric filter with the fans on the downstream side of the filter bags.

Positive-pressure fabric filter means a fabric filter with the fans on the upstream side of the filter bags.

Reconstructed facility means an existing facility which upon reconstruction becomes an affected facility, irrespective of any change in emission rate, due to the replacement of components of an existing facility to such an extent that the fixed capital cost of the new components exceeds 50 percent of the fixed capital cost that would be required to construct a comparable entirely new facility, where “fixed capital cost” means the capital needed to provide all the depreciable components, and it is technologically and economically feasible to meet the applicable standards set forth in this subpart after reconstruction.

Refining means that phase of the steel production cycle during which impurities are removed from the molten steel and alloys are added to reach the final metal chemistry.

Shop means the building that houses one or more EAF's or AOD vessels and serves as the point from which compliance with § 60.272b(a)(3), “Standard for Particulate Matter,” is measured.

Shop opacity means the arithmetic average of 24 observations of the opacity of any EAF or AOD emissions emanating from, and not within, the shop, during melting and refining, and during tapping, taken in accordance with EPA Method 9 of appendix A of this part, ; and during charging, according to the procedures in section 2.5 of Method 9 in appendix A to part 60 of this chapter, with the modification following modifications: begin reading opacity when charging is first initiated and continue reading until melting and refining begins, or for a minimum of 3 minutes total. From the readings collected, take the average of the highest 12 15-second opacity observations (total of 3 minutes) during this period to determine the 3-minute block average opacity from the average of 12 consecutive observations recorded at 15-second intervalsaverage associated with charging. For the daily opacity observation during melting and refining, during charging, and during tapping, facilities may measure opacity by EPA Method 22 of appendix A of this part, modified to require the recording of the aggregate duration of visible emissions at 15-second intervals. Alternatively, ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17), may be used with the following five conditions:

(1) During the digital camera opacity technique (DCOT) certification procedure outlined in Section section 9.2 of ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17), 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);

(2) 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 section 8.1 of ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17);

(3) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 60.7(f) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination;

(4) 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 any one reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5 percent opacity;

(5) 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 § 60.17) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

Static pressure means the pressure exerted by the flow of air at the furnace walls, perpendicular to the flow, measured using a manometer or equivalent device. This refers to either furnace static pressure, or static pressure in air ducts, or pressure in the EAF capture system, i.e., static pressure at each separately ducted hood]

Tap means the pouring of molten steel from an EAF or AOD vessel.

Tapping period means the time period commencing at the moment an EAF begins to pour molten steel and ending either three minutes after steel ceases to flow from an EAF, or six minutes after steel begins to flow, whichever is longer.

[88 FR 58487, Aug. 25, 2023, as amended at 89 FR 11206, Feb. 14, 2024]