South Coast Air Quality Management District

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Best Available Control Technology Guidelines Report

SYNOPSIS: 

This quarterly report provides the new BACT determinations/listings that were added to the BACT Guidelines Part B – Clearinghouse in the last quarter.

COMMITTEE: 

Stationary Source, August 25, 2000, Reviewed

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file updates to BACT Guidelines Part B.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

AQMD's New Source Review (NSR) regulations require applicants to use Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for new sources, relocated sources, and for modifications that increase emissions. Regulation XIII – New Source Review also requires the Executive Officer to periodically publish BACT Guidelines for commonly permitted equipment. On December 11, 1998, the Governing Board approved a new format, process, and procedures for updating the AQMD’s BACT Guidelines. The Board also directed staff to report back on progress made, on a quarterly basis.

Part B - BACT Determinations

Staff added fifteen new BACT listings to Part B of the BACT Guidelines since the last quarterly report. This work has been in coordination with the BACT Scientific Review Committee (SRC). The SRC is a technical group whose membership includes industry, environmental groups, CARB, and U.S. EPA. The purpose of the new listings is to provide information to permit applicants and permitting staff regarding recent BACT determinations.

Section 1 - AQMD BACT Determinations

Attached are new BACT determinations for the following categories of equipment:
(1) Absorption chiller (new category), (2) Boiler, (3) I.C. Engine – Emergency, Compression Ignition, and (4) Screen Printing and Drying.

The absorption chiller (one example is attached) is fired with natural gas and it is equipped with a low-NOx burner. The BACT limits are 20 ppm for NOx and 50 ppm for CO. At this time, ultra-low-NOx burners (ULNB) that can achieve 12 ppm NOx are not achieved in practice for this new category of equipment.

The boilers (four examples are attached) are equipped with ULNBs in order to comply with the BACT emission limits. The NOx limit for three of the small boilers (each rated at < 20 MMbtu/hour) is 12 ppm, and the NOx limit for the other small boiler (rating = 8.2 MMbtu/hour) is 15 ppm. The last boiler has a higher NOx limit because the application was deemed complete prior to the AQMD’s implementation of a 12 ppm NOx limit. Although this boiler has a higher NOx permit limit, source test results indicate that the NOx emissions are below 9 ppm.

The emergency compression ignition engines (five examples are attached) are diesel fired, each is rated at > 750 brake horsepower (BHP), and the BACT requirements (in grams/BHP-hr for NOx, CO, ROG, and PM10 are 6.9, 8.5, 1.0, and 0.38, respectively. These emission limits can be achieved without add-on controls.

Various low-VOC inks (e.g., plastisol, water-based, or UV-cured inks) are used for screen printing operations (three examples are attached). Using these low-VOC inks minimizes VOC emissions, and additional add-on controls are not required.

Section 2 - Non-AQMD LAER/BACT Determinations

Attached is a BACT listing for a gas turbine that will be operated in Everett, Massachusetts (MA). The MA Department of Environmental Protection issued the permit. Selective catalytic reduction and an oxidation catalyst will control the emissions from the gas turbine. The BACT limits (based on a 1-hour averaging time) are as follows: NOx = 2 ppm, CO = 2 ppm, VOC (unfired) = 1.0 ppm, VOC (duct fired) = 1.7 ppm, and ammonia = 2 ppm. This permit is significant because the NOx and ammonia limits are below what is currently recognized as BACT/LAER in the AQMD.

Section 3 – Other Technologies

Attached is a BACT listing for a 4.2 MMbtu/hour boiler that is equipped with the first commercial SCONOx™ device specifically designed for boilers and other external combustion equipment. The SCONOx™ device will reduce the NOx and CO emissions from the boiler to very low levels. The equipment is listed in Section III because the applicant volunteered to have a 2 ppm NOx permit limit (the current BACT requirement for a boiler this size is 12 ppm). This emerging technology is not yet considered achieved in practice.

Conclusion

Staff sincerely extends its appreciation to SRC members and others who assisted in updating the BACT Guidelines. In particular, the commitment of past and present continuing SRC members in the development and review of the attached information is much appreciated. The information in this package is available at the AQMD website at http://www.aqmd.gov/bact.

Attachments

Part B - BACT Listings

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