The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a recent publication, proposed changes to the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants. These include modifications for institutional, commercial, and institution boilers and process heaters. These new emission limits are called Boiler MACT or Maximum Achievable Technology. The proposal proposes to adjust existing emission limits and establish stricter limits for major sources hazardous air pollutants. The comments are due 60 days after publication, and they must be submitted by October 24, 2020.
Performance stack test – The boiler must pass the performance stack test (PST), which requires that it operate at the minimum load to meet the emission limits set forth in Table 1 and Table 2. The tests measure the boiler’s pressure drop, average liquid flow rate, and total secondary electrical power. They are the most important safety standards for institutions. These standards are not applicable to all institutions. Some institutions have limited-use boilers. If you have a facility with an existing PST, the EPA has guidelines for these types of units.
EPA standards also cover oil-fired boilers. The rule allows institutions to purchase an oil-fired boiler with a 0.50 percent sulfur content. These boilers must have a PST of 0.1. The HST emissions limit is based on arithmetic mean of four CMS data values during each fifteen-minute period. The amount of carbon dioxide in a single hour is the equivalent of the amount of CO2 in a bucket of water.
Institutions must also follow the federal boiler code in addition to the rules above. There are a variety of regulations for Institutions boilers, and the operating limits for each category vary. A typical year is 48 hours for a biomass-fired institution, and a year-long period for a coal-fired unit. These standards require periodic testing, and the annual period must be at least a year. It is important to comply with these requirements.
Most types of institutional boilers are regulated by the Clean Air Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has established new standards for major source boilers as part of the Clean Air Act. These standards are applicable to industrial and institutional boilers as well as process heaters that transfer heat into other processes. Equipment that is listed has a higher likelihood of emitting less than industrial boilers or institutional boilers. Some exceptions are steam-fired or condensing systems.
Operators must comply with emission standards for Institutions boilers as well as work practices standards, emission reduction methods, and management practices. For example, EPA requires that operators of boilers meet certain energy efficiency standards. They must also adhere to the unit’s work practice standard. They must ensure that they follow the emission limits in order to avoid violating the law. They must also keep track of the fuel they use each month.