CEM - Abstract

Abstract Information :

Not all pollution comes from smoke stacks. Undetected leaks (called fugitive emissions) are a significant source of pollution and can come from industry, refineries, energy production, and natural gas pipelines. Fixing these leaks can protect workers and nearby communities, reduce operating costs for companies, and assist regulators with implementing source emissions and air quality standards under the National Laws.

Next generation air measurement technologies are making it easier to track air pollution leaks from pipes, seals, and other areas at industrial facilities. These new high-tech tools can be used to help determine where leaks are occurring and what chemicals are being released.

The first step in understanding and controlling fugitive emissions is detecting their presence.

A very simple technique is the low-cost passive sampler (by USEPA), which is a small tube (about the diameter of a pencil) with carbon sorbent material inside. Multiple tubes are hung around the fenceline of the facility and uncapped to expose them to air. After a week or two, the tubes are recapped and sent to the lab for analysis. Users then get a "map" of air pollutants like benzene that are present at the fenceline, which can be used to help understand the source of leaks.

Although powerful, sensitive, and simple these passive samplers have some limitations: they don't provide instant feedback, and they do not factor in wind direction. To address this limitation, areas of increased levels of pollutants found by passive samplers can be investigated further with more sophisticated measurement tools that provides real-time fenceline data.

Complementing the passive samplers, sensors and real-time fenceline monitoring system, new mobile measurement technologies can be used for onsite and offsite leak inspection applications and measurement of fugitive / diffuse emissions.

Conclusion :
The advances in measurement technology specifically in the newer areas like fenceline monitoring are improving the ability to protect air quality and public health. They are assisting industry to fix leaks and fugitive emissions and reduce operating costs, helping air quality managers improve inventories of air pollution emissions, and assisting regulators with enforcement and compliance of the air quality standards.