API PUBL 4720-2002

$29.25

Comparison of API and EPA Toxic Air Pollutant Emission Factors for Combustion Sources

Published By	Publication Date	Number of Pages
API	2002	54

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Category: API

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Description

Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) have published toxic air pollutant emission factors for combustion sources. This study compared the published emission factors, identified and explained differences in the factors, and recommended priorities for gathering additional information to improve the quality and reliability of published factors.

This study revealed the following major gaps and inconsistencies in air toxic emission factors for combustion sources:

• There is the lack of data for metals emissions for reciprocating internal combustion engines and gas-fired gas turbines. While it is likely that metal emissions from these sources are small, there are no published emission factors to confirm this assumption.

• There is no consistent list of target compounds in the emission factor databases and not all hazardous air pollutants were targeted in all tests. This results in isolated gaps for specific organics and metals throughout the databases.

• There are several inconsistencies in the emission factors reported by EPA and API. The primary reasons for these inconsistencies are: (1) differences in source populations and operating conditions, (2) differences in sampling and analytical methods, and (3) differences in the treatment of detection limits.

• For most source categories, there are no factors for dioxin/furan emissions.

A literature search revealed several potential sources of new information that could be used to update the EPA or API emission factor databases. These sources include EPA-sponsored testing of reciprocating engines, the Industrial Combustion Coordinated Rulemaking databases, the Petroleum Environmental Research Forum study, and a study by the Gas Technology Institute. A preliminary review of these sources showed that they did not contain the data needed to fill the gaps for dioxins and furans, but could be used to address other gaps and inconsistencies.

Several areas of additional research are recommended:

• Determine the extent to which information available in recent literature is sufficient to verify EPA/API emission factors or fill in existing data gaps.

• Collect additional data for gas-fired boilers/heaters to develop emission factors for polycyclic compounds, metals, and organic hazardous air pollutants.

• Collect additional data for fuel oil-fired boilers and IC engines to develop emission factors for polycyclic compounds, metals, and organic hazardous air pollutants.

• Initiate the process with EPA for the updating of the AP-42 fuel oil and natural gas external combustion sections.

• Where possible, consider adding sampling and analysis for hazardous air pollutants to existing field data collection efforts.

Additional information