R18-2-706. Standards of Performance for Existing Nitric Acid Plants

A. No person shall cause, allow or permit discharge from any nitric acid plant producing weak nitric acid, which is either: 1. 30 to 70% in strength by either the increased pressure or atmospheric pressure process, or 2. More than 1.5 kg of total oxides of nitrogen per metric ton (3.0 lbs/ton) of acid produced expressed as nitrogen dioxide. B. The opacity of any plume subject to the provisions of this Section shall not exceed 10%. C. A continuous monitoring system for the measurement of nitrogen oxides shall be installed, calibrated, maintained and operated by the owner or operator, in accordance with Section R18-2-313. D. The test methods and procedures required by this Section are as follows: 1. The reference methods in 40 CFR 60, Appendix A shall be used to determine compliance with the standard prescribed in subsection (A) as follows: a. Method 7 for the concentration of NOx; b. Method 1 for sample and velocity traverses; c. Method 2 for velocity and volumetric flow rate; d. Method 3 for gas analysis. 2. For Method 7, the sample site shall be selected according to Method 1 and the sampling point shall be the centroid of the stack or duct or at a point no closer to the walls than 1 m (3.28 ft.). Each run shall consist of at least four grab samples taken at approximately 15-minute intervals. The arithmetic mean of the samples shall constitute the run value. A velocity traverse shall be performed once per run. 3. Acid production rate, expressed in metric tons per hour of 100% nitric acid, shall be both: a. Determined during each testing period by suitable methods, and b. Confirmed by a material balance over the production system. 4. For each run, nitrogen oxides, expressed in g/metric ton of 100% nitric acid, shall be determined by dividing the emission rate in g/hr by the acid production rate. The emission rate shall be determined by the equation: g/hr = Qs x c where Qs = volumetric flow rate of the effluent in dscm/hr, as determined in accordance with subsection (D)(1)(c), and c = NOx concentration in g/dscm, as determined in accordance with subsection (D)(1)(a).