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Battery condenser system particulate emission factors for cotton gins: Particle size distribution characteristics

Author:
Derek P. Whitelock, Michael D. Buser, J. Clif Boykin, Gregory A. Holt
Source:
Journal of cotton science 2015 v.19 no.3 pp. 465-477
ISSN:
1524-3303
Subject:
air quality, batteries, condensers, cotton, cotton gin, emissions factor, particle size, particle size distribution, particulate emissions, particulates, Southeastern United States
Abstract:
This report is part of a project to characterize cotton gin emissions from the standpoint of total particulate stack sampling and particle size analyses. In 2006 and again in 2013, the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a more stringent National Ambient Air Quality Standard for particulate matter with nominal diameter less than or equal to 2.5 µm (PM(2.5)). This created an urgent need to collect additional cotton gin emissions data to address current regulatory issues, because EPA AP-42 cotton gin PM(2.5) emission factors were limited. In addition, current EPA AP-42 emission factor quality ratings for cotton gin PM(10) (particulate matter with nominal diameter less than or equal to 10 µm) data are questionable, being extremely low. The objective of this study was to characterize particulate emissions for battery condenser systems from cotton gins across the cotton belt based on particle size distribution analysis of total particulate samples from EPA-approved stack sampling methods. Average measured PM(2.5), PM(6), and PM(10) emission factors based on the mass and particle size analyses of EPA Method 17 total particulate filter and wash samples from six gins (17 total test runs) were 0.00036 kg/227-kg bale (0.00078 lb/500-lb bale), 0.0042 kg/bale (0.0093 lb/bale), and 0.0078 kg/bale (0.017 lb/bale), respectively. The battery condenser system particle size distributions were characterized by an average mass median diameter of 24.5 µm (aerodynamic equivalent diameter). Based on system average emission factors, the ratio of PM(2.5) to total particulate was 1.11%, PM(6) to total particulate was 13.2%, and PM(10) to total particulate was 24.3%.
Agid:
61747
Handle:
10113/61747