API PUBL 4612-1994

$42.25

1993 Study of Refinery Fugitive Emissions from Equipment Leaks

Published By	Publication Date	Number of Pages
API	1994	282

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Description

The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and the American Petroleum Institute (MI) commissioned this "1993 Study of Refinery Fugitive Emissions from Equipment Leaks," called the "1993 Refinery Study" in this document. The results of this study are new emission correlation equations that relate the mass of hydrocarbon emissions to specific emission rates measured by screening components with an Organic Vapor Analyzer (OVA). Emission correlation equations were developed for valves, pumps, connectors, and open-ended lines, based on established statistical methodologies recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). An alternative statistical methodology called the measurement error method (MEM) was also examined.

The emission correlation equations from the MEM technique account for variabilities in screening values and in the measured mass emissions. Additional evaluation of this methodology is still in progress. The emission correlation equations from the 1993 Refinery Study result in emission calculations that are significantly lower than emission calculations based on published emission correlation equations developed from data in Radian's Assessment of Atmospheric Emissions from Petroleum Refining, called the 1980 Refinery Study in this document. However, much of the difference in emission correlation equations is based on different data collection and data analysis techniques in the two studies. Changes in equipment and operating procedures may also have contributed to the differences in emission correlation equations.

New "zero component emission factors" were developed for components that screen at background hydrocarbon levels and were compared to the zero component emission factors published in the U.S. EPA Protocols Document. Depending on the component category, the factors developed in this study were similar, higher, or lower than those in the EPA document New emission factors were also developed for components that have screening values above the range of the screening instrument (pegged components). These factors are significantly lower than those published in the EPA document.

Several special studies were also conducted as part of the 1993 Refinery Study as a quality assurance measure and to investigate the variability of factors used to develop the emission correlation equations, zero component emission factors, and pegged component emission factors. The special studies discussed in this report include:

• Effects of potentially leaking OVA probes;

• Screening variability;

• Nitrogen flow rate variability;

• Benefits of additional bagging;

• Effects of dilution probe data; and

• Effects of high screening variability data. The results of these special studies increase the understanding of the emission correlation equations, zero component emission factors, and pegged component emission factors, but do not indicate that any changes to these equations or emission factors are required.

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