The Code of Federal Regulations Citation 40 CFR Part 63 Subparts LLLLL and AAAAAAA establish national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for major and area sources involved in asphalt processing and asphalt roofing manufacturing. These standards stipulate that asphalt processing facilities and asphalt roofing manufacturing lines must operate and maintain APC and monitoring equipment. Emissions are limited for two pollutants: total hydrocarbons and particulate matter.
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Two APC systems from Air Clear™ LLC can help meet the requirements of emissions standards: Air Clear Coalescing Fiberbed Mist Collectors and Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO).
Air Clear Coalescing Fiberbed Mist Collectors capture, collect and remove the liquid mists, aerosols and submicron particles that cause opacity, smoke and blue haze. Coalescing fiberbed technology utilizes impaction, interception and Brownian diffusion to eliminate aerosol mists and submicron particles from virtually any gas stream. Air Clear Coalescing Fiberbed Mist Collectors are guaranteed to reduce stack opacity to five percent or less, excluding steam and uncondensed materials, and offer very high particulate removal efficiency, in excess of 99 percent.
A combined APC system consisting of a Fiberbed Mist Collector and an RTO can be particularly effective for asphalt roofing manufacturing processes. The Fiberbed Mist Collector will reduce the buildup of condensables that form on the cold side of the RTO recovery bed, allowing the RTO to eliminate VOCs unburdened by the condensable portion of the emissions.
When selecting APC equipment for asphalt roofing manufacturing processes, manufacturers should consider the maintenance and downtime requirements of the APC equipment. To this end, there is a tradeoff between the size of the system and its upkeep. Compared to smaller equipment, large systems can operate for extended periods, lowering the frequency of maintenance and reducing the total amount of time the equipment must be offline.
Coalescing Fiberbed Mist Collectors from Air Clear minimize maintenance and downtime expenses. They are tested prior to shipment to ensure optimum performance in the field, and they operate continuously with little maintenance. When they do require attention, Fiberbed Mist Collector System filters are designed for quick and easy access. Cranes and overhead lifting equipment are not required to switch them out.
Air Clear’s RTOs also minimize the cost of equipment maintenance. They feature high-density ceramic insulation modules constructed to prevent spalling or erosion of the fibers, which would normally occur during heating when the fibers expand in different directions. The insulation system is efficient and durable, and requires little maintenance. Air Clear’s poppet valve design allows for ease of maintenance in the harsh conditions of the asphalt manufacturing process. The RTOs also feature long lasting, durable epoxy coatings.
Air Clear’s RTOs also minimize energy costs. Their ceramic heat recovery beds capture and reuse up to 95 percent of the system’s energy. Further energy savings with a secondary heat recovery (SHR) system are possible, as the SHR recovers waste heat from hot combustion exhaust that is normally vented to the stack. A safe fuel injection (SFI) option lowers fuel use even further by eliminating supplemental combustion air needed for the burner.
A key factor that manufacturers must consider when selecting pollution control products for asphalt roofing manufacturing is the cost. Cost is more than just the upfront price to purchase the equipment. The total cost of a product has multiple components, including the expense of energy consumed to operate the equipment and expenditures for maintenance and downtime. Although investing in larger equipment generally involves higher upfront capital costs, savings can be realized over time. The increased scale of bigger equipment leads to higher energy efficiency, lower operating costs and less maintenance and downtime compared with smaller equipment.
Air Clear’s Fiberbed Mist Collector Systems exemplify this paradigm. With a large number of filters per system, their capital costs are higher. But their large filtration surface areas lead to lower total lifetime cost compared to smaller systems. This is because fiberbed mist eliminators with larger filtration surface areas have slower bed velocities and improved liquid drainage, resulting in lower pressure drops. Smaller pressure drops reduce annual electricity costs because less horsepower is needed to drive the fans moving fluid through the systems. More surface area also means lower filter replacement costs over the life of the systems as the time between filter element replacements is increased.
Air Clear designs and manufactures all of our pollution control products at our facility in Elkton, Maryland, which allows strict quality control and scheduling. Air Clear offers turnkey projects and service contracts.
Hazardous air pollutants created as byproducts of the asphalt roofing manufacturing process must be mitigated. Fortunately, Air Clear offers a line of APC equipment that allows roofing manufacturers to control emissions cost effectively. By installing Air Clear Coalescing Fiberbed Mist Collectors and RTOs, manufacturers can remain in compliance with environmental regulations. Furthermore, these HAP filter systems are designed to operate with high energy efficiency and low maintenance and downtime requirements, minimizing total operating expenses.
If required, the Brink® mist eliminator element can be irrigated with water spray and the spray nozzle and all instrumentation and valving for such is included with the system. The nozzle is operated around 40 PSIG liquid pressure and 50 PSIG air pressure, and requires approximately 0.1 GPM liquid and six SCFM air.
Recommendation for sample stream nozzle sizing and location will be provided for the best performance, and the reliable data for full scale design. The pilot plant is supplied to customers where an assigned person will need to install, operate it, and collect the operating data as described in the instructions provided with the pilot plant.
If internal plugging is suspected, a fiber core sample can be taken which is a small round section of packing removed from the fiber bed. The entire depth of the bed is removed. Core samples are very useful in detecting the presence of plugging materials and the extent to which plugging materials have penetrated the fiber bed. A rubber cork borer ranging in size from about 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter (9 to 12 mm) is used to take core samples. A rubber cork borer can be obtained from a laboratory supply store. It is helpful to use a plunger to push the core sample into a test tube for safe keeping. After samples are taken, the resulting hole in the element should be carefully plugged using laboratory glass wool sometimes referred to as “angel hair”.
NOTE: Before sending fiber samples, a safety sample data sheet should be completed and sent to Elessent Clean Technologies for approval.
The heart of MECS® Brink® mist eliminators is the collecting fiber. Fiber bed mist eliminator performance can be affected over time by fiber corrosion or by accumulation of plugging agents. Elessent Clean Technologies provides free fiber sample analyses for Brink® mist eliminator users to evaluate the condition of their fiber beds and to help predict remaining service life.
There are a number of ways to collect fiber samples. One way is to take a few “pinches” off the upstream surface of the bed. Another option is to take a core sample if there is a need for a more in-depth evaluation.
Our goal is to help our customers achieve outstanding and trouble-free installation and operation with their Brink® mist eliminator products.
Elessent Clean Technologies is the expert on all types of mists, be they in process gases, indoor air quality (metalworking systems) or air pollution. Effective troubleshooting begins when Brink® fiber bed elements are installed and operated by ensuring proper installation and operation at design process conditions.
The company is the world’s best fiber bed mist eliminators supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Installation/Maintenance: Proper mist eliminator installation and maintenance is as important as designing the right mist eliminators for the job. An effective installation requires proper gasket selection, flat mounting surfaces, correct bolt tightening procedures, and proper liquid seals.
By far the most important “trouble-shooting” or “trouble-prevention” method involves monitoring of mist eliminator performance on a regular basis and, if undesirable symptoms occur, conducting an evaluation to correct problems before they become severe. Monitoring mist eliminator performance involves maintaining accurate and complete operating records. Records should include inlet process conditions: gas flow rate, temperature, and pressure along with element pressure drop and liquid drain rate from the mist eliminator vessel.
Monitoring element pressure drop and gas flow rate over time verifies operation is in the correct range. Any significant deviation in pressure drop is likely to be accompanied by a deviation in collection performance. We recommend keeping a plot of normalized pressure drop (pressure drop corrected to design gas flow rate) versus time.
The pressure drop is measured between a pressure tap on the inlet (upstream) side of the mist eliminator and a pressure tap on the outlet (downstream) side of the mist eliminator using calibrated equipment. Typical element pressure drops will range from four to 20 inches water column gauge (100 to 500 mm water column). Make sure pressure taps are open.
Avoid measuring pressure drop by comparing the static pressures on both sides of the mist eliminators since small inaccuracies in readings are magnified when calculating the difference (e.g., a 10% error in reading static pressure of -80 inches water column gauge (- mm wc) translates into a 60% error in calculating a 12 wcg (~300 mm wc) mist eliminator pressure drop).
Pitot tube stack readings using EPA test methods one and two can provide an acceptable measure of gas flow if a suitable location can be found in the ductwork.
Information on using other troubleshooting methods is available on request.
If simple tests and/or an inspection do not identify the problem, a mist sampling program may be necessary. The sampling method must include the separation of mist from any vapors in the process. This needs to be reviewed with the sampling company.
Other test equipment that can be used includes optical aerosol monitors and Dwyer flowmeters. Test laboratories are often used to evaluate condition of the fiber packing (see fiber analyses).
Repack turnaround times quoted are typical times. If faster turnaround is required, please notify us to arrange shop time. Overtime charges may be levied depending on availability of shop time.
The price quoted does not include any repairs to elements or shipping crates. MECS will advise you of the price before commencing work. The price is based on receiving elements unpacked (fiber removed) and cleaned. Contaminated elements cannot be received at our facility and will be refused at the dock. If you want to send your elements packed, we have made arrangements with a St. Louis based disposal firm to provide unpacking and disposal of contaminated fiber from your elements. This firm is:
TRI-Rinse
2nd Street
St. Louis, MO
: 314.647.
TRI-Rinse is located a few miles from Corrpak, our manufacturing and North American repacking plant. After TRI-Rinse unpacks your elements, they will truck them over to Corrpak so that we can then provide our repack services. NOTE: you will need to issue separate purchase orders to TRI-Rinse for the unpacking and disposal service and to MECS for repair and repacking.
Elements for repack and purchase orders are sent to different locations. Return elements to the facility in the left-hand column and send correspondence and purchase orders to the address on the right. To facilitate handling your order, please include our reference number which is either a “PN” number which has the following format on the paperwork “ XXXXX.XXX-XXX” or a reference number which is normally shown on the original order documentation.
In case the repack elements are sent from EFTA countries and non-EU countries, then all the proper documentation must be issued (EUR1, ATR, etc.). If repack is sent from a non-EFTA country, regular import procedure of the goods into the European Union will follow. If necessary, the inward processing procedure may also apply. Please provide MECS with supporting transport and customs documentation containing order references and details.
If the repack elements arrive at the port of Antwerp, your forwarder’s agent will clear the material at the quay. You may simply make sure that you inform us of the arrival of the repack in Antwerp. Your transporter may then directly transport the goods to BME & Services from the seaport.
If the repack elements arrive at the Brussels airport or by truck, your transporter will clear the goods via their agent and proceed to ship to BME & Services in Gent.
In both cases, it is advisable to contact MECS Europe/Africa BVBA, and let us know when the goods can be expected at BME & Services in Gent to anticipate delivery.
Should you have further questions regarding this repack procedure, please feel welcome to contact us.
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