Emission Performance and Guarantee Testing

With all the focus on Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and reduction of Greenhouse Gas ("GHG") emissions, emitters are opting to make changes to their operations. If you are looking to install new low emissions equipment to help comply with the new Ontario Climate Change plan, ORTECH can help.

Performance Testing is a general term used to describe methods of assessing the effectiveness of Air Pollution Control ("APC") systems, and the efficiency (or performance) of gas turbines and compressors.  Whether during commissioning to meet the requirements of performance guarantees, or to show compliance with Environmental Compliance Approval ("ECA") limits ORTECH can provide emission testing services related to Performance Guarantee Testing, Gas Turbine Tuning, and process optimization.  Some of the expert performance testing services ORTECH provides are as follows:

Compliance Emission Testing

Compliance emission tests are typically required to meet facility ECA requirements.  These test results provide an indication of the performance of APC systems at that specific point in time in relation to point of impingement and/or in-stack concentration limits.

Air Pollution Control Device Efficiency Testing

Emission Tests performed across an APC device (i.e.:  the inlet and outlet of a wet or dry scrubber, electrostatic precipitator, baghouse, carbon or ammonia injection system, selective catalytic reduction/oxidation system, etc.) will provide the best indication of the actual operating performance of that system under varying process conditions. Testing is also often performed across an existing control device for design and engineering of a new control system.

Gas Turbine Tuning

ORTECH can provide real-time continuous measurements of the concentrations of O2, CO, CO2, NOx, SO2, and total hydrocarbon while the facility tunes the turbine operating parameters in order to optimize performance.

Performance Guarantee Testing

In order to demonstrate that contractual performance requirements are met between the equipment suppliers and the facility, third party performance guarantee testing is performed.  Compliance tests may also be required to meet the facility ECA requirements.  Most often performance testing and compliance testing can be combined into a single test program providing significant cost savings to the client.

Typical test parameters include:  Continuous Emission Monitoring (O2, CO2, CO, NOx, THC and SO2), total suspended particulate matter and fine particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5 determination), acid gases and ammonia, and volumetric flow rate and moisture content determination.

All testing is conducted using reference test methods.

Real-Time Process Monitoring

ORTECH can conduct real-time process monitoring using Continuous Emission Monitors (CEMs).  CEMs record real-time data averaged over one-minute intervals.  This allows you to track process changes over time and determine emissions over the entire process cycle.

Continuous emission monitoring can also be used to determine regulatory compliance with Environmental Compliance Approval emission limits, stationary combustion turbine emission limits (MECP Guideline A-5), boiler and heater emission limits (MECP Guideline A-9) and generator emission limits. 

ORTECH is capable of monitoring the following combustion gases using CEMs:

• Oxygen (O2)

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

• Carbon Monoxide (CO)

• Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX)

• Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

• Total Hydrocarbons (THC)

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Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations

The primary purpose of the Multi-Sector Air Pollutants Regulations (the Regulations), made under the authority of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, is to protect the environment and health of Canadians by setting mandatory, nationally consistent air pollutant emission standards for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) from regulated industrial sectors such as boilers, heaters and stationary spark-ignition engines.

Call ORTECH today to determine if you are impacted by this regulation.

What are the key elements of these regulations?

The Regulations include mandatory performance standard requirements for:

• NOX emissions from large boilers and heaters that burn gaseous fossil fuels, such as natural gas, and which are used in several industrial sectors

• NOX emissions from stationary spark-ignition engines that burn gaseous fuels, such as natural gas, and which are used by several industrial sectors

• NOX and SO2 emissions from cement manufacturing facilities

Does this Regulation apply to me?

Businesses most affected by the Regulations are those that:

• Own or operate large new and existing boilers and heaters that burn gaseous fossil fuels, such as natural gas, at facilities in eleven industrial sectors (alumina and aluminum; base metal smelting; cement; chemicals and fertilizers; electricity; iron ore pellets; iron, steel and ilmenite; oil sands; potash; pulp and paper; and oil and gas).
  
  Ongoing emission testing and reporting will be required for the larger boilers and heaters (>105 GJ/hr). There is a transitional period of up to three years to ease financial impacts during which some equipment will be required to meet NOX emission intensity limits that are less stringent than equipment that is installed after the transitional period.
  

• Own or operate new and existing stationary engines at facilities in the oil and gas sector (defined in the Regulations as the upstream oil and gas and the natural gas transmission pipeline sectors, and related underground storage facilities in those two sectors); or that own or operate new engines in eleven other industrial sectors (alumina and aluminum; base metal smelting; cement; chemicals and fertilizers; electricity; iron ore pellets; iron, steel and ilmenite; oil sands; potash; pulp and paper; and petroleum refineries).
  
  Compliance with the NOX requirements for existing engines can be achieved on a per engine basis or based on the average of the annual emissions of all of a company’s engines. Engine registration and ongoing emission testing and reporting will be required;
  

• Own or operate new and existing cement manufacturing facilities that must continuously monitor the release of NOX and SO2 and meet emission intensity standards.

How can ORTECH help?

Boilers and heaters put into service after the Regulations come into force are subject to an emission limit for NOX. All existing boilers and heaters whose NOx emission intensity exceeds 70 g/GJ have an obligation that is phased in over the initial 20 years. All owners or operators of existing boilers and heaters must send Environment and Climate Change Canada, within the first 18 months of the Regulations coming into effect, a report that classifies their existing equipment.

ORTECH can;

• determine if your equipment meets or exceeds the emissions standards.

• use Source Testing to confirm emission levels of NOx and SOx,determine the classification of boilers and heaters above a threshold capacity of 10.5 GJ/hr (10 MMBTU/hr),

• determine implications of classifications,

• provide options for reducing emission levels related to the regulation.

Find out if you are affected by the new MSAPR by contacting us at info@ortech.ca.

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Annual testing - CEMs and ECAs

If your facility is required to have monitors installed to continuously measure the emissions of contaminants of concern they must be certified.  Environment Canada Report EPS 1/PG/7: “Protocols and Performance Specifications for Continuous Monitoring of Gaseous Emissions from Thermal Power Generation,” December 2005, details performance evaluations and quality control activities that must be completed throughout the year to ensure the quality of the emission data being collected and reported by your facility’s monitors.

ORTECH provides comprehensive services to our clients to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of Environment Canada Report EPS 1/PG/7 including:

• Preparing Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manuals;

• Managing a facility’s performance evaluation requirements to ensure that quarterly, semi-annual and annual evaluations are scheduled and conducted to meet the requirements of Environment Canada Report EPS 1/PG/7;

• Conducting Relative Accuracy Test Audits, Flow Audits and Cylinder Gas Audits;

• Conducting Annual Independent Inspections to ensure that the facility is meeting quality assurance objectives and identifying areas of improvement;

• Conducting on-site training to ensure facility personnel understand the requirements of Environment Canada Report EPS 1/PG/7 and the importance of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manual; and

• On-going technical support to aid the facility in interpreting Environment Canada Report EPS 1/PG/7 and understanding how it applies to their facility.

ORTECH can design and coordinate a plan to ensure that your facility is meeting these requirements.  We provide annual plans to make certain all the performance evaluation requirements are met within the timeframes stated in the regulations ensuring your analyzers are recording the highest quality data possible.

Why ORTECH?

ORTECH is uniquely qualified to execute both large scale and small testing programs because we have:

• a large group of experienced individuals dedicated to performing testing programs;

• extensive equipment resources which allows us to complete multiple projects simultaneously;

• a proven track record having completed hundreds of regulator approved testing programs at facilities across Canada; and

• a refined emission testing process developed over 40 years with extensive quality controls, and health and safety training.

For over 50 years, ORTECH Environmental has been an industry leader in technology-based environmental science and engineering services.  ORTECH takes pride in providing the highest quality services in technical consulting, problem solving, testing and evaluation with emphasis on air quality assessment and advanced computational technologies.

ORTECH has conducted many compliance emission tests with direct involvement from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (“MECP”), formerly Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (“MOECC”).  A positive relationship has been developed over the past twenty-five with the MECP.  ORTECH believes the MECP Technology Standards Section, Standards Development Branch would provide very positive feedback on ORTECH’s capabilities, experience, quality of work, resources, etc. in conducting stack testing programs.

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We take safety seriously!

ORTECH is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees.  ORTECH has fostered a safety conscious work environment through the work of the joint health and safety committee, staff training and staff mentoring programs.  The success of ORTECHs health and safety program is demonstrated by our good standing with the WSIB, with no reported injuries for at least the last 5 years. 

 All staff complete external safety training annually and all field personnel have taken the following courses:

• Health and Safety Due Diligence

• Asbestos Awareness

• Confined Space Awareness

• Fall Protection

• SCBA

• Lock Out Tag Out

• First Aid/CPR

• Transportation of Dangerous Goods

• Respirator Fit Testing (Quantitative Testing)

• Annual internal training includes WHMIS and respirator fit testing

ORTECH also conducts monthly safety toolbox meetings with field personnel in order to keep safety foremost in everyone’s mind. 

ORTECH personnel will attend on-site safety orientations, if applicable, and will comply with all safety regulations/rules for the site.  If requested, ORTECH can provide a detailed Job Safety Analysis (JSA) prior to arriving on the site which provides a step by step safety analysis of the work to be performed.  Per ORTECHs health and safety policy staff will complete a Field Level Job Safety Analysis (FLJSA) each day they are on-site. 

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