Ambient Air and Climatic Monitoring

Project

The Refinery required the operation of three continuous ambient air and climatic monitoring sites at the refinery and in the surrounding community.

We supplied all monitoring equipment and worked with the client to prepare a Sulphur Dioxide Response Plan reporting system which establishes trigger criteria to predict if there is a risk of EPA permit conditions being exceeded. These are measured as a cumulative total over a 12 month period.

We ensured data capture of 95% for sulphur dioxide and 90% for all other parameters, an essential requirement of EPA licensing.

Continuous Monitoring Sites

Ampcontrol supplied continuous ambient air and climatic monitoring stations at three sites to fulfil the requirements of the EPA license. These stations consisted of:

• An air-conditioned instrument shed to house all instrumentation
• A single gas sampling manifold which supplies atmospheric gases for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and a PM10 and PM2.5 micron continuous dust monitor
• Instruments for wind speed and wind direction, attached to a 10m mast
• Ambient temperature, barometric pressure, rainfall and humidity instruments

Sulphur Dioxide Emission Management

The site has stringent EPA license requirements for the emissions of sulphur dioxide.

The sulphur dioxide concentration limit is based on the 99th percentile, one hour average over a 12 month period, as a cumulative total. To predict if this limit would be exceeded during the 12 month period, he client in consultation with Verico, prepared a Sulphur Dioxide Response Plan reporting system.

This system uses established trigger criteria during the calendar year to predict if there is a risk of the permit conditions being exceeded. The client compares the cumulative total of times the conditions are exceeded per year against the specified investigation level (early warning level) to monitor the EPA license requirement.

We provided monthly reports and 24 hour exceedance data for each site.

Data Availability and Capture

As part of the license, the EPA required better than 95% data availability for sulphur dioxide and 90% for all other parameters.

To achieve this data capture rate, we performed daily data checks seven days a week, 365 days a year and spare instrumentation is left on site for urgent replacement.