40 CFR § 60.271a - Definitions.

§ 60.271a Definitions.

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Act and in subpart A of this part.

Argon-oxygen decarburization vessel (AOD vessel) means any closed-bottom, refractory-lined converter vessel with submerged tuyeres through which gaseous mixtures containing argon and oxygen or nitrogen may be blown into molten steel for further refining.

Bag leak detection system means a system that is capable of continuously monitoring relative particulate matter (dust) loadings in the exhaust of a baghouse to detect bag leaks and other conditions that result in increases in particulate loadings. A bag leak detection system includes, but is not limited to, an instrument that operates on triboelectric, electrodynamic, light scattering, light transmittance, or other effect to continuously monitor relative particulate matter loadings.

Capture system means the equipment (including ducts, hoods, fans, dampers, etc.) used to capture particulate matter generated by the operation of an electric arc furnace or AOD vessel and transport captured particulate matter to the air pollution control device.

Charge means the addition of iron and steel scrap or other materials into the shell of an electric arc furnace or the addition of molten steel or other materials into the top of an AOD vessel.

Charging period means the time period when iron and steel scrap or other materials are added into the top of an electric arc furnace until the melting and refining period commences.

Control device means the air pollution control equipment used to remove particulate matter from the effluent gas stream generated by an electric arc furnace or AOD vessel.

Damper means any device used to open, close or throttle a DEC system or hood designed to capture emissions from an EAF or AOD vessel and route them to the associated control device(s). It does not include isolation dampers used to isolate a fan or baghouse compartment for repair or cleaning, or dampers controlling collection of emissions from equipment other than an EAF or AOD vessel.

Direct-shell evacuation control system (DEC system) means a system that creates and maintains a negative pressure within the electric arc furnace shell during melting and refining, and transports emissions to the control device.

Dust-handling system means equipment used to handle particulate matter collected by the control device for an electric arc furnace or AOD vessel subject to this subpart. For the purposes of this subpart, the dust-handling system shall consist of the control device dust hoppers, the dust-conveying equipment, any silo, dust storage equipment, the dust-treating equipment (e.g., pug mill, pelletizer), dust transfer equipment (including, but not limited to transfers from a silo to a truck or rail car), and any secondary control devices used with the dust transfer equipment.

Electric arc furnace (EAF) means a furnace that produces molten steel and heats the charge materials with electricity using-carbon electrodes. For the purposes of this subpart, an EAF shall consist of the furnace shell and roof and the transformer. Furnaces that continuously feed direct-reduced iron ore pellets as the primary source of iron are not affected facilities within the scope of this definition.

Heat cycle means the period beginning when scrap is charged to an EAF shell and ending when the EAF tap is completed or beginning when molten steel is charged to an AOD vessel and ending when the AOD vessel tap is completed.

Melting and refining period means the time period commencing at the initial energizing of the electrode to begin the melting process and ending at the initiation of the tapping period, excluding any intermediate times when the electrodes are not energized as part of the melting process.

Melting means that phase of steel production cycle during which the iron and steel scrap is heated to the molten state.

Negative-pressure fabric filter means a fabric filter with the fans on the downstream side of the filter bags.

Positive-pressure fabric filter means a fabric filter with the fans on the upstream side of the filter bags.

Refining means that phase of the steel production cycle during which impurities are removed from the molten steel and alloys are added to reach the final metal chemistry.

Shop means the building that houses one or more EAF's or AOD vessels and serves as the point from which compliance with § 60.272a(a)(3), “Standard for Particulate Matter,” is measured.

Shop opacity means the arithmetic average of 24 observations of the opacity of any EAF or AOD emissions emanating from, and not within, the shop, taken in accordance with EPA Method 9 of appendix A of this part. Alternatively, ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17), may be used with the following five conditions:

(1) During the digital camera opacity technique (DCOT) certification procedure outlined in Section 9.2 of ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17), the owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must present the plumes in front of various backgrounds of color and contrast representing conditions anticipated during field use such as blue sky, trees, and mixed backgrounds (clouds and/or a sparse tree stand);

(2) The owner or operator must also have standard operating procedures in place including daily or other frequency quality checks to ensure the equipment is within manufacturing specifications as outlined in Section 8.1 of ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17);

(3) The owner or operator must follow the recordkeeping procedures outlined in § 60.7(f) for the DCOT certification, compliance report, data sheets, and all raw unaltered JPEGs used for opacity and certification determination;

(4) The owner or operator or the DCOT vendor must have a minimum of four independent technology users apply the software to determine the visible opacity of the 300 certification plumes. For each set of 25 plumes, the user may not exceed 15 percent opacity of anyone reading and the average error must not exceed 7.5 percent opacity;

(5) Use of this approved alternative does not provide or imply a certification or validation of any vendor's hardware or software. The onus to maintain and verify the certification and/or training of the DCOT camera, software, and operator in accordance with ASTM D7520–16 (incorporated by reference, see § 60.17) and these requirements is on the facility, DCOT operator, and DCOT vendor.

Tap means the pouring of molten steel from an EAF or AOD vessel.

Tapping period means the time period commencing at the moment an EAF begins to pour molten steel and ending either three minutes after steel ceases to flow from an EAF, or six minutes after steel begins to flow, whichever is longer.

[49 FR 43845, Oct. 31, 1984, as amended at 64 FR 10110, Mar. 2, 1999; 70 FR 8532, Feb. 22, 2005; 88 FR 58481, Aug. 25, 2023]