40 CFR § 63.1184 - What do I need to know about the design specifications, installation, and operation of a bag leak detection system?

A bag leak detection system must meet the following requirements:

(a) The bag leak detection system must be certified by the manufacturer to be capable of detecting PM emissions at concentrations of 10 milligrams per actual cubic meter (0.0044 grains per actual cubic foot) or less.

(b) The sensor on the bag leak detection system must provide output of relative PM emissions.

(c) The bag leak detection system must have an alarm that will sound automatically when it detects an increase in relative PM emissions greater than a preset level.

(d) The alarm must be located in an area where appropriate plant personnel will be able to hear it.

(e) For a positive-pressure fabric filter, each compartment or cell must have a bag leak detector. For a negative-pressure or induced-air fabric filter, the bag leak detector must be installed downstream of the fabric filter. If multiple bag leak detectors are required (for either type of fabric filter), detectors may share the system instrumentation and alarm.

(f) Each triboelectric bag leak detection system must be installed, operated, adjusted, and maintained so that it follows EPA's “Fabric Filter Bag Leak Detection Guidance” (EPA–454/R–98–015, September 1997). Other bag leak detection systems must be installed, operated, adjusted, and maintained so that they follow the manufacturer's written specifications and recommendations.

(g) At a minimum, initial adjustment of the system must consist of establishing the baseline output in both of the following ways:

(1) Adjust the range and the averaging period of the device.

(2) Establish the alarm set points and the alarm delay time.

(h) After initial adjustment, the range, averaging period, alarm set points, or alarm delay time may not be adjusted except as specified in the operations, maintenance, and monitoring plan required by § 63.1187 of this subpart. In no event may the range be increased by more than 100 percent or decreased by more than 50 percent over a 365 day period unless a responsible official as defined in § 63.2 of the general provisions in subpart A of this part certifies in writing to the Administrator that the fabric filter has been inspected and found to be in good operating condition.