How To Evaluate Visible Emissions In The Field

By Robert Richardson


Some chemical and even physical process produce some type of airborne particles which are usually regarded to as visible releases. These particles are connected to some of the respiratory particles and their opacity is actually used to measure these type of releases. The opacity is usually examined by use of visual assessment which uses a stopwatch. Smoke and possibly dust tend to form the biggest part of visible emissions.

The most common types of these kind of releases are smoke and dust as well. Mostly these kind of releases comprise of several particulate matter which ranges from the finest particles of about one tenth to two hundred micrometers. These particles are usually categorized into dust, fly ash, soot, fumes, liquid droplets and smoke as well.

Mostly you will find that these particles get formed in the atmosphere through process like transformation or even through condensation of several gases which tend to be released in the atmosphere. Some of these gases are the nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide as well as other organic compounds.

These kind of particles have been associated with numerous health problems which they tend to pose to human. Some of these problems include respiratory and breathing system effects, cardiovascular as well as the aggravation of the existing respiratory, body defense alteration, damages in the lung tissue, premature death and carcinogenesis among other problems. The particulate matter can have numerous effect on trees, shrubs and other types of crops.

The second step is to basically to divide the number gotten by four so as attain the total number of minutes that are in excess of opacity percentage limitation. The third step is determination of violation. If you actually notice that the limit of opacity limit has not surpassed for more than three minutes then it means that no violation which has occurred.

In United States this instrument was introduced in 1897 and after some period of time it became an accepted typical measure of the density of black smoke and later the instrument was adapted to measure white, grey and other types of smoke colors. This tool became one of major accepted tools in many states, cities and federal regulations as well meant for limitation of smoke density.

This tool is constructed on the premise that the greater the particulate matter in the atmosphere then the more likelihood the cloud of smoke will be which would significantly inhibit light penetration and henceforth visibility is minimized. Percentage is normally used to simply measure plume opacity. This means that the higher the opacity then the plume background is expected to be accompanied by lesser visibility.

Another method which is used in determination of opacity is the Idahos method. This methods procedure is set up in the DEQs procedures manual for air pollution control. You actually find that these procedures are almost identical to those which are confined in EPA reference method nine.




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