FTIR Field Testing Report Links

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED (FTIR) METHOD VALIDATION AT A COAL-FIRED BOILER
This report describes results of the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) method field validation test that was conducted at a coal-fired boiler facility. The validation test was conducted from January 25 to February 10, 1993 by Dr. Grant M. Plummer, Mr. Scott A. Shanklin, Mr. Greg C. Blanschan, Dr. Thomas A. Dunder, Dr. Thomas J. Geyer, Ms. Lisa M. Grosshandler, Dr. Ed Potts, Ms. Patricia Royals, Mr. Rick Strausbaugh, and Mr. Mike Worthy, of Entropy Environmentalists, Inc., under U.S. EPA Contract No. 68D20163, Work Assignment No. 2.
FTIR spectrometry is of interest in emissions testing because of its usefulness in performing multicomponent gas analyses. Because each distinct molecular structure possesses a distinct infrared absorption spectrum, FTIR instruments can provide quantitative and qualitative information on the composition of sample gases. This aspect of the technique, along with its potential for providing near-real-time analytical results, is particularly important considering the number of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) compounds listed in the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990.

Report Conclusions: The FTIR spectrometric analytical procedures described in this report have been subject to a test for validity according to a revised form of EPA Method 301, in which the option for (dynamic) analyte spiking was chosen. On the basis of these tests and the prescribed statistical calculations, the methodology is to be considered "valid" for a number of compounds in three different sampling systems. The number of compounds considered "valid" for each sampling system, and the approximate in-stack concentration corresponding to the spike concentration level, are summarized below.
23 compounds for hot/wet sampling, at 10 ppm.
24 compounds for condenser sampling, at 10 ppm.
11 compounds for concentrated samples, at 500 ppb.
With the exception of m-xylene, all compounds which met the validation criteria in concentrated samples also passed for either the hot/wet or condenser samples. 15 compounds are considered validated for both the hot/wet and condenser sampling systems. 32 different compounds are considered valid for at least one sampling system, as well as a total of 58 compound/sampling system combinations.
The test procedures differed from those prescribed in Method 301 in the following ways:
Gas phase samples were collected sequentially, rather than simultaneously.
The required number of samples (24) was not obtained for all gas phase spike compounds, and fewer than the required number were obtained for all sample concentration spike compounds.
Gas phase samples were spiked dynamically at 20% of the sample volume.
The equivalent spike levels (10 ppm for gas samples, 500 ppb for concentrated samples) did not approximate the emission level in the effluent.
Further testing may be warranted for extension of concentration to high-boilers (via addition of cryo-trapping), extension of gas phase sampling to particular reactive species (e.g. HCl, HF), and to compounds for which cylinder gas standards cannot be prepared.

GAS-FIRED BOILER EMISSION TEST REPORT
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Industrial Studies Branch (ISB), and Emission Measurement Branch (EMB) directed Entropy, Inc. to conduct an emission test at Houston Lighting and Power Company's (HLPC) Greens Bayou electric generating station, Unit 5, gas-fired boiler in Houston, Texas. The test was conducted on May 20 and 21, 1993. The purpose of this test was to identify which hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are emitted from this source. The measurement method used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technology, which had been developed for detecting and quantifying many organic HAPs in a flue gas stream. Besides developing emission factors (for this source category), the data will be included in an EPA report to Congress.

Report Conclusions: This represents the first attempt to use FTIR spectroscopy in such an ambitious test program. The program accomplished very significant achievements and demonstrated important and fundamental advantages of FTIR spectroscopy as an emissions test method: Using a single method quantitative data were provided for over 100
compounds.

Software was written to analyze a large data set and provide
concentration and detection limit results quickly. The same or
similar software can be used for subsequent tests with very little
investment of time for minor modifications or improvements.

The original data are permanently stored so the results can be
rechecked for verification at any time.

A single method was used to obtain both time-resolved (direct gas)
and integrated (sample concentration) measurements of gas streams
from two locations simultaneously.

The two techniques of the FTIR method cover different concentration
ranges.

Preliminary data (qualitative and quantitative) are provided on-site
in real time.

With little effort at optimization (see below), detection limits in
the ppb range were calculated for 29 HAPs and less than 5 ppm for 70
HAPs using direct gas phase measurements of hot/wet samples, which
present the most difficult analytical challenge. Sample
concentration provided even lower detection limits for some HAPs.

A compound detect is unambiguous.


FUEL OIL FIRED ELECTRIC UTILITY BOILER EMISSION TEST
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Industrial Studies Branch (ISB), and Emission Measurement Branch (EMB) directed Entropy, Inc. to conduct an emission test at the Unit 1 oil-fired boiler at Long Island Lighting Company's (LILCO) electric generating station in Northport, New York. The test was conducted on July 19 to July 21, 1993. The purpose of this test was to identify which hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are emitted from this source. The measurement method used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, which had been developed for detecting and quantifying many organic HAPs in a flue gas stream. Besides developing emission factors (for this source category), the data will be included in an EPA report to Congress.

Report Conclusions: This program represents the first attempt to use FTIR spectroscopy in such an ambitious test program. The program accomplished very significant achievements and demonstrated important and fundamental advantages of FTIR spectroscopy as an emissions test method over other test methods:
Using a single method quantitative data were provided for over 100
compounds.
Software was written to analyze a large data set and provide
concentration and detection limit results quickly. The same or
similar software can be used for subsequent tests with very little
investment of time for minor modifications or improvements.
The original data are permanently stored so the results can be
rechecked for verification at any time.
A single method was used to obtain both time-resolved (direct gas)
and integrated (sample concentration) measurements of gas streams
from two locations simultaneously.
The two techniques of the FTIR method cover different concentration
ranges.
Preliminary data (qualitative and quantitative) are provided on-site
in real time.
With little effort at optimization (see below), detection limits in
the ppb range were calculated for 21 HAPs and between 1 and 5 ppm for
65 other HAPs using direct gas phase measurements of hot/wet samples,
which present the most difficult analytical challenge. Sample
concentration provided even lower detection limits for some HAPs.
A compound detect is unambiguous.

COAL-FIRED BOILER EMISSION TEST
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Industrial Studies Branch (ISB), and Emission Measurement Branch (EMB) directed Entropy, Inc. to conduct an emission test at New York State Electric and Gas Company's (NYSEG) Kintigh Station (Site 12), a coal-fired electric generating unit in Somerset, New York. The test was conducted from July 26 to July 29 1993. The purpose of this test was to identify which hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are emitted from this source. The measurement method used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technology, which had been developed for detecting and quantifying many organic HAPs in a flue gas stream. Besides developing emission factors (for this source category), the data will be included in an EPA report to Congress.

Report Conclusions:This represents the first attempt to use FTIR spectroscopy in such an ambitious test program. The program made significant achievements and demonstrated some important and fundamental advantages of FTIR spectroscopy as an emissions test method: Quantitative data were provided for a large number of compounds
using one method.

Software was written to provide concentration and detection limit
results in a timely manner. The same or similar software can be
used for subsequent tests with very little investment of time for
minor modifications or improvements.

Preliminary data (qualitative and quantitative) is provided on-site
in real time.

With little effort at optimization (see below), detection limits in
the ppb range were calculated for 25 HAPs and below 5 ppm for a
total of 75 HAPs using direct gas phase measurements. Sample
concentration provided even lower detection limits for some HAPs.

A positive identification of a compound is unambiguous.


COAL-FIRED FLUIDIZED BED BOILER EMISSIONS TEST
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Industrial Studies Branch (ISB), and Emission Measurement Branch (EMB) directed Entropy, Inc. to conduct an emission test at Texas-New Mexico Power Company's (TNP) Unit 2 fluidized bed coal-fired boiler, in Hammond, Texas. The test was conducted from May 10 to May 13, 1993. The purpose of this test was to identify which hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are emitted from this source. The measurement method used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technology, which had been developed for detecting and quantifying many organic HAPs in a flue gas stream. Besides developing emission factors (for this source category), the data will be included in an EPA report to Congress.

Report Conclusions: The gas phase system detected water vapor, CO2, CO, SO2, NO, and NO2. Sample concentration detected formaldehyde, ammonia, HCl, SO2, HCN, methane, hexane, and a cyclic siloxane compound. Ammonia was also detected in the ambient samples collected at the stack. Some absorbance bands remain unidentified.

COMBINED CYCLE GAS-FIRED GAS TURBINE EMISSIONS TEST
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), Industrial Studies Branch (ISB), and Emission Measurement Branch (EMB) directed Entropy, Inc. to conduct an emission test at Houston Lighting and Power Company's (HLPC) T. H. Wharton Electric Generating Station combined-cycle gas-fired gas turbine in Houston, Texas. The test was conducted on May 17 and 18, 1993. The purpose of this test was to identify which hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are emitted from this source. The measurement method used Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technology, which had been developed for detecting and quantifying many organic HAPs in a flue gas stream. Besides developing emission factors (for this source category), the data will be included in an EPA report to Congress.

Report Conclusions: This represents the first attempt to use FTIR spectroscopy in such an ambitious test program. The program accomplished very significant achievements and demonstrated important and fundamental advantages of FTIR spectroscopy as an emissions test method:
Using a single method quantitative data were provided for over 100
compounds.

Software was written to analyze a large data set and provide
concentration and detection limit results quickly. The same or
similar software can be used for subsequent tests with very little
investment of time for minor modifications or improvements.

The original data are permanently stored so the results can be
rechecked for verification at any time.

A single method was used to obtain both time-resolved (direct gas)
and integrated (sample concentration) measurements of gas streams
from two locations simultaneously.

The two techniques of the FTIR method cover different concentration
ranges.

Preliminary data (qualitative and quantitative) are provided on-site
in real time.

With little effort at optimization (see below), detection limits in
the ppb range were calculated for 26 HAPs and between 1 and 5 ppm for
77 other HAPs using direct gas phase measurements of hot/wet samples,
which present the most difficult analytical challenge. Sample
concentration provided even lower detection limits for some HAPs.

A compound detect is unambiguous.

FTIR Technology (From: Technology Transfer NetworkEmission Measurement Center)

The Emission Measurement Center (EMC) at EPA has been investigating the application of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), to emissions monitoring. The FTIR technology shows promise since it has the capability to measure more than 100 of the 189 Hazardous Air Pollutants(HAPs) listed in Title III of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA).Upon passage of the CAAA, measurement methods existed for only 40 of theHAPs. The FTIR has the capability of measuring multiple compounds simultaneously, thus providing an advantage over current measurement methods which measure only one or several HAPs; FTIR Methods can provide a distinct cost advantage since it can be used to replace several traditional methods(cost savings can vary depending on the number of compounds present).

Method 318 - Extractive FTIR Method for Measurement of Emissions from Mineral Wool and Wool Fiberglass Industries
Performance Specification 15 for Extractive FTIR CEMS in Stationary Sources
Method 320 Vapor Phase Organic and Inorganic Emissions by FTIR(extractive)
Method 321 for the determination of HCl for Portland Cement Industries
Protocol for Extrative FTIR for Analysis of Gas Emissions