Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-3-6-.08

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 335-3-6-.08 - Petroleum Refinery Sources

(1) For the purpose of this Rule, the following definitions apply:

(a) "Accumulator" shall mean the reservoir of a condensing unit receiving the condensate from the condenser.

(b) "Condenser" shall mean any heat transfer device used to liquefy vapors by removing their latent heats of vaporization. Such devices include, but are not limited to, shell and tube, coil, surface, or contact condensers.

(c) "Firebox" shall mean the chamber or compartment of a boiler or furnace in which materials are burned, but does not mean the combustion chamber of an incinerator.

(d) "Hot Well" shall mean the reservoir of a condensing unit receiving the warm condensate from the condenser.

(e) "Refinery Fuel Gas" shall mean any gas which is generated by a petroleum refinery process unit and which is combusted, including any gaseous mixture of natural gas and fuel gas.

(f) "Turnaround" shall mean the procedure of shutting a refinery unit down after a run to do necessary maintenance and repair work and putting the unit back on stream.

(g) "Vacuum Producing System" shall mean any reciprocating, rotary or centrifugal blower or compressor or any jet ejector or device that takes suction from a pressure below atmosphere and discharges against atmospheric pressure.

(2) This Rule will apply to vacuum producing systems and process unit turnarounds at petroleum refining sources.

(3) The owner or operator of any vacuum producing systems at a petroleum refinery may not permit the emission of noncondensable VOCs from the condensers, hot wells, or accumulators of the system unless:

(a) the vapors are combusted in a firebox or incinerator; or

(b) the vapors are added to the refinery fuel gas.

(4) Before April 1, 1980, the owner or operator of a petroleum refinery shall develop and submit to the Director for approval a detailed procedure for minimizing VOC emissions during process unit turnaround. As a minimum, the procedure shall provide for:

(a) depressurization venting of the process unit or vessel to a vapor recovery system, flare, or firebox; and

(b) no emission of VOCs from a process unit or vessel until its internal pressure is 136 kilo Pascals (19.6 psia) or less.

(5) The owner or operator of any wastewater (oil/water) separators at a petroleum refinery shall:

1. Provide covers and seals approved by the Director on all separators and forebays; and

2. Equip all openings in covers, separators, and forebays with lids and seals such that the lids or seals are in the closed position at all times except when in actual use.

Author: Wm. Gerald Hardy

Ala. Admin. Code r. 335-3-6-.08

Effective Date: November 26, 1979. Amended:

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 22-28-14, 22-22A-5, 22-22A-6, 22-22A-8.