Environmental Quality Branch
CODES,
CRITERIA
AND
MORE
Emission Criteria for Gas Turbines
Last Updated: December 1992
Foreword
The Emission Criteria
for Gas Turbines were developed based on the Ministry of Environment's
Best Available Control Technology (BACT) policy, and
in
consultation with British Columbia stakeholders. These
criteria update and elaborate on the criteria set for
natural gas combustion in the Pollution Control
Objectives for Food Processing, Agriculturally Oriented
and Other Miscellaneous Industries of British Columbia,
published in 1975.
Ministry of Environment policy states that regional Environmental Protection
Managers must use BACT criteria as a starting point when
establishing minimum permit limits for new or modified
facilities.
1. Definitions
"Major modification" means
any physical change in an existing plant or change
in the method
of operation which results or may result in either
an emission rate of any air pollutant greater than
that specified by the permit, or the emission of any
air pollutant which is subject to provincial control
and was not previously emitted. The following should
not be regarded as major modification:
- routine maintenance or repair; and
- increased production rate or increased hours of
operation which do not exceed the limits of production
and hours specified by the permit conditions.
2.
Applicability
These emission criteria are effective from the date
of issuance and apply immediately to:
- all new gas turbines which are permitted after
the effective date;
- existing gas turbines undergoing major modifications;
nd
- as appropriate, existing facilities as per the
ministry's BACT policy.
The following installations are exempt from the emission
criteria:
- gas turbines of less than 3 megawatts (MW) shaft
power; and
- gas turbines used for emergency, standby, or temporary
replacement purposes (provided that maximum annual
operating hours of the substituted equipment do not
exceed 10% of the normal annual operating schedule
of the primary equipment).
Installations of multiple units, each less than 3
MW, will be required to meet the emission limits for
units larger than 3 MW, if the total capacity of the
installation exceeds 3 MW.
3. Emission Limits
The discharge of contaminants into the atmosphere
from a gas turbine should not exceed the limits listed
in tables 1 and 2, as applicable.
4. Requirement for Continuous
Emission Monitoring
Continuous emission monitoring of oxygen and the contaminants
listed in table 2, as applicable, is required for gas
turbines larger than 25 MW.
Table 1: Emission Criteria
and Monitoring Requirements for Gas Turbines with
Capacity greater than 3 3 MW and less than or equal
to 25 MW
Contaminant |
Fuel |
Criteria
(a)
(mg/m3) |
Averaging
Period |
Monitoring
Requirement |
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx as NO2) |
Natural Gas |
80 |
1 hour |
As specified by the Regional Manager |
| |
Oil |
125 |
1 hour |
|
Carbon Monoxide |
Any |
80 |
1 hour |
As specified by the Regional Manager |
(a) Reference conditions of 20 degrees C, 101.325 kPa, and dry gas concentration
corrected to flue gas oxygen content of 15% by volume.
Table 2: Emission Criteria
and Monitoring Requirements for Gas Turbines with
Capacity greater than 25 MW
Contaminant |
Fuel |
Criteria
(a)
(mg/m3) |
Averaging
Period |
Monitoring
Requirement |
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx as NO2) |
Natural Gas |
17 or 48 (b) |
1 hour |
Continuous |
| |
Oil |
34 (c) or 80 (b) |
1 hour |
Continuous |
Carbon Monoxide |
Any |
58 |
1 hour |
Continuous |
Ammonia |
Any |
7 (d) |
1 hour |
Continuous |
(a) Reference conditions of 20 degrees C, 101.325 kPa, and dry gas concentration
corrected to flue gas oxygen content of 15% by volume.
(b) Apply to gas pipeline application and other installations
where selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is demonstrated
to be inappropriate.
(c) NOx emission level due to fuel nitrogen content
assumed to be under 600 ppm.
(d) If ammonia injection is applied.
For More Information:
Environmental Quality Branch
Ministry
of Environment
Government of British Columbia
PO
Box 9341
Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V8W 9M1
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/air/
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