Determination of Dust Emission Amount Considering Flue Gas Temperature and Pressure Changes (EPA 17 Method)

Developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the EPA 17 method describes a test method for determining particulate matter emissions from stationary sources: EPA Method 17 Particulate in-batch.

Particulate matter is not an absolute quantity. It is a function of temperature and pressure. Therefore, the temperature and pressure at which particulate matter will be measured must be carefully defined to avoid variation in particulate matter emission regulations or related test methods. Of the two variables, namely temperature and pressure, temperature has a greater influence on the amount of particulate matter in a waste gas stream. For most fixed resource categories, the effect of pressure appears to be negligible.

In EPA Method 5, 120 degrees is determined as the nominal reference temperature. Therefore, where Method 5 is specified in an applicable subsection of the standard, particulate matter is defined by temperature. To maintain a collection temperature of 120 degrees, Method 5 uses a heated glass sample probe and a heated filter holder. When particulate matter concentrations (over the normal temperature range associated with a particular source category) are known to be independent of temperature, it is desirable to eliminate the glass probe and heating systems and sample at bulk temperature.

In our organization, testing, analysis, measurement, and evaluation studies comply with national and international standards and current legal regulations, ensuring reliable and impartial results. These studies are based on state-of-the-art technological equipment, a trained and experienced staff, and modern methods. Among the numerous tests conducted within this scope are services for determining dust emission levels (EPA 17 method) by considering flue gas temperature and pressure variations.