Title 40
SECTION 63.173
63.173 Standards: Agitators in gas/vapor service and in light liquid service.
§ 63.173 Standards: Agitators in gas/vapor service and in light liquid service.(a)(1) Each agitator shall be monitored monthly to detect leaks by the methods specified in § 63.180(b) of this subpart, except as provided in § 63.162(b) of this subpart.
(2) If an instrument reading of 10,000 parts per million or greater is measured, a leak is detected.
(b)(1) Each agitator shall be checked by visual inspection each calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from the agitator.
(2) If there are indications of liquids dripping from the agitator, a leak is detected.
(c)(1) When a leak is detected, it shall be repaired as soon as practicable, but not later than 15 calendar days after it is detected, except as provided in § 63.171 of this subpart.
(2) A first attempt at repair shall be made no later than 5 calendar days after each leak is detected.
(d) Each agitator equipped with a dual mechanical seal system that includes a barrier fluid system is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, provided the requirements specified in paragraphs (d)(1) through (d)(6) of this section are met:
(1) Each dual mechanical seal system is:
(i) Operated with the barrier fluid at a pressure that is at all times greater than the agitator stuffing box pressure; or
(ii) Equipped with a barrier fluid degassing reservoir that is routed to a process or fuel gas system or connected by a closed-vent system to a control device that complies with the requirements of § 63.172 of this subpart; or
(iii) Equipped with a closed-loop system that purges the barrier fluid into a process stream.
(2) The barrier fluid is not in light liquid organic HAP service.
(3) Each barrier fluid system is equipped with a sensor that will detect failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both.
(4) Each agitator is checked by visual inspection each calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from the agitator seal.
(i) If there are indications of liquids dripping from the agitator seal at the time of the weekly inspection, the agitator shall be monitored as specified in § 63.180(b) of this subpart to determine the presence of organic HAP in the barrier fluid.
(ii) If an instrument reading of 10,000 parts per million or greater is measured, a leak is detected.
(5) Each sensor as described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section is observed daily or is equipped with an alarm unless the agitator is located within the boundary of an unmanned plant site.
(6)(i) The owner or operator determines, based on design considerations and operating experience, criteria applicable to the presence and frequency of drips and to the sensor that indicates failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both.
(ii) If indications of liquids dripping from the agitator seal exceed the criteria established in paragraph (d)(6)(i) of this section, or if, based on the criteria established in paragraph (d)(6)(i) of this section, the sensor indicates failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both, a leak is detected.
(iii) When a leak is detected, it shall be repaired as soon as practicable, but not later than 15 calendar days after it is detected, except as provided in § 63.171 of this subpart.
(iv) A first attempt at repair shall be made no later than 5 calendar days after each leak is detected.
(e) Any agitator that is designed with no externally actuated shaft penetrating the agitator housing is exempt from paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section.
(f) Any agitator equipped with a closed-vent system capable of capturing and transporting any leakage from the seal or seals to a process or fuel gas system or to a control device that complies with the requirements of § 63.172 of this subpart is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (c) of the section.
(g) Any agitator that is located within the boundary of an unmanned plant site is exempt from the weekly visual inspection requirement of paragraphs (b)(1) and (d)(4) of this section, and the daily requirements of paragraph (d)(5) of this section, provided that each agitator is visually inspected as often as practical and at least monthly.
(h) Any agitator that is difficult-to-monitor is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section if:
(1) The owner or operator determines that the agitator cannot be monitored without elevating the monitoring personnel more than two meters above a support surface or it is not accessible at anytime in a safe manner;
(2) The process unit within which the agitator is located is an existing source or the owner or operator designates less than three percent of the total number of agitators in a new source as difficult-to-monitor; and
(3) The owner or operator follows a written plan that requires monitoring of the agitator at least once per calendar year.
(i) Any agitator that is obstructed by equipment or piping that prevents access to the agitator by a monitor probe is exempt from the monitoring requirements of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section.
(j) Any agitator that is designated, as described in § 63.181(b)(7)(i) of this subpart, as an unsafe-to-monitor agitator is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section if:
(1) The owner or operator of the agitator determines that the agitator is unsafe to monitor because monitoring personnel would be exposed to an immediate danger as a consequence of complying with paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section; and
(2) The owner or operator of the agitator has a written plan that requires monitoring of the agitator as frequently as practical during safe-to-monitor times, but not more frequently than the periodic monitoring schedule otherwise applicable.
[59 FR 19568, Apr. 22, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 31440, June 20, 1996; 62 FR 2791, Jan. 17, 1997; 64 FR 20198, Apr. 26, 1999]