WHAT IS FUGITIVE EMISSIONS ?

Fugitive Emissions are those emissions entering into the atmosphere that cannot
reasonably be expected to pass through a stack, vent, duct pipes, storage tank or
other confined air stream.

These emissions include equipment leaks, evaporation and are random in nature.

Fugitive Emissions are hard to detect as some compounds are heavier than air and
settle near floor
floor, while others float up and well beyond a person
person’ss reach using
handheld device.
THE VALUES OF FUGITIVE EMISSIONS WILL DEPEND UPON :

¾Equipment design

¾Age and quality of the equipment

¾Standard of installation

¾Vapour pressure of the process fluid

¾Process temperature and pressure

¾Number and type of sources

¾Method of determination

¾Inspection and maintenance routine

 NEED TO MONITOR FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

Fugitive emissions from leaking valves, pumps and flanges in the USA have been
estimated to be in excess of 300,000 metric tones per year, accounting for about one
third of the total organic emissions from chemical plants, and inevitably mirrored in
E
Europe. Th
Therefore
f there
h iis a tremendous
d fi
financial
i lbburden
d on iindustry
d b
because iit
represents a huge loss of potentially valuable materials, and cause of plant
inefficiency.

Annually companies spend millions of dollars to inspect an estimated 99% of

equipment that does not leak.
An API study at Refineries showed that over 90% emissions come from less than 1%
of the components.
components Therefore Smart Leak detection and Repair ( SLDAR ) is
necessary.
 NEED TO MONITOR FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

In most instances, the true costs to industry are not appreciated, since
many of the costs associated with fugitive emissions are invisible.
Therefore it is essential to monitor the fugitive emissions in plant.

There is considerable environmental impact and risk of catastrophic

failures that endangers people due to Fugitive emissions.
 Different standard used worldwide for Fugitive Emission Tests

1. TA Luft (Technische Anleitung Zur Reinhaltung der Luft) – Technical

Guideline for Air Pollution control provides guidelines in respect of
compliance with permissible leakage limits & refers to regulation
which define basic condition for inspections.

2 MESC SPE 77/312 & SPE 77/300

2.
Measurement test & qualification procedures for Fugitive Emission
SPE 77/312 – Production Testing
SPE 77/300
/ – Prototype
yp testingg (Shell
( TAT))

3. ISO 15848
Industrial Valves – Measurement ,test & qualification procedures for
Fugitive Emission
Part – I ‐ Prototype Testing
Part – II – Production testing
 Techniques Used for performing Fugitive Emission Testing

ASME Section V , Article 10

a) Appendix IV – Detector Probe Technique
b) Appendix V – Tracer Probe Technique
c) Appendix IX – Hood Technique

FFundamentals
d t l ‐
• Leak rate measured in standard cm3/S or atm cm3/s
• 1 x 10 ‐1 standard cm3/s – Can be detected by ear
• 1 x 10 ‐4 standard cm3/s – Bubble forming leaks can be
detected by eyes.
• 1 ppmv = 1ml/m3 = 1 cm3/m3
 Valve Fugitive Emissions
– Contributing Factors
1) Valve Design :
– Gasket & packing materials – Teflon, graphite,
glass & ceramic fiber
– Surface finish
– Flange bolting system
– Stem Sealing design
2) Process conditions like Temperature, Pressure &
Vapour Pressure of fluid
3) Installation & Maintenance
4) Age & quality of the Valve
 Essentials of Stem Sealing Systems
to control Emission

• Low friction
• Resistance
i to wear
• Good sealing
Benefits of Monitoring Fugitive Emissions
• Increase in revenue to the facility through the reduction in
the loss of valuable, saleable products.
• Reduced
R d d fire
fi risk
i k to
t the
th entire
ti facility
f ilit and
d neighboring
i hb i plants.
l t
• Helps to the improvement of air quality in the immediate
environs of the plant as well as to the residential community in
the industrial city.
• Helps to the reduction of the ground level ozone which is
hazardous to human health.
• Helps
p to sustain industrial productivity
p y at its peak
p while
successfully reducing the emissions of hazardous air pollutants
to the atmosphere.
• Improves a maintenance routine

• Helps to comply with the environmental laws.