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Abstract.

AP-42, Chapter 9.9.1 Grain Elevators and Processes, gives a TSP emission factor for flakers with a rating of “E”. No PM10 or PM2.5 emission factors are available from AP-42 for flakers. Air dispersion modeling conducted at a commercial feedmill using emission rates estimated from AP- 42 showed exceedance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5, with the culpable source being emissions from the steam flaking process. The purpose of the study was to determine site-specific TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors for steam flaking of corn. The facility operates three steam flakers, each equipped with a flake cooler vented to a high efficiency 1D3D cyclone. EPA Method 5 was utilized to determine the concentration of TSP emitted from the cyclones. The Method 5 samples were then analyzed using a Beckman Coulter Multisizer 3 to determine Particle Size Distribution (PSD). The PSD was used to determine the actual fractions of PM10 and PM2.5 in the stack gas. The PM10 and PM2.5 fractions were then applied to the TSP concentration from the Method 5 stack test to calculate concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5. These measured and calculated concentrations were used, along with the average stack parameters from the Method 5 tests to calculate site-specific emission factors. The PSD analysis shows that PM10 is about 29% of TSP and PM2.5 is 6% of PM10. The measured TSP mass emission rates were lower than those estimated using AP-42 by 80% and the calculated emission factors are significantly lower than the particulate emission factors in AP-42.