Gas Sampling Equipment
Gases in most stacks or ducts often are comprised of small amounts of volatile, potentially toxic compounds in addition to major gas components such as nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. At parts per million levels, most compounds with boiling points below that of water exist in a vapor state. Because gases generally are considered to be well mixed, sampling for constituents in the vapor phase usually is done through a simple probe from a single point of average gas velocity in the stack. A glass wool plug or filter often is used to screen out particulate matter from the gas stream prior to collecting the gas in a sample container or collection vessel.

IRM Equipment
Some of the most common gaseous sampling methods (low flow rate) are Incorporated into 40 CFR Part 60 instrumental reference methods (IRM’s) where specific stationary source pollutants are measured continuously by means of an analytical instrument either to determine compliance with an applicable emission standard or to conduct performance testing of a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS). The most commonly known instrumental methods are: Method 3A - Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide, Method 6C - Sulfur Dioxide, Method 7E – Nitrogen Oxides, Method 10 – Carbon Monoxide, Method 20 – Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide and Diluent Emissions from stationary gas turbines.

Mercury Sampling Equipment
As originally established by the EPA Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), coal-fired electric generation units will monitor mercury emissions. In order to determine compliance levels and develop control strategies, utilities need accurate and reliable mercury emissions data. Coal-fired combustion sources may use a sorbent trap monitoring system like the Apex XC-6000EPC as an alternate type of continuous mercury monitoring system.

The Automated MercSampler_^TM system is fully functional as a primary Appendix K system, a back-up monitoring system (redundant or non-redundant) and can be used to perform Reference Method 30B, Relative Accuracy Testing Audit, and System Certification Testing.

The frequency of testing will be determined by the pounds per year output of the combustion source. For example, Low Mercury Emitters (LME), less than 29 lbs per year are allowed to perform periodic testing rather than doing continuous monitoring.