low-leak valve technology: an update
DESCRIPTION
Low-Leak Valve Technology: An Update. Outline. Refresher from Last Year New CDs New ELP Requirements Total Valve Ownership Cost Conclusions. Why an update?. EPA renewed the Air Toxics National Enforcement Initiative for another 3 years from 2014-2016 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Low-Leak Valve Technology: An Update
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Outline
• Refresher from Last Year• New CDs• New ELP Requirements• Total Valve Ownership Cost• Conclusions
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Why an update?
• EPA renewed the Air Toxics National Enforcement Initiative for another 3 years from 2014-2016– Ongoing since 2005, continues to target LDAR
• 2 new CDs lodged since last year’s conference – 8 CDs that now include Enhanced LDAR Program (ELP) requirements
• New ELP requirements– Valve tightening, existing valve replacement/repack, optional monitoring
• Desire to understand “Total Valve Ownership” cost– Valve lifetime cost for low-leak technology (LLT) valves vs. non-LLT
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Refresher: Low-Leak Valve Technology
• Defined in CDs under:– Certified Low-Leaking Valves, Low-Emissions Valve, Low-E Valve– Certified Low-Leaking Valve Packing Technology,
Low-Emissions Packing, Low-E Packing
• Manufacturer guarantee that valve/packing will not leak above 100 ppm for 5 years
• Guarantee or certification that valve/packing has been tested and found to not be leaking > 100 ppm
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Refresher: Typical ELP LLT Requirements
Valve internal leak definition is 250 ppm
1.Every new valve shall be a certified Low-E Valve/Packing
2.Replace/repack valves leaking > 250 ppm with Low-E technology identified during any regular monitoring event
3.Replace/repack valves with Low-E technology leaking between 100 and 250 ppm
4.Low-E valve/packing leaking > 250 ppm– Low-E status not invalidated, 5/15 day repair attempts– Replace/repack if leak > 500 ppm
5.Commercial unavailability exclusion for Low-E technology
6.Connector improvement and replacement program
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New ELP Requirements
• Valve Tightening Work Practices– After installation, ensure the valve packing gland nuts or
equivalent are tightened to:– The manufacturer’s recommended gland nut/packing torque OR
– Any appropriate tightness that will minimize the potential for fugitive emission leaks of any magnitude
• Replacement or Repack of All Existing Valves during next process unit turnaround– Includes those valves not leaking > 250 ppm– Replacement schedule is phased according to unit
• Voluntary pre-CD installation of 1,200 Low-E valves
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New ELP RequirementsOptional
• Proactive Monitoring and Repair Practices relating to All Valves– May undertake either Method 21 or an IR Camera survey
following a shutdown that involves thermal cycling – In addition to regular Method 21 monitoring
– Must also monitor via Method 21 following detection of leak using IR Camera
– Any leak rate detected > 250 ppm does not require replacement/repack with Low-E
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Comparison of Low-E Valve ELP Requirements
Requirement
Chemical Plant
A2009
B2009
C2011
D2012
E2012
F2012
G2013
H2013
Valve Tightening Work Practices
N N N N N N N Y
Optional Pro-Active Monitoring
N N N N N N N Y
Install New Valves/Packing with Low-E
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Replace/Repack Existing Valves Leaking > 250 ppm with Low-E
Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Replace/Repack Existing Valves Leaking Between 100-250 ppm with Low-E
Y Y N N N N N N
Replace/Repack Existing Valves during Turnaround
N N N N N N N Y
Commercial Unavailability Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
A-Ineos Lanxness; B-Vertellus; C-Formosa; D-Dow; E-Sabic; F-Ineos Lima; G-DuPont; H-FHR
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Refresher: Cost of Low-E Valve Technology
• Last Year– Performed an analysis to determine cost of Low-E valves vs.
“regular” valves– The analysis suggested that Low-E was cost-effective with little
to no difference in Low-E vs. “regular” valve cost – Slight premium for larger valves (hundreds, not thousands) due to
Low-E packing
– Conclusion: Non-material increase of costs for equipment associated with implementing a low-leak technology program on one-to-one valve replacement basis
• Would it make sense for non-CD facilities to use Low-E for expansion projects?
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Use Low-E for expansion projects for a non-CD facility?
• Population of 1,000 valves• Regular valve population leak rate of <2%, quarterly M21• Low-E valve population leak rate < 0.1%, annual M21• Assume 2-hour installation, 5-year life at 10% interest• Assume technician monitors 250/day in 40 hrs at $35/hr• Repair per valve takes 4 hrs at $40/hr
Valve Size Size
% of Valve Population
Assumed“Regular” Valve Cost
Assumed Low-E Valve
Cost
Small ≤ 1” 47% $250 $262.50
Medium 1” < x ≤ 4” 50% $500 $550
Large > 4” 3% $1,500 $1,875
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Results
• Direct – valve, packing, and installation cost• Indirect – capital recovery (5-year equipment life at 10% interest)• Monitoring
– Regular; 5 years of quarterly M21
– Low-E; 1st year (2 quarters, then semiannual M21), annual thereafter
• Leak Repair – Regular; 2% leak rate per monitoring event
– Low-E; 0.1% leak rate per monitoring event
Valve Type
Direct Costs
Indirect Costs
Over 5 Yrs
Monitoring Costs Over
5 Yrs
Leak Repair Costs Over 5
Yrs Sum
Regular $514,175 $678,190 $28,000 $64,000 $1,284,365
Low-E $539,171 $711,160 $9,800 $1,120 $1,261,251
Delta $24,996 $32,969 $18,200 $62,880 $23,114
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Conclusions
• New ELP requirements indicate that EPA is continually looking at ways to increase LDAR enforcement
• For a non-CD facility considering an expansion, the total ownership costs associated with Low-E valves for a non-CD facility expansion, when compared to “regular” valves, appear to be comparable over a 5-year period when factoring in repair and monitoring costs
Final Thought• Will proactively installing Low-E valves improve my
facility’s standing with the EPA and mitigate any potential enforcement action?
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Contact Information
John Butow, P.E.
75 Valley Stream Parkway, Suite 200
Malvern, PA 19355
484.913.0342
The world’s leading sustainability consultancy