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Outdated Exemption List, Subchapter P - December 24, 1998

Synopsis of specific exemptions from air permitting that were in effect on this date.

30 TAC 106 - Subchapter P Plant Operations

106.371. Cooling Water Units (Previously SE8)
106.372. Industrial Gases (Previously SE101)
106.373. Refrigeration Systems (Previously SE103)
106.374. Lime Slaking Facilities (Previously SE121)
106.375. Aqueous Solutions for Electrolytic and Electroless Processes (Previously SE41)
106.376. Decorative Chrome Plating

106.371 Cooling Water Units (Previously SE 8)

Water cooling towers, water treating systems for process cooling water or boiler feedwater, and water tanks, reservoirs, or other water containers designed to cool, store, or otherwise handle water (including rainwater) that have not been used in direct contact with gaseous or liquid process streams containing carbon compounds, sulfur compounds, halogens or halogen compounds, cyanide compounds, inorganic acids, or acid gases are exempt.

106.372 Industrial Gases (Previously SE 101)

Any air separation, or other industrial gas production, storage, or packaging facility is exempt. Industrial gases, for purposes of this section, include only oxygen, nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.

106.373 Refrigeration Systems (Previously SE 103)

Refrigeration systems, including storage tanks used in refrigeration systems, that use one of the following categories of refrigerant are exempt:

(1) simple asphyxiants limited to argon, carbon dioxide, ethane, helium, hydrogen, methane, neon, nitrogen, propane, propylene, or liquefied natural gas; or

(2) any other chemical, excluding anhydrous ammonia, with a short-term effects screening level (ESL) published in the commission's ESL list greater than 150 g/m3;

(3) anhydrous ammonia (ammonia) provided:

(A) the facility is registered with the commission's Office of Air Quality in Austin using Form PI-7; and

(B) the system is maintained in good working order and such that ammonia leaks are not detectable beyond the operator's property line.

106.374 Lime Slaking Facilities (Previously SE 121)

Any lime slaking facility used to mix quicklime with water is exempt, provided the following conditions of this section are met:

(1) the mixing vessel shall be horizontal;

(2) the mixing vessel shall use interior mechanical agitation parallel to the bottom and agitate the water over the full length of the vessel;

(3) quicklime shall be injected into the mixing vessel as follows:

(A) where injection is from a pneumatic transfer system, the quicklime shall be injected at a point at least 12 inches under the surface of the agitated water; or

(B) where injection is from a non-pneumatic conveying system unloading at the top of the vessel, emissions from any vent on the vessel shall be controlled by an appropriately sized wet scrubber;

(4) there shall be no visible emissions (other than uncombined water).

106.375 Aqueous Solutions for Electrolytic and Electroless Processes (Previously SE 41)

Equipment using aqueous solutions is exempt, providing the conditions of this section are met.

(1) This section authorizes the following operations:

(A) anodizing, chromate conversion coating processes, electroplating, electrodeposition, electroless plating, electrolytic polishing, and electrolytic stripping, as follows.

(i) For plating onto or stripping from any basis substrate, only brass, bronze, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, tin, zinc, and precious metals may be used.

(ii) Chromic acid shall not be used in any step of a process which involves electrical current, air agitation, or any other factor which causes the chromic acid to bubble or mist.

(B) cleaning, electroless stripping, etching, or other surface preparation and finishing, not including chemical milling or electrolytic metal recovery and reclaiming systems.

(2) Operating conditions.

(A) Hydrochloric acid tank operating conditions shall not exceed:

(i) a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit and a hydrochloric acid concentration of 19.0% by solution weight; or

(ii) a partial pressure of 0.5 millimeters of mercury.

(B) Hydrochloric acid in any state, and any aqueous solution which bubbles or mists due to electrical current, air agitation, or any other factor shall be used in an enclosed building. If the doors and windows of the building are open for any reason other than temporarily for access, emissions shall either be:

(i) captured and exhausted using forced air through a stack with an unobstructed minimum vertical discharge of four feet above the peak of the roofline; or

(ii) controlled with a fume suppressant.

(3) If a facility cannot comply with the hydrochloric acid temperature and concentration limits in paragraph (2)(A)(i) of this section, then to demonstrate compliance with paragraph (2)(A)(ii) of this section, the maximum hydrochloric acid temperature and concentration for each tank shall be recorded daily. At least once per month, the recorded data shall be converted to partial pressure. All data shall be maintained for the most recent 24-month period.

106.376 Decorative Chrome Plating

Decorative chromium electroplating operations that have a maximum combined rated capacity for all decorative chrome plating rectifiers of not more than 5,000 amperes and which use a fume suppressant or other equivalent control as sufficient to meet 113.190 of this title (relating to Chromium Emissions from Hard and Decorative Chromium Electroplating and Chromium Anodizing Tanks (40 CFR 63, Subpart N)) are exempt. This exemption may not be used at any site where other chrome plating or chromic acid anodizing operations are conducted.

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