Saturday 21 September 2013

Factors Determined In A Visible Emissions Training

By Mia Kent


Visible Emissions Training is an effective strategy in informing the public about procedures in air pollution control. This ensures that there will be a reliable opacity observation in varied locations. The hazardous effect of air pollution prodded the environmental engineers to act and develop ways in controlling these problems.

Visible emissions are particles of mater that can be observed directly by a person without the aid of probing instruments. These particles are compared to the size of a seventy micrometer diameter of a human hair. There sizes are anywhere between zero point one micrometer to approximately two hundred micrometers. Smoke, fumes and minute droplets ca be considered as plumes. If they mix in the air people take in, there are a number of respiratory and skin diseases that can occur.

Before the eighteen hundreds, it is hard to say whether the emission has violated any environmental acts because the Ringelmann Smoke chart was not yet invented. After its introduction to the public, laws on air management have been improved and standards have been set. The darker and the larger the population of the particles present in plumes, the bigger the threat to health and environment is.

The EPA Reference Method has governed testing centers in requiring an accepted measure of opacity. It has guided observers in the pious determination of plume readings. An evaluative tool will prove the readiness of the trainee to employ the strategies taught in the seminar.

It is necessary that the trainee understands where he must keep his distance and up to what point should he conduct his observation. It is ideal that he will make observations at a distance perpendicular to the plumes and out of the direction of the wind. This will keep him from taking the plume in while conducting the reading.

The trainee must record the name of the source of the exhaust, location, type of facility, his name and affiliation. Date and time, distance to the location, wind direction and speed, description of the sky condition and background must also be listed down. These information are important in identifying and grading plumes.

A desired number of thirty readings should be done at a fifteen second interval. A more accurate reading can be garnered if it is done against a clear and contrasting background. The measurements should be rounded to the nearest five point interval measured in percent.

Procedural errors or omissions on evaluation papers can invalidate data or can cause further investigation. Difference in the methods of calculation may also make the data questionable but otherwise applicable. Generally, an opacity level of not more than twenty percent is the acceptable rating.

Everybody who has no problems in their vision is eligible to undergo a Visible Emissions Training. This procedure is important in regulating violators of the standard air protocol. There are corresponding penalties and sanctions given to those who are still emitting harmful visible gases even after advised to regulate their plumes.




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