[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 15]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR65.109]

[Page 82-83]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 65_CONSOLIDATED FEDERAL AIR RULE--Table of Contents
 
                        Subpart F_Equipment Leaks
 
Sec.  65.109  Standards: Agitators in gas/vapor service and in light

liquid service.

    (a) Compliance schedule. The owner or operator shall comply with 
this section no later than the implementation date specified in Sec.  
65.1(f).
    (b) Leak detection--(1) Monitoring method. Each agitator seal shall 
be monitored monthly to detect leaks by the methods specified in Sec.  
65.104(b) and (c), except as provided in Sec.  65.102(b) or paragraph 
(e) of this section.
    (2) Instrument reading that defines a leak. If an instrument reading 
of 10,000 parts per million or greater is measured, a leak is detected.
    (3) Visual inspection. Each agitator seal shall be checked by visual 
inspection each calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from 
the agitator seal. The owner or operator shall document that the 
inspection was conducted and the date of the inspection. If there are 
indications of liquids dripping from the agitator seal, the owner or 
operator shall comply with either of the following procedures prior to 
the next required inspection:
    (i) The owner or operator shall monitor the agitator seal as 
specified in Sec.  65.104(b) and (c) to determine if there is a leak of 
regulated material. If an instrument reading of 10,000 parts per million 
or greater is measured, a leak is detected, and it shall be repaired 
according to paragraph (d) of this section.
    (ii) The owner or operator shall eliminate the indications of 
liquids dripping from the agitator seal.
    (c) [Reserved]
    (d) Leak repair. If a leak is detected, then the leak shall be 
repaired using the procedures in Sec.  65.105(a).
    (e) Special provisions for agitators--(1) Dual mechanical seal. Each 
agitator equipped with a dual mechanical seal system that includes a 
barrier fluid system is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of 
this section provided the requirements specified in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) 
through (vi) of this section are met.
    (i) Each dual mechanical seal system shall meet any one of the 
following requirements:
    (A) Operated with the barrier fluid at a pressure that is at all 
times (except

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during periods of startup, shutdown, or malfunction) greater than the 
agitator stuffing box pressure; or
    (B) Equipped with a barrier fluid degassing reservoir that is routed 
to a process or fuel gas system, or connected by a closed vent system to 
a control device that meets the requirements of Sec.  65.115; or
    (C) Equipped with a closed-loop system that purges the barrier fluid 
into a process stream.
    (ii) The barrier fluid is not in light liquid service.
    (iii) Each barrier fluid system is equipped with a sensor that will 
detect failure of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both.
    (iv) Each agitator seal is checked by visual inspection each 
calendar week for indications of liquids dripping from the agitator 
seal. If there are indications of liquids dripping from the agitator 
seal at the time of the weekly inspection, the owner or operator shall 
follow either of the following procedures prior to the next required 
inspection:
    (A) The owner or operator shall monitor the agitator seal as 
specified in Sec.  65.104(b) and (c) to determine the presence of 
regulated material in the barrier fluid. If an instrument reading of 
10,000 parts per million or greater is measured, a leak is detected and 
it shall be repaired using the procedures in Sec.  65.105; or
    (B) The owner or operator shall eliminate the visual indications of 
liquids dripping.
    (v) Each sensor as described in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this 
section is observed daily or is equipped with an alarm unless the 
agitator seal is located within the boundary of an unmanned plant site.
    (vi) The owner or operator of each dual mechanical seal system shall 
meet the following requirements:
    (A) The owner or operator shall determine based on design 
considerations and operating experience criteria that indicates failure 
of the seal system, the barrier fluid system, or both and that are 
applicable to the presence and frequency of drips. If indications of 
liquids dripping from the agitator seal exceed the criteria, or if based 
on the criteria the sensor indicates failure of the seal system, the 
barrier fluid system, or both, a leak is detected and shall be repaired 
pursuant to Sec.  65.105, as applicable.
    (B) The owner or operator shall keep records of the design criteria 
and an explanation of the design criteria, and any changes to these 
criteria and the reasons for the changes.
    (2) No external shaft. Any agitator that is designed with no 
externally actuated shaft penetrating the agitator housing is exempt 
from paragraph (b) of this section.
    (3) Routed to a process or fuel gas system or equipped with a closed 
vent system. Any agitator that is routed to a process or fuel gas system 
or equipped with a closed vent system that captures and transports 
leakage from the agitator to a control device meeting the requirements 
of Sec.  65.115 is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this 
section.
    (4) Unmanned plant site. Any agitator that is located within the 
boundary of an unmanned plant site is exempt from the weekly visual 
inspection requirement of paragraphs (b)(3) and (e)(1)(iv) of this 
section, and the daily requirements of paragraph (e)(1)(v) of this 
section provided that each agitator is visually inspected as often as 
practical and at least monthly.
    (5) Difficult-to-monitor agitator seals. Any agitator seal that is 
designated as described in Sec.  65.103(c)(2) as a difficult-to-monitor 
agitator seal is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this 
section and the owner or operator shall monitor the agitator seal 
according to the written plan specified in Sec.  65.103(c)(4).
    (6) Equipment obstructions. Any agitator seal that is obstructed by 
equipment or piping that prevents access to the agitator by a monitor 
probe is exempt from the monitoring requirements of paragraph (b) of 
this section.
    (7) Unsafe-to-monitor agitator seals. Any agitator seal that is 
designated as described in Sec.  65.103(c)(1) as an unsafe-to-monitor 
agitator seal is exempt from the requirements of paragraph (b) of this 
section and the owner or operator of the agitator seal monitors the 
agitator seal according to the written plan specified in Sec.  
65.103(c)(4).

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