anotec - the nasal ranger a general reference guide

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ANOTEC PTY LTD 30 CHEGWYN ST BOTANY NSW 2019 TEL: (02) 9700 1222 FAX: (02) 9700 1771 WEBSITE: www.anotec.com.au

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION _________________________________________________ 3

Stack Emission Control (Odours) – Do you REALLY need odour control? ______________ 3

GETTING STARTED ______________________________________________________ 4

TEST METHOD __________________________________________________ 5

The Nasal Ranger® Operating Principle ________________________________________ 5

Nasal Ranger® Field Olfactometer – Technical Data ______________________________ 6

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY _________________________________________ 7

CADASTRAL MAP _______________________________________________ 8

OLFACTOMETRY WORKSHEETS __________________________________ 9

DISCUSSION ON ODOURS FOR SUBJECT SITE ______________________ 9

INTRODUCTION IMPORTANT NOTE: Anotec stresses that chemical Issues or toxic effects of any emissions must be identified and addressed immediately (after burners, wet scrubbers, bag house etc) prior to considering the inclusion of any odour control system. Anotec’s experience has been that most pollution control devices successfully treat toxic emission/exhaust gases whereby the resultant gas, no longer harmful or dangerous to health, have the potential to create an odour nuisance.

Industrial and commercial manufacturing facilities are facing growing scrutiny of their environmental management practices to include the prevention and control of odours. Growing awareness via widespread media coverage regarding pollution concerns coupled with a lack of understanding of process and manufacturing matters by the general community adds to this scrutiny. It doesn’t help the general public when a few facility operators contribute to highly visible impacts on their surroundings due to ignorance or blatant disregard for the environment. This leads to tension and anger which creates a negative and often biased public view of the manufacturer’s impact on the environment.


Stack Emission Control (Odours) – Do you REALLY need odour control? Anotec discovered that, more often than not, significant reduction of odour emissions can be achieved simply by carefully addressing the efficiency of existing installations and housekeeping procedures.

Implementation of an add-on technology for odour control without evaluating and assessing existing controls and practices is not recommended by Anotec. Many businesses panic when approached with an odour complaint and tend to blindly reach out and accept at face value whatever odour control product is offered for immediate implementation on the promise that the odour will go away instantaneously. Quite a few dollars later, it doesn’t take long for the operator to feel disappointment and then anger that the “quick-fix” doesn’t really work. Herein a vicious cycle begins. Stop panicking. Sure, there are odours inherent in most manufacturing or processing facilities, it comes with the territory. Additional or superior odour control technologies need only be considered once every effort to minimise odours have been made via in-house assessments and improvement to existing procedures. Anotec’s purpose is not only to offer a viable Anotec odour control technology for outstanding odour issues for various industry sectors but to encourage a proactive management response based on sound scientific research among those who recognise the seriousness of this environmental issue and raise the awareness of others not familiar with current environmental issues and concerns. Anotec encourage you to consider that many odour control techniques cost nothing more than operator


time. These include the upgrading housekeeping procedures, refining waste management practices, careful siting of pollution control devices

(stacks etc.) and, most importantly, communication with the local community.

GETTING STARTED Reflect on this; you have reached the stage where odour complaints are steadily filtering through to your office. Investigations have revealed that the possible contributor to the odours is the exhaust stack. How well do your know your stack/s? Dilution is usually the least expensive method of dealing with odorous sources from enclosed structures. The consensus is if it is possible to collect all the odorous emissions from a facility via ducted exhausts and dilute them with enough non-odorous air before they exit the building, the odour problem is solved. This can often be accomplished with a few simple changes to existing mechanical systems. Low flow odour sources, such as small paint booth exhausts, can be ducted into high flow air exhausts, such as waste heat vents. Redesign of the exhaust system to throw the exhaust plume higher into the air can also be effective in increasing dilution and reducing odour impact.

However, you may have a problem with simply diluting an emission source if it represents a chemical hazard as well as an odour impact. In this case, control methods that reduce the emission rate are needed. The control technologies most often used to mitigate chemical hazard emission sources fall into three categories: adsorbent collectors; wet scrubbers; and thermal destruction. These control technologies have been proven, in most cases, to successfully treat polluted air/liquid streams for both odour and toxicity. However, there are instances where the by-product of the chosen treatment discharged to atmosphere is well within acceptable limits for toxicity but exceeds the acceptable threshold limit for odour, hence odour nuisance reports and complaints. At this stage, once you have exhausted all avenues for odour reduction and improvement in-house, and you are satisfied that your business does not pose a chemical hazard to the community, Anotec recommends you consider either an add-on odour control technology to form a hybrid system with existing technologies for treatment of emissions that are captured, contained and discharged or an independent system that will address fugitive odour emissions that cannot be captured, contained and treated.

The following pages show one test method used by Anotec to assess odours on-site and within the affected area. The Nasal Ranger® (Field Olfactometer) has proven to be a most useful tool in assessing and understanding odours in “real time”. Anotec Pty Limited purchased the Nasal Ranger® directly from the manufacturer and were trained by Mr. Charles McGinley, Head of Odor School Minnesota USA, in Los Angeles USA in 2003.


TEST METHOD The test method used conforms with Anotec’s Test Method No. 309 for Direct Olfactometry in Ambient Air , Point Source and Fugitive Emissions with attention and reference to Australian/New Zealand Standard™ 4323.3 “Stationary source emissions Part 3: Determination of odour concentration by dynamic olfactometry” in the absence of a standard for direct olfactometry (real-time). The principle of field olfactometry calculates the “Dilution to Threshold” (D/T) ratio as:

Volume of Carbon-Filtered Air D/T = ------------------------------------------

Volume of Odorous Air

Detection Technique: Human Nose Discrete Dilution Ratios: 2, 4, 7, 15, 30, 60 D/T’s (Current Standard Dilution-to-Threshold Ratios) Response Time: As fast as 2-seconds Accuracy: +/- 10% of D/T Repeatability: +/- 2% Inhalation Rate: 16 litres per minute Operating Temperature Range: 0° to 40°C

The Nasal Ranger® Operating Principle The Nasal Ranger® Field Olfactometer is a nasal organoleptic instrument, directly measures and quantifies odour strength in the ambient air using the operating principle of mixing odorous ambient air with odour-free filtered air in discrete volume ratios. The discrete volume ratios are called “Dilution-to-Threshold” ratios (D/T ratios).The user’s nose is placed firmly inside the nasal mask against the replaceable “comfort seal”. The user inhales through the nasal mask at a comfortable breathing rate while standing at rest. The nasal mask has an outlet for exhaled air to exhaust downward. Therefore, the user inhales through the Nasal Ranger and exhales downward through the outlet check valve. The user can stand at rest and continue comfortable breathing exclusively through the Nasal Ranger Field Olfactometer. A set of LED lights that are recessed on top of the Nasal Ranger housing indicate when the inhalation flow rate is within the “factory calibration flow rate” of 16-20 litres per minute.


A precision electronic flow meter that is built in to the Nasal Ranger Barrel measures the “total volume” of mixed airflow that is travelling down the PTFE Barrel on the way to the nasal mask. The rotational position of the Nasal Ranger D/T Dial determines the orifice size and, therefore, the volume of odorous air that enters through the selected orifice. A large orifice allows more odorous air through the D/T Dial to mix with odour-free filtered air. A small orifice allows less odorous air through the D/T Dial to mix with odour-free filtered air. The volume ratio of the filtered odour-free air and odorous air is called the Dilution-to-Threshold (D/T) ratio.

Nasal Ranger® Field Olfactometer – Technical Data

Detection Technique: Human Nose Discrete Dilution Ratios: 2, 4, 7, 15, 30, 60 D/T’s (Current Standard Dilution-to-Threshold Ratios) Response Time: As fast as 2-seconds Accuracy: +/- 10% of D/T Repeatability: +/- 2% Inhalation Rate: 16 litres per minute Operating Temperature Range: 0° to 40°C Power Requirements: Standard 9-Volt Alkaline Battery Dimensions: 35.5 x 19 x 10 cm Weight: 0.91 kg Materials of Construction: PTFE and Polymer Alloys Odour Filter Cartridge: 8.9 cm diameter x 7 cm Nasal Mask: 7 cm x 5.7 cm Patent: U.S. Patent Pending EMC Verification: Emissions: EN 61326 1997: Class B Immunity: EN 61326 1997: Industrial Location Markings: 89/336/EEC (EMC) 92/59/EEC (General Product Safety)

Dilution to Threshold dial (D/T)

Nasal mask

Odour filter cartridge for odour free dilution air


AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Aerial Photograph showing location of subject area. Aerial Photograph showing location of subject area.

BEENLEIGH RD

NATHAN RD

BONEMILL RD

AREA ASSESSED


CADASTRAL MAP To fully appreciate the impact of any odours allegedly emanating from the site, Anotec undertook a study of the Subject’s Surrounds to include the subject site.

DELIBERATLEY LEFT BLANK

= Residential = Vacant Land / Park = Subject Area


OLFACTOMETRY WORKSHEETS

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Photograph 1. Anotec personnel using The Nasal Ranger on-site

DISCUSSION ON ODOURS FOR SUBJECT SITE


FIELD OLFACTOMETRY FOR 10 MARCH 2004 On this day the wind was blowing in a north easterly direction. Field olfactometry revealed that odours were more prevalent in this direction away from subject site. Any result over 7 OU (D/T) means that the area is affected by odours in a significant way. The odour descriptors verified these findings as there was a distinct foundry-like odour in these areas. Areas that registered 4 OU (D/T) has a “smoke/hot metal” like odour that, although not offensive, was easily detected. Given that Anotec are aware of the subject site, they assumed that the origin of this particular odour may have been from the Subject Plant. However, this type smell can also be applied to businesses involved in welding such as plumbers, mechanics or repair shops. A result of 2 OU (D/T) or less simply means that there were no foundry odours discernible in the area on that day. These areas are not for concern. Depending on the direction of the wind, areas with low odour units may be susceptible to occasional “whiffs” that are reminiscent of the foundry.

anotec - the nasal ranger a general reference guide

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