Field Comparison of Two Formaldehyde EmissionMeasurement Methods on 4-Stroke Lean-Burn Engines

摘要

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently developing Hazardous Air Pollutants(HAPs) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards that impact the oil and gas industry.These standards result from the mandates of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Recent research onHAPs in the oil and gas industry has focused on formaldehyde emissions from lean-burn internalcombustion engines. Some states have already included formaldehyde emissions testing requirements asair pollution permit conditions.Research efforts have been directed toward quantifying formaldehyde emission from different typesof engines, characterizing factors that affect formaldehyde formation, emission control methods, andemission measurement methods. This paper addresses the latter: the search for a cost effective but accuratemeans of measuring formaldehyde emissions in the field. Two different methods are examined in thispaper, the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) based method (based on SW-846 Method 0011 andCalifornia Air Resources Board Method 430) and the acetylacetone method (Celanese Method developedfor the pulp and paper industry). Advantages and disadvantages for each method are discussed and resultsfrom a field-testing are presented.