Objective: The objective of this project is to evaluate performance of the digital opacity compliance system (DOCS) for quantifying the regulatory enforceable fugitive emission opacity levels associated with various Department of Defense (DoD) mission-readiness activities, including weapon system and range maintenance, battlefield training exercises, and construction and demolition operations. Investigators will demonstrate the effectiveness of the DOCS technology in providing accurate and reliable fenceline surveillance of visible opacity levels. The DOCS opacity measurement also will be evaluated as a possible surrogate for quantifying the emissions (flux) of particulate matter (PM) crossing the facility boundary. It is anticipated that comparison of the two data types may yield an important and scientifically defensible correlation that would obviate the need for expensive PM monitoring at DoD installations in the future. Technology Description: The DOCS technology uses sets of photographs taken by standard commercial off-the-shelf digital cameras to estimate visible opacity of regulated air sources. The set of digital photographs captures a scene whose appearance, in one case, is clear (i.e., devoid of any fugitive emission effects), while in the other, is obscured by the presence of fugitive emissions. The photographs are downloaded to a computer where they are analyzed using an innovative yet simple optical analysis software package that compares the differences in spatial color intensity between the two scenes to determine the visible opacity of the fugitive emissions. Use of DOCS to determine source opacity from smokestack emissions previously was demonstrated under ESTCP project SI-0119. DOCS compatibility with new flagship model digital cameras indicated that the accuracy and reliability of the opacity measurement is not limited by pixel size of the photograph. However, a DOCS analysis box (region of interest) must be drawn with the dimensions of at least 35x35 pixels for the opacity estimation software to function properly. Other camera specifications that may affect the quality of the opacity measurement include magnification (optical zoom) and data transfer rate. These factors will be considered during this field demonstration. Expected Benefits: The DOCS technology will provide an accurate, reliable, defensible, objective, and low-cost approach to determining the opacity of fugitive emissions. The total annual cost to support one trained DOCS technology user is approximately $1,700, which is significantly less than the $6,200 needed to support one Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Reference Method 9-certified human opacity observer. The DOCS technology also provides the user with a permanent visual record of the visible emissions. This feature, which is not available to human observer-based opacity determination methods, would provide irrefutable support to DoD installations in legal enforcement proceedings. Notably, the establishment of an EPA-approved camera-based method for monitoring and quantifying fugitive emissions will have far-reaching benefits to DoD, including improved measurement objectivity and reliability, lower measurement costs, and reduced risk of regulatory enforcement actions. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2009) Principal Investigator: Mr. Steve Rasmussen Ogden Air Logistics Center 7274 Wardleigh Road Hill Air Force Base, UT 84056-5137 Telephone: (801) 514-5385 Fax: (801) 586-0170 E-mail: steve.rasmussen@hill.af.mil |
