Nitric Acid Production
- United States
Final Rule: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Aaencjmerrtal Pl°t9ction
Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule, owners or operators of facilities that
produce nitric acid (as defined below) must report emissions from nitric acid production processes and
all other source categories located at the facility for which methods are defined in the rule. Owners or
operators are required to collect emission data; calculate GHG emissions; and follow the specified
procedures for quality assurance, missing data, recordkeeping, and reporting.
How Is This Source Category Defined?
The nitric acid production source category consists of facilities that use one or more trains to produce
weak nitric acid (30 to 70 percent in strength) through the catalytic oxidation of ammonia.
What GHGs Must Be Reported?
Nitric acid production facilities must report the following emissions:
• Nitrous oxide (N2O) process emissions from each nitric acid train.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2), N2O, and methane (CHO emissions from each stationary fuel combustion
unit under 40 CFR part 98, subpart C (General Stationary Fuel Combustion Sources).
In addition, each facility must report GHG emissions for other source categories for which calculation
methods are provided in the rule, as applicable. Please refer to the relevant information sheet for a
summary of the rule requirements for calculating and reporting emissions from any other source
categories located at your facility.
How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?
Calculate N2O emissions for each nitric acid train using one of the following two options:
• Calculate N2O process emissions by multiplying the site-specific emission factor for each nitric
acid train by the measured annual nitric acid production for that train. To determine the site-
specific emission factor for each nitric acid train:
o Perform an annual performance test to measure the N2O emission rate from the absorber
tail gas vent.
o If a facility uses N2O abatement devices (e.g., nonselective catalytic reduction), adjust
the N2O emissions to account for the amount of N2O removed by the abatement device.
o Calculate the site-specific emission factor using the N2O emission rate and the nitric acid
production rate measured during the performance test.
• Directly measure N2O emissions using an EPA-approved alternative method to the site-specific
emission factor. Any alternative must be approved by the Administrator before being used.
A checklist for data that must be monitored is available at:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/checklists/nitricacidproduction.pdf.
40 CFR 98, subpart V 1 EPA-430-F-09-025R
September 2009
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What Information Must Be Reported?
In addition to the information required by the General Provisions at 40 CFR 98.3(c), each nitric acid
production train must report the following information:
• Train identification number.
• Annual process N2O emissions from each nitric acid train (metric tons).
• Annual process N2O emissions combined from all nitric acid trains at the facility (metric tons).
• Annual nitric acid production from each nitric acid train (tons, 100 percent acid basis).
• Annual nitric acid production from each nitric acid train during which N2O abatement technology
is operating (tons, 100 percent acid basis).
• Annual nitric acid production from the nitric acid facility (tons, 100 percent acid basis).
• Number of nitric acid trains.
• Number of abatement technologies (if applicable).
• Types of abatement technologies used (if applicable).
• Abatement technology destruction efficiency for each abatement technology (percent).
• Abatement utilization factor for each abatement technology (fraction of annual production that
abatement technology is operating).
• Type of nitric acid process used for each nitric acid train (low, medium, or dual pressure).
• Number of times in the reporting year that missing data procedures were followed to measure
nitric acid production (months).
• If a performance test was conducted, report the following:
o Emission factor calculated for each nitric acid train (Ib N2O/ton nitric acid, 100 percent
acid basis).
o Method used for the performance test.
o Production rate per test run during performance test (tons nitric acid produced/hour, 100
percent acid basis).
o N2O concentration per test run during the performance test (parts per million N2O).
o Volumetric flow rate during performance test (dry standard cubic feet/hour).
o Number of test runs during performance test.
o Number of times in the reporting year that a performance test had to be repeated.
• If approval for an alternative method for determining N2O process emissions was received, each
annual report must include the following:
o Name of alternative method.
o Description of alternative method.
o Date the request was submitted.
o Date the alternative method was approved.
• Total pounds of synthetic fertilizer produced and total nitrogen contained in that fertilizer.
For More Information
This document is provided solely for informational purposes. It does not provide legal advice, have
legally binding effect, or expressly or implicitly create, expand, or limit any legal rights, obligations,
responsibilities, expectations, or benefits in regard to any person. The series of information sheets is
intended to assist reporting facilities/owners in understanding key provisions of the final rule.
Visit EPA's Web site (www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html) for more
information, including the final preamble and rule, additional information sheets on specific industries,
the schedule for training sessions, and other documents and tools. For questions that cannot be answered
through the Web site, please contact us at: ghgmrr@epa.gov.
40 CFR 98, subpart V 2 EPA-430-F-09-025R
September 2009
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