2006 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? (This project was formed in FY05 at the request of the National Program Staff. Previous research was conducted under Project No. 6208-21410-005-00D, Harvesting and ginning processes to enhance the profitability of stripper cotton). This project plan addresses critical air quality problems that relate to U.S. agricultural production operations and processing facilities and is associated with National Program 203 (Air Quality). The focus of this project plan is to establish a highly interactive research program that addresses agricultural air quality compliance-related issues, with an empahsis on particulate matter. These issues include, but are not limited to:. 1)determining the errors associated with particulate matter stack and ambient air samplers (samplers that are currently being used to determine the particulate matter concentrations that are emitted by various sources);. 2)abatement device evaluation, modification, and development (methods of reducing particulate matter emissions);. 3)development of novel methods and procedures for determining particulate matter emissions from agricultural sources in an effort to minimize sampling errors;. 4)determining true PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors for cotton gins and identifying potential covariates that can affect these emission factors;. 5)evaluating the indoor air quality associated with cotton gins and evaluating various methods of reducing indoor air emissions; and. 6)determining true PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors for production related operations (i.e., tillage, harvesting, etc.) and estimated particulate matter reductions associated with various best management practices. Other agricultural industries (general production operations, cattle feed yards, dairies, etc.) are currently facing similar, if not more crucial, problems. California cotton gins in the San Joaquin Valley are in a serious non-attainment area for PM10; therefore, they are being forced to reduce their PM10 emission. In 2004-2005, the corresponding air district for these cotton gins was in the process of developing new rules to reduce cotton gin PM10 emissions. The air district was proposing a rule that would require all cotton gins within the district to replace their current abatement devices (typically 1D-3D cyclones) with baffle-type pre-separators followed by 1D-2D cyclones on all exhausts. The air district's decision was based on limited research information. The general consensus for the ginning and scientific community was that implementing these abatement technology changes would result in significant economic impacts on the affected cotton gins without a significant reduction, or possibly even an increase in PM10 emissions. If the gins were to make these changes and the PM10 emission was not reduced to the level required by the air district, then the gins would be required to implement additional abatement controls specified by the air district. Agricultural operations are encountering difficulties complying with current air pollution regulations for particulate matter (PM). These regulations are based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) which set maximum concentration limits for PM in the ambient air. PM is currently regulated in terms of particle diameters less than or equal to a nominal 10 um aerodynamic equivalent diameter (AED), referred to as PM10; however, current legislation is under way to replace the PM10 standard with a standard that regulates PM with a diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 um AED, referred to as PM2.5, and PM with particle diameters between 2.5 and 10 um AED, referred to as PMcoarse. Compliance with the PM NAAQS is determined by either property line sampling or dispersion modeling. Modeling requires emission rates that are determined from EPA's list of emission factors (AP-42) or from source sampling. The current EPA AP-42 provides PM10 emission factors for some agricultural operations such as cotton gins, but does not include PM2.5 or PMcoarse emission factors. Not only is there a limited amount of data documenting the expected PM emission being emitted from agricultural operations, but data documenting PM emission reductions associated with the extensive number best management or conservation management plans is virtually non-existent. All property line and source sampling for compliance purposes require the use of EPA approved samplers. Ideally, these samplers would produce an accurate measure of the pollutant. For instance, a PM10 sampler would produce an accurate measure of PM less than or equal to 10 um (true PM10). However, samplers are not perfect and errors are introduced due to established tolerances for sampler performance characteristics and the interaction of the particle size and sampler performance characteristics. These errors result in over-sampling that can significantly impact agricultural operations that typically generate dust with a mass median diameter (MMD) greater than 10 um AED, forcing the operations to comply with more stringent regulations than urban type sources that typically generate dust with MMD less than 10 um AED. States or air districts that are non-attainment must develop a state implementation plan (SIP). This process requires emission factor estimates for all the various sources within the specified region. However, in many cases, research has not been conducted to determine these emission factors; therefore, very conservative estimates are assumed for the various operations within the air-shed. Further, if an operation (such as tillage or harvesting) were required to implement best management practices to reduce PM10 emissions, the emission factors associated with these practices would have to be determined. 2.List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) (Milestones originally developed for Project No. 6208-21410-005-00D, Harvesting and ginning processes to enhance the profitability of stripper cotton). FY 2005: Model particle conveyance and pollution abatement devices with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Develop the theoretical errors associated with stack samplers. Develop samplers and procedures for determining PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors at cotton gins. Determine foreign matter composition from gin processes on collection efficiencies for common cotton gin abatement devices. Develop CFD models of baffle-type pre-separators. Develop testing procedures for evaluating effects of inlet airflow rate and trash loading on cyclone efficiency. FY2006: Validate CFD model for particle conveyance. Develop procedures to validate the theoretical errors in stack samplers. Conduct initial tests in laboratory of new samplers and procedures for determining PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors. Determine the effect of material composition from gin processes on collection efficiencies for common cotton gin abatement devices. Construct pre-separators utilizing data developed from CFD models. Conduct initial tests evaluating effects of inlet airflow rate and trash loading on cyclone efficiency. FY2007: Continue validation of CFD model for particle conveyance and pollution abatement devices. Conduct tests to determine the actual errors associated with stack samplers. Continue laboratory testing of samplers and procedures for determining PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors. Continue evaluating the effect of material composition from gin processes on collection efficiencies for common cotton gin abatement devices. Continue tests evaluating effects of inlet airflow rate and trash loading on cyclone efficiency. FY2008: Add the ability to model temperature and moisture mass transport to CFD model for particulate conveyance. Complete stack sampler tests and estimate the economic impacts of the errors for cotton gins. Conduct testing of samplers and procedures for determining PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors in commercial cotton gin. Determine the effect of material composition from gin processes on collection efficiencies for cotton gin abatement devices. Conduct optimization testing of baffle-type pre-separators. Complete tests and evaluate results of inlet airflow rate and trash loading on cyclone efficiency. FY2009: Laboratory and field evaluations of CFD model for particle conveyance and pollution abatement devices. Complete economic analysis of stack errors on cotton gins. Finish field testing of samplers and procedures for determining PM10 and PM2.5 emission factors. Conduct field tests of baffle-type pre-separators in commercial cotton gins. 4a.List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. Experimental and theoretical PM sampler errors: Research focused on determining the errors associated with particulate matter (PM) stack samplers. Results from the research showed that the PM10 and PM2.5 stack samplers tested over-sampled certain types of agricultural type PM by about 250 and 30,000%, respectively. These results verify that there are substantial problems with PM stack samplers. Some of the experimental results were larger than the theoretical or predicted results, which indicate that the sampler's cutpiont and slope are varying beyond EPA's defined performance criteria. Results from this project could be used by agricultural industries and state air pollution regulatory agencies in assuring that agricultural operations and other industries are equally regulated. This work was conducted at the Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit in Lubbock, TX. (NP 203, Component I) 4b.List other significant research accomplishment(s), if any. Development of a new, low-volume, total suspended particulate matter sampler head: A new aerosol sampler for ambient air utilizes low-volume (16.7 lpm) sampling techniques and unique design features. The device inhibits particles greater than 100 microns from being sampled, reducing contamination of large materials on the filter media, and also includes a unique design with filter cartridge to hold a standard 47mm diameter filter that allows easier and quicker filter changes, reducing the likelihood of filter contamination. The complete unit is compact, minimizing the length of piping through which the air must flow and minimizing errors due to deposition of particulate on the pipe instead of the filter media. Currently, researchers, air pollution regulatory agencies, and commercial contractors use low-volume PM10 or PM2.5 samplers to determine the particulate matter emission being emitted from specific operations or being emitted within a region. This invention reduces those errors and provides an accurate concentration measurement. The sampler was developed cooperatively by the USDA Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit at Lubbock, TX, the USDA Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory at Mesilla Park, NM, and the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science at Texas A&M University. (NP203, Component I) Evaluation of the baffle-type pre-separator: An abatement system consisting of a baffle-type pre-separator followed by an over-sized 1D-3D cyclone was evaluated over a range of pre-separator inlet air velocities, gin waste loading rates, and baffle locations. None of the treatments significantly affected the oversized cyclone or overall collection efficiency. Loading rate significantly affected pre-separator efficiency, but not to the extent of inlet velocity. The baffle-type pre-separator performed well at reducing the course material loading rate entering the cyclone. Utilization of a baffle-type pre-separator in an abatement system will reduce the loading on the cyclone and provide a more efficient and environmental friendly processing system. Prior to this study, very limited information existed in the literature which discussed the effects of baffle location and critical velocity effects on pre-separator collection efficiency. This work has provided valuable information that can be used in designing abatement devices to reduce particulate matter emissions. This work was conducted at the USDA Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit at Lubbock, TX, in cooperation with the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science at Texas A&M University. (NP203, Component I) Cotton gin abatement device evaluation: Two cyclone evaluation studies were conducted in FY06, which included:. 1)a series cyclone study and. 2)a scalability study. Both studies used the current recommended cyclone design for cotton gins. The purpose of the series cyclone study was to determine the effectiveness of cyclones in removing material smaller than 10 microns in diameter from an air steam and how the effectiveness is impacted by adding additional cyclones series, up to a total of four cyclones in series. Results from the series cyclones study showed that the overall collection efficiency for one, two, three, and four cyclones in series was 90.9, 97.2, 97.9, and 98.2%, respectively. The results of this study show that cyclones are effective abatement devices which can efficiently remove particles less than 10 microns. The purpose of the scalability study was to determine whether cyclone efficiency remains constant as cyclone diameters are increased, which is a common assumption in the cotton ginning industry. The preliminary results from the scalability study showed that cyclone collection efficiency decreased nonlinearly as the cyclone diameter increased. The data collected from both studies will be used in mathematical simulations to determine the cutpoint and slopes associated with the cyclone or cyclone system collection efficiency curves which will, in turn, be used in evaluating existing cyclone models. This research can be used by agricultural industries and state air pollution regulatory agencies in justifying why cyclones should be used for certain types of exhausts. Prior to this study, very limited cyclone scalability and series configuration information existed in the literature. This work has provided valuable information that can be used in designing abatement devices to reduce particulate matter emissions. This research was conducted cooperatively by the USDA Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit at Lubbock, TX, the USDA Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory at Mesilla Park, NM, and the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science at Texas A&M University. (NP 203, Component I) 4c.List significant activities that support special target populations. None 5.Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. Theoretical and experimental studies have shown fundamental flaws associated with EPA’s current sampling methods for determining ambient PM10, PM2.5, and PMcoarse emission concentrations. The research shows that when these samplers are used in agricultural settings, an over-sampling of approximately 3.3 and 14 times occurs for ambient PM10 and PM2.5 samplers, respectively. Further, the research shows that when the samplers are used to measure PM smaller than the cutpoint of the sampler, under-sampling occurs. These findings have resulted in prolonged and in-depth discussions on how regulatory agencies and the agricultural community are going to measure PM emissions. The research has received considerable attention from the press (e.g., Los Angeles Times and the Herald Tribune, Southwest, FL). This research has resulted in several invitations to present (e.g., USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force and EPA Region 9). Groups such as the Delta Group have used the results to explain why their instruments do not meet the EPA’s sampler performance guidelines. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? A provisional patent application (#60/771,763) was filed on February 9, 2006, for a low-volume, total suspended particulate matter sampler head that was cooperatively developed by the USDA Cotton Production and Processing Research Unit at Lubbock, TX, the USDA Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory at Mesilla Park, NM, and the Center for Agricultural Air Quality Engineering and Science at Texas A&M University. The sampler will be integrated into the present sampling system and made commercially available upon receiving a patent. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). Buser, M.D. 2006. Particulate matter sampler errors due to the interaction of particle size and sampler performance characteristics: Method 201a stack sampling. Ecological Society of America: Workshop on Agricultural Air Quality: State of the Science. Potomac, MD, June 5-8. Buser, M.D. 2006. PM sampler errors! Why should regulatory and agricultural industries care? National Cotton Council: Beltwide Cotton Conferences. San Antonio, TX, January 4-6. Buser, M.D. 2006. How particulate matter sampling at a cotton gin can be impacted by stack sampling errors. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: Annual International Meeting. July 9-12. Faulkner, W.B. 2006. Effects of cyclone diameter on the performance of 1D3D cyclones. National Cotton Council: Beltwide Cotton Conferences. San Antonio, TX, January 4-6. Review Publications Faulkner, W.B., Buser, M.D., Whitelock, D.P., Shaw, B.W. 2006. Effects of cyclone diameter on performance of 1D3D cyclones: Collection efficiency. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Paper No. 064165. Lange, J.M., Parnell, Jr., C.B., Wanjura, J.D., Shaw, B.W. 2006. Impacts of PMC NAAQS and FRM PMC measurement methods on cotton gins. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 3-6, 2006, San Antonio, TX. 2006 CDROM. p. 682-688. Parnell, C.B., Wanjura, J.D., Simpson, S.L., Shaw, B.W., Capareda, S.C. 2006. Systems engineering of seed cotton handling and ginning in Texas. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 3-6, 2006, San Antonio, TX. 2006 CDROM. p. 708-715. Powell, J.J., Faulkner, W.B., Parnell, C.B., Wanjura, J.D., Shaw, B.W. 2006. A comparison of predicted property line particulate concentrations using ISCST3, AERMOD, windtrax, and austal view. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 3-5, 2006, San Antonio, Texas. 2006 CDROM. p. 379-385. Simpson, S.L., Parnell, C.B., Wanjura, J.D., Capareda, S.C., Shaw, B.W. 2006. Seed cotton transport analyses using GIS. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 3-6, 2006, San Antonio, TX. 2006 CDROM. p. 700-707. Wang, L., Parnell, Jr., C.B., Buser, M.D., Shaw, B.W., Lacey, R.E., Capareda, S.C. 2005. Particle size distribution in the downwind plume and its impact on ambient PM10 monitoring for agricultural emissions. American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Paper No. 054046. Wanjura, J.D., Parnell, C.B., Shaw, B.W., Capareda, S.C. 2006. Source testing of particulate matter emissions from cotton harvesters - system design. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conference, January 3-6, 2006, San Antonio, TX. 2006 CDROM. p. 370-378. Whitelock, D.P., Buser, M.D. 2005. Preliminary results of a series cyclone test. ASABE Annual International Meeting. Paper No. 054014.