Presenter:

PART 75
SPAN & RANGE
Manuel J Oliva
Clean Air Markets Division
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Instrument Span & Range
Question:
Arent Span and Range the Same?
Answer:
Under Part 75 Span and Range can
be equal in value, but are not the same.
However, the range value must always
be the span value.
Span & Range Defined
Range: Instrument Full-Scale
What the instrument is set up to measure
Span: Highest concentration or flow rate that a
monitor component is required to be capable of
measuring. (72.2)
What the rules require to be measured, Quality assured
portion of the range
Rules of the Game - Appendix A, 2
Affected Parameters: SO
2
, NO
X
, CO
2
, O
2
and Flow
Rate
Example of Span & Range
Case 1: Span = Range
Case 2: Span < Range
0 ppm 500 ppm
Span
0 ppm 500 ppm
Span
400 ppm
Range Settings
Select a range so majority of readings obtained during
typical unit operation are kept within 20 to 80 percent
of instrument full scale range (to extent practicable)
Importance: Avoid signal to noise problems at low end of
range, and inaccuracies or exceedance at high end of range.
Accuracy of measured values is objective





Exceptions: (SO
2
) low sulfur fuel, (SO
2
/NO
X
) emission
controls and two span values, (SO
2
/NO
X
) dual span unit

Range
Signal Noise Level
Not Necessarily Linear
at Extremes
Span Settings
Span Settings: Dependant on pollutant




Importance: Concentrations of calibration gases used for
daily QA and linearity checks, as well as daily control limits
for gas and flow monitors are expressed as % span
Simple rule of thumb, range and span values can be equal


Setting the Span - SO
2
Monitors
Define MPC
Maximum Potential Concentration (MPC) is based on
analysis of highest sulfur fuel burned (max % sulfur and min
GCV, or max % sulfur/GCV ratio) or historical CEMS data
Define MEC if Appropriate
Maximum Expected Concentration (MEC) is based on
expected % SO
2
removal, fuel analysis or historical CEMS
data
MEC is appropriate for units with SO
2
controls or both high-
sulfur and low-sulfur fuels, including blends
Setting the Span - SO
2
Monitors
(Continued)
High Span* = MPC 1.00 to MPC 1.25
Rounded to nearest 100 ppm (or 10 ppm if SO
2
500 ppm)
Full Scale Range Span Value
Low Span = 1.00 MEC to 1.25 MEC (If Required)
Rounded to nearest 10 ppm (or 100 ppm as appropriate)
Low Span Required if MEC < 20% of High Range (Controls
or low sulfur fuels)
Use the Low Span when SO
2
readings are expected to be
below 20% of High Full-Scale Range


* If unit has SO
2
control it can forgo high span and report a default high range value
of 200% of MPC during hours when low range is exceeded. Full scale of low range
cannot exceed five times MEC.
Setting the Span - NO
X
Monitors
Define MPC
Maximum Potential Concentration (MPC) is based on the fuel
(or blend) that gives highest uncontrolled NO
X
emissions.
Options include: fuel based defaults, boiler type defaults,
NO
X
emission test results, historical CEMS data or
manufacturer data
Define MEC if Appropriate
Maximum Expected Concentration (MEC) is based on
expected NO
X
removal efficiency, NO
X
concentration testing,
historical CEMS data, or permit limit
Determine a separate MEC for each fuel (or blend)
Setting the Span - NO
X
Monitors
(Continued)
High Span* = MPC 1.00 to MPC 1.25
Rounded to nearest 100 ppm (or 10 ppm if NO
X
500 ppm)
Full Scale Range Span Value
Low Span = 1.00 MEC to 1.25 MEC (If Required)
Rounded to nearest 10 ppm (or 100 ppm as appropriate)
Low Span Required if MEC < 20% of High Range (If more
than one MEC, use MEC closest to 20% of High Range)
Use the Low Span when NO
X
readings are expected to be
below 20% of High Full-Scale Range

* If unit has Add-On NO
X
control it can forgo high span and report a default high
range value of 200% of MPC during hours when low range is exceeded. Full scale
of low range cannot exceed five times MEC.
Setting the Span - CO
2
& O
2
Monitors
Define MPC for CO
2

CO
2
Maximum Potential Concentration (MPC) is 14% CO
2

(boilers) or 6% CO
2
(turbines) default values, or determine
based on historical CEMS data
MPC is used only for substitute data purposes
Define Minimum Potential Concentration for O
2

O
2
Minimum Potential Concentration is determine based on
historical CEMS data
Minimum Potential Concentration is used only for substitute
data purposes for units using flow monitors and O2 diluent
monitors to determine Heat Input
Setting the Span - CO
2
& O
2
Monitors (Continued)
O
2
Span
Between 15% and 25% O
2

Below 15% O
2
allowed with technical justification
CO
2
Span
Between 14% and 20% CO
2
(for boilers)
Between 6% and 14% CO
2
(for turbines)
Setting the Span - Flow Monitors
Define MPV
Maximum Potential Velocity (MPV) is based on equations in
Appendix A (F-factors, heat input, diluent concentration and
moisture concentration), or Highest values from traverse
testing (Ref. Method 2)
Define MPF
Maximum Potential Flow Rate (MPF) is equal to MPV
stack area
Used only for substitute data purposes
Setting the Span - Flow Monitors
(Continued)
Calibration Span = MPV* 1.00 to MPV* 1.25
Rounded up to at least two significant figures
Flow Rate Span = 1.00 MPF to 1.25 MPF
Expressed in the units used for Part 75 reporting (scfh)
Rounded to nearest 1000 scfh

* MPV must be converted to the units of daily calibration
(e.g. kscfm, inches of H
2
0, etc.)
Adjustments to Span and Range
Perform at least annual evaluation of the span and
range settings (Appendix A, 2.1.2.5)

DAHS
Summary Process Diagram
RANGE
0 20 40 60 80 100



SPAN VALUE
20% to 80%
of Full Scale Range
(Majority of Data)
Single Span
(or High Span)
Based on maximum potential
concentration or flow rate
Low Span
(if Required)
Based on maximum expected
concentration
??
Optimal Range