Performance Specification 1 (PS1) provides
(1) requirements for the design, performance, and installation of a continuous opacity monitoring system (COMS) and
(2) data computation procedures for evaluating the acceptability of a COMS. It specifies activities for two groups (1) the owner or operator and (2) the opacity monitor manufacturer.
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Opacity monitors help companies monitor the amount of visible emissions, smoke or opacity created during their combustion process. Opacity monitors, or continuous opacity monitoring systems (COMS) are used most often to comply with EPA requirements. OPAL Opacity and Dust Monitoring systems is constructed to comply with the new Performance Specification 1 and 11 (opacity & particulate respectively) requirements. |
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Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) and Continuous Opacity Monitoring Systems (COMS) involve the installation of monitoring equipment which accumulates data on a pre-determined time schedule in a stack or duct. Many of the principles of stack testing also apply to continuous monitoring systems.
The difference is that the stack test is for a relatively short time period (hours), while the CEM/COM covers longer periods of time such as months or years.