Environment Agency
This guidance is for:
- manufacturers of long-term samplers (LTS) for the determination of biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, who need to know what standards to meet to be able to sell their equipment in the UK
- test laboratories who carry out testing of equipment on behalf of manufacturers to see if it meets the required standard
We set up our monitoring certification scheme (MCERTS) to provide guidelines on the standards you need to meet to monitor emissions that affect the environment.
1. Overview
Here we describe the certification process for LTS for the determination of biogenic CO2 (CO2-LTS) emissions.
These systems measure the CO2 in industrial chimney stacks. They extract a sample of CO2 for analysis at a laboratory. This standard applies to the certification of the CO2-LTS only. It is not applicable to the transport, storage, analysis, and reporting of results.
MCERTS for CO2-LTS is an official certification scheme that complies with EN ISO/IEC 17065 Conformity assessment Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes, and services.
CSA Group UK Ltd?are a certification body appointed to run this scheme for us.
You can find the requirements for certification and for the manufacturers quality management system for manufacturing and design control of monitoring systems in:
- EN 15267-1 Air quality Certification of automated measuring systems Part 1: General aspects
- EN 15267-2 Air quality Certification of automated measuring systems Part 2: Minimum requirements for product quality assurance, initial assessment, and on-going surveillance
2. Introduction
This standard specifies performance criteria for CO2-LTS. These consist of:
- general criteria for all automated measuring systems
- performance criteria and test procedures for testing in a laboratory
- performance criteria and test procedures for field testing
3. Required standards for CO2-LTS
You will need the following standards for the testing of CO2-LTS under MCERTS:
- EN ISO 13833 Stationary source emissions Determination of the ratio of biomass (biogenic) and fossil-derived carbon dioxide Radiocarbon sampling and determination
- EN 15267-3 Air quality Certification of automated measuring systems Part 3: Performance criteria and test procedures for automated measuring systems for monitoring emissions from stationary sources
- EN 15259 Air Quality Measurement of stationary source emissions Requirements for measurement sections and sites and for the measurement objective, plan, and report
4. General requirements
Here we describe the general requirements from EN 15267-3 that are applicable to the certification of CO2-LTS. We provide additional requirements that are specific to CO2-LTS later in this document.
4.1 Application of performance requirements
The test laboratory shall test at least 2 identical CO2-LTS. All CO2-LTS tested shall meet the performance criteria specified in this document as well as the requirement for the maximum permissible expanded uncertainty.
4.2 Ranges to be tested
For velocity range a minimum of 2 to 30 metres per second (m/s) shall be used.
4.3 Certification ranges
No certification range is required for biogenic CO2 ratio.
4.4 Manufacturing consistency and changes to CO2-LTS design
Certification is specific to the CO2-LTS version, that has undergone performance testing. Subsequent design modifications that might affect the performance of the CO2-LTS may invalidate the certification.
4.5 Qualification of test laboratories
Test laboratories shall have the competence for performing emission measurements and carrying out the tests defined in this document. Test laboratories shall have the knowledge on the uncertainties attributed to the individual test procedures applied during the performance test.
5. Performance criteria and test procedures for laboratory testing of CO2-LTS
Here we describe the general performance criteria from EN 15267-3 for laboratory testing that are applicable to CO2-LTS. The test laboratory shall make sure that CO2-LTS meet the criteria using the test procedures provided in EN 15267-3.
5.1 CO2-LTS for testing
All CO2-LTS for testing shall be complete, including the operation manual. The performance criteria apply to the complete CO2-LTS and not to the individual parts. The test report shall be issued for the specific CO2-LTS with all the main components.
CO2-LTS shall have appropriate provisions for filtering solids and effective control of water condensate, where applicable. The CO2-LTS shall be designed to prevent chemical reactions within the sampling system and washout of CO2 in water condensate, where applicable.
CO2-LTS with different options for the sampling line length shall be tested with an appropriate sampling line length agreed between the test laboratory and the manufacturer. The length shall be quoted in the test report.
The test laboratory shall describe in the test report the type of sampling system.
5.2 Evidence of compliance of legal requirements
CO2-LTS manufacturers shall supply verifiable and traceable evidence of compliance with the requirements of the relevant product marking requirements for the intended market. This includes requirements on electromagnetic compatibility and voltage limits.
5.3 Security
The manufacturer shall make sure that the CO2-LTS shall have a means of protection against unauthorised access to control functions.
5.4 Operational status signals
Manufacturers shall make sure that CO2-LTS have a means of displaying their operational status.
The sampling system shall be able to process status information about the operation of the plants.
Status signal covers normal operation, stand by, maintenance mode and malfunction error signals.
The CO2-LTS shall have a means of communicating the operational status to the plants control system.
5.5 Degree of protection provided by enclosure
Equipment protected from rain (that is they are in ventilated rooms or cabinets) shall meet at least IP40 as specified in EN 60529 Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP codes).
Equipment located where some kind of shelter against precipitation is in