Emission measurements – stack sampling & Accreditation
Dr. Cor de Ruiter
CDR QA SUPPORT / INAB
June 2011
Emission measurements – stack sampling
- Quality assurance: Accreditation versus Certification
- Requirements for organizations involved in emission measurements – stack sampling
- The Irish National Accreditation Board & the accreditation process (explained by Pat O’Brien)
- Accreditation assessments in practice
- Most important issues addressed during accreditation assessments
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QA – Accreditation versus Certification
EANational Accreditation
Body (INAB)ISO/IEC 17011
Certification BodiesISO/IEC 17021,
EN 45011Inspection Bodies
ISO/IEC 17020
Companies(may be involved in
Emission measurem.ISO 9001, 14001, 18001
ACCREDITATION
CERTIFICATION
EA Multilateral Agreement
NOTE: ISO/IEC 17025 is NOT
a certification standard !
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Mutual Recognition AgreementsWith other regions
Laboratories Emission measurem.
/ stack samplingISO/IEC 17025
Accreditation versus Certification
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CERTIFICATIE (for profit)ISO 9001:2008• Deming cycle (PDCA)• Personnel & Organization
• Meeting customer requirements• Document control• Primary Processes:
- more in general - no technical experts
ACCREDITATIE (non-profit)EN-ISO/IEC 17025:2005 • Deming cycle (PDCA)• Personnel & Organization• Independence, impartiality• Meeting customer requirements• Document control• Primary Processes - technical performance in detail - by technical experts - aiming at justified confidence that
valid test results are reported
COMPETENCE !
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ACCREDITATIONAssessment of Competence
CERTIFICATIEAssessment of Conformity
Accreditation versus Certification
Assessment of competence
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Assessment by PEERS
This is the key aspect of accreditation.
Certification does not include this.
Requirements for organizations involved in emission measurements – stack sampling
In most European countries, organizations involved in emission measurements – stack sampling, issuing test reports with regard to environmental licenses (including maximum allowable emissions), shall be accreditated against EN-ISO/IEC 17025 by its national Accreditation Body (AB). This AB shall be a signatory of the EA-MLA (ref. EA website www.european-accreditation.org)
EU Directives / Regulations more and more refer to EN-ISO/IEC 17025
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The General Assembly of EA has decided that, effective 1 November 2009, the national Accreditation Bodies that are signatory of the EA-MLA shall use CEN/TS 15675:2007“Air Quality – Measurement of stationary source emissions”, in the assessment of organizations involved in emsion meaurements – stack sampling
CEN/TS 15675:2007 involves application of EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 to periodic measurements
NOTE: It refers to EN 15259:2007 as mandatory standard !
Requirements for organizations involved in emission measurements – stack sampling
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Requirements for organizations involved in emission measurements – stack sampling
Application of standard reference methods (SRM’s)
Organic carbon EN 13526Total dust EN 13284-1Odour EN 13725QA of AMS EN 14181Total metals EN 14385Oxygen EN 14789Water vapour EN 14790Sulphur dioxide EN 14791Nitrogen oxides EN 14792Carbon monoxide EN 15056Dioxins EN 1948-1/3Gas velocity and volume flow rate ISO 10780
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Accreditation assessments in practice focus of the lead assessor
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Quality Policy and Objectives
Internal Audits
Complaint handling
Corrective Action
Preventive Action
Management Review
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Independence, impartiality- No conflict of interests
- Avoiding undue pressures
- Confidentiality
- Quality Manager with direct access to top management
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the lead assessor
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Organization & Personnel - Commitment of top management
- Technical manager / supervision
- Education, knowledge and work experience
- Job descriptions
- Qualification records
- Monitoring and Training
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the lead assessor
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Management system, document control and traceability of the primary process (reported results
towards original raw data)
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the lead assessor
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Performance of emission measurements – stack sampling conforming to measurement standards (EN, ISO), see Annex A of CEN/TS 15675:2007
This means witnessing of the performance of emission measurements !
By technical experts contracted by the Accreditation Body.
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Assessment of the entire measurement process
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Assessment of the entire measurement processMobile laboratory
EquipmentIdentification; logbooks; maintenance; calibration; quality control, etd.
Competence of personnel
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Calibration of critical equipment, e.g. for measurement of O2, NOx, SO2, CO, CO2 - Traceability to international standards
Calibration gases with traceability to international standards (National Metrological Institute or ISO/IEC 17025 accredited calibration laboratory)
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Focus of the technical expert – traceability of cirtical equipment to international standards
Pitot-tubes: Determination of the k-factor (0.60 – 1.00)
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Focus of the technical expert – traceability of cirtical equipment to international standards
Gas meters Pressure gauges, barometer
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Focus of the technical expert – traceability of cirtical equipment to international standards
Thermocouple !
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Focus of the technical expert – traceability of cirtical equipment to international standards
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Quality control of O2, NOx, SO2, CO, CO2 measuring equipment by means of quality control charts
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Assessment if the measurement location and sections (EN 15259:2007) and stack sampling
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Stack sampling
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Stack sampling with regard to odour
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Data acquisition / technical recordsData integrity, traceability, retreivability, control of data
transfers and calculations
ALSO WHEN IT IS RAINING !
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Quality assurance of tests conducted in the laboratory (e.g. GC/MS, ICP, LC)
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Participation in proficiency Testing – A mandatory requirement for accreditation !
The posibilities are limited. In particular, there are only a few locations in Europe (UK, Germany, France, Belgium) suitable for performing an on-site proficiency test for stack sampling.
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert & lead assessor
A ‘next best’ could be the off-site PT tests organized by e.g. NPL (UK) of NMi-VSL (Netherlands). NMi-VSL is accredited against ILAC-G13 (ISO/IEC 17043:2010) for such PT’s.
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For Irish laboratories the NPL (UK) may be suitable.
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert & lead assessor
NPL (UK) organizes three proficiency testing (PT) schemes in the stack emissions measurement area: Particulate, Gas Measurement and Calibration Gas. The Particulate scheme is run annually with test items sent to participants. The Gas Measurement and Calibration Gas schemes are run bi-annually with measurements conducted at NPL.
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Reports-Clear and unambiguous
- Contents in line with CEN/TS 15675 and EN 15259
- Including measurement locations and their fitness for purpose, representativity of the industrial process, test results, measurement uncertainty, reference to accreditation
- Traceability to original raw data (digital and/or hardcopy)
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert & lead assessor
02468
101214161820
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Waarneming
Emissie
1 & 3: below the allowed emission 5: Above the allowed emission
2 & 4: no conclusion canbe drawn
Measurement uncertainty
Accreditation assessments in practice - focus of the technical expert
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Thank you very much for your attention !
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Any questions ?