SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal will provide immediate decision support data, enabling appropriate and cost effective responses (shut down vs. continue) for training exercises/facilities. Specifically, the DoD requires the ability to “train as we fight and fight as we train”, however training is severely limited by visible emissions compliance in the current regulatory environment. Regulated facilities will have the ability to measure, report, and defend their visible emissions compliance status. Virtual Technology LLC is the prime vendor for the Digital Opacity Camera System and familiar with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 9. Both of these solutions lack critical legal defensibility due to human judgment/interpretation, data latency and traceability, and certified user availability. Re-using its existing knowledge base Virtual Technology LLC (VTLLC) will engineer a means to overcome these limitations in the context of the current regulatory environment. VTLLC will deliver a systems engineering design combining multiple existing technologies, GPS, Surveillance, GIS, Met-e, etc. into a single sensor system. The sensor system will provide real-time decision support to responsible individuals regarding compliance status and probability of violation. The final sensor design will provide a mobile device measuring visible emissions and projecting both source and boundary line opacity values on a localized and networked bases. The design will be predictive in its nature accounting for changing environmental variables with the capability to archive the required compliance data set on demand. The most critical factor in the sensor system design will be the human interface to insure simplicity of operation with no to very low training requirement.

Keywords:
Visible Opacity,Digital,Portable,Title V,Epa,Compliance, Air Quality

This proposal will provide immediate decision support data, enabling appropriate and cost effective responses (shut down vs. continue) for training exercises/facilities. Specifically, the DoD requires the ability to “train as we fight and fight as we train”, however training is severely limited by visible emissions compliance in the current regulatory environment. Regulated facilities will have the ability to measure, report, and defend their visible emissions compliance status. Virtual Technology LLC is the prime vendor for the Digital Opacity Camera System II and familiar with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 9. Both of these solutions lack critical legal defensibility due to human judgment/interpretation, data latency and traceability, and certified user availability. Re-using its existing knowledge base Virtual Technology LLC (VTLLC) will engineer a means to overcome these limitations in the context of the current regulatory environment. VTLLC will deliver a systems engineering design combining multiple existing technologies, GPS, Surveillance, GIS, Met-e, etc. into a single sensor system. The sensor system will provide real-time decision support to responsible individuals regarding compliance status and probability of violation. The final sensor design will provide a mobile device measuring visible emissions and projecting both source and boundary line opacity values on a localized and networked basis. The design will be predictive in its nature accounting for changing environmental variables with the capability to archive the required compliance data set on demand. The most critical factor in the sensor system design will be the human interface to insure simplicity of operation with no to very low training requirement. The Phase II HHRTCS effort will produce a prototype HHRTCS unit, and continue its testing with regulatory agencies to promote acceptance of the HHRTCS for visible emission opacity measurement under the Clean Air Act and related State Implementation Plans. BENEFIT

Keywords:
Opacity, Visible Emissions, Air Quality, Air Pollution, Climatic Sensors, Caa Compliance