CFR

91.423—Exhaust gas analytical system; CVS grab sample.

(a) Schematic drawings. Figure 4 in appendix B of this subpart is a schematic drawing of the exhaust gas analytical system used for analyzing CVS grab “bag” samples from spark-ignition engines. Since various configurations can produce accurate results, exact conformance with the drawing is not required. Additional components such as instruments, valves, solenoids, pumps and switches may be used to provide additional information and coordinate the functions of the component systems. Other components such as snubbers, which are not needed to maintain accuracy in some systems, may be excluded if their exclusion is based on good engineering judgement.

(b) Major component description. The analytical system, Figure 4 in Appendix B of this subpart, consists of a flame ionization detector (FID) or a heated flame ionization detector (HFID) for the measurement of hydrocarbons, nondispersive infrared analyzers (NDIR) for the measurement of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, and a chemiluminescence detector (CLD) (or heated CLD (HCLD)) for the measurement of oxides of nitrogen. The exhaust gas analytical system shall conform to the following requirements:

(1) The CLD (or HCLD) requires that the nitrogen dioxide present in the sample be converted to nitric oxide before analysis. Other types of analyzers may be used if shown to yield equivalent results and if approved in advance by the Administrator.

(2) If CO instruments are used which are essentially free of CO2 and water vapor interference, the use of the conditioning column may be deleted. (See §§ 91.317 and 91.320.)

(3) A CO instrument will be considered to be essentially free of CO2 and water vapor interference if its response to a mixture of three percent CO2 in N2, which has been bubbled through water at room temperature, produces an equivalent CO response, as measured on the most sensitive CO range, which is less than one percent of full scale CO concentration on ranges above 300 ppm full scale or less than 3 ppm on ranges below 300 ppm full scale. (See § 91.317.)

(c) Alternate analytical systems. Analysis systems meeting the specifications and requirements of this subpart for dilute sampling may be used upon approval of the Administrator.

(d) Other analyzers and equipment. Other types of analyzers and equipment may be used if shown to yield equivalent results and if approved in advance by the Administrator.

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