Environment
Environmental Monitoring Instruments and Air Quality Monitoring Stations
A programme in operating continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations and continuous emission monitoring systems: the operating principles of the analysers, zero and span checks and multipoint calibration, the data acquisition system, data quality assurance and validation, and preventive maintenance.
Overview
About the programme
Duration
5 days
Delivery
Training room with hands-on work at the organisation’s monitoring station
Language
Arabic or English
Objectives
Training outcomes
- Explain the components of an air quality monitoring station and the requirements for siting and equipping it.
- Understand the measurement principles for the main pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, PM10 and PM2.5 particulates, hydrogen sulphide and volatile organic compounds.
- Carry out zero and span checks and multipoint calibration with a zero air generator, a dilution calibrator and reference gases.
- Manage the data acquisition system, validate and flag data, calculate averages and compare them with ambient air quality standards.
- Apply preventive maintenance and diagnose common faults in the analysers and the station, and understand continuous emission monitoring systems on stacks.
Content
What the programme covers
Day 1: the monitoring station and its components
- The aims of ambient air quality monitoring, the air quality standards in the implementing regulation for air quality, and the criteria pollutants.
- Station components: the shelter and air conditioning, the sample inlet and manifold, the analysers, the zero air generator, the dilution calibrator, the meteorological sensors and the data acquisition system.
- Station siting, inlet height, and distance from local sources and obstructions.
Day 2: gas analysers
- Sulphur dioxide by ultraviolet fluorescence, and hydrogen sulphide by conversion to sulphur dioxide.
- Nitrogen oxides by chemiluminescence, the nitrogen dioxide converter and checking its efficiency by gas phase titration (GPT).
- Ozone by ultraviolet absorption, carbon monoxide by non-dispersive infrared, and an overview of measuring volatile organic compounds by gas chromatography.
Day 3: particulates and meteorological sensors
- Measuring PM10 and PM2.5: beta attenuation, the tapered element oscillating microbalance, optical methods, size-selective inlets and flow rate.
- Meteorological sensors: wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, pressure and solar radiation; the wind rose.
- Measuring total suspended particulates and ambient noise in monitoring networks.
Day 4: calibration and quality assurance
- Daily zero and span checks, multipoint calibration, flow calibration, and the traceability of reference gases and their certificates.
- The data acquisition system: configuration, diagnostic codes, data validation and flagging, data capture rate and calculating averages.
- Station logs, preventive maintenance and diagnosing common faults.
Day 5: continuous emission monitoring and application
- Continuous emission monitoring systems on stacks: extractive and in-situ systems, measurement of gases, oxygen, flow and opacity, calibration and verification.
- Practical work at the organisation’s station: a zero and span check, reviewing and flagging a week of data, and a short report, followed by the assessment.
Who it is for
Target audience
Air quality monitoring station technicians and engineers, environmental monitoring staff in regulatory bodies and industrial facilities, and the staff responsible for continuous emission monitoring systems and their data.
Method
Delivery method
Lectures explaining the principle and procedures of each analyser, followed by practical work at a monitoring station of the organisation on the analysers, calibrators and data system installed there, and exercises on real monitoring data. Before the programme the centre needs the list of models installed at the station and their manuals so that the practical work can be aligned with them. Delivered in person at the organisation’s premises, in Arabic or English.
Questions
FAQ
How does this programme differ from Operating and Calibrating Field Environmental Instruments?
That programme covers the portable instruments inspectors use in the field; this programme covers fixed continuous monitoring stations, emission monitoring systems and their data.
What if the organisation has no operating monitoring station?
The practical work needs an operating station that the organisation owns or can access. If that is not possible, the practical part is run on real monitoring data and calibration exercises on the forms, and this is stated in the technical proposal.
Does the calibration work include issuing calibration certificates?
No. Participants train in routine operational checks and calibration at the station; traceable calibration certificates for instruments and reference gases are issued by accredited laboratories.
A programme tailored to your organisation
The duration and topics of the programme are adjusted to the organisation's needs, and it is delivered at its site, in a training hall arranged by the Center, or virtually.