Definitions for "Emission Factor"
Quantity of a substance or substances released from a given area or mass of a material at a set point in time; i.e., milligrams per square meter per hour.
An estimate or statistical average of the rate at which a contaminant is released to the atmosphere as a result of some activity, such as combustion or industrial production, divided by the level of that activity. The Emission Factor (EF), therefore, relates the average quantity of each contaminant emitted according to an appropriate base quantity. EFs are usually expressed as a weight of contaminant divided by a unit weight, volume, distance or duration of associated activity that emits the pollutant (e.g., kg of SO2 emitted per tonne of coal burned). EFs are usually obtained from data of varying degrees of accuracy and may be presented for either uncontrolled sources or facilities having air pollution control devices in place.
the relationship between the amount of pollution produced and the amount of raw material processed or burned. For example, the emission factor for oxides of nitrogen from fuel oil combustion in an industrial boiler would be the number of pounds of oxides of nitrogen emitted per 1000 gallons of fuel oil burned. By using the emission factor of a pollutant and specific data regarding quantities of material used by a given source, it is possible to compute emissions for the source. This approach is used in preparing an emissions inventory
Direct relation or fixed ratio between measured data or physical parameters and a quantitative emission value, based on operational experience or previous numerous measurements, and defined within some context and within boundary conditions, expressed as specific emission