Regulations last checked for updates: Feb 08, 2026

Title 40 - Protection of Environment last revised: Dec 22, 2026
§ 60.331 - Definitions.

As used in this subpart, all terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given them in the Act and in subpart A of this part.

(a) Stationary gas turbine means any simple cycle gas turbine, regenerative cycle gas turbine, or any gas turbine portion of a combined cycle steam/electric generating system that is not self-propelled. It may, however, be mounted on a vehicle for portability. Portable combustion turbines are excluded from the definition of “stationary combustion turbine,” and not regulated under this part, if the turbine meets the definition of “nonroad engine” under title II of the Clean Air Act and applicable regulations and is certified to meet emission standards promulgated pursuant to title II of the Clean Air Act, along with all related requirements.

(b) Simple cycle gas turbine means any stationary gas turbine which does not recover heat from the gas turbine exhaust gases to preheat the inlet combustion air to the gas turbine, or which does not recover heat from the gas turbine exhaust gases to heat water or generate steam.

(c) Regenerative cycle gas turbine means any stationary gas turbine which recovers heat from the gas turbine exhaust gases to preheat the inlet combustion air to the gas turbine.

(d) Combined cycle gas turbine means any stationary gas turbine which recovers heat from the gas turbine exhaust gases to heat water or generate steam.

(e) Emergency gas turbine means any stationary gas turbine which operates as a mechanical or electrical power source only when the primary power source for a facility has been rendered inoperable by an emergency situation.

(f) Ice fog means an atmospheric suspension of highly reflective ice crystals.

(g) ISO standard day conditions means 288 degrees Kelvin (15 °C, 59 °F), 60 percent relative humidity, and 101.3 kilopascals (14.69 psi, 1 atm) pressure.

(h) Efficiency means the gas turbine manufacturer's rated heat rate at peak load in terms of heat input per unit of power output based on the lower heating value of the fuel.

(i) Peak load means 100 percent of the manufacturer's design capacity of the gas turbine at ISO standard day conditions.

(j) Base load means the load level at which a gas turbine is normally operated.

(k) Fire-fighting turbine means any stationary gas turbine that is used solely to pump water for extinguishing fires.

(l) Turbines employed in oil/gas production or oil/gas transportation means any stationary gas turbine used to provide power to extract crude oil/natural gas from the earth or to move crude oil/natural gas, or products refined from these substances through pipelines.

(m)-(n) [Reserved]

(o) Garrison facility means any permanent military installation.

(p) Gas turbine model means a group of gas turbines having the same nominal air flow, combustor inlet pressure, combustor inlet temperature, firing temperature, turbine inlet temperature, and turbine inlet pressure.

(q) Electric utility stationary gas turbine means any stationary gas turbine constructed for the purpose of supplying more than one-third of its potential electric output capacity to any utility power distribution system for sale.

(r) Emergency fuel is a fuel fired by a gas turbine only during circumstances, such as natural gas supply curtailment or breakdown of delivery system, that make it impossible to fire natural gas in the gas turbine.

(s) Unit operating hour means a clock hour during which any fuel is combusted in the affected unit. If the unit combusts fuel for the entire clock hour, it is considered to be a full unit operating hour. If the unit combusts fuel for only part of the clock hour, it is considered to be a partial unit operating hour.

(t) Excess emissions means a specified averaging period over which either:

(1) The NOX emissions are higher than the applicable emission limit in § 60.332;

(2) The total sulfur content of the fuel being combusted in the affected facility exceeds the limit specified in § 60.333; or

(3) The recorded value of a particular monitored parameter is outside the acceptable range specified in the parameter monitoring plan for the affected unit.

(u) Natural gas means a fluid mixture of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane, ethane, or propane) that maintains a gaseous state at standard atmospheric temperature and pressure under ordinary conditions. Natural gas contains 20.0 grains or less of total sulfur per 100 standard cubic feet. Equivalents of this in other units are as follows: 0.068 weight percent total sulfur, 680 parts per million by weight (ppmw) total sulfur, and 338 parts per million by volume (ppmv) at 15.5 degrees Celsius total sulfur. Additionally, natural gas must be composed of at least 70 percent methane by volume and have a gross calorific value between 950 and 1100 British thermal units (Btu) per standard cubic foot. Unless refined to meet the definition of natural gas in this paragraph (u), natural gas does not include the following gaseous fuels: landfill gas, digester gas, refinery gas, sour gas, blast furnace gas, coal-derived gas, producer gas, coke oven gas, or any gaseous fuel produced in a process which might result in highly variable sulfur content or heating value.

(v) Duct burner means a device that combusts fuel and that is placed in the exhaust duct from another source, such as a stationary gas turbine, internal combustion engine, kiln, etc., to allow the firing of additional fuel to heat the exhaust gases before the exhaust gases enter a heat recovery steam generating unit.

(w) Lean premix stationary combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine where the air and fuel are thoroughly mixed to form a lean mixture for combustion in the combustor. Mixing may occur before or in the combustion chamber. A unit which is capable of operating in both lean premix and diffusion flame modes is considered a lean premix stationary combustion turbine when it is in the lean premix mode, and it is considered a diffusion flame stationary combustion turbine when it is in the diffusion flame mode.

(x) Diffusion flame stationary combustion turbine means any stationary combustion turbine where fuel and air are injected at the combustor and are mixed only by diffusion prior to ignition. A unit which is capable of operating in both lean premix and diffusion flame modes is considered a lean premix stationary combustion turbine when it is in the lean premix mode, and it is considered a diffusion flame stationary combustion turbine when it is in the diffusion flame mode.

(y) Unit operating day means a 24-hour period between 12:00 midnight and the following midnight during which any fuel is combusted at any time in the unit. It is not necessary for fuel to be combusted continuously for the entire 24-hour period.

[44 FR 52798, Sept. 10, 1979, as amended at 47 FR 3770, Jan. 27, 1982; 65 FR 61759, Oct. 17, 2000; 69 FR 41359, July 8, 2004; 91 FR 1976, Jan. 15, 2026]

authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401
source: 36 FR 24877, Dec. 23, 1971, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 40 CFR 60.331