On the Parameter form, enter the names of parameters that require monitoring. Parameters represent pollutant and other values that change over time. For example, you might be required to periodically monitor the concentration of benzene at an outfall. Parameters are often driven by permit or regulatory requirements.
With certain Essential modules, parameters associated with materials processed, stored, or manufactured can also be monitored. For example, if a production unit produces paint, you could monitor the VOC content as a parameter. These types of parameters are generally driven by entity-specific guidelines.
A parameter can be monitored at any of the following levels: Entity, Emission Unit, Production Unit, or Process Unit. When you enter a parameter, a unit of measure, called Base Unit, is specified. (The list of base units is predefined.) However, you can record the parameter result in another unit of measure by modifying the unit of measure when you enter the result. You can only choose a unit that has the same unit type as the parameter's base unit (e.g., Temperature, Density, or Length) and has existing conversion information to the base unit. For example, in a case where the parameter is Flow Rate, the Unit Type is Volumetric Rate, and the base unit of measure is gal/hr; you can change the unit to bbl/month, MGD, or another unit that has conversion information to gal/hr.
The base unit of measure is assigned to missing value records generated by the Process Data Manager Frequency Expansion process for the parameter if no parameter-to-tag mapping relationship exists or no default result UOM has been defined.
Media Access options are used for designating which module(s) the parameter applies to—Air, Waste, and/or Water. The parameter will only appear as a form field list choice in the modules specified. For example, if you want to be able to set up parameter definitions for the parameter in the Air module, the Air check box must be selected. All parameters are available for selection in the Compliance Manager module where they are used to group regulations. For example, one regulation may apply only to air, while another might apply only to waste.
If a parameter has upper and lower limits such as pH, specify those limits on the Parameter form. (These limits do not necessary correspond to permitted limits.) The limits are used when parameter results are entered and validated. Refer to Parameter Result Validation Process for additional information.
Enter lower and upper Default % Variation limit values that define an acceptable variation between the previous parameter result and the current result. The default values automatically populate the % Variation From Previous Value Upper Limit and Lower Limit fields in the Results Settings section on the Parameter Definition form where the values can be changed should the limits not apply for the parameter definition record being established. Just the parameter definition records created after the defaults have been added will be automatically populated. Refer to Parameter Definitions for additional information about % Variation functionality.
For each parameter, equivalent entries in different languages can be defined. For example, a "Volume" parameter in Spanish, "Volumen", and/or Norwegian, "Volum", could be specified. When localization has been implemented, the Culture setting assigned to a user determines which value is displayed in field lists on Essential forms. Enter the corresponding parameters and associate each one with the appropriate language in the Language Dependent Parameters section.
Tip: When reporting for the Texas MER in the Water module,
the number of flow days can be double- or triple-counted if more than
one parameter starts with the word Flow.
It is recommended that just one flow parameter exist in your Essential
database. The name of the parameter that starts with Flow
should be reserved for the parameter whose monitoring count is to be reported
in the first row of the Texas MER.
Once a list of parameters has been established, assign them to the process units/outfalls, emission units, production units, and entities where you want to monitor parameters on the Parameter Definition form.
To enter parameters
Click Data
Entry > Validation > Parameter Names in the Navigation
Tree to access the Parameters
list.
For Process Data Manager, click Data
Entry > Parameter Information > Parameter Names.
Click the New
button.
The Parameter form is displayed.
Enter the Parameter Name and select the Base Unit of measure from the list.
Select a Picklist
Name with user-defined values that can be selected when entering
monitoring results for the parameter.
Picklists can also be assigned to parameters on the User
Defined Picklist form. Refer to User-Defined
Picklists for additional information. Picklists apply to the Air,
Compliance Manager, Process Data Manager, Waste, and Water modules.
Enter a Description of the parameter and a document, regulation, permit, or policy Reference.
Click the check box for
each Level of Access
applicable for the parameter. The Select
All and Clear All links
are available to expedite the selection process.
The parameter will only be available for use on the level(s) selected.
Click the check box for
each applicable Media Access.
The Select All and Clear
All links are available to expedite the selection process.
For the Air, Waste, and Water modules, the parameter will be available
for use in the module(s) selected only. For the Compliance Manager
module, parameters designated as Air, Waste, and/or Water will be
available.
Enter a Lower Value and Upper Value in the Value Range subsection if the parameter has a range of acceptable limits.
Enter a Default
Lower % value and/or a Default
Upper % value that will be used to populate the %
Variation From Previous Value Upper Limit
and Lower Limit fields in
the Results Settings section
on the Parameter Definition
form.
The % Variation limits define an acceptable variation between the previous
parameter result and the current result. When the current parameter
result value being entered is above or below the limit, either the
value must be changed or a comment is required to save the parameter
result. Refer to Parameter
Definitions for additional information.
Expand the Language Dependent Parameters section, when necessary, to add the parameter in different languages. Otherwise, skip to step 14.
Click Add
Language Dependent Parameter and select a Language
from the list.
If the appropriate language is not listed, click the Ellipsis
button and add it.
Enter the Parameter
name for the language selected and click OK.
The translation information is displayed as a line item in the Language Dependent Parameters section.
Edit existing translation information using the buttons adjacent to
the line item.
Repeat steps 11 and 12 to add other language translations.
Click the Save button on the form.
Repeat steps 2 through 14 to add other parameters.
