Guillaume HeurteloupProcess and Implementation Consultant

Présentation

Dry Vacuum Vapour Recovery Units

I. Why to install a VRU ?

II. Terminal conditions for VRU implementations

III. Recovery based on AC technology

IV. A VRU in your terminal

V. Conclusion and Questions

- Manufacturer of Vapour Recovery Units for Trucks, trains

and marine loading operations.

-Turnover in 2009 is 12 millions Euros.

- CarboVac a worldwide company (Middle East, Latin

America, Asia…).

- Our market: Oil Product Distribution & Storage Companies

of the world as BP, Shell, Total, Oil Tanking, Vopak, Aramco…

I. CarboVac Shortly …

Marine Loading applications

Storage Applications

Truck and Rail car Loading

Any Climate & Environment

I. Field of application…

VOC emissions impact on:

human health (Drivers, Operators… Neighbourhood)

pollution of the troposphere (Global Warning)

Implementation of legislation and several regulations in

particular on emissions in hydrocarbon storage and transfer

terminals

I. Why ?

In the 80ies, 1st legislation : Clean Air Act on VOC

Emission limit : 80 g/m3 loaded

In 1982, emission limit reduced to 35 g/m3 loaded (general

case) and locally to 10 or 6 g/m3 loaded.

EPA: 35 g / m3 of product loaded (many states ask lower values)

I. Why ? Law the key factor

European Directive EC94/63

35 g / m3 of air emitted (often 10 g / m3 is desired – Gothenburg Protocol)

3 phases :

- 1998 : a VRU for all new terminals + terminal > 150 000 tons/year of gasoline

- 2001 : a VRU for terminal > 25 000 tons/year

- 2004 : a VRU for terminal > 10 000 tons/year

Application for fuels with RVP > 276 mbar

TA-Luft 01 in Germany, LRV in Switzerland

If emission mass flow > 3 kg/h :

150 mg HC/ m3 of air emitted (20. BImSchG)

5 mg / m3 for benzene

Methane is excluded (difficult to recover, only destruction possible by

combustion with secondary emissions)

I. Why ? Law the key factor

In USA : emissions measured as a function of loaded gasoline

Complex system required for EPA compliance test

Measurement of the entire volume during 6 hours

Measurement of the average hydrocarbon concentration

Measurement of the total volume of gasoline loaded during 6 hrs

Calculation of the mass emitted/litre loaded averaged over 6 hrs

Continuous measuring system with complex and expensive devices

CIM : Control Inlet Monitoring

CEM : Continuous Emissions Monitoring

In Europe : emissions measured as real emission concentration

Simple emissions monitor in the outlet line (infra-red detector)

I. Measuring emission

Refinery

Terminal Service-

station

Car filling

Losses : 0,1 kg/m3Emission reduction measures up to 99%

Losses : 1 kg/m3Emission reduction measures up to 90%

Losses : 1 kg/m3Emission reduction measures up to 99%

Losses : 1 kg/m3Emission reduction measures up to 99,99 %

I. Recovery Chain

I. Measurement of recovered product

Hypotheses :

Vapor inlet concentration : 40 % Volume

Average outlet concentration :

Average MW :

2g / Nm-3

65 (Gasoline vapours)

Masse of hydrocarbons recovered 1159.5 g / m-3 of inlet vapor

The recovery rate :

The effective recovery rate is 1 . 49 liter per m-3 Inlet vapor Vapor recovery rate 99. 9 %.

Calculation :

0.4 x 65Mass of hydrocarbons at inlet per m-3 = = 1160,7 g / m-3

22.4 x 10 - 3

Masse of hydrocarbons in the outlet per m-3 inlet = 2 x (1 - 0.4) = 1.2 g / m-3

I. Calculation

I. Why to install a VRU ?

II. Terminal conditions for VRU implementations

III. Recovery based on AC technology

IV. A VRU in your terminal

V. Conclusion and Questions

Service-station :

– Pressure / vacuum relief valve to be installed in the

ground tank vent line

– Vapour return connection to be installed on the tank

vent line

II. Implementation of Stage 1…

II. EC Directive 94/63 Stage 1 and 2 for fuel distribution

II. Typical compartment truck

Truck:Truck modified to bottom loading

Overfill protection

All compartments connected to a central vapour collecting

line equipped with 4" API coupler with check valve.

II. Typical compartment truck

• Terminal :– Modification from top loading to bottom loading

– Installation of a Vapour Recovery System

– Vapour collecting line to the Vapour Recovery System

– Use of a dedicated gasoline tank for recovered product

– Installation of floating roof in fixed roof type storage tanks or complete balancing of the vapour space to the VRU

– Integration of a new process in the terminal and adaptation of operating and safety procedures

II. Implementation of Stage 1

Main Vapour Line 12”

Top Filling Arm

With Cone & Vapour return

Connection

Vapour Hose attached to the Loading arm

Detonation

Arrestor

Check Valve

Typical Arrangement for Vapour Return from Truck Top Loading

II. Top Loading

II. Cone with vapour recovery

Vapour Line

Pressure Vacuum

Safety Valve

Detonation Arrestor

Level Switch

Drain valve

Vapour arm

Position Switch

VRU

II. Vapour Collecting System Truck loading Application

II. Bottom loading bays

I. Why to install a VRU ?

II. Terminal conditions for VRU implementations

III. Recovery based on AC technology

IV. A VRU in your terminal

V. Conclusion and Questions

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

The recovery process consists of 3 parts

1 - Adsorption of the hydrocarbons on activated carbon

2 - Regeneration of the carbon by means of vacuum

3 - Re-absorption of the hydrocarbons in a liquid product

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

During the loading of gasoline and diesel in trucks, the concentration of

the vapours may vary between 0 to 50 % Vol. depending of :

• the nature of the products previously loaded.• the loading station

Theses hydrocarbons are generally composed (% Vol) of :

C1 0 - 0.2.

C2 0 - 0.45

C3 1.5 - 3.8

C4 37 - 50

C5 22 - 43

C6 8 - 12

C7++ 1.7 - 5.4

Benzene 0.26 - 2.6

Toluene 0.36 - 1.8

III. Vapour composition

• Activated Carbon = most used adsorbents in the world

• Obtained through carbonization and activation of natural products and mineral charcoal

• The adsorption capacity depends on :

– Specific internal surface (up to 1800 m2/gram)

– Pore size and distribution

– Base material properties

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Heat released : 350 kJ / kg of hydrocarbons (exothermic) The adsorption effect improves with :

Heat required : 2200 kJ / kg of water (endothermic) increase of the pressure

Equilibration of the temperature decrease of the temperature increase of the concentration

Large HC molecules are better adsorbed Selective recovery The phenomenon is reversible

The concentration of HC’s is increased

HC molecules

Water molecules

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Phenomenon reversible

Decrease of temperature

Smaller molecules better desorbed

Desorption increases with :low pressure desorption by vacuumhigh temperature low concentration air purge during end of desorption

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

III. Adsorption on Activated Carbon

Clean

Air

OutletPurge Air

during vacuum

regeneration

phase

Emission Zone

Transition

Zone

Mass Transfer Zone

Inlet

Vapour

Mixture

The emission level of the system

depends on carbon type, vacuum

level and amount of purge air.

30 mbar for 50 - 100 mg/m3

100 mbar for 1 – 5 g/m3

The saturation rate of the top

layer of carbon is always low.

The transition zone of the carbon

bed provides a buffer for

variations in flow rate and

concentration.

The mass transfer zone removes

the bulk of the hydrocarbons

III. Vacuum desorption

Gas Inlet Gas Outlet

Cooling Liquid

Gear Oil

III. CarboVac Technology

The dry technology permits to reduce the system to the essential components

required for functioning.

The vacuum pumps used in the CarboVac technology are totally dry and

cause no pollution of the recovered products, eliminating all corrosion and

abrasion problems related to “wet” systems.

The absence of glycol or any other seal fluids (compatibility problem) and a

deep vacuum level offers the possibility to treat a vast range of products:

- Alcohol (Methanol, Ethanol)

- ETBE

- MTBE

- Benzene (BTX)

- Crude Oil

- Gasoline…

III. Vacuum desorptionGASOLINE CIRCULATION

I. Why to install a VRU

II. Terminal conditions for VRU implementations

III. Recovery based on AC technology

IV. A VRU in your terminal

V. Conclusion and Questions

PLC Powe

r

Truck Loading

Facility

Tank A

Tank B

P31P32

Vapour lines

Gasoline lines

CablingPC

IV. VRU in a terminal

IV. VRU in a terminal

Return line directly to storage tanks

Supply headers from storage tanks to loading pump station

VRU =

12 m x 8 m x 10 mVapour line 12 ” Air line

4” Gasoline circulation lines

Electrical connections 185 kw installed

Elected storage TK

Elected storage TK

IV. Absorbent connections

Scope of Supply VRUTank Header for loading pumps

1” Thermal expansion relief Valve, 6 barg

Gasoline circulation Lines

Storage Tank

1” Line

Min Distance 3m

Return Pump

Supply Pump

IV. VRU integrated

Vapour

Recovery

Unit

Cabling

Nitrogen

Water

Gasoline

in out

Foundation drainage

Modem lineOpen/close Emergency VentEmergency vent valve positionPowerInput (start/stop truck loading)Gasoline pump start /stop/running signalSite ESD signalVRU runningVRU alarm

Air Compressor(instrument quality)

Control building

modem

Operations Room PC &interactive keyboard

Cabling

IV. Civil work

IV. Safety aspects

IV. Safety aspects

IV. VRU safety aspects

IV. VRU safety aspects

I. Why to install a VRU ?

II. Terminal conditions for VRU implementations

III. Recovery based on AC technology

IV. A VRU in your terminal

V. Conclusion and Questions

V. Conclusion and Questions