Presentation of Vapour Recovery Systems

By Ties Mulder
Process and Implementation Consultant
June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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 First Systems

„ First systems = thermal destruction (air assisted flare)

• Energy consumption : high

• Destruction : 97 % efficiency
• Maintenance : low

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 First Recovery Systems

„ First recovery systems installed in the United States

Flare gas recovery using compression and cooling

Outlet to Flare

• Energy consumption : high

• Emissions : 80 % efficiency
Vapour Inlet • Maintenance : medium
Cooler

Separator

Compressor Recovered Liquid

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 Adsorption systems

„ Early 70s : first activated carbon / vacuum system

(Rheem Brothers - USA)

Clean air outlet

Top product vented to atmosphere

• Energy consumption : low

• Emissions : 80 % efficiency
Glycol Separator
Gasoline supply
• Maintenance : high

Re-absorber
Vapour Inlet
Activated Carbon Filters

Vacuum Pump Gasoline return

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 Deep cooling systems

„ Deep cooling systems @ -35°C (Edwards - USA)

Clean Air Outlet

De-icing
• Energy consumption : high
heater • Emissions : < 80 g/m3
• Maintenance : very high
Cooling Chiller
Elements

Vapour Inlet

Pure Product

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 Evolution of Adsorption systems...

„ First patent by McGill in 1978 based on Rheem brothers with

recycling of absorber top

Clean air outlet

• Energy consumption : low

Top product returned to inlet • Emissions : 35 g/m3
• Maintenance : high
Gasoline supply
Glycol Separator

Ö Replacement of deep cooling by

Vapour Inlet
Re-absorber adsorption systems in USA
Activated Carbon Filters

Vacuum Pump Gasoline return

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 Evolution of Adsorption systems

„ Since 1980 ’s : Activated carbon / Liquid ring vacuum systems

as known today
Clean Air Outlet

Purge

• Energy consumption : high

Adsorbers • Emissions : < 35 g/m3
• Maintenance : high
Vapour Inlet

Ö Suppliers patents in several

Absorber
European countries

Absorbents EG Vacuum Pump

Separator
Cooler

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 Alternative solutions

„ Fear of patent infringement Ö Development of alternative

solutions in Europe
¾ Cold absorption system : Coolsorption / Kappagi
¾ Membrane system : Vaconocore / Preussag
¾ Activated carbon + cold re-absorption : Kaldair
¾ Cogeneration : Petro-Plus (Qlear) / Schwelm
¾ Absorption / Adsorption / Absorption : Mc Gill

„ Introduction by Germany and Switzerland of extremely low

emissions Ö Development of complex hydride systems
¾ Cold adsorption + Steam regenerated carbon : Coolsorption
¾ Membrane + Vacuum regenerated carbon : Vaconocore
¾ LRVP + Roots blowers : John Zink
¾ Thermal balance adsorption : Ties Mulder

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 Cold absorption system

Clean
Air
Outlet

Absorbents Inlet

Vapour Cooler
Inlet

Reabsorber
Heater
Absorber

Absorbents Return

Nonane Circuit Splitter

Chiller

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 Membrane system

Clean Air Outlet

Evnt. 2 nd Stage

Membrane
Separator
Vapour Inlet
Cooler

Vacuum Pump

Compressor

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 Thermal Balance Adsorption

Clean Air Outlet

Adsorption
Filters

Absorber

Vapour
Inlet
Condenser

Separator

Vac pump

Absorbents
Heat exchanger

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 Latest developments

„ Latest developments : Dry screw pumps systems by CarboVac

Outlet
• Energy consumption : low
• Emissions : < 10 g/m3
• Maintenance : low

Ö Replacement of glycol systems

by dry systems

Inlet

Dry Screw
Activated Carbon Beds Re-Absorber Absorbants Circulation
Vacuum Pump
P

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 Actual situation

„ Activated carbon = highly favourite solution since 1980

¾ More than 90% of all recovery systems in the world

„ In the USA, destruction by combustion still represents 40%

But restrictions are coming due to :
¾ New CO2 limitation policies (Kyoto protocol)

¾ Adoption by Petroleum Companies (BP, Shell) of internal green

policies (engagement to reduce 50% of CO2 emissions)

Î Replacement of destruction by recovery solutions

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 VOC effects

VOC emissions impact on the

„ human health (carcinogenic components)
„ pollution of the troposphere (ozone creation)

In Europe, 17 million tons /year of VOC released in the atmosphere

in 1990.

Î Implementation of legislation and several regulations

in particular on emissions in hydrocarbon storage and transfer terminals

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 USA 1st Clean Air Act

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

Î 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.

„ Complex control measurement method to prove compliance.

¾ First with balloons and mass balance

¾ Later by using CIM and CEM

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 European legislation

„ European Directive EC94/63

¾ 35 g / m3 of air emitted (often 10 g / m3 is desired - Oslo protocol)
¾ 3 phases :
Õ 1998 : a VRU for all new terminals + terminal > 150 000 tons/year of gasoline
Õ 2001 : a VRU for terminal > 25 000 tons/year
Õ 2004 : a VRU for terminal > 10 000 tons/year
¾ Application for fuels with RVP > 276 mbar

„ TA-Luft 01 in Germany, LRV in Switzerland

If emission mass flow > 3 kg/h :
¾ 150 mg HC/ m3 of air emitted (20. BImSchG)

¾ 5 mg / m3 for benzene

¾ Methane is excluded (difficult to recover, only destruction possible by

combustion with secondary emissions)

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 Emission control

„ In USA : emissions measured as a function of loaded gasoline

Î Complex system required for EPA compliance test
¾ Measurement of the entire volume during 6 hours
¾ Measurement of the average hydrocarbon concentration
¾ Measurement of the total volume of gasoline loaded during 6 hrs
¾ Calculation of the mass emitted/litre loaded averaged over 6 hrs

„ Continuous measuring system with complex and expensive

devices
¾ CIM : Control Inlet Monitoring
¾ CEM : Continuous Emissions Monitoring

„ In Europe : emissions measured as real emission concentration

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

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 Energy consumption versus emissions

0,3
Energy consumption (kWh/m3 treated)

TA-Luft Emissions
0,25

0,2

0,15 Israeli Emissions

0,1
EU Emissions

0,05

0
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Emission limit (g/m3)

N.B : Data based on LRVP Systems

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 Recovery chain

Losses : 0,1 kg/m3

Emission reduction measures up to 99%
Refinery

Total efficiency of the recovery chain is never better

than the weakest link
Terminal Losses : 1 kg/m3
Emission reduction measures up to 90%

Service-station

Car filling

Losses : 1 kg/m3
Emission reduction measures up to 99,99 %

Losses : 1 kg/m3
Emission reduction measures up to 99%

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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

„ Stage 1 :
¾ Recovery of the vapour from the service-station ground tank to
the truck
¾ and Recovery of the vapours from truck loading on the
terminal.

„ Stage 2 :
¾ Recovery of the vapour from the car fuel tank to the ground
tank
Not ratified by some countries in Europe due to lack of
efficiency

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

At the Service Station Stage 2

Car

At the Terminal Stage 1

To VRU

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 Implementation of Stage 1...

„ Service-station :
¾ Pressure / vacuum relief valve to be installed in the ground tank
vent line
¾ Vapour return connection to be installed on the tank vent line

„ Truck
¾ Truck modified to bottom loading
¾ Overfill protection
¾ All compartments connected to a central vapour collecting line
equipped with 4" API coupler with check valve.

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 Implementation of Stage 1

„ Terminal :

¾ Modification from top loading to bottom loading

¾ Installation of a Vapour Recovery System
¾ Vapour collecting line to the Vapour Recovery System
¾ Use of a dedicated gasoline tank for recovered product
¾ Installation of floating roof in fixed roof type storage tanks or
complete balancing of the vapour space to the VRU
¾ Integration of a new process in the terminal and adaptation of
operating and safety procedures

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 Stage 1 example with fixed roof tanks

Pressure Vacuum
Valve
Vapours Detonation Arrestor
Emitted

Ventilator

P
PT

Tanks
Loading
Operation

Absorbents Vapour Recovery Unit

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 Implementation of Stage 2

„ Cars :
¾ Installation of small canister in gasoline cars (91/441/CEE)
¾ Installation of large canister resisted by automobile industry

„ Service-station
¾ Installation of vapour balance system between car fuel tank and
ground tank
Õ For every litre of gasoline filled into the tank, one litre of vapour
is returned to the ground tank

Efficiency not demonstrated Î Solutions not promoted by

Oil Companies

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 Typical vapour composition
(Truck loading)

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 (equipped or not acc. to Stage 1 and 2 of the EC Directive)

Theses hydrocarbons are generally composed of :

C1 0 - 0.2 % Vol.
C2 0 - 0.45
C3 1.5 - 3.8
C4 37 - 50
C5 22 - 43
C4 and C5 represent around 90% of the
C6 8 - 12
hydrocarbons at the inlet vapours
C7++ 1.7 - 5.4
Benzene 0.26 - 2.6
Toluene 0.36 - 1.8

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 How to size a VRU

Important data for VRU sizing for truck and rail car loading:
• Peak flow rate
= max. flow rate generated by the loading facility
(i.e max. number of loading points connected simultaneously x flow rate per point)
→ Determination of the pressure drop of the VRU and the vapour collecting system
→ Determination of the lines size, carbon bed diameter
All vapours have to pass through the VRU. Influence on price is small.

• Max. throughput per cycle

= max. vapour amount generated in 15 minutes (for truck loading)
(i.e number of loading bays x volume loaded per cycle or vessel capacity)
For continuous throughputs the cycle time is usually fixed at 12 minutes
→ Determination of the activated carbon volume in the beds

• Max. throughput per 4 hour period

= evaluation of the intensity of the activities at the terminal during the busiest period
→ Determination of the required vacuum capacity
→ Determination of the re-absorber and absorbents circulation pumps
• Max. daily throughput
= evaluation of the loading profile per day
→ Adjustment of the vacuum capacity

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 Typical compartment truck

Compartment cover serves as

pressure safety relief valve

Vapour Collector connected to each compartment

4” API Vapour Coupler

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 Vapour Collecting System
Truck loading Application

Pressure Vacuum
Safety Valve

Vapour Line

Detonation Arrestor

Vapour arm

Level Switch
Position Switch

Drain valve

VRU

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 Vapour Collecting System
Truck loading Application

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 Vapour Collecting System
Truck loading Application

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 Vapour Collecting System
Truck loading Application

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 Absorbent Circulation System

VRU

P501

P601

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 Civil works

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 Civil works

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 Electrical works : communication signals

Operations Room PC &

interactive keyboard
Gasoline

Cabling

out
in
Modem line
Control building Open/close Emergency Vent
Vapour pipe work Vapour
modem Emergency vent valve position
Recovery Cabling Power
Nitrogen Input (start/stop truck loading)
Unit Gasoline pump start /stop/running signal
Water Air Air Compressor Site ESD signal
(instrument quality) VRU running
VRU alarm

Foundation drainage

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 Electrical works

Safe Area Hazardous Area

Control Room

Cables

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 Electrical cables schematics

Electrical Room

VRU
PLC
I

Power feed cable

J M

Instrument cables
Power cables to Motors

PC
PC Monitoring

Customer signals

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 Operational connection schematic

Control Cabinet

CONTROL ROOM
Power Cabinet

Modem

VRU SUPPLIER

Instrumentations
Modem
E-Motors

LOCAL
REPRESENTATIVE

Modem

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 VRU Location

„ Important parameters :
¾ Pressure drop of the vapour line
- EU Directive : 55 mbar @ truck coupler
- Typical ΔP of a 4" API vapour coupler : 3 mbar
- Typical ΔP of a vapour arm + hose : 12 mbar
- Typical ΔP of an anti-deto FA : 5 mbar
- Typical ΔP of a VRU : 25 mbar
Î Max available ΔP of vapour line : 10 mbar

¾ Pressure drop of the gasoline circulation lines

- Supply pump : usually close to the tank or in the pump station
- Return pump : usually on the VRU foundation

¾ Accessibility for maintenance works

¾ Electrical cable routing

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 Quality of the recovered product
Gasoline Application

Recovered product mostly C4 and C5.

Õ Tendency to increase the absorbent ’s RVP

Õ Tendency to increase the absorbent ’s temperature

Î Selection of a absorbent tank with a reasonable throughput

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 Typical Recovered Product

Hypotheses :
Vapour inlet concentration : 40 % Volume
Average outlet concentration : 2g / Nm-3
Average MW : 65 (Gasoline vapours)

Calculation :
0.4 x 65
Mass 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

® Masse of hydrocarbons recovered 1159.5 g / m-3 of inlet vapour

The recovery rate :

§ The effective recovery rate is 1.49 litre per m3 Inlet vapour
§ Vapour recovery rate 99. 9 %.

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 Tax refund in Europe

Recovered product not easily measured

Õ Recovered product = only a small % of the return absorbent flow

Õ Accuracy of the metering devices not sufficient

Î Agreement between tax authorities and oil companies to

implement a fixed rate equal to 1.4 to 1.5 litre per m3 of gasoline
entering the terminal

Õ 1.4 litre/ m3 of the gasoline throughput exempted from taxes

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
• History of Vapour Recovery & Technologies developed

• Worldwide Emission legislation

• Closed circuit European recovery system for truck

• Implementation of Vapour Recovery systems on terminals

• Recovery product, rate, tax refund

• Safety aspects, ATEX, SIL

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 VRU Safety

VRU are installed in environment containing combustible liquid and

explosive gases

¾ Risks of fire and explosion with toxic emissions

¾ Preventive measures and risk analysis have to be performed :
Õ HAZOP
Õ ATEX explosion protection document (EXDOC)
Õ SIL safety integrity level risk assessment

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 ATEX Philosophy

Four possible types of equipment :

„ Assemblies
¾ Assemblies with fully specified configuration of parts

¾ Assemblies with various configuration

„ Installations
„ Electrical equipment

Î VRU is an assembly with fully specified configuration of parts

(§ 3.7.1 of the ATEX guideline)

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 § 3.7.1 Resume

„ VRU = assembly of two different pieces of equipment :

¾ Equipment with CE marking (ATEX) :
Õ Manufacturer may presume conformity of these pieces

¾ Equipment without CE marking :

Õ Manufacturer has to cover those parts with his own conformity
assessment of the whole assembly

„ EC declaration of conformity for the whole unit (§ 3.7.1.1)

¾ Manufacturer assumes responsibility for compliance with the directive
¾ Manufacturer should provide a conformity assessment of the whole
assembly
¾ Manufacturer provides clear instructions for assembly / installation /
operation / maintenance… in the operating manual.

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Presentation VRU - June 2005
 VRU Safety features

„ Some of the VRU safety features

¾ The whole system is explosion pressure proof to 9 barg

¾ All valves with open / closed limit switches
¾ Gasoline pumps installed below liquid level
¾ High and low level switches on the re-absorber column
¾ Temperature monitoring in the activated carbon beds
¾ Outlet temperature of the vacuum pump < 50°C
¾ Detonation arrestor in the inlet
¾ Two positive closing valves in each gasoline circulation line
¾ etc...

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 VRU Explosion proof design

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 Detonation arrestor in inlet line and
Valves with limit switches

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 Gasoline return pump

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 Level control and switches

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 Temperature sensors and indicators
in carbon bed

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 Dry Vacuum Pump
Temperature Monitoring

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 Two safety valves
in each gasoline circulation line

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 Safety Integrity Level...
EN 61508‐5.2001

Safety integrity level risk assessment of a dry screw VRS :

4 elements to be assessed

¾ Consequence of the risk (C)

Õ Minor Injury
Õ Serious Injury or permanent incapacity
Õ Fatality or catastrophic incapacity

¾ Frequency of exposure (F)

Õ Rare to more often (0 - 10%)
Õ Frequent to permanent (10 - 100%)

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 Safety Integrity Level
EN 61508‐5.2001

¾ Possibility of avoidance of a hazardous event (P)

Õ Possible under certain conditions
Õ Almost impossible

¾ Demand rate (W)

Õ High W3
Õ Low W2
Õ Very low W1

Î Result of SIL risk assessment is Category a

Õ No special safety requirements

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 Result of SIL risk assessment

Consequence of Risk (C)

Minor Injury <1
Toxonomy Serious Injury or permanent incapacity <=1
Fatality or catastrophic incapacity 1 >1 >10
C1 C2 C3 C4

Frequency of Exposure (F)

Rare to more often ( 0 - 10% ) F1 F1 F1
Toxonomy
Frequent to permanent ( 10 - 100% ) F2 F2 F2

Possibility of avoidance of a hazardous event (P)

Possible under certain conditions P1 P1 P1 P1 P1 P1
Toxonomy
Almost impossible P2 P2 P2 P2 P2 P2

Demand Rate (W)

High W3 a 1 2 3 2 3 4 3 4 b
Toxonomy Low W2 a 1 2 1 2 3 2 3 4
Very Low W1 a 1 a 1 2 1 2 3

Result of the Risk Reduction Estimation = a, no special safety requirements

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