RESULTS OF INDUSTRIAL TESTS OF A CONDENSING VAPOR RECOVERY UNIT AT AN OFFSHORE OIL TERMINAL

Abstract

An effective method of reducing vapor emissions of liquid hydrocarbons, creating safe operating conditions for facilities for loading oil products into vehicles is the use of vapor recovery units (VRU). Among the available types of VRU, condensing installations are distinguished, the operation of which is based on the difference in the condensation temperatures of air and petroleum product vapors. To the advantages of condensing VRU developers refer: 1) safety; 2) low hydraulic resistance; 3) production of condensate of high commercial quality; 4) the possibility of accounting for the captured product; 5) the absence of secondary contaminated waste; 6) the practical absence of the need to purchase and dispose of consumables. The article presents the results of tests of the condensing VRU, called the «Condensation and Dispersion Complex», during the gasoline shipment at one of the offshore oil terminals in the spring and summer period. During the condensating VRU tests, the average degree of purification efficiency of the gas-air mixture (GAM) from gasoline vapors is established, which is significantly lower than the suppliers of condensing VRU declare and is completely insufficient to solve environmental problems. The content of hydrocarbons in the GAM at the output of the VRU turned out to be several times higher than was stated by the developer. The reason for this negative result is insufficient deep cooling of the gas-air mixture. It has been initially chosen incorrectly, because it does not take into account the accumulated experience in the world of using condensating URPs. The lowest achieved GAM temperature is several degrees higher than the coolant temperature in the condenser heat exchangers, which indicates an incorrect choice of condensation criteria. The amount of gasoline that was captured during the loading of one tanker was determined, as well as the amount of hydrate inhibitor required for this and the electricity consumption. It is established that the consumption of consumables during the operation of the condensing URP, called the «Condensation and Dispersion Complex», is rather high. Therefore, the developers' statement about the absence of consumption by the installation of consumables is a marketing technique.