vapourrecoverysystem

A vapour recovery system is a set of equipment and procedures designed to capture hydrocarbon vapours that escape during the handling, storage, and transfer of volatile liquids, and to route those vapours back into a process stream or to an approved recovery or destruction path. The primary goals are to reduce air emissions of volatile organic compounds and to recover product losses for reuse or sale.

Most systems consist of a vapour collection network connected to storage tanks or loading arms, a recovery unit driven by a blower or compressor, and a processing stage that treats the captured vapours. The recovered liquid may be returned to the storage or feed system, or, if non-condensable gases are present, be flared or used as fuel gas according to the installation design and applicable regulations. Two common processing approaches are refrigeration-based condensation and adsorption-based recovery.

Condensation uses cooling to condense hydrocarbon vapours into liquid form; adsorption uses activated carbon beds to trap vapours and later regenerate the beds to release the captured liquid back to the process. Some systems use a combination of both methods or integrate with existing refinery or terminal processes.

Applications include gasoline dispensing facilities, bulk liquid terminals, and tanker-loading operations. Regulatory regimes in many regions require vapor recovery for certain facilities; in the United States, for example, VRU requirements are common under the Clean Air Act at bulk plants and ship-to-ship operations; in Europe, similar directives exist under EU air quality legislation and national implementations.

Benefits include reduced emissions, lower product losses, and potential compliance with local environmental rules. Considerations include capital and operating costs, energy use for the recovery unit, maintenance of seals and adsorption media, and ensuring compatibility of recovered liquids with the process.