Emission reduction at thermal oil plants
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Industrial plants that are operated with thermal oils often emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can have a negative impact on the environment, health and safety. These emissions vary depending on the thermal oil used and pose considerable challenges for companies.
Differences in the composition of emissions
When removing low boilers from thermal oils, it is important to differentiate between mineral and synthetic thermal oils. Classic mineral thermal oils are obtained from crude oil and consist of hydrocarbon chains of different lengths. These emissions usually contain short, linear or branched hydrocarbon compounds that can escape into the environment. Methane with a boiling temperature of -162 °C and n-pentane with 36 °C are often found in the emissions.
On the other hand, thermal oils developed for operating temperatures above 320 °C are usually produced synthetically. These so-called synthetic thermal oils are usually based on aromatic compounds, as these are chemically more stable. Despite their high temperature resistance, these thermal oils also decompose during use, especially under extreme conditions. The resulting decomposition products, such as benzene and related substances, are particularly critical as they are subject to strict legal limits.
Dangerous substances and legal limits
The release of volatile organic compounds is not only an environmental problem, but also a significant risk to safety in the workplace. Aromatic decomposition products in particular, such as benzene, are strictly regulated. According to the Technical Rules for Hazardous Substances (TRGS 910), two limit values apply:
- Acceptance concentration: A long-term limit below which a workplace is considered sufficiently safe. For benzene, this limit value is 0.2 mg/m³.
- Tolerance concentration: A value that can be exceeded in the short term, but must be reduced promptly by means of suitable measures. For benzene, this value is 1.6 mg/m³.
The danger is that the short-term emissions at the outlet of an automatic light-ends removal system can reach up to 5000 mg/m³ in exceptional cases. If there is no wind and good mixing with the surrounding air, the acceptable concentration can only be exceeded after more than 3 metres. With wind and conical dispersion, this distance can be up to 20 metres.
Efficient emission reduction with the VOC remover from NESS Waermetechnik
With its VOC remover, Ness Wärmetechnik GmbH offers an advanced solution for reducing volatile organic compounds. The filter removes around 80 % of the VOCs produced, which means that emissions fall below the legally required limit values. By using the VOC remover, the maximum distance to fall below the acceptable concentration is significantly reduced:
- In winds from 20 to only 9 metres.
- With spherical expansion from 3.25 to just 1.5 metres.
Even if the tolerance concentration is briefly exceeded, the VOC remover reduces the distance at which this critical limit value is reached from 1.65 to just 0.75 metres. This clearly shows that the use of this technology not only fulfils legal requirements, but also significantly improves safety in the workplace.
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