Gas Treatment & Generation · Engineered by SorbiTech

Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU)

Name: Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU)
Brand: SorbiTech

Activated carbon vapour recovery unit for tank farms, loading racks, and process vents to capture and recover hydrocarbons before stack release.

Capacity / Flow 50–10,000 Nm³/h vent gas

Design Standards ASME VIII · ATEX/IECEx · API 2003 vapour collection · EPA 40 CFR 60

Inlet Conditions Atmospheric vent gas, up to 50 % v/v hydrocarbon

Outlet Specification < 10–35 g/m³ at vent (per regional limit)

Operating Pressure (bar) 0.1–0.5

Quick Answer

A Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU) uses twin activated carbon adsorbers operating out of phase to capture hydrocarbon vapours displaced from tank farms, loading racks, and process vents. The carbon is regenerated thermally or under vacuum and the recovered hydrocarbon is condensed for reuse, meeting regulator limits of 10 to 35 g/m³ at the vent.

Capture, Regenerate, Recover

The SorbiTech Vapour Recovery Unit captures volatile hydrocarbon vapours displaced during tank breathing, ship loading, railcar loading, truck filling, and process vent operations. The twin pellet activated carbon adsorber vessels operate 180 degrees out of phase: one bed is on adsorption, the other on regeneration. The captured hydrocarbon is recovered by thermal or vacuum regeneration, condensed in a chilled condenser, and returned to the bulk storage. Recovery rates exceed 95 percent of the inlet hydrocarbon, with the stack emission well below the EPA 40 CFR 60 and EU Stage IIB limits.

Vessel Construction and Regeneration Method

The pressure shell is built to ASME VIII or PED with ATEX or IECEx zone certification, since the vent gas envelope can reach the lower explosive limit during upset conditions. The bed is sized for the maximum credible vent rate (loading peak plus margin). Two regeneration methods are offered: vacuum regeneration (pulls down to 50 mbar to release the adsorbed hydrocarbon, no thermal load) or thermal regeneration with hot inert gas (heats the bed to 80 to 120 °C). Vacuum is preferred for light hydrocarbon service (C1 to C6); thermal is preferred for heavier streams.

Scope of Supply

The complete package includes:

Twin activated carbon adsorber vessels with SorbiTech pellet activated carbon
Vapour blower or knock out drum on the inlet
Vacuum pump (vacuum regeneration) or inert gas heater (thermal regeneration)
Condenser and recovered hydrocarbon storage drum
Switching valve manifold with high cycle life
LEL analyser at the vent and continuous hydrocarbon emission monitor
PLC or DCS sequence control with full ATEX/IECEx certification

Markets and Compliance

Petroleum loading racks at refinery and terminal sites are the largest market, driven by EPA 40 CFR 60 Subpart XX and EU Stage IIB limits. Tank breathing on white oil storage (gasoline, jet fuel, naphtha) is the second largest. Process vent recovery from chemical batch operations is the third, often driven by site emission inventory limits. Sector coverage is oil and gas and petrochemicals and refining.

Lifecycle and Service

The pellet activated carbon charge gives 5 to 8 years of service in vapour recovery duty; the regenerated carbon is reactivated thermally at the SorbiTech partner facility every 18 to 24 months to restore activity. The lifecycle cost per cubic metre of recovered hydrocarbon is significantly below the avoided cost of vented hydrocarbon at the prevailing crude price. SorbiTech delivers the package turnkey or fabricated to client drawings; SorbiTech executes the civil and electrical scope where the project requires it.