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Processing hydrocarbon vapor

Q: I want to process 45 NM³/hr of hydrocarbon vapor specifically from Jet A1, Naphtha, Crude, LFO, Condensates) and convert it to N₂ using a burner, scrubber and the necessary secondary processes. Would you provide a background on the best way to process this vapor, and if possible, a list of companies that provide this type of package equipment?

A: While I cannot give you a list of specific companies for policy reasons, it appears that you may benefit from a thermal oxidizer system. There are a number of good companies on the market. However, they will convert the hydrocarbon vapors into CO₂ and H₂O but not N₂, because that's physically, and chemically, impossible. The advantage of a thermal oxidizer is that it will have negligible NO_x emissions because of the lower temperature of operation.

From the little information you provided, you may find as much value in condensing and recapturing the fuels as in sending them to an oxidizer. If this is coming from a tank farm, you may wish to consider inserting the headspace over the tanks with CO₂ for the purposes of reducing fire hazards, and for reclaiming the fuels by condensing the various products and then recovering them.

Warning: If you do decide on some type of thermal oxidizer or burner system, make sure that you have installed flame arrestors on the tanks and the pipelines. Otherwise if you do not have them, the consequences could be quite dramatic and unfortunate.

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