Vapor Recovery Units (VRU)

Engineered Packaged Solutions for Vapor Control

What Are Vapor Recovery Units (VRU’s)?

A Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU) is an engineered compression package, which aims to lower emissions levels coming from the vapors of gasoline or other fuels while recovering valuable hydrocarbons to be sold or reused as fuel onsite. A package for vapor recovery is designed to capture about 95% of Btu-rich vapors, generating many benefits, guaranteeing less air pollution, and recovering gasoline vapors to be used as fuel.

 

Benefits of a VRU System

  • Profitability & Reduced Operating Costs: Recovered vapors can be re-ejected in oil wells, sent to users, or used as fuel, resulting in increased revenue or cost reduction for the facility.
  • Social and Environmental Responsibility: Venting is eliminated and emissions of dangerous pollutants are reduced up to 95%. This demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility and environmental protection.

 

Case Studies & White Papers

Vapor Recovery System Applications

How Vapor Recovery Units Work

Which Types of Compressors for Vapor Recovery

Are there different types of Vapor Recovery Units(VRUs)?

Yes, there are two completely different pieces of engineered equipment for different applications that are both referred to as Vapor Recovery Units.

 

What is the difference between a mechanical and a carbon bed or adsorption type vapor recovery unit(VRU)?

A mechanical VRU is a compression package that is often used to recover tank vapors- gas formed when liquid in a storage tank is heated by outdoor temperatures and collects in a space at the top of the tank. Tank vapor is routed to a mechanical VRU, where it is then compressed and sent to a pipeline that delivers the gas to another part of the facility or to a sales pipeline.

A carbon bed or adsorption type VRU is essentially a large filtration system. These are used to handle vapors that are offset during liquid loading of trucks, railcars, marine vessels, or tanks. Vapor is routed to the VRU, where it passes through a bed of activated carbon that adsorbs hydrocarbons and allows clean air to exit the system. When the carbon bed reaches its maximum capacity, a vacuum pump can then extract the hydrocarbon vapor, send it to an absorber tower, and return the vapor back to a liquid state, so it can be put back into the tanks.

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