Vapor Recovery and Liquefied Gas Storage

Diagram of typical vapor recovery system

Liquefied gasses such as butane, propane, natural gas and others are condensed and stored in large pressurized tanks. A portion of this liquefied gas boils off as vapor, both during production and storage, and must be re-condensed and returned to the storage tank. Cooling tower water is commonly circulated around a heat exchanger to provide the necessary cooling. Rental chillers are often used to supplement cooling tower water during peak temperature months.

Rental equipment typically used for vapor recovery applications includes the following:

• Chiller modules ranging from 50 to 400 tons

• Pump modules, circulation tanks, cooling towers, or heat exchanger modules

• Piping and fittings

• Engineering and supervision services

• Installation and maintenance services

• On-site operation and training

Typical Customers:

• Oil refineries

• Natural gas processing plants

• Chemical plants that produce various liquefied gasses

Discovery Questions:

• Do summertime cooling tower water temperatures affect the performance of your gas condensers?

• Would colder water temperatures improve the performance of your condensers?

• Are there safety or environmental risks due to vapor loss from your liquified gas storage facilities?

Configuration and Installation Issues:

• Area electrical classifications

• Equipment location

• Pipe vs. hose