Process for recovering hydrocarbons with air-hydrocarbon vapor mixtures

Patent · Tue May 25 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:5171729

Dinsmore, H L; Long, G W; Peters, D J; Schwartz, R E

An improved process is disclosed for recovering hydrocarbons from an air hydrocarbon vapor mixture such as the mixture of air and vaporized light hydrocarbon compounds expelled as a result of loading gasoline or the like into storage tanks and tank trucks. The air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture is caused to flow through a bed of solid adsorbent whereby the hydrocarbons are removed from the mixture and a residue gas stream comprised of substantially hydrocarbon-free air is produced. The substantially hydrocarbonfree air is vented to the atmosphere and a second bed of solid adsorbent having hydrocarbons adsorbed thereon is subjected to conditions which cause desorption of the hydrocarbons and thereby regeneration of the bed. The regeneration of the beds is accomplished by evacuating the beds with vacuum pumping whereby a major portion of the hydrocarbons are desorbed therefrom, subsequently introducing a small quantity of heated hydrocarbonfree air into the beds whereby additional hydrocarbons are stripped therefrom and then subjecting the bed to further evacuation by ejector jet pumping while continuing to evacuate the bed by vacuum pumping whereby yet additional hydrocarbons are desorbed therefrom. The air-hydrocarbon vapor mixture produced in the regeneration of the beds is contacted with a liquid absorbent whereby a major portion of the hydrocarbons are absorbed therefrom and recovered.

• Assignee: Zink, John Co
• Patent Number(s): US 4331456
• OSTI ID: 5171729
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
024000* -- Petroleum-- Storage-- (-1989)
ABSORPTION
ACTIVATED CARBON
ADSORBENTS
AIR
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
CARBON
CONTROL
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
FUELS
GASES
GASOLINE
HYDROCARBONS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LIQUID FUELS
LOADING
MATERIALS HANDLING
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
PUMPS
RECOVERY
REGENERATION
STORAGE
STORAGE FACILITIES
TRUCKS
VACUUM PUMPS
VAPORS
VEHICLES