Introduction: chemical barges and the occurrence of VOC emissions

Waterways are frequently used to transport petrochemicals, pressurized products, black oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals from producers to intermediaries to end users. During transport and transfer of these products, VOC emissions can occur at the tank farm or during loading and unloading operations.

The possible VOC emission rate depends on many factors:

• Design of receiving vessel or tank;
• Loading rate;
• Nature of current cargo;
• Nature of previous cargo;
• Sea conditions (for offshore loading);
• Temperature;
• Time since unloading of previous cargo.

The most common bulk organic cargoes are summarised below:

On the 1^st of November 2009, the Convention on the Collection, Deposit and Reception of Waste produced during Navigation on the Rhine and Inland Waterways of 9 September 1996 (CDNI) entered into force in Europe (source: CDNI website). The CDNI has been adopted by six countries (Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France) and is applicable on the entire length of the river Rhine and on all inland waterways in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, on the international part of the river Moselle in Luxembourg and France. Part B of the regulation makes arrangements for handling cargo residue and waste arising from the shipment of cargoes.

Degassing of inland ships
Challenge: Vessel volume 3,000m3 Flow rate 1,000 m3/h Changing cargo Our solution Open container 2 x AIRCON® 2000 ATEX LEL Measurement CO monitoring

DESOTEC Activated Carbon offers solutions for: VOC removal:

• Degassing of chemical (inland) barges;
• Manipulation of (inland) ships.

Odour control:

• Vents of storage tanks in tank farms;
• (Inland) boats.

Don’t hesitate to contact us on VOC emission control solutions; we’re at your service! DESOTEC Activated Carbon specialises in selecting the most appropriate activated carbon type and offering tailor-made purification solutions.

At DESOTEC’s facilities, all used carbon is analysed so the right measures can be taken for handling and removing the saturated carbon out of the mobile filters. All molecules that were adsorbed on the activated carbon at the customers’ site, are desorbed inside DESOTEC’s reactivation furnaces. These contaminants are then fully destroyed, in accordance with National and European legislation, by an incineration and neutralisation setup. The entire installation and it's emissions are under continuous on-line monitoring, which guarantees that only harmless water vapour is seen exiting the chimney.