The Synergistic Use of Biofiltration with Adsorptive Technologies to Improve Reliability, Cost & Sustainability for Industrial VOC Control

Adsorptive technologies are a common method of addressing VOC emissions in refineries and other industrial facilities. Drawbacks of this technology are rapid breakthrough in high load scenarios and costly regeneration and replacement of media. Energy related to high temperature regeneration and replacement activities also contribute significantly to a facility’s carbon footprint. This paper reviews the case for combining biofiltration with adsorptive technologies to improve performance and treatment reliability and to reduce costs and carbon footprint. It will review a biofilter installation at a Midwest USA petroleum refinery that was using granular activated carbon (GAC) to capture fugitive benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) and other VOC emissions from a dissolved air flotation (DAF) unit in the treatment system. The initial installation of the biofilter reduced GAC costs by close to $1 million (60%) in the first year. A re-bed of the same biofilter 10 years after initial startup saw similar reductions in cost while maintaining environmental performance. In addition, this paper will review newer, higher performing adsorbent technologies that can be used in conjunction with biofiltration, and the potential for these to further reduce emission control costs while offering a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of a treatment program.