Guide to solvent emissions abatement technology

Citation

(1999), "Guide to solvent emissions abatement technology", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 28 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.1999.12928fab.030

Guide to solvent emissions abatement technology

Guide to solvent emissions abatement technology

Keywords European Solvents Industry Group, Solvents, Guide, Internet, Emissions

For companies planning to reduce solvent emissions to meet the targets in the recent EU Solvent Emissions Directive, the European Solvent Industry Group (ESIG) now provides a user-friendly guide to abatement technology. As part of ESIG’s commitment to promoting best practice, the free ESIG Abatement Advisor software is available to download from www.esig.org

“With new legislation controlling vapour solvent emissions, many solvent-using companies need to determine how best to comply – and this package helps them understand and evaluate their own particular circumstances and the options available to them”, comments Jeff Kelsey of BP Amoco, designer of the ESIG Abatement Advisor.

Making an objective decision between different technology options available to reduce solvent emissions can be daunting. The practicality, cost and technical performance have to be judged against each other. The ESIG Abatement Advisor helps users identify the most cost effective abatement system for their particular plant requirements.

“The ESIG Abatement Advisor is an excellent starting tool”, comments Chris Whitehead, European technical sales executive at the printing ink manufacturer Manders Premier. “Many small and medium sized printers have found it a useful and impartial source of guidance. Through asking the right questions, it allows the company to make an informed decision internally, and for free, before employing outside personnel. It gives an idea of what the capital expenditure will be from the start. I have also found the Advisor a very useful training tool, particularly for people coming into the business and wanting to know about VOCs and abatement.”

Originally developed by BP Amoco, the Abatement Advisor enables users to compare the technical and economic aspects of all the main volatile organic compounds (VOCs) abatement techniques, quickly and efficiently. The systems considered, which are all commercially available, include carbon absorption with in situ regeneration or disposal; liquid absorption with recovery; condensation with recovery; biofiltration and thermal oxidation (catalytic, thermal and flameless, along with the two principal primary heat recovery techniques, recuperative and regenerative).

The familiar Windows format makes the Abatement Advisor very simple to use. First, the user enters information on the current process. This includes details of the typical and peak process volumetric flow rate, typical and peak concentrations of VOCs in the stream, type of VOCs, stream temperature, hours of operation and emission limits to be met. The user then completes a detailed “electronic” questionnaire, answering a series of Yes and No questions and additional numeric data.

From this initial analysis, the programme then calculates cost estimates for each technically suitable abatement technique and displays both the capital and annual running costs. The ease of data input into the program also allows the user to consider the cost implications of modifying the process stream, for example, to investigate the benefits of reducing air flow. Other “what if … ?” ideas can therefore be assessed very quickly. The whole program prepares solvent users to approach abatement equipment suppliers for their final selection of a VOC emission control system.

The software is available to download from the ESIG Website at www.esig.org or contact Penny Hawley. Tel: +44 (0)171 584 0122; Fax: +44 (0)171 58 8671.