Challenge
Pipelines used in the petrochemical industry require regular maintenance. During the maintenance the pipeline is taken out of operation, emptied and cleaned. When the pipelines are being emptied and cleaned, vapours are released with high concentrations of volatile hydrocarbons. These vapours must be prevented from getting into the atmosphere.

When processing these vapours the very high concentration peak at the start of the vapour treatment is the greatest challenge. During previous major maintenance of this pipeline the temporary vapour purification installation was not adequate, leading to a great deal of inconvenience for workers and those living nearby.

Solution
In order to ensure an effective solution, HMVT, together with its partner Reym, proposed and carried out a phased approach. In the first hours the vapours released were incinerated with a mobile installation, and the remaining vapours of much lower concentration were purified in the second phase with activated carbon.

Results
This has resulted in a very successful project where the vapours were treated efficiently without causing any inconvenience.