Membrane vapor recovery systems. Phase 2, Progress report, 1 October 1991--29 September 1992

This report describes Phase II of a project to design, construct, and demonstrate in the membrane separation system able to recover volatile organic compounds field a condensation/membrane separation system able to recover volatile organic compounds from effluent air streams. In the first phase of the program, a number of the high-pressure membrane modules to be installed in the system were constructed and evaluated, and the Field Demonstration Unit was designed. In the second phase, the Field Demonstration System was constructed and operated at MTR`s laboratories with perchloroethylene, trichlorotrifluoroethane, and hexane, representative of chlorinated hydrocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and fuel hydrocarbons, respectively. VOC removal from the feed stram was between 80% and 99.8%. Removal increased with increasing VOC content and with decreasing VOC volatility. A Module Field Evaluation Unit was also constructed for testing at the El Dorado plant of Great Lakes Chemical Corporation. The system, consisting of one membrane module housing containing one module insert, is installed on the pressurized vent from a condenser.