United States Environmental Protection Agency Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory Cincinnati OH 45268 Research and Development EPA-600/S7-82-031 August 1982 Project Summary An Inventory of Used and By-Product Hydrocarbon Streams John J. Yates, Rajan K. Chaudhry, and James A. Dewey Between September 12, 1978, and September 12,1979, ETA Engineering, Inc., undertook a study to identify and characterize the major used and by- product gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon streams generated by industry. Since large quantities of these streams are be- ing wasted or improperly disposed of, a subsequent effort was made to estimate their recovery potential. Once identified, an inventory of the streams was devel- oped, and the applicable control and reclamation techniques were reviewed. The magnitude of the various streams was established by applying emission factors to a relevant base variable, such as the quantity of new material sold to industry. The recovery potential estima- tion was based upon the application of reasonably available control and recycling technology to each source category. Some of the present disposal methods for used liquid hydrocarbon streams were also reviewed. Several alternative methods of recycling and disposing of such streams were then evaluated in terms of their energy and economic im- plications. Ultimately, several recom- mendations were made for those areas where further research might uncover significant potential for used hydrocar- bon recovery. This Project Summary was developed by EPA's Industrial Environmental Re- search Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, to announce key findings of the research project that is fully documented in a sep- arate report of the same title (see Project Report ordering Information at back). Introduction Large quantities of used and by-product hydrocarbon streams are generated by industry each year. The loss of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon streams through waste or improper disposal results in a loss of energy resources and creates po- tential hazards to the environment. For example, an estimated 12.5 million metric tons of volatile organic com- pounds (VOC) are being lost to the at- mosphere yearly from various sources with significant recovery potential, in- cluding petroleum refineries, gasoline marketing facilities and industrial manu- facturing. If the quantities of waste hy- drocarbon streams can be minimized or rendered suitable for reuse, tangible benefits will accrue not only to industry in the form of reduced fuel or lubricating costs, for instance, but also to society in the form of a safer environment. And a valuable energy source will have been reclaimed. Emissions of hydrocarbons are gov- erned by various state and federal regu- lations. Gaseous hydrocarbon streams are regulated by the Clean Air Act and its 1970 and 1977 amendments. Further- more, all states are currently proposing regulations to control hydrocarbon emis- sions as part of their state implementa- tion plans (SIP) to meet the national am- bient air quality standards mandated by the Clean Air Act and promulgated by the U.S. EPA. Major federal regulations governing the use, conservation, and disposal of liquid hydrocarbon streams are (1) the Resource Conservation and ------- Recovery Act, (2) the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, and (3) the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. In addition, several states have passed legislation re- lated to used oil disposal to encourage the recycling of used oils and to avoid un- satisfactory disposal of waste streams. In light of such regulations, industry has been forced to scrutinize the types and volumes of hydrocarbon streams being generated. In particular, companies will be looking to identify the major used and by-product streams with significant po- tential for recovery and reuse. Further- more, it has been proposed in the Federal Register of December 18, 1978, that used oil be declared a hazardous material. This will give industry added incentive to track the in-plant use and disposal of oils. Approaches and Procedures Used gaseous hydrocarbon streams include a variety of source categories, but this study emphasized those source categories with significant emission and/ or recovery potential. For example, the storage of petroleum products other than gasoline has been excluded from this study due to their low vapor pres- sures. Gaseous hydrocarbons were clas- sified and considered as volatile organic compounds (VOC) in order to include some organics in this study—e.g., halo- genated organic solvent—that are not truly hydrocarbons according to strict definition. The effects of such organics on the environment and their recovery potential, however, are as significant as those of pure hydrocarbons. Gaseous hydrocarbons, VOCs, i.e., are emitted from a variety of stationary and mobile sources, with stationary sources accounting for approximately 60 percent of the total emissions. Indus- trial sources of VOC surveyed in this study include (1) petroleum refining, (2) gasoline marketing facilities, (3) indus- trial manufacturing, (4) solid waste dis- posal, and (5) stationary fuel combus- tion facilities. In addition, solvent evapo- ration from a variety of solvent coating operations was also surveyed. VOC emissions due to solvent evaporation are the largest single contributor to emis- sions from stationary sources (degreas- ing, dry cleaning, graphic arts, for exam- ple). Of these stationary sources, surface coating operations are the most signi- ficant, accounting for almost 1.8 million metric tons per year. Major industrial surface coating applications include (a) metal coating, (b) paper, film, and foil coating, (c) fabric coating, (d) coating of flat wood products, and (e) wood furni- ture coating. For each VOC source category, the fol- lowing information was derived, source description, emissions characteristics, quantification of hydrocarbon emissions, applicable control technologies, and re- covery/capture potential. VOC emission sources with recovery potential were grouped into major source categories based on either process characteristics or the properties of the products whose manufacture resulted in VOC emissions. Hydrocarbon emissions for each major source were then calculated by using emission factors given in related techni- cal literature. To quantify annual source emissions, the emission factors were ap- plied to published statistics on the pro- duction or quantities of material handled. Used oils and used solvents are the major used liquid hydrocarbon streams with significant recovery potential, al- though basic organic manufacturing in- dustries also generate significant streams of used liquid hydrocarbon. Other liquid hydrocarbon streams offer little recovery protential because of high contamination levels, difficulties of sep- aration, and other technical considera- tions. Used oils are generated chiefly in the primary metal and metal-working in- dustries and in the transportation/auto- motive sector. Industrial oils include lube oils, cutting or hydraulic oils, and pro- cess oils, for example. Oils generated in the transportation, or automotive, sector include engine oils, hydraulic fluids, and other miscellaneous lubricating oils. Theoretically, almost all of this used oil should be recoverable. The recovery of used oil remains inconsequential, how- ever, because of poor handling and maintenance procedures, inadequate storage and stream segregation, and in- sufficient knowledge of recycling tech- niques. For example, most industrial plants have not established a compre- hensive oil accounting and reuse pro- gram. The solvents considered in this study are all halogenated hydrocarbons, ke- tones, and alcohols, which are employed in applications in which they retain their basic chemical identities after use. Only certain solvent usage categories gener- ate waste solvent streams that are po- tentially recoverable. These categories generally include those industries em- ploying solvents for cleaning metals, clothing or other materials. Oegreasing applications utilize solvent vapors to minimize solvent losses and improve operating economy. Solvent reclama- tion in commercial and industrial applica- tions is presently minimal, largely be- cause of the relatively low cost of any virgin organic solvents. However, more stringent environmental regulations, coupled with the increased cost and un- certain long-term availability of petrole- um-based solvents, may make solvent recovery more attractive. In addition to the used oil and used sol- vent streams, other major but less signi- ficant streams of used liquid hydrocar- bons are generated from the manufac- ture of basic organic chemicals, coal tar and derivatives, organic intermediates, plasticizers, and electrochemical resins. Although on a national basis no quantita- tive data can be easily developed for the liquid hydrocarbon streams generated from these industries, they are expected to be significant. These streams may of- fer little potential for recovery as a pro- duct, primarily because of high contami- nation levels, difficulty of separation, and other technical considerations. On the other hand, they do offer a good po- tential for recovery as fuel. Findings Estimates of VOC reduction and re- covery potential represent the possible reduction in VOC emissions achievable through the application of control tech- nology. This reduction can be due to the elimination, recovery, or destruction of VOC. Estimates of recovery potential were based on a review of reasonably available control technologies (RACT) for major source categories as discussed in the U.S. EPA's Control Technique Guideline (CTG) documents, which were developed to help states revise their SIPs under the Clean Air Act. The estimation of VOC emissions from the source cate- gories considered existing control prac- tices whenever possible. In the case of a few source categories, no data were available on the existing controls. The emissions in such cases were calculated based on a "no-control" assumption. Significant quantities of the VOC re- duction/recovery potential estimated in this study will perhaps be achieved when state-proposed regulations are fi- nalized and implemented. Such regula- tions will probably be based on economic and air quality considerations, and so they will not likely call for a uniform ap- plication of RACT to all the sources. Therefore, the reduction/recovery achieved through the revised SIPs will be less than estimated. ------- VOC emissions due to (1) petroleum li- quid storage at refineries and (2) trans- portation of crude oil to refineries were estimated by updating refinery storage emission data in a recent U.S. EPA study and assuming that no vapor recovery equipment was used during the unload- ing operations. The total achievable VOC recovery potential from the crude oil storage and transfer operations is ap- proximately 417,000 metric tons per year. The major sources of VOC emis- sions in refinery operations are the cracking units, blowdown systems, vacuum distillation columns, and waste- water systems. The reduction potential for VOC emissions from these sources was estimated to be approximately 570,000 metric tons per year. At pre- sent there are no quantitative data avail- able on the reduction potential for refin- ery fugitive emissions. The control effi- ciency for the fugitive emissions was as- sumed to be 50 percent for estimating the total VOC reduction potential. The expected recovery potential for VOC emissions from refinery operations is ap- proximately 475,000 metric tons per year. Gasoline marketing operations (i.e., bulk terminals, bulk plants, and gasoline dispensing facilities) emit a significant amount of VOC, and most of these are recoverable. CTG documents on these facilities discuss the applicable controls and the recovery potential. Surface coating applications are also a major source of VOC emissions. Out of a total of 1,753,000 metric tons per year emit- ted, 778,000 tons are due to the use of trade paints and therefore cannot be controlled because of the very nature of the application. (Trade paints are shelf products sold through retail stores.) VOC emissions from industrial surface coating applications total 975,000 metric tons per year, and these can be controlled by various control technol- ogies as discussed in CTG documents. Based on an average control efficiency of 90 percent, the potential reduction in VOC emissions from surface coating ap- plications in 878,000 metric tons per year if all sources are adequately con- trolled. The recovery potential can vary from nil to a significant proportion of the reduction potential. Process and mate- rial changes provide a great potential for the recovery of VOC emissions. Dry cleaning operations contribute ap- proximately 227,000 metric tons of VOC emissions per year. The overall average control efficiency for a perchlo- roethylene dry cleaning plant was esti- mated to be 58 percent. Based on this estimate, the additional reduction/recov- ery potential is approximately 92,000 metric tons per year. Most VOC emis- sions from degreasing operations result from such processes as bath evapora- tion, solvent carryout, and waste sol- vent evaporation. The application of add-on control systems as recommended in the CTG documents can reduce the VOC emissions by 380,000-470,000 metric tons per year, a range which also represents the recovery potential. VOC emissions emanating from the use of cutback asphalt can be eliminated by using emulsified asphalt whenever possible. The total emissions from this source category are approximately 470,000 metric tons per year, and about 235 metric tons of these can thus be reduced/recovered. VOC emissions from the use of miscellaneous solvents are difficult to evaluate because of a scarcity of specific data. The printing and publishing industry, however, is one of the major users of miscellaneous sol- vents, and the achievable reduction in VOC emissions within this industry is ap- proximately 156,000 metric tons per year (based on an average control effi- ciency of 65 percent). Again, because of a lack of sufficient information (due to the large number of plants), it was impossible to include all the existing industrial manufacturing operations. The total VOC emissions from major industrial applications are es- timated to be 700,000 metric tons per year. There is very little information available on the present extent of VOC emission control in industrial applica- tions, so the emissions were estimated based on the "no control" assumption. The overall quantities of used oil gen- erated are estimated to be 1.43 billion gallons per year, with the automotive sector accounting for 0.74 billion gal- lons and the industrial sector accounting for 0.69 billions gallons. Theoretically, almost all of this used oil should be re- coverable. Such variables as the type and quantity of oil used, contamination levels, and storage methods affect the amount that can be technically and economically recovered. Therefore, the present recovery of used oils is far below potential recovery. Presently, the major markets for used oil utilization are the in- dustrial fuel market and the road oiling market. Employing used oil for road oil- ing, however, is a major source of water pollution. And if the EPA's proposed ha- zardous waste guidelines classifying used oil as a hazardous substance are adopted, used oil will no longer be al- lowed for road oiling. Thus, the primary reuse of used oil is as industrial fuel. Re- refining can also be an attractive market for used oils from an economic point of view. Re-refining produces fuel (distil- late) and lubricating oil base stocks which can be used for motor oils, trans- mission fluids, gear oils, cutting oils, hydraulic oils, and quench oils. Quantities of used solvents generated are difficult to estimate, but their recov- ery potential is very significant. Used sol- vent streams are generated from those applications where the solvents retain their chemical identities after use. Re- covery potential depends on contamina- tion level, application, type of solvent, and reuse potential. At present, only a small percentage of used solvent is recy- cled; the balance is landfilled, inciner- ated, evaporated, or dumped. About 45 percent of the solvents used in the de- greasing industry are recovered, but for the other industry groups, the percentage of used solvents reclaimed is considera- bly less than 45 percent. The consump- tion of some selected virgin solvents in major commercial applications is approx- imately 4.7 million metric tons per year, an estimate derived by considering halo- genated hydrocarbons, ketones, and alcohol-based solvents. The typical re- clamation process consists of six opera- tions—initial storage and handling, initial treatment to separate contaminants, distillation, purification, additional sto- rage and handling, and waste disposal. The primary applications in which wide- spread solvent recovery and reclamation are practiced (the dry cleaning, metal cleaning and degreasing, and surface coating industries) use synthetic, or halogenated, hydrocarbons. The high in- itial cost of these solvents makes their reclamation economically attractive. Although other industries generate waste liquid solvent streams, few statis- tics on a nationwide basis could be de- veloped. Such industries as canning, chemical manufacture, and rubber and plastics manufacture, consider solvent usage data to be proprietary information which, if disclosed, might reveal valu- able process information. Little informa- tion is available on liquid hydrocarbon streams generated during the manufac- ture of basic organic chemicals, coal tar and derivatives, organic intermediates, plasticizers, and electrochemical resins. In particular, these offer good potential ------- for reuse as a fuel. (Fuel thus derived dif- fers from petroleum fuel oil in flow characteristics, air-to-fuel ratio, pump and pressure requirements. It also has a lower BTU rating.) These types of hydro- carbon streams are now being burned at an increasing rate in many areas of the country. Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the review of hydrocarbon sources, their emissions, control tech- nologies, and recovery potential, several programs are recommended to improve the recovery potential of used hydrocar- bon streams and to review the energy implications of some control/recovery processes. These programs are in addi- tion to those already initiated by state and federal agencies to conserve and re- cover dwindling supplies of nonrenew- able energy resources. Until now, for ex- ample, very little work has been done to study the lubricating oil use patterns in industrial plants and to develop pro- grams to improve their reuse potential. It is estimated that approximately 70 percent of all used industrial oils cannot be readily accounted for. Clearly there are both energy-saving and economic reasons for recycling used oil in the in- dustrial plant, particularly if used oil is declared a hazardous material under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Therefore, a key recommendation is the development of an oil conservation program that will extensively audit oil use and disposal practices, analyze the economics of various reuse options, rec- ommend improvements in operation and maintenance practices, and assess the energy implications of the several reuse/ disposal methods available. A detailed industry-specific study should be under- taken to audit industrial oil use, to evaluate used oil disposal practices, to suggest better operational and mainten- ance practices, and to analyze the eco- nomics of alternative disposal methods and other uses for used oil. An industry- specific study should include primary data collection at plants. Then, as an outcome of this study, a practical in- plant guide or handbook should be pre- pared for general dissemination. To obtain a complete overview of the net energy impacts of controlling and re- claiming used hydrocarbon streams, it is important to estimate the energy de- mands of RACT by (1) reviewing avail- able data on energy requirements of pol- lution control equipment, (2) identifying pollution control equipment require- ments for various industry categories, (3) analyzing the energy requirements of implementing RACT, and (4) recom- mending methods for reducing pollution control energy requirements. Hydrocar- bon recovery can also be improved through application of a different RACT than is presently required. As a result of this study, a number of specific recommendations have also been formulated. With respect to liquid hydrocarbon streams, for example, it is recommended that the U.S. EPA develop mechanisms that could enable state agencies to identify sources and analyze the resultant streams, recommend mea- sures to improve stream quality, and analyze the effects of burning these streams as fuel. With respect to used solvent streams, the following areas should be examined in detail: • Amount(s) available for reclamation • Disposal practices in light of RCRA • Modifications in operating and main- tenance procedures • Economics of solvent reclamation The 1978 Energy Tax Act's definition of recycling equipment should be broad- ened to include used oil and used solvent recycling equipment. This would provide an incentive to increase the recycling of used liquid hydrocarbon streams. (The definition currently relates only to the recycling of solid waste.) VOC recovery potential from solvent use categories and from industrial manu- facturing applications should be reviewed. In particular, the concentrations and compositions of selected organic ex- haust streams should be reviewed in conjunction with individual companies or industry associations. The proposed regulations on VOC emission control and the application of RACT will result in energy savings (because of hydrocarbon recovery), but it will also result in addi- tional energy requirements to fabricate, install, and operate add-on pollution con- trol equipment. In some cases, the com- pliance dates for VOC control regulations should be delayed to allow continued research and development of alternative measures. In the surface coating indus- try, for instance, the development of low-solvent content surface coatings could provide an inexpensive alternative to costly add-on control devices. Two additional recommendations ad- dress the recovery of fuel from solid or- ganic wastes and the recovery of methane from landfills. The technical and economic feasibility of recovering fuel from solid organic wastes by pyrol- ysis and the development of pyrolysis facilities within highly industrialized areas merit further investigation. Simi- larly, a study is recommended to examine the existing methane production, the factors involved in optimizing methane recovery, the energy recovery potential, the socioeconomic impacts, and the hazards of methane recovery. 4 ------- JohnJ. Yates, RajanK. Chaudhry, and James A. Deweyare with ETA Engineer- ing, Inc., Westmont, IL 60559. C. C. Lee is the EPA Project Officer (see below). The complete report, entitled "An Inventory of Used and By-Product Hydrocarbon Streams, "f Order No. PB 82-221 565; Cost: $ 12.00, subject to change) will be available only from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: 703-487-4650 The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at: Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cincinnati, OH 45268 1HJSGPO: 1982 — 559-092/0473 ------- United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati OH 45268 Postage and Fees Paid Environmental Protection Agency EPA 335 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Third-Class Bulk Rate IERL0167053 US EPA REGION V LIBRARY 230 S DEARBORN ST CHICAGO IL 60604 ------- |