ARID Technologies, Inc. today announced it has completed a study which shows that significant evaporative emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPS) are generated at all gasoline dispensing facilities by the ingestion of air into gasoline storage tanks. The air is introduced into some storage tanks via balance or vacuum-assisted Stage II vapor recovery systems, which are designed to recover automobile refueling emissions. Air is drawn into non-Stage II facilities through vent lines as liquid gasoline is pumped from the underground storage tanks to refuel automobiles.
''Presently, Stage II vapor recovery efficiencies are being dramatically reduced from the combination of balance or vacuum-assisted vapor recovery systems and newly mandated on-board refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) systems installed on vehicles," said ARID president Ted Tiberi. "Even without ORVR systems, existing vacuum-assisted systems currently require additional technologies to minimize tank pressurization and subsequent hydrocarbon emissions. Also, dispensing facilities which are not equipped with Stage II vapor recovery systems can dramatically reduce evaporative losses caused by ingestion of atmospheric air into storage tanks. "Tiberi also said, "The evaporative emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) from gasoline dispensing facilities contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone which is the prime ingredient of smog in our cities. On the economic side, the loss of product is an additional burden to independent petroleum marketers since wholesale product purchased from Major Oil Companies lost as vapor cannot be re-sold at retail. In addition, the taxes paid on wholesale product cannot be recouped at the retail level.''
ARID has been working closely with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to help both agencies understand, measure and mitigate these pervasive gasoline storage tank evaporative losses. ARID's solution to this problem involves the use of PERMEATOR, a hydrocarbon-selective membrane to preferentially separate hydrocarbon vapors from air and reduce evaporative emissions by over 95%.
ARID Technologies, Inc. is a recognized leader in the commercialization of novel membrane technologies that provide productivity enhancements and environmental benefits to a diverse group of industries.