Industry
VOC Control Materials for Petrochemical Plants
Emission problems, pollutants, operating conditions and recommended materials for the petrochemical sector.
Typical emission problems
- VOC emissions from process vents and storage
- Mixed compositions including sulfur and halogen species
- High flow, sometimes low concentration
Main pollutants
- VOCs (hydrocarbons, aromatics)
- Sulfur compounds
- Halogen compounds (where present)
Operating conditions
Petrochemical streams vary from concentrated process vents to dilute tank-farm exhaust. Halogens, sulfur and polymerizable species must be identified before selecting catalysts or adsorbents.
Recommended material selection
- Pt / Pt-Pd VOC catalysts for clean hydrocarbon streams
- Zeolite adsorption concentration for low-concentration, high-flow exhaust
- Activated carbon where conditions and safety allow
Engineering considerations
Petrochemical vents are compositionally complex: VOCs, NOx, CO and process-specific trace species may share the same stream, and the composition can change when the unit changes product. Catalyst selection must start from a species-level analysis of the actual gas, not a generic "VOC" number.
Catalyst poisons deserve special attention in this industry. Sulfur species poison precious metals; halogenated traces attack washcoats; silicones from sealants and maintenance materials can kill a VOC catalyst in weeks. The poison check happens before the catalyst choice, not after failure.
Flaring remains common for discontinuous vents; catalytic oxidation becomes attractive for continuous, moderate concentration streams where the exotherm covers the preheating demand.
Tell us about your stream
Gas flow, concentration, temperature, humidity, SO₂ and dust — we will recommend the right catalyst or adsorbent system.