Valero Refining

Year Submitted: 2003

Process: Stack Gas Cleaning

Industry: Petroleum Refining

Wastes Reduced: Stack Emissions

Substance: SO2

Equipment: Spray Tower Absorber

Location: Corpus Christi TX

No. of employees: 485

Contact: Allan Schoen

Phone: (512) 289-3286

Description:

Valero determined that drastic reductions of SO2 and particulate emissions from the Fluid Catalytic Cracker Unit (FCCU)could be adchieved. With a new technologically advanced scrubber, emissions are less than the maximum allowed by fedral and state regulations.

P2 Application:

This scrubber design, by Belco Technologies Corporation, incorporates a patented spray tower absober followed by a filtering module and then ahydrocyclone water droplet separator. Theemission control technology exceeds EPA and TNRCC 'BACT' criteria for SO2 and particulate reductions. The project has reduced Valero's allowable emissions of SO2 from 178 ppm to 50 ppm. In addition, particulate emissions are 43% lower than EPA's new source performance standards for FCCU's, and have been verified by independent testing.

Environmental Benefits:

On-line continuous SO2 monitors demonstrate the unit can treat FCCU flue gas to less than 20 ppm SO2. The opacity is consistantly below 20%.

Details of Reductions

Source: TCEQ