Petrochemical Refining

Envirogen offers a broad portfolio of specialized technologies that can help refineries reach processing, cost reduction and environmental goals. We develop solutions for air treatment and emissions control, and a broad range of water and groundwater remediation treatment challenges.spacer

Important features of our work for the refining industry include Envirogen’s expertise in process development and solutions design and our emphasis on developing long-term relationships with our clients that can include design/build/operate options.

For Selenium specific solutions, see our Selenium Treatment for Refineries page.

Air Treatment & Emissions Control

With our sustainable emissions control offering, Envirogen has a unique approach to managing VOCs, HAPs and odor for industry. Through the use of our biological treatment technology, our emissions control solutions for the petrochemical industry are high-performing and safe. They feature very low long-term operating costs. They are among the greenest technologies on the market – offering the ability to reduce chemical and energy consumption, the opportunity for recycle/re-use and can lower your carbon footprint compared with other treatment technologies.

Groundwater Remediation

Envirogen personnel have decades of experience in addressing the type of water-related challenges refineries face. We help facilities achieve compliance with local discharge permits for organic compounds such as BTEX and MTBE into groundwater supplies. We have a number of installations across the United States where our fluidized bed reactor (FBR) technology is providing groundwater treatment solutions for energy companies. In developing our solutions, we employ specialized, high performing unit processes backed by sophisticated process design.

Materials Recovery

Through decades of work with adsorbent media, Envirogen has specialized expertise in the area of waste minimization and materials recovery –including metals, catalysts, solvents and more. Our Ion Exchange systems can be applied for recovery of amines, organic compounds, metals (Pt, Pd, Au, Ag), catalysts (including molybdenum and cobalt), and other precious and rare earth metals.

In addition to our work with custom-designed systems, Envirogen also offers media regeneration from our Memphis, TN location.

Product Purification and Catalyst Recovery

The Envirogen team has proven capabilities in developing product purification, product recovery and catalyst (metals) recovery processes. Our design and engineering teams deliver cost-effective system designs and ongoing services to improve manufacturing operations through development and application of various purification and recovery techniques.

Capabilities include removal of a variety of constituents from process liquids, such as alcohols, non-polar and polar organic solvents, glycols, alkanolamines, food and beverages. We also provide purification and separation technology for aqueous and non-aqueous specialty chemicals, such as surfactants, active pharmaceuticals, water soluble polymers, electronic chemicals and synthetic lubricants. We provide catalyst (metals) recoveries from product or waste streams.

We work with the client’s technical teams providing research and development studies of the process from bench scale and demonstration/pilot scale which leads to the final design and process of the full-scale commercial system.

Typical contaminants removed include ammonia, metals, organics and ionic contaminants. Proprietary and patented technologies for purifying process streams yield operational improvements while meeting environmental and financial goals.

Research, Development and Piloting Capabilities

In addition to designing full scale systems, we also offer small, bench-scale studies and on-site pilot-testing to validate system design and fully meet the client’s requirements. Using fundamental research, we can identify the optimal and most effective system for a particular treatment.

Key Technologies for Refineries

FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR – For a broad range of influent flow rates and contaminant concentration levels, our fluidized bed reactor (FBR) system is often the most economical treatment choice. With aerobic, anaerobic and anoxic designs available, systems have been successfully operated at ranges from 5 to 6,000 GPM, yielding high performance paired with low capital and operating costs.

Whatever the problem – chemicals, aromatics, alcohols, ketones, chlorinated solvents, PAHs, hydrocarbons, or BTEX – the FBR system handles high flows at low cost with typical treatment efficiencies of 99 percent or higher.

ION EXCHANGE SYSTEMS – Envirogen deploys a range of ion exchange system designs to remove a target contaminant or a combination of contaminants. We have developed designs that take into consideration varying water treatment volume, start-up/shut-down type operations, security, quiet operation, and safe delivery and handling of materials in and out of the site.

Our proprietary multi-bed system configuration can be sequenced in and out of service automatically using our proven process control software to produce very low waste rates while meeting a wide range of volume requirements. We employ remote monitoring and communication capability to enable our customers and field service technicians to ensure proper performance and attend the unit as needed.

ADVANCED METALS REMOVAL SYSTEM (AMRS) -Envirogen’s AMRS can be employed for applications with very low effluent limits for difficult to remove metals such as selenium, chromium and arsenic. The AMRS relies on select Zero Valent Iron media to deliver high removal efficiencies allowing customers to comply with stringent wastewater discharge permit limits. A recent pilot study for treatment of coal ash pond water has demonstrated the effectiveness of the AMRS to reduce selenium levels to single digit parts per billion, even when faced with the more difficult-to-treat species such as selenate.

BIOFILTRATION – For the control of VOCs, HAPs and odor-causing compounds, Envirogen offers a portfolio of biological treatment systems – including biofilters, biotrickling filters and combinations of the two technologies – in both standardized and custom designs. Envirogen can provide solutions for a broad range of contaminants and flow rates – from 120 to over 100,000 gpm. Envirogen biofilters are particularly effective for low loading applications at high flow volumes. Removal ratios in excess of 95% for water soluble compounds and 90% for BTEX and similar compounds are readily achievable. Envirogen biofilters are extremely effective in treating odors caused by hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other reduced sulfur compounds. Greater than 99% H2S removal and 90% odor removal are common.