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ESA conference on fugitive emissions
Conference report
ESA conference on fugitive The European Sealing Association held the 1st European Conference on Controlling Fugitive Emissions from Valves, Pumps and Flanges in Antwerp in mid October. Sponsored and oganised by the BHR Group Ltd, it ran over two days and was the forum for the presentation and discussion of a range of papers relating to environmental legislation, end user experience with leaks, technological developments, and emissions measurement techniques. Dr Cyril Latty, Chairman of the European Sealing Association, opened the conference by addressing once again the importance of industry’s efforts to improve its impact on the environment, and by recalling the incidents of the space shuttle disaster, 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl as catastrophic and graphic examples of the damage caused by leaks. The goal, he felt, is to provide more efficient and higher value products and services to the customers, and to provide the most cost effective solutions to sealing challenges, to the long term benefit of plant reliability, safety and the environment. Paul Gray, from the European Commission, introduced himself as the man who had changed carrots into fruit, in the effort to secure EU acceptance for “Carrot Jam” on behalf of the Portugese. He began the first session, providing an introduction to environmental and legislation issues. Between 1994 and 1998, he said, the EC is raising the financing of research into the environment and climate because “techniques and technologies that anticipate, always pay off’. Some research programme objectives were mentioned: l to strengthen the scientific basis of EU environment policy. l to contribute to worldwide research programmes into global pollution. l the development of environmental technologies. Mr. Gray went on to estimate that in the chemical industry 20% of investment is spent on past environmental problems, and that another 20% is absorbed by future potential environmental problems. But “stopping fugitive emissions,” it
Sealing Technology No. 23
was stressed, “is a policy of no regrets.” Next, Nigel Haigh, Institute for European Environmental Policy, provided an overview of EC air pollution policy including VOC controls. The EC is adopting a protocol which commits it to 30% reduction in VOC emissions by 1999, by which time standards for benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons should be in place.
The intermediate goal is a 10% cut by 1996 and the proposal of a programme for ozone pollution control should be ready by September of that year. Under existing legislation regarding emissions from industrial plants specifically, certain categories of industrial plant are made subject to prior authorisation. All appropriate preventive measures must be taken against air pollution, including Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs (BATNEEC), before authorisation is granted. Rick Colyer, from the US Environmental Protection Agency, took time out from his own vacation to outline to the conference the development and workings of the Negotiated Rule for Equipment Leaks in America. Some key elements of the rule, which was forwarded by the EPA and agreed with affected parties, were lower leak definitions, a reward system for continued better performance in the form of less frequent
In the years from 1978 to 1998 the budget for environmental research programmes has increased from 6.3 to 532 million ECUs. The ratio of investment across areas of research was given as... 1. Research into the natural environment, environmental quality and global change. 2. Environmental technologies. 3. Space technologies applied to environmental monitoring and research. 4. Human dimension of environmental change.
47% 25% 20.5% 7.5%
5
Conference
report
monitoring, and the instigation of Quality Improvement Programs to cover noncompliance or violations. The final rule was published in April last year. Presentations concerning the measurement of leakage and emissions followed, with Simon Leefe, BHR Group Ltd, offering preliminary results which suggest good correlation between leakage of helium and methane, and Yves Birembaut, CETIM, querying the repeatability of measurements below 500 ppm, according to EPA Method 21 at least, and the validity of directives demanding leakrates much below that level. The fact that recordings taken outside on windy days are always suspect was the obvious conclusion. Barrie Kirkman provided an update on BP Chemicals’ strategy of employing graphite technology in leaky valves, previously outlined at this vear’s International Conference Papers presented: Legislation: Overview of EC air pollution policy including VOC controls, (N Haigh, Institute for European Environmental Policy, UK) Negotiated rule for equipment leaks, (R Colyer; US Environmental Protection Agency,
USA)
Emissions: Definition of a fugitive emission, (B Ellis, European Sealing Association) Leakage and emission measurements, (A Myers, University of Leeds Innovations, UK) Laboratory based test for valve stem Leakage correlation between test and working fluids, (SE Leefe, OM Davies, BHR Group Limited, UK) Evaluation of graphite valve packings to reduce fugitive emissions on hydrocarbon duties, D Harrison, E Smith MJ Billington, BP Research and Engineering; B Kirkman. BP Chemicals, UK/ An industrial company’s point of view, (P Grosbois, ElfAntar; fiance) Some examples of how to control fugitive emissions within Akzo Nobel, (J Ferreira Duarte, Akzo Novel, The Netherlands) Winning the battle with leaky valves, (B Kirkman, BP Chemicals, UK) Flanges and Gaskets: Survey and development of design rules for flange connections since 1943, (J Lutte. C Rossi, ISTAG AG, Switzerland) Minimising emissions with ePTFE gaskets, &I Gutsmiedl, W L Gore & Associates GmbH, Germany)
6
on Fluid Sealing in Florence. BP’s expectation is to identify and repair 5000 suspect gate and globe valves a year within Europe, and now finds it possible to repack over 1000 offenders during a 3 week shutdown and achieve 98% success rate with leakages below 500 ppm. While the project does not outwardly give the company commercial advantage over competitors, its experience shows marginal savings in product formerly lost as emissions, and lower maintenance requirements from new and repacked valves. Subsequent papers covered, variously, design proposals, effectiveness studies and applications for flanges and gaskets, mechanical seals, valves and packings. Amongst them Peter Bowden, from Flexibox, concluded that single seals exceed performance requirements in the Mechanical seals: single mechanical seals able to comply with tightened up US emission rule? (H-W Giinther; G Wiistenhagen. Martin Merkel GmbH & Co KG, Germany) The application of innovation and technology to the containment of pump shaft seal emissions, (CJ Fone, John Crane EAA, UK) Cost effective emission control - the European experience (PE Bowden, Flexibox International, UK) The development of an improved pusher seal design for flashing hydrocarbon services, (J Plumricige, J Sandgren, EG&G Sealol, UK; A Peter; Raflieriegesellschaft Vohburg/lngolstadt GmbH, Germany) Standardization concept for mechanical seals in pumps in the chemical and petrochemical industry taking environmental legislation into account (U Reinfrank, B Frey, Feodor Burgmann Dichtungswerke GmbH & Co, Germany) Mechanical seal systems for emissions control, (WE Key, KE Lavelle, BW/IP International Inc, USA) Packings: Valve design with reference to the control of fugitive emissions, (L Aspey, Stockham Triangle, UK) Practical aspects of valve stem sealing with regard to fugitive emissions, (CMT Lowe, Beldam Crossley Limited, UK)Gemeinschaftskernkraftwerk Neckar: F Schoeckle, Amtec Advanced Measurements, Germany) The influence of constructional details on the performance of valve stem Are
field - as discussed in Sealing Technology No. 2 1 - TBA Sealing Materials reported that susbstantially improved valve stem sealing results could be achieved by moving away from the previously standard square section blocked graphite ring of 1.6 gm/cm3 density, and two solutions to consistent valve stem packing loading were forwarded by Feodor Burgmann and Latty International. Attendance at the conference, with over 250 international delegates, was regarded as very encouraging, and although again seal manufacturers were much in the majority, a strong contingent of end users was also present to add critical and objective comment. The conference proceedings have been published by BHR Group Ltd. A list of the papers presented provided here.
is
seals, (JR Hoyes, LC Thorpe. TBA Sealing Materials Ltd, UK) State of the art of sealing stuffing boxes of valves (TA-Luft applications) (M Rehmann, P Anoschko, Feodor Burgmann Dictungswerke GmbH & Co, Germany) Industrial solutions to stop valve emissions, (R van der Velde, El Du Pont de Nemous Company, Belgium) Live loading - an economic solution, (J Reynolds, Lutty International, UK) Poster papers: Accurate prestressing of valve packings, (J Bartonicek. Experience with plant wide control of fugitive emissions, (J Eisler; ChemPlant Technology s.T.o.;J Cir; Chemopetrol Litvinov as, Czech Republic) Test procedure based on DIN 28090 (1993) for investigating the permeability to media of flange joints incorporating soft gasket materials, (M Riimmlel; SGL Technik GmbH, Germany) Biaxially orientated PTFE sheet sealing materials for fugitive emission control, (JR Hoyes, TBA Sealing Materials, UK) Minimised, controlled and measured fugitive emissions on stuffing boxes and bolted flanges, fJ T Tiickmantel, Kempchen & Co GmbH, Germany) Testing rig for stuffing boxes, (CX Latty, Lutty International SA, France1 For further information, contact: BHR Group Ltd, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 OAJ, UK. Tel: +44
Sealing Technology
No. 23
ESA conference on fugitive The European Sealing Association held the 1st European Conference on Controlling Fugitive Emissions from Valves, Pumps and Flanges in Antwerp in mid October. Sponsored and oganised by the BHR Group Ltd, it ran over two days and was the forum for the presentation and discussion of a range of papers relating to environmental legislation, end user experience with leaks, technological developments, and emissions measurement techniques. Dr Cyril Latty, Chairman of the European Sealing Association, opened the conference by addressing once again the importance of industry’s efforts to improve its impact on the environment, and by recalling the incidents of the space shuttle disaster, 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl as catastrophic and graphic examples of the damage caused by leaks. The goal, he felt, is to provide more efficient and higher value products and services to the customers, and to provide the most cost effective solutions to sealing challenges, to the long term benefit of plant reliability, safety and the environment. Paul Gray, from the European Commission, introduced himself as the man who had changed carrots into fruit, in the effort to secure EU acceptance for “Carrot Jam” on behalf of the Portugese. He began the first session, providing an introduction to environmental and legislation issues. Between 1994 and 1998, he said, the EC is raising the financing of research into the environment and climate because “techniques and technologies that anticipate, always pay off’. Some research programme objectives were mentioned: l to strengthen the scientific basis of EU environment policy. l to contribute to worldwide research programmes into global pollution. l the development of environmental technologies. Mr. Gray went on to estimate that in the chemical industry 20% of investment is spent on past environmental problems, and that another 20% is absorbed by future potential environmental problems. But “stopping fugitive emissions,” it
Sealing Technology No. 23
was stressed, “is a policy of no regrets.” Next, Nigel Haigh, Institute for European Environmental Policy, provided an overview of EC air pollution policy including VOC controls. The EC is adopting a protocol which commits it to 30% reduction in VOC emissions by 1999, by which time standards for benzene and polyaromatic hydrocarbons should be in place.
The intermediate goal is a 10% cut by 1996 and the proposal of a programme for ozone pollution control should be ready by September of that year. Under existing legislation regarding emissions from industrial plants specifically, certain categories of industrial plant are made subject to prior authorisation. All appropriate preventive measures must be taken against air pollution, including Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs (BATNEEC), before authorisation is granted. Rick Colyer, from the US Environmental Protection Agency, took time out from his own vacation to outline to the conference the development and workings of the Negotiated Rule for Equipment Leaks in America. Some key elements of the rule, which was forwarded by the EPA and agreed with affected parties, were lower leak definitions, a reward system for continued better performance in the form of less frequent
In the years from 1978 to 1998 the budget for environmental research programmes has increased from 6.3 to 532 million ECUs. The ratio of investment across areas of research was given as... 1. Research into the natural environment, environmental quality and global change. 2. Environmental technologies. 3. Space technologies applied to environmental monitoring and research. 4. Human dimension of environmental change.
47% 25% 20.5% 7.5%
5
Conference
report
monitoring, and the instigation of Quality Improvement Programs to cover noncompliance or violations. The final rule was published in April last year. Presentations concerning the measurement of leakage and emissions followed, with Simon Leefe, BHR Group Ltd, offering preliminary results which suggest good correlation between leakage of helium and methane, and Yves Birembaut, CETIM, querying the repeatability of measurements below 500 ppm, according to EPA Method 21 at least, and the validity of directives demanding leakrates much below that level. The fact that recordings taken outside on windy days are always suspect was the obvious conclusion. Barrie Kirkman provided an update on BP Chemicals’ strategy of employing graphite technology in leaky valves, previously outlined at this vear’s International Conference Papers presented: Legislation: Overview of EC air pollution policy including VOC controls, (N Haigh, Institute for European Environmental Policy, UK) Negotiated rule for equipment leaks, (R Colyer; US Environmental Protection Agency,
USA)
Emissions: Definition of a fugitive emission, (B Ellis, European Sealing Association) Leakage and emission measurements, (A Myers, University of Leeds Innovations, UK) Laboratory based test for valve stem Leakage correlation between test and working fluids, (SE Leefe, OM Davies, BHR Group Limited, UK) Evaluation of graphite valve packings to reduce fugitive emissions on hydrocarbon duties, D Harrison, E Smith MJ Billington, BP Research and Engineering; B Kirkman. BP Chemicals, UK/ An industrial company’s point of view, (P Grosbois, ElfAntar; fiance) Some examples of how to control fugitive emissions within Akzo Nobel, (J Ferreira Duarte, Akzo Novel, The Netherlands) Winning the battle with leaky valves, (B Kirkman, BP Chemicals, UK) Flanges and Gaskets: Survey and development of design rules for flange connections since 1943, (J Lutte. C Rossi, ISTAG AG, Switzerland) Minimising emissions with ePTFE gaskets, &I Gutsmiedl, W L Gore & Associates GmbH, Germany)
6
on Fluid Sealing in Florence. BP’s expectation is to identify and repair 5000 suspect gate and globe valves a year within Europe, and now finds it possible to repack over 1000 offenders during a 3 week shutdown and achieve 98% success rate with leakages below 500 ppm. While the project does not outwardly give the company commercial advantage over competitors, its experience shows marginal savings in product formerly lost as emissions, and lower maintenance requirements from new and repacked valves. Subsequent papers covered, variously, design proposals, effectiveness studies and applications for flanges and gaskets, mechanical seals, valves and packings. Amongst them Peter Bowden, from Flexibox, concluded that single seals exceed performance requirements in the Mechanical seals: single mechanical seals able to comply with tightened up US emission rule? (H-W Giinther; G Wiistenhagen. Martin Merkel GmbH & Co KG, Germany) The application of innovation and technology to the containment of pump shaft seal emissions, (CJ Fone, John Crane EAA, UK) Cost effective emission control - the European experience (PE Bowden, Flexibox International, UK) The development of an improved pusher seal design for flashing hydrocarbon services, (J Plumricige, J Sandgren, EG&G Sealol, UK; A Peter; Raflieriegesellschaft Vohburg/lngolstadt GmbH, Germany) Standardization concept for mechanical seals in pumps in the chemical and petrochemical industry taking environmental legislation into account (U Reinfrank, B Frey, Feodor Burgmann Dichtungswerke GmbH & Co, Germany) Mechanical seal systems for emissions control, (WE Key, KE Lavelle, BW/IP International Inc, USA) Packings: Valve design with reference to the control of fugitive emissions, (L Aspey, Stockham Triangle, UK) Practical aspects of valve stem sealing with regard to fugitive emissions, (CMT Lowe, Beldam Crossley Limited, UK)Gemeinschaftskernkraftwerk Neckar: F Schoeckle, Amtec Advanced Measurements, Germany) The influence of constructional details on the performance of valve stem Are
field - as discussed in Sealing Technology No. 2 1 - TBA Sealing Materials reported that susbstantially improved valve stem sealing results could be achieved by moving away from the previously standard square section blocked graphite ring of 1.6 gm/cm3 density, and two solutions to consistent valve stem packing loading were forwarded by Feodor Burgmann and Latty International. Attendance at the conference, with over 250 international delegates, was regarded as very encouraging, and although again seal manufacturers were much in the majority, a strong contingent of end users was also present to add critical and objective comment. The conference proceedings have been published by BHR Group Ltd. A list of the papers presented provided here.
is
seals, (JR Hoyes, LC Thorpe. TBA Sealing Materials Ltd, UK) State of the art of sealing stuffing boxes of valves (TA-Luft applications) (M Rehmann, P Anoschko, Feodor Burgmann Dictungswerke GmbH & Co, Germany) Industrial solutions to stop valve emissions, (R van der Velde, El Du Pont de Nemous Company, Belgium) Live loading - an economic solution, (J Reynolds, Lutty International, UK) Poster papers: Accurate prestressing of valve packings, (J Bartonicek. Experience with plant wide control of fugitive emissions, (J Eisler; ChemPlant Technology s.T.o.;J Cir; Chemopetrol Litvinov as, Czech Republic) Test procedure based on DIN 28090 (1993) for investigating the permeability to media of flange joints incorporating soft gasket materials, (M Riimmlel; SGL Technik GmbH, Germany) Biaxially orientated PTFE sheet sealing materials for fugitive emission control, (JR Hoyes, TBA Sealing Materials, UK) Minimised, controlled and measured fugitive emissions on stuffing boxes and bolted flanges, fJ T Tiickmantel, Kempchen & Co GmbH, Germany) Testing rig for stuffing boxes, (CX Latty, Lutty International SA, France1 For further information, contact: BHR Group Ltd, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 OAJ, UK. Tel: +44
Sealing Technology
No. 23