Advancing Gasoline Vapor Recovery in Oil Depots: Integrating Cooling and Adsorption Technologies

Abstract

Gasoline vapor recovery during fuel distribution is crucial for public health, urban environment quality, and minimizing economic losses from evaporation. This study proposes a gasoline vapor recovery (GVR) process that integrates multi-stage cooling at partial load operation and dual-vessel pressure swing adsorption (PSA) with activated carbon. Demonstration in an oil depot achieved a recovery ratio of 0.8% relative to refueling gasoline, an air pollutant reduction of 99.2%, and a CO2 equivalent emission reduction of 86.5%, highlighting significant environmental and economic benefits. An integrated model, validated against field test data, was developed to assess the energetic, exergetic, economic, and environmental performance, focusing on partial-load cooling and load shifting between cooling and adsorption. The Lorenz efficiency ranges from 4.5% to 19.6% with current configurations and can reach 25.2% with stepless capacity control. Exergy analysis revealed an exergetic efficiency of 0.2% to 1.7%, with major irreversibilities in heat exchangers designed to prevent frosting. Profitability analysis indicated a net present value of 27.6 million CN¥ and a payback time of 2.3 years. Considering efficiency and economic factors, the GVR process is optimal at lower cooling temperatures and with smaller PSA configurations for future applications.

Keywords: Vapor recovery, Refrigeration, adsorption, Exergy analysis, Fuel distribution, techno-economic analysis