Oil & Solvent Scrubbing Systems

Oil and solvent scrubbing systems for VOC removal

In oil and solvent scrubbing systems, the contaminated gas stream is contacted with a selected scrubbing liquid (often a process oil or high‑boiling solvent) that has a high affinity for the target VOCs and tars. The VOCs transfer from the gas into the scrubbing liquid, allowing them to be removed from the exhaust stream and, in some cases, recovered and recycled into the process. V‑tex^® scrubbers are particularly suited to duties involving tars, condensable organics and fouling tendencies because of their open chamber and non‑clogging spray nozzle design. Packed towers can be used where the gas is cleaner and a high‑efficiency absorption stage is required, with careful selection of solvent properties and operating conditions.

Example oil and solvent scrubbing applications

ERG’s reference applications for oil and solvent scrubbing include:

Naphthalene removal at an oil reprocessing facility – ERG supplied a V‑tex^® scrubber to remove naphthalene vapour from a storage tank vent. The tank is nitrogen‑blanketed and the vent pipe is steam‑heated to prevent naphthalene condensation in the line. The scrubber operates on a batch basis, with the oil run to saturation and then recycled into the plant for oil and naphthalene recovery. This arrangement provides both effective VOC emission control and product recovery.
BFM scrubbing for a pharmaceutical client – ERG has supplied a bromofluoromethane (BFM) scrubber operating with a DABCO solution to treat exhaust gas with BFM concentrations above 30,000 mg/m³, achieving around 95% removal efficiency. This demonstrates the use of tailored solvent systems for halogenated VOC treatment where water is not suitable as the scrubbing medium.

These examples illustrate how oil and solvent scrubbing can be engineered to combine VOC abatement with solvent or product recovery, or to address VOCs that are not readily treatable using water scrubbing or simple carbon adsorption. Contact our sales team for more information about how ERG can assist with your VOC removal.