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# 2006 Institution of Chemical Engineers
www.icheme.org/journals Trans IChemE, Part B, September 2006
doi: 10.1205/psep05003 Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 84(B5): 391– 398

ABSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF VOLATILE ORGANIC

COMPOUNDS FROM FLUE GAS STREAMS
B. OZTURK
and D. YILMAZ
Ondokuz Mayis University, Engineering Faculty, Environ. Eng. Dept., Kurupelit, Samsun, Turkey

T
he absorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, carbon
tetrachloride and methanol into fresh vegetable and lubricant oils, waste vegetable and
lubricant oils and water was studied experimentally in a bubble column. Stripping of
the VOCs from the saturated oils was also conducted. More than 90% removal efficiency was
obtained for benzene and toluene whereas the removal efficiencies for carbon tetrachloride
and methanol when oils were used as aborbent where around 80% and 70%, respectively.
Water can be used as an absorbent for moderate concentrations (2500 ppmv) of methanol.
Removal efficiencies of VOCs decreased by the increase of feed gas flow rate and VOC
concentration in the feed gas stream. Regeneration and reuse of the absorbent oils are
possible, but prolonged times are necessary for the complete removal of VOCs from the satu-
rated oils. Using the waste oils as VOC absorbents has some advantages such as resuse the
waste oil, economy in water consumption and reduction in the amount of waste oils enter
the wastewater treatment plant.

Keywords: absorption; stripping; VOCs; water; vegetable oil; lubricant oil.

INTRODUCTION gases. In the ambient air quality standards produced by

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include most solvent
thinners, degreasers, lubricants, and liquid fuels are emitted
from a wide range of industries such as chemical, petro-
chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, pulp and
paper mills, colour printing and painting works. A wide
description of VOC sources are given in the report pub-
lished by International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis (IIASA, 2000). Many of these compounds are
considered as priority pollutants by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA). The Clean
Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990 proposed by the
US-EPA distinguishes 189 hazardous air pollutants
(HAPs) and 31 of them are VOCs (Rahme et al., 1997).
In addition to causing localised odor problems, emissions
of many of these VOCs contribute to stratospheric ozone
depletion, tropospheric ozone formation, ground level of
smog formation, toxic and carcinogenic human health
effects, and so on (De Nevers, 1995; Parker, 1997). Due
to these negative effects of VOCs, there is clearly a need
to prevent their discharge into the environment.
Because of these negative effects mentioned above,
legislation has been introduced in many countries setting
very low emission limits for VOCs in process exhaust


Correspondence to: Dr Bahtiyar Ozturk, Ondokuz Mayis University,
Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, 55139-
Kurupelit, Samsun/Turkey.
E-mail: bozturk@omu.edu.tr
the US-EPA, the maximum 3-h concentration of hydro-
carbon content is 1.6  1024 kg m23 (0.24 ppm), not to
be exceeded for more than one year (Khan and Ghoshal,
2000). Emission limits for total organic compounds
(TOC) released during gasoline loading have been estab-
lished by US-EPA and European Community are
10 g TOC m23 and 35 g TOC m23, respectively. The
German Ta-Luft Standart, the most stringent known gaso-
line emission regulation, has set an emission limit to
150 mg TOC (excluding methane) per cubic metre of
loaded product (0.15 g TOC m23) (Pezolt et al., 1997;
Khan and Ghoshal, 2000).
Due to stringent regulations on VOC emissions in the
USA and the EU, removal of VOCs from flue gas streams
became an important issue for engineers and researchers.
Various processes that are commonly used in industry are
available in VOC abatements. These techniques are basi-
cally classified into two groups: (1) destructive and (2)
recuperative techniques. Incineration (thermal or catalytic)
and biofiltration are classified as destructive techniques
whereas condensation, scrubbing, adsorption and mem-
brane separation are considered as recuperative ones. The
methodology is usually chosen depending upon the temp-
erature, composition and concentration of VOC/VOCs in
emission stream, volumetric flow rate of the emission
stream, space constrains and allowable installation and
operational costs. There is a third category in VOC removal
called advanced oxidation processes (AOP). AO processes
use catalysts and oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide and

391
392 OZTURK and YILMAZ

ultraviolet light (UV), titanium dioxide and UV and ozone Preparation of Gas Mixture
and UV. Although AOP offer alternative methods of deal-
Different VOC-N2 mixtures were prepared using pure
ing with VOCs which do not have a distinct operating
liquid VOCs and N2 (99.999%, BOC Ltd, UK) as
or capital cost advantage over technologies mentioned
dilutent-gas. Obtaining the required and appropriate VOC
above at this time. Ruddy and Carroll (1993), Gay
concentrations (ppm level) is not always possible and is
(1997), Khan and Ghoshal (2000) and McGinness (2000)
often expensive. For this reason, several techniques have
have summarized the comparative performances of these
been devised to permit analysts to make up their own stan-
techniques, their advantages, limitations and typical fixed
dard gas mixtures (Barrat, 1981; Uyanik and Tinkilic,
and operating costs.
1999). These methods involve introducing known masses
Absorption is used to remove VOCs from gas streams
or volume of volatile liquid components into dilutent-gas-
by contacting the contaminated air with a liquid solvent.
filled vessels of fixed dimensions, for instance metal,
Some common solvents that may be useful for volatile
glass, or plastic containers at atmospheric pressure
organics include water, mineral oils, or other nonvolatile
(Barrat, 1981). The VOC-N2 mixtures were prepared in a
petroleum oils. The choice of which to use usually
Tedlar Bag (TB) (SKC Inc., USA). Tedlar Bags are used
depends on the VOCs solubility in the solvent. The sol-
in US-EPA Method 18 for the measurement of gaseous
vent used must be easily regenerated or disposed of
organic compound emissions by gas chromatography
in an environmentally acceptable manner (EPA, 1991).
(US-EPA, 1987). The liquid VOCs (benzene, carbon tetra-
In most cases, the scrubbing liquid containing the VOC
chloride, methanol and toluene) were used as received
is regenerated in an operation known as stripping, in
(Merck, Germany). The amount of liquid VOC necessary
which the VOC is desorbed from the absorbent liquid,
for the targeted concentration of VOC vapor in the mixture
typically at elevated temperatures and/or under vacuum.
was calculated using equation (1), and that amount of liquid
The liquid absorbent is recycled and reused after the sep-
VOC was received by a syringe (Hamilton, Bonaduz, Swit-
aration of VOC from it, and the VOC is then recovered as
zerland) and injected into the flowing N2 at INJ1. TB1 was
a liquid by a condenser (EPA, 1995). Spray columns,
evacuated initially and then filled with N2 plus VOC vapour
wetted wall columns, packed columns, venturi scrubbers
until the internal pressure exceeds slightly the atmospheric
and recently developed membrane contactors are dis-
pressure. To make sure whether the whole volume of the
persed gas –liquid contactors. These contactors, except
TB1 was filled or not, the internal pressure of it was
membranes, are suitable for the operations where the
measured by a pressure transducer (OMEGA Eng. Inc.)
gas/liquid ratio is high. Sirkar et al. (2005) indicated
connected between TB1 and V2. The enlarged section
that gas absorption processes can handle lower VOCs con-
between TB1 and INJ1 (Figure 1) was heated up by a
centrations at higher gas flow rates. Absorbers can treat
warm air blow from outside in order to make VOC vaporize
VOC concentrations from 500– 5000 ppm with removal
easily. Gas mixture in the TB1 was circulated by a pump
efficiencies of 95 –98%.
(RAMBO EP-9000, Hi-Tec&Powerful Air Pump, China),
In this work, vegetable oil, waste vegetable oil, lubricant
inside of which was specially designed for this study,
oil, waste lubricant oil and tap water were compared as
from TB1 through V2, V3 and INJ1 to TB1 back while
VOC absorbents. The VOCs chosen for this investigation
other valves (V1, V4, V5 and V6) were closed. The circu-
were benzene, carbontetrachloride, methanol and toluene.
lation procedure has been carried out for 15 min after pre-
Stripping of VOCs from the saturated oil was also
paring a gas mixture and before the absorption experiment.
performed.
Five and 10 litres of Tedlar Bags were used during this
study. All gas flowing lines have been formed by a
EXPERIMENTAL Teflon tube (6 mm i.d.) except the line between the TB1
and the INJ1. This part of the line was designed with a boro-
Absorption experiments have been carried out in a labo-
silicate glass (5 mm i.d.) and has an enlarged section (4 cm
ratory scale set-up schematically shown in Figure 1. The
length and 1.5 cm i.d.) to the possible liquid VOC entrance
experimental rig consists of three sections; a gas mixing
into the TB1.
section to prepare the desired gas mixture, an absorption
section and an analysis section. A stripping system was
also set-up seperately from the absorption system. P  VTB  C  MW
VL ¼ 10001 , ml (1)
rL  R  T

In this equation, VL is the volume of liquid VOC, P is the

Figure 1. Schematic representation of experimental rig.
inside pressure (atm) of TB1, VTB is volume of TB1 (L), C
is the targeted VOC concentration (ppmv), MW is the mole-
cular weight of VOC (g mol21), rL is the density of liquid
VOC (g ml21), R is the universal gas constant
(L atm mol21 K21) and T is temperature (K).
A calibration curve was obtained for each VOC and the
curves were used to detect unknown VOC concentrations.
The curve was formed by drawing the VOC concentrations
against the area under the peak obtained by the computer
integrator connected to the GC. VOC concentration in
the feed gas stream ranged from 500 to 5000 ppm
(by volume, ppmv). Corresponding molar flux of VOCs

Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
 ABSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS
used ranged from 4.24  1025 to 4.24  1024 mol
VOC m22 s21.
VOC Absorption
Absorption of VOC was performed in a borosilicate
bubble column, which will be called as reactor hereafter,
with a height of 22 cm and an inner diameter of 3 cm.
A glass frit was used as bottom plate to create an even dis-
tribution of the bubbles in the column. Gas flow rate was
adjusted by a stainless steel needle valve (Ideal Valve
Inc., USA) and measured by a bubble flowmeter. During
the experiment the reactor was filled with fresh oil. Then
the gas flow rate through the reactor was adjusted by V4
using pure N2 from TB2 while V1, V2, V3 and V5 were
closed. In order to exclude pressure effect on the gas flow
rate we did not use N2 from the cylinder directly. The
gas flow rate was also checked time to time during the
experiment. After adjustment of a certain gas flow rate,
V3 and V6 were opened and VOC-N2 mixture in TB1
was fed to the reactor by the pump through V2, V4 and
INJ2. Gas mixture with the desired composition was
bubbled through the reactor at different flow rates (100,
200 and 400 ml min21). The VOC concentration of the
stream was determined in every ten minutes by taking
1 ml sample utilizing a gas-tight syringe (Hamilton, Bona-
duz, Switzerland) before and after the reactor. There were
two aims of the measurement of VOC concentration
before the reactor; the first one is to detect entrance VOC
concentration, and the second one is to control possible
concentration changes. Some researchers indicated that
some VOCs diffuse off at different ratios after stored in a
TB (Lipari, 1990; Andino and Butler, 1991; Wang et al.,
1996). But these researchers stored VOC samples in the
TB more than 6 h. Referring to this study, VOC – N2 mix-
tures prepared were kept in the TB1 100 min maximum.
All the absorption experiments were performed at room
temperature (298 + 2 K).
Absorbents
Fresh vegetable and fresh lubricant oils, waste vegetable
and waste lubricant oils and tap water were used as absor-
bents. Vegetable oils are glycerine esters of fatty acids
(glycerides). Lubricant oils are basically long changed
alkanes and includes some additives such as oxidation
inhibitors, detergent dispersants, corrosion inhibitors, rust
inhibitors, antifoam agent, anti-wear agent, viscosity
index improvers and pour point depressants. A major
difference in both oils is more oxygenated functions in
case of vegetable oils.
Fresh vegetable oil (FVO), that is originally sunflower
oil, was purchased from the market and used without any
treatment. Waste vegetable oil (WVO) was collected
from restaurants where people use vegatable oil to fry
foods. Lubricant oil is produced by refining the crude oil
and is used to lubricate internal combustion engines such
as cars. Fresh lubricant oil (FLO) was also purchased
from the market and used without any treatment. Waste
lubricant oil (WLO) was collected from car services.
Usage time of oils differs from restaurant to restaurant
and from car to car. Therefore, the same brand of lubricant
or vegetable oil was collected from five different cars or
Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
393
five different restaurants and mixed seperately in order to
obtain a homogenized sample. Each waste oil sample was
filtered through a 0.45 mm filter in order to separate possibe
particles in it. 50 ml of absorbent was used in the reactor
and the absorbent was changed before trying a new gas
flow rate or VOC concentration.
Desorption
In order to detect the effect of temperature on VOC strip-
ping, a certain volume of saturated oil (10 ml) was heated
in a glassware. Electrical tapes were used to heat the satu-
rated absorbent. A power controller (Devotrans, 0-270 V,
Turkey) was used to control the heating tapes. Absorbent
liquid temperature was measured by a thermocouple
(TESTO-925, Germany), measuring range 260 –10008C.
Stripping procedure was governed at temperatures 100,
150, 200 and 2508C. The VOC released from the absorbent
was swept away by using a N2 flow of 10 ml min21.
Stripped VOC plus N2 mixture was sampled from the
outlet of desorption system in every five minutes and ana-
lysed by GC.
VOC Analysis
Concentrations of VOCs were analysed by a gas chrom-
atography with flame ionization detector (GC/FID). A
Unicam 610 gas chromatography operated with UNICAM
computer integrator. A capillary column (J&W Scientific,
Folsom, Callif.) of 30 m  0.53 mm (Megapore, DB-
Wax) was used without split injection. Nitrogen gas
(99.999% purity) with a constant flow rate of 8 ml min21
was used to carry the injected VOC. H2 (99.99%, BOC,
UK) and dry-air (HABAS, Turkey) flow rates were
46 ml min21 and 330 ml min21, respectively. For GC
analysis, the injector, the column and the detector tempera-
tures were maintained at 150, 175 and 2258C, respectively.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
This experimental study was basically performed in two
sections, VOC absorption and VOC stripping. In the
absorption section, each of the selected VOCs (benzene,
carbon tetrachloride, methanol and toluene) was absorbed
into five different absorbents (fresh vegetable oil and
waste vegetable oil, fresh lubricant oil and waste lubricant
oil and water) at four different concentrations (500, 1000,
2500 and 5000 ppmv) and at three different flow rates
(100, 200 and 400 ml min21). Stripping procedure was per-
formed for just fresh oils at four different temperatures
(100, 150, 200 and 2508C) using pure N2 flow of
10 ml min21.
Absorption
Figures 2 – 5 show the results of absorption of VOCs by
water (W), fresh vegetable oil (FVO), waste vegetable oil
(WVO), fresh lubricant oil (FLO) and waste lubricant oil
(WLO). Time dependent removal efficiencies of VOCs at
a constant gas flow rate (200 ml min21) and concentration
(2500 ppmv) at room temperature (298+2 K) are given
in the figures. Each of the figures (2, 3, 4 and 5) shows a
summary of the results for all absorbing sequences.
394 OZTURK and YILMAZ
Figure 2. Removal of benzene in the bubble column.
Percentage removal of a VOC was calculated from the
difference of the concentrations at the inlet and outlet
streams of absorption column.
Experimental results obtained with oils at the start of run
show that more than 90% of benzene or toluene from a gas
stream is possible to remove (Figures 2 and 3) while the
removal efficiencies of carbon tetrachloride and methanol
are found as 80% and 70% (Figures 4 and 5), respectively.
It can be seen from the figures that the removal efficiencies
of methanol are much higher than the removal efficiencies
of benzene, toluene and carbon tetrachloride when water
was used as the absorbent. The differences between the
removal efficiencies depend on the physical and chemical
properties of VOCs and absorbent liquids used. When the
temperature and partial pressure of VOC are kept constant,
the physical properties that affect the absorption of VOC
are density and viscosity of liquids and solubility and diffu-
sivity of VOCs in liquid. Chemical properties, such as
polarity of VOCs and liquids and aliphatic (linear or
Figure 3. Removal of toluene in the bubble column.
Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
Figure 4. Removal of carbontetrachloride in the bubble column.
nonlinear) or aromatic and hydrophobic or hydrophilic
nature of VOCs can also affect the absorption efficiency.
Nonpolar and hydrophobic compounds such as benzene,
toluene and carbon tetrachloride are almost insoluble in
water (The Merck Index, 1989) that is a polar compound;
therefore absorption efficiencies of these VOCs are very
low compared to methanol (Figures 2 – 5). Methanol is a
polar and hydrophilic compound and has a small molecular
size. Therefore, methanol has a higher solubility in water
and is highly miscible with water (The Merck Index,
1989). Differences between the removal efficiencies of ben-
zene, toluene and carbon tetrachloride by water arise from
the differences of their nonpolarities and molecular size and
structure. For example, the methyl group of toluene
increases the nonpolarity and molecular size of toluene,
and thus decreases its solubility and diffusivity in water
compared to the benzene.
Removal of VOCs from gas streams is usually performed
in industry by using water scrubbers. But, water has lower
Figure 5. Removal of methanol in the bubble column.
 ABSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS 395

absorption efficiency and shorter saturation time for hydro- oils differ from each other. Lubricant oils are long chained
phobic and nonpolar VOCs (Figures 2 – 4). It is also diffi- alkanes while vegetable oils are glycerides formed by the
cult to strip VOCs from saturated water due to the lost of reaction of long chained fatty acids with glycerine. Glycer-
water by evaporation during the stripping operation. There- ides comprise some oxygen atoms in their structures. The
fore, the spent scrubber water that contains VOCs is gener- oxygen atoms in vegetable oils can reduce the nonpolarity
ally discharged to a municipal sewerage system. These and cause lower absorption efficiencies towards nonpolar
VOCs can be released to the atmosphere from the sewerage VOCs. The removal efficiencies of VOCs decreased
system and/or from the wastewater treatment plant. Also, slightly when waste oils were used. Oils are contaminated
the wastewater is accepted as a hazardous waste when it by different ways during their usage. For example, water
includes a hazardous VOC such as benzene over a limit is condensed on the cylinder wall when the engine is cold
value. and eventually is trapped in the lubricant oil reservoir.
Those deficiencies of water mentioned above lead to the Carbon (or soot) formed by incomplete combustion of
employment of specific organic absorbents to absorb VOCs fuel is also picked up by the lubricant oil. The common
from the industrial gas streams. These specific organic causes for the degradation of fresh vegetable oil during
absorbents are generally oils such as silicone oil or mineral the food preparation are chemical degradation including
oil. A list of organic absorbents used to remove VOCs is oxidation and hydrogenation, and also accumulation of par-
given in Table 1 with the related references. According to ticulates. The contamination of oils changes its color and
these references, more than 90% VOC removal efficiency reduces viscosity. Viscosity is a key parameter especially
is possible when these absorbents are used. Most of the for lubricants. Viscosities of oils were measured by a visco-
absorbents mentioned in the literature are pure organic sol- simeter (Brookfield, Model: LVDV-Iþ) and found 453 cP
vents. In this study we investigated the VOC absorption (centipoise) and 373 cP for fresh and waste lubricant oils
characteristics of vegetable and lubricant oils. It is known and 186 cP and 183 cP for fresh and waste vegetable oils,
that enormous amount of vegetable oil or lubricant oil respectively. Lowered viscosity causes higher diffusivity
becomes waste oil continuously after some use in the of VOCs in oils, but all those contaminations mentioned
world. Therefore, we also investigated the VOC absorption above reduced the VOC absorption efficiency. It is not
characteristics of waste vegetable and lubricant oils in order easy to find the values for physical properties of oils used
to reuse them. It can be seen from Figures 2– 5 that the in the literature. Therefore we avoided to give information
removal efficiencies of nonpolar VOCs (benzene, toluene on the physical properties of oils and water used and solu-
and carbon tetrachloride) by oils are around 90% and bility and diffusivity of VOCs in them.
there seem no much differences between the absorption It can also be seen from Figures 2 – 5 that the removal
efficiencies obtained by using fresh and waste oils. It is a efficiencies of VOCs decrease by time due to the saturation
chemical rule that ‘like dissolves like’. Therefore, nonpolar of absorbents. As the absorption continues, the VOC con-
VOCs have higher solubility in nonpolar oils than in polar centration in the absorbing liquid raises, so the absorption
water. It is expected that the absorption efficiency of polar efficiency decreases. It must be remembered that the absor-
methanol must be lowered in nonpolar oils. As can be seen bent volume in the column was maintained at 50 ml and no
from Figure 5, the absorption efficiencies of methanol by fresh absorbent flowed into the absorber during the
oils are not so low comparing to the absorption efficiency experimental runs. The saturation time obtained for each
in water. Methanol molecules can be removed by the oil absorption sequence also differs. As can be seen from
molecules through van der Waals forces. Figures 2 – 5, the higher the removal efficiency the longer
Lubricant oil had slightly higher absorption efficiency the saturation time. The absorption processes requiring
than vegetable oil in every absorption sequences. Even, longer saturation time are generally preferred in practise.
waste lubricant oil showed absorption efficiency generally A number of consequences can be said that waste veg-
similar to that of fresh vegetable oil. Despite the nonpolar etable and lubricant oils can be used efficiently for the
character, chemical structures of vegetable and lubricant removal of VOCs from gas streams instead of water: the
first is the removal of VOC from gas streams, the second
is the reuse of waste oil, the third is the economical con-
sumption of water and the fourth is the reduction of the
Table 1. The list of organic solvents used to absorb some VOCs. amount of waste oil entering the wastewater treatment
Organic Operation VOC
plants.
solvent applied removal (%) Reference Experimental results showed that the VOC removal
b
efficiency decreased significantly with the increase of
Oil Absorption 95 Pierucci et al., 2004 VOC concentration in feed gas stream of the absorption
tower
Silicone oil Membrane 100 a
Poddar et al., 1996 column. Removal efficiency was calculated from the ratio
absorption of absorbed amount of VOC to the amount of VOC in
95c Majumdar et al., 2001 feed gas stream. The absorbed amount of VOC increases
95e Sirkar et al., 2005 with increasing partial pressure of VOC in feed gas
Silicone oil Packed 99a Heymes et al., 2005
column
stream, but it does not increase so much due to the fixed
Silicone oil in Bubble 70d Peeva et al., 2001 size of interfacial area between the gas and the liquid.
water column Therefore, a limited amount of VOC can be absorbed in
a
Mineral oil Membrane 99 Poddar et al., 1996 a fixed volume of absorbent in a given time interval. Con-
(Paratherm) absorption sequently, whenever the concentration of VOC in a feed
a
Toluene; bVOC mixture; c
methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); d
n-decane; gas stream is increased a limited amount of VOC in a
e
methanol. fixed volume of absorbent is absorbed at a constant

Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
396 OZTURK and YILMAZ
temperature. It is reported in the literature that absorption is
suitable for the VOC concentrations between 500 and
5000 ppmv (EPA, 1991; Ruddy and Carroll, 1993; William
and Lead, 1997; van den Braken, 2005).
Absorption efficiency also reduced with increasing gas
flow rate. The reason for such a decrease in removal effi-
ciency is the reduction of contact time of gas molecules
with absorbent liquid. In other words, all VOC molecules
can not find necessary time to dissolve in and to diffuse
into the absorbent liquid when the entrance gas flow rate
to the absorber is increased. Therefore, higher amount of
VOC molecules leave the absorption column without
absorption.
Desorption
The treatment or disposal of VOC saturated absorbents
(oils) is an important issue in industry. In most cases, the
scrubbing liquid containing the VOC is regenerated in an
operation known as stripping, in which the VOC is des-
orbed from the absorbent liquid typically at elevated temp-
eratures and/or under vacuum. The VOC is then recovered
Figure 6. (a) Stripping of benzene from fresh vegetable oil (FVO);
(b) stripping of benzene from fresh lubricant oil (FLO).
Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
as a liquid by a condenser. The regenerated absorbent is
then recycled back to the absorber. Therefore, we investi-
gated the effect of temperature on stripping of VOC from
the fresh vegetable and lubricant oils. We swept away the
released VOC by N2 gas at a constant flow rate at room
temperature. Experimental results of stripping of VOCs
from the fresh vegetable and lubricant oils at different
temperatures are presented in Figures 6– 9. It is seen
from the figures that the temperature rise increases VOC
concentration in outlet flow of the stripping system signifi-
cantly and reduces the stripping time. Desorption of ben-
zene and toluene from the saturated oils [Figures 6(a), (b)
and 7(a), (b)] required longer time than the carbon tetra-
chloride and methanol have [Figures 8(a), (b) and 9(a),
(b)]; the stripping temperature rise from 373 K to 523 K
increased the concentration of benzene, toluene, carbon tet-
rachloride and methanol in outlet flow of the stripping
system of FVO by 1.4, 1.8, 2.6 and 3.75 times, respectively
while the same level of temperature difference caused
higher amounts release of VOCs from the stripping
system of FLO; the temperature increase has more effect
Figure 7. (a) Stripping of toluene from fresh vegetable oil (FVO); (b) strip-
ping of toluene from fresh lubricant oil (FLO).
 ABSORPTIVE REMOVAL OF VOLATILE COMPOUNDS
Figure 8. (a) Stripping of carbontetrachloride from fresh vegetable oil
(FVO); (b) stripping of carbontetrachloride from fresh lubricant oil (FLO).
on stripping of methanol from the oils than for the other
VOCs [Figures 9(a), (b)].
At the beginning of the stripping procedure, VOC con-
centration in outlet stream of the stripping system increases
gradually and reaches a maximum eventually (Figures 6–9).
The reason for such an increase can be preheating of
oil. Preheating of VOC saturated oil must be taken into
account in full-scale stripping applications since the
period of preheating can not be ignored in the design of
stripping process. The temperature can be increased to
higher levels in order to reach shorter preheating and strip-
ping times. But, high temperatures may result in negative
effects on the absorbent oils as well. Pierucci et al.
(2004) used heating and evacuation procedure in parallel
to remove VOCs from the saturated absorbent. Poddar
et al. (1996) has regenerated spent absorbent liquid exiting
from the absorber in a stripper membrane module by apply-
ing full vacuum through the reverse side of the membrane.
Majumdar et al. (2001) has applied preheating to the spent
absorbent prior to the stripping membrane and they also
applied full vacuum on the reverse side of the membrane
in order to facilitate the VOC stripping. Heymes et al.
Trans IChemE, Part B, Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 2006, 84(B5): 391–398
397
Figure 9. (a) Stripping of methanol from fresh vegetable oil (FVO); (b)
stripping of methanol from fresh lubricant oil (FLO).
(2005) have used pervaporation procedure to strip the
VOC from the VOC saturated organics. But, none of the
researchers mentioned anything about techniques to get
shorter preheating or stripping times. Consequently, present
results showed that preheating of the saturated oils for
removal of the absorbed VOCs takes some time which
depend on the temperature and a very long stripping time
is necessary to remove the VOCs from the oils completely.
CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions can be listed considering the
experimental data obtained: for a given VOC and process
conditions, fresh lubricant oil provided higher removal effi-
ciency than the other absorbents used. When oils were used
as absorbent, toluene displayed the highest rate (95%) of
absorption among all four VOCs, which was followed by
benzene (90%), carbon tetrachloride (80%) and methanol
(70%), respectively. Despite the oils, the highest absorption
rate (80%) was obtained for methanol when water was used
398 OZTURK and YILMAZ
as absorbent, followed by benzene, toluene and carbon tetra-
chloride. The removal efficiencies obtained from the
absorption of VOCs into waste lubricant oil are similar to
the removal efficiencies obtained from the absorption of
VOCs into the fresh vegetable oil. Therefore, it can be
said that the industrial use of waste lubricant oil for VOC
absorption can be regarded as an economical and effective
process. Regeneration and reuse of the absorbent oils are
possible, but the longer regeneration or stripping time can
be a negative factor since the longer stripping time may
bring about an operational cost to an absorptive VOC
removal system. Water has a selective absorption for
VOCs and loss of water during the regeneration is also a
disadvantage. Discharging the VOC saturated water into
sewerage system causes some environmental problems.
Also, wastewater includes some hazardous VOCs such as
benzene over the acceptable limit value. The increase of
VOC concentration in feed gas stream and the increase of
feed gas flow rate reduce the VOC removal efficiency.
Consequently, benzene, toluene, carbon tetrachloride and
methanol can be removed from a gas stream using fresh or
waste vegetable or lubricant oil. Absorptive removal of
VOCs using the waste oils can be a cost effective process
for the industrial applications. A further investigation
study can be conducted about the effect of regeneration
and reuse cycle on the absorbent oils and about how to
reduce the stripping time.
NOMENCLATURE
C VOC concentration, ppmv
MW molecular weigh of VOC, g mol g21
P pressure, atm
R universal gas constant, L atm mol21 K21
T temperature, K
VL volume of the liquid VOC, ml
VTB volume of the Tedlar Bag, l
rL density of liquid VOC, g ml21
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The manuscript was received 14 September 2005 and accepted for
publication after revision on 9 January 2006.