Packaged VRU equipment combines recovery process, controls and safety interfaces for site installation.

Oil & Gas Vapor Recovery Units (VRU)

PollutionCtrl provides project-specific vapor recovery systems for storage tanks, tank farms, loading racks, terminals, refineries and process vents. The recovery route is selected from vapor composition, flow pattern, pressure, temperature, oxygen content, liquid carryover risk, product value and the required recovery destination.

Condensation plus adsorption is often reviewed when vapor recovery value and stable outlet control both matter.

Choose the right vapor recovery process

VRU category	Typical fit	Main process	Review first
Condensation + Adsorption VRU	Tank breathing, loading vapor and heavier hydrocarbon streams where recovered liquid has value	Staged cooling, condensate separation, adsorption polishing and desorption	Vapor composition, dew point, water, peak flow, refrigeration and liquid handling
Adsorption + Absorption VRU	Gasoline, light hydrocarbon and variable vapor streams requiring concentration equalization and deep treatment	Activated-carbon adsorption with absorption, solvent circulation and optional regeneration	Hydrocarbon compatibility, absorbent selection, oxygen/LEL, temperature and tail-gas target

Typical vapor sources

Fixed-roof and internal-floating-roof storage tanks
Truck and rail loading racks
Marine loading and unloading terminals
Refinery and petrochemical tank farms
Methanol, gasoline, diesel and solvent storage
Process vents, blending, sampling and transfer operations

Safety and engineering scope

A complete VRU review includes source classification, vapor-header pressure balance, liquid knockout and drainage, flame-arrestor protection, grounding, hazardous-area electrical design, LEL and oxygen monitoring, nitrogen blanketing where required, emergency isolation, bypass and control logic.

Data required for preliminary selection

Provide the minimum, normal and peak vapor flow, gas composition, molecular weight, pressure, temperature, oxygen and moisture, liquid carryover, tank or loading data, simultaneous operating cases, recovery destination, emissions target and available utilities.

VRU manufacturer, engineering and supply scope

PollutionCtrl supplies packaged vapor recovery equipment for oil storage tanks, truck loading racks, terminals and process vents. The scope is built around the actual vapor source and site layout, rather than a fixed catalogue configuration.

Process engineering
Review vapor composition, peak flow, pressure, temperature, liquid carryover and recovery destination before equipment selection.

Packaged equipment
Supply skid-mounted recovery units with separators, compressors, condensers, adsorption beds, valves, instruments and controls.

Factory and delivery
Coordinate fabrication, piping, control-panel integration, inspection, packing, shipment and site handover.

After-sales support
Support installation, commissioning, spare-parts matching and operating reviews for overseas projects.

For a project discussion, start with the VRU equipment manufacturer and supply scope page, then review VRU sizing data, the RFQ data sheet and the installation and commissioning scope.

Request a preliminary VRU evaluation

Send the available gas data and operating conditions. PollutionCtrl can compare the two product routes and identify the measurements needed for preliminary sizing.

Send project information

Vapor Recovery Unit Design for Oil and Gas

PollutionCtrl supplies vapor recovery units for oil and gas storage, tank farms, terminals, truck loading and gasoline vapor control. A vapor recovery unit manufacturer should review tank pressure, vapor composition, flow variation, liquid carryover, compressor duty, recovery target, hazardous-area requirements and the operating pattern before final selection.

VRU system design may combine a compressor package, condensate or liquid separation, controls, piping, valves, instrumentation and recovery or discharge connections. The equipment arrangement should match the tank farm or terminal layout and the customer’s operating and maintenance requirements.

VRU Applications and Related Equipment

VRU RFQ Information

For a VRU RFQ, provide tank volume, vapor source, peak and normal flow, pressure range, gas composition, temperature, liquid carryover risk, recovery destination, site classification and preferred control interface. This information helps determine the compressor, separator, piping and instrumentation package.

What is an oil and gas vapor recovery unit?

An oil and gas vapor recovery unit captures hydrocarbon vapor that would otherwise leave a storage or loading system. The equipment receives vapor from tanks, truck racks, terminals or marine loading points, separates entrained liquid, and then compresses, condenses, adsorbs or absorbs the vapor for recovery or controlled treatment.

Choose the process from the vapor data

There is no useful standard VRU size without site data. Two tanks with the same capacity can produce very different vapor loads because product volatility, filling rate, pressure control and ambient temperature are different. We start with the operating case, then select the process and equipment package.

Design input	Why it matters	What to send
Normal and peak vapor flow	Sets the turndown range and peak equipment duty	Loading rate, filling cycle and simultaneous operations
Vapor composition	Affects condensation, compressor selection, materials and safety	Gas analysis with hydrocarbon range, moisture and contaminants
Suction and discharge pressure	Defines the compression duty and tank pressure constraints	Normal, minimum and maximum pressure at each connection
Liquid carryover	Can damage a compressor or reduce adsorption performance	Knockout arrangement, drainage method and upset history
Recovery destination	Changes the process arrangement and control philosophy	Return to storage, recovered liquid, fuel gas or downstream treatment
Site classification	Controls the electrical and instrumentation specification	Hazardous area, utilities, climate and local project requirements

VRU applications are not interchangeable

Tank farm and terminal vapor recovery must account for tank breathing, transfer schedules and pressure interaction between connected sources.
Truck loading vapor recovery is usually governed by peak loading rate, loading arms, vapor headers and the number of bays operating together.
Marine vapor recovery also requires review of the ship to shore interface, allowable vapor return pressure and emergency shutdown signals.
Gasoline vapor recovery needs careful review of product composition, temperature, loading pattern and the route used to return or store recovered hydrocarbons.

What a VRU manufacturer should define before quotation

Confirm the vapor sources and operating scenarios, including the credible peak case.
Agree the battery limits for vapor inlet, liquid return, vent, drain, power, controls and utilities.
Select the recovery process and VRU compressor package from actual pressure and composition data.
Review alarms, trips, ESD, grounding, hazardous area equipment and access for maintenance.
Issue the preliminary process description, equipment list, utility list and layout basis before final pricing.

What changes the cost of a vapor recovery unit?

VRU cost is driven by peak flow, pressure ratio, gas composition, recovery route, materials, hazardous area requirements, controls, utilities and the amount of site integration. A low initial price is not comparable if the separator, instruments, safety devices, commissioning or spare parts are outside the quoted scope. Use the VRU RFQ data sheet to request a scope that can be checked line by line.

Questions buyers often ask

Can one VRU serve several tanks?

It can, but the vapor header, pressure interaction, simultaneous transfer cases and isolation philosophy must be reviewed as one system.

Is a compressor always required?

No. The process depends on inlet pressure, recovery destination, vapor composition and the selected condensation, adsorption or absorption route.

What information is needed for a firm proposal?

Send the process description, vapor analysis, normal and peak flow, pressure range, temperature, operating schedule, site classification, utility conditions, layout and required delivery scope.