VOC-reduction potential during transport and handling of mineral oil products by means of rail tank cars / VOC-Minderungspotenzial beim Transport und Umschlag von Mineraloelprodukten mittels Kesselwagen

The objective of the research project was to quantify the emission of VOCs during the transport of mineral oil products by means of rail tank cars. The aim was furthermore to develop appropriate measures on the basis of the results in order to reduce or avoid emissions. At present approximately 1.2 thousand tons of VOC are annually emitted due to the railway transport of motor fuel. This corresponds to a share of about 1/40 of the total actual NMVOC-emissions from transport of motor fuel although in Germany approximately 1/3 of the transports are carried out by railway. Other mineral oil products are not relevant for VOC-emissions. A combination of several technical, organisational and logistic measures would enable to further reduce the actual emissions. The following measures for the mitigation and reduction of emissions would be possible: (1) Consequent implementation of the 'best practice'. (2) Improvement of the efficiency of the exhaust air cleaning during inside cleaning of rail tank cars. (3) Reduction of remaining liquid during emptying procedures. (4) Filling by means of bottom loading. (5) Furnishing of rail tank cars with overpressure deflation junction and corresponding adaptation of filling stations and modification of the top-loading procedure (connection to the overpressure deflation junction before opening of the man hole cover). (6) Improvement of the efficiency of the vapour recycling installation. The measures (1) and (2) are recommended on the basis of a technical-economic-ecologic evaluation. The measures (3) to (6) are only recommendable in specific single cases. There is no need for legislative action. (orig.) / Available from TIB Hannover: RN 8422(2004,12) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische Informationsbibliothek / SIGLE / Bundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Berlin (Germany) / DE / Germany