Polaris

Smart VOC Recovery Systems

 CRYOGENIC CONDENSATION

The cryogenic condensation technology developed by

Polaris is a proven technique for the separation of volatile
organic compounds from vent gases.

The principle of the technology is based on the decrease

of vapour pressure at low temperature and consequent
condensation of VOC’s, by cooling the stream with liquid
nitrogen or other cryogenic fluid. Due to the low operating
temperature, some compounds can be separated in form
of solid frost, depending on combination of melting point
and vapor pressure equilibrium curves (vapor/liquid and
vapor/solid equilibria). Polaris has developed a reliable
design that allows a good separation of the condensed
phases and a controlled fouling due to solid phase
accumulation.

Each unit is specifically designed and customised for the

required separation and VOC recovery, and the operating
temperature is selected accordingly. The process and
equipment configuration depends on several factors,
considering the characteristics of the stream at the
required operating temperature. The unit can include, were
necessary and/or convenient, some pre-treatment steps,
e.g. precooling, drying, washing, etc.

The units are fully automatic, thanks to a control system (PLC

based) that monitors and adjusts the process parameters in
order to get the required operating temperature and a stable and
reliable working cycle. The operator interface is user friendly and
includes useful features like automatic trouble-shooting guide,
records of events and process data, etc.

Due to the process principle, the technology is better applicable

to process streams and to relatively VOC rich streams, for
flowrates up to 5.000 Nm3/h, with no limits for inlet VOC
concentration. The final concentration achievable for common
VOC’s are in the order of few ppm, and in compliance with the
more strict requirements expressed by the European norms.

The cryogenic condensation process is appearantly a “trivial”

cooling application, but actually it involves some potential issues
that have required some efforts to be overcome. In fact the
standard approach for design of heat exchangers cannot be
applied successfully. The maximum advantages have been got,
from the great potential of cryogenic treatment, thanks to
proprietary heat exchangers developed by Polaris, which are
characterised by high fractionating capacity of vapours and gases.
 BENEFITS OF CRYOGENIC CONDENSATION

I The operating cost is low thanks to the reuse of nitrogen used for cooling;
I The investment cost is relatively low for application to process vent streams;
I In most cases the VOC’s separated by the effluent can be recovered for reuse;
I It is a “static” equipment, no machinery/mechanical equipment other than the
blower and valves – low maintenance cost – higher reliability of components;
I It is a safe process, no addition of air is required, no risk of flammability is
introduced;
I It is a flexible process, suitable for practically all VOC’s;
I The VOC’s are separated without addition of other chemicals or dilution with
water, and consequently the further processing of the recovered VOC’s is easier,
and in case the condensate cannot be recovered the disposal costs are
reduced;
I No secondary pollutants are produced in the process;
I The unit is compact and requires a relatively small footprint, the prefabrication
allows lower installation and commissioning costs.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

• Flowrate up to 5.000 Nm3/h

• Any concentration is acceptable
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Chemical industry
• Tank farms
• Ship loading terminals
• Solvent recovery industry
 Polaris

ADSORPTION WITH DRY REGENERATION

The “dry regeneration” process was developed by Polaris in order to

find an adequate solution for VOC recovery from higher flowrate
streams, where cryogenic condensation is not economical.
As far as the adsorption is concerned, the process is based on
traditional techniques, using activated carbons or other adsorbent.
The innovation is relevant to the desorption step, and consists of a
sequential procedure of heating the bed of adsorber by means of
inert gas (e.g. nitrogen) in a closed loop, and following with
desorption under vacuum to get the quantitative removal of the
adsorbed compounds. Only a minimum overflow from the
regeneration loop, but saturated with the desorbed compounds, is
cryogenically treated with LIN, while the produced GAN enters the
regeneration circuit.
Thanks to the above procedure, all the cryogenic energy from LIN is
recovered, as well as the GAN produced. The regeneration of
adsorbent materials is extremely effective. The regeneration costs
are low thanks to a rational and efficient use of the cooling and
heating energy. Compared with steam regeneration, the use of hot
nitrogen avoids the formation of big amounts of polluted water to be
treated and the possible hydrolysis of some organic compounds

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

• Flowrate between 500 to 100.000 Nm3/h

(or more in special cases)

• VOC concentration in the order of 1 - 30 grams/Nm3

• Printing industry
• Painting/coating industry
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Chemical industry

BENEFITS OF DRY REGENERATION

I maximum safety, even in presence of highly flammable compounds

I better compatibility with compounds that present hydrolysis problems
I reduction of waste water treatment costs (no volume increase due to steam dilution)
I easier recovery of the separated organic compounds (no dilution with steam)
I compared to other regeneration techniques with inert circuit, the operating costs are lower
I compliance with emission limits required by the more strict norms
I the process is suitable for most common substances, also to the more volatile ones, for which the other conventional regeneration
techniques are not effective
 Polaris

INTERNAL REFLUX DISTILLATION

The internal reflux distillation technique is based on a particular type of column

which combines mass transfer and heat transfer, necessary for the fractionation
of mixed vapours generated by boiling of a multi-component liquid mixture, in an
equipment basically made of a number of vertical finned coils, internally cooled
by a cooling fluid.
The heat transfer thus carried out, thanks to a specific surface of about 500
m2/m3, is associated to an extremely efficient mass transfer, also advantaged by
the uniform wetting of the surface at all points.
The technology results particularly efficient in batch distillation of compounds
where it is required a good quality of distillate, as well as in solvent recovery from
complex mixtures, where other available techniques result inadequate or bring to
economically inconvenient recovery.
With the Polaris column, it is possible to design the recovery process according
to various modes, adopting case by case the more convenient one for the
mixture to be treated and depending on the quality specifications of products:
• distillation at pressure less, equal or more than atmospheric
• distillation under high vacuum
• azeotropic distillation
• extractive distillation
• de-hydration by distillation with phase separation
For each of the above mentioned processes, it is possible to fractionate with
variable or constant internal reflux, depending on convenience to be evaluated
case by case.
ADVANCED SEPARATION
TECHNOLOGIES
Polaris is a leading supplier of turn-key systems for the separation and
recovery of organic compounds, based on innovative proprietary technologies.

Polaris is a private company established in 1996. Since then the Company core
business has been the design, the construction and the turn-key supply of plants for the
chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Italy and abroad, and effluent treatment plants
for process industries.

Most units are fully prefabricated, for better construction control and cost
reduction, in Polaris own 4000 m2 workshop.

The Quality System complies with the norm ISO 9001:2000.

It is the company policy to pursue innovation in the processes and technologies. This
approach gave, as a return, the development of several new technologies and patents.

To date Polaris has implemented successfully more than 150 tailor made plants,
operating in many European and extra-European countries.

Polaris s.r.l.
Polaris via J. F. Kennedy, 32 - 20020 Misinto (MB) - Italia
Tel. +39 02 966914.20 - Fax +39 02 966914.49
www.polarisengineering.com