Removal of VOCs emitted from p-xylene liquid storage tanks by a full-scale compost biofilter

The exhausted gas emitted from the breather vents of three analogous fixed roof p-X liquid storage tanks was collected and delivered into a full-scale compost biofilter system (CBS) for waste gas treatment through 18-month operation. This resulted in 11,441 and 523 kg of p-X vapors entering and leaving CBS, and gave an average removal efficiency of 95.4%. The CBS showed low ΔP during 18-month operation which prevented stress and compression of biofilter bed and thus reduced maintenance frequency and helped in its prolonged use. These results suggest that the CBS is a promising control technology of vapor losses emitted from the fixed roof organic liquid storage tanks.