Hyperion boasts of thermal oxidizers required for air permit
Hyperion Refining sent out a press release late Wednesday boasting it would be the first North American oil refinery to use thermal oxidizers to burn off what it called the “small amount of vapors” coming from storage tanks of liquids such as crude oil and gasoline, rather than let them ooze into the air and contribute to its planned refinery’s emissions.
To the company’s credit, it does note that that use of the thermal oxidizers were not in its initial preconstruction air quality permit application, but were added later as a condition of receiving that key permit from the state DENR’s Board of Minerals and the Environment, something it accomplished earlier this month after a final hearing before that board in Pierre.
Hyperion Vice President Preston Phillips said the emissions control devices will add $30 million to the estimated $10 billion cost of construction the energy center in southern Union County. “We know some will say it’s going overboard becasue it’s handling such a small amount of vaopor, but we agree with the state that it’s the right thing to do to protect the gegion’s air quality. Sometimes you go the exta mile, even if it doesn’t pencil out.” Or, apparently, if you won’t get the permit without going that mile.
Hyperion said thermal oxidizers are sometime required in other industrial settings, but none are currently used on hydrocarbon storge tanks in existing refineries.
According to the company, the vapor from the storage tanks will be captured, then transported to the thermal oxidizers via a complex piping system to the thermal oxidizers, which turn the vapor into carbon dioxide and water.
Tags: air quality permit, Board of Minerals the the Environment, DENR, Hyperion Energy Center, Hyperion Refining, thermal oxidizers