Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compound Leaks from Equipment Components: A Study of the Pharmaceutical Industry in China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Overview of VOC Emissions in the Pharmaceutical Industry
3. Requirements to Control VOC Leaks from Equipment
4. Characteristics of VOC Emissions Derived from Equipment Leaks
4.1. Basic Situation
4.1.1. Number of Components
4.1.2. Distribution of Different Types of Components in Nine Pharmaceutical Enterprises
4.2. Leak Characteristics
4.2.1. Leak Ratio
Overall Leak Ratio
Leak Ratios of Different Types of Component
4.2.2. Leakage Levels
Overall Leak Levels
- e = Emission rate of VOC for a specific type of equipment (kg/h)
- SV = Concentration of leakage detected by the instruments (μmol/mol)
- e0,i = Default zero emission rate of equipment i (kg/h)
- ep,i = Pegged emission rates of equipment i (kg/h)
- ef,i = Correlation equation of equipment i (kg/h)
Levels of Leakage from Different Types of Equipment
Levels of Leakage from Enterprises Manufacturing Different Types of Products
4.3. Repair and Emission Reduction
5. Control Suggestions
5.1. Promote the Implementation of Quality LDAR
5.2. Emphasize Controlling Sources of Leaks
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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No. | Documents | Specific Requirements |
---|---|---|
1 | National: The 13th Five Year Plan for Prevention and Control of Volatile Organic Compound Pollution | The implementation of LDAR should be promoted in industries such as pharmaceuticals (the first instance of such a requirement for LDAR implementation in this industry in a national document). |
2 | National: Comprehensive Treatment Scheme of Volatile Organic Compound in Key Industries | The control of volatile organic compound (VOC) in industries such as pharmaceuticals should be improved. LDAR should be implemented if there are 2000 or more components involved. |
3 | National: Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Pharmaceutical Industry (GB 37823-2019) | If there are more than 2000 components in the equipment and pipeline components containing gaseous or liquid VOC in a pharmaceutical enterprise, LDAR technology should be used. Detection frequency: every 6 months for pumps, compressors, agitators, valves, open-valves or open-ended lines, pressure relief equipment, and sampling connection systems; every 12 months for flanges, other connectors, and other components. Threshold concentrations to identify leakage in key areas: ≥2000 μmol/mol for gaseous volatile organic compound (VOC) and volatile organic liquids; ≥500 μmol/mol for other liquid VOC. Threshold concentrations to identify leakage in common areas: ≥5000 μmol/mol for gaseous VOC and volatile organic liquids; ≥2000 μmol/mol for other liquid VOC. |
4 | Beijing: Emission Standards for Air Pollutants of Miscellaneous Organic Chemicals Manufacturing (DB 11/1385-2017) | For enterprises in industries such as those in the manufacturing of raw materials used to produce organic chemicals; pesticides; coatings/inks/pigments and similar products; special chemical products; and chemical bulk drug production, LDAR technologies including VOC detectors should be implemented with equipment or pipeline components that could possibly leak. Detection frequency: every 3 months for pumps and compressors; every 6 months for other equipment. Threshold concentration to identify leakage: ≥1000 μmol/mol for pumps and compressors with gas and volatile organic liquid flowing through them; ≥500 μmol/mol for other equipment. |
5 | Tianjin: Emission Control Standard for Industrial Enterprises Volatile Organic Compound (DB 12/524-2014) | Enterprises involved in refining petroleum or manufacturing petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals should enact pollution control measures, utilize LDAR technology, and record test data based on the requirements for controlling pollution from fugitive VOC. Detection frequency: every 3 months for gas/steam and light liquids. Threshold concentration to identify leakage: ≥2000 μmol/mol for pumps, compressors, and agitators; ≥500 μmol/mol for other equipment. |
6 | Jiangsu: Emission Standard of Volatile Organic Compound for Chemical Industry (DB 32/3151-2016) | Enterprises where VOC leakage is likely such as in industries involved in the manufacturing of raw materials to produce organic chemicals, organic and microbial fertilizer, pesticides, coatings/inks/pigments and similar products, special and daily chemical products, and biopharmaceuticals and chemical bulk drugs, in the preparation of chemical drugs, and in veterinary medicine production should implement LDAR technology according to the Guide for Leak Detection and Repair in Petrochemical Enterprises. |
7 | Zhengjiang: Emission Standard of Air Pollutants for Pharmaceutical Industry: Chemistry Synthesis Products Category (DB 33/2015-2016) | Enterprises in the chemically synthesized pharmaceutical industry should strengthen protocols to detect leaks in equipment and pipeline components containing VOC, such as reactors, tanks, valves, and flanges and other crevices to reduce fugitive exhaust gas emissions. |
8 | Hebei: Emission Control Standard of Volatile Organic CompoundsVolatile Organic Compound for Industrial Enterprises (DB 13/2322-2016) | LDAR should be implemented in the pharmaceuticals manufacturing, petroleum refining, petrochemicals, organic chemicals, and coking industries. Detection frequency: every 3 months for pumps, compressors, valves, open-valves or open-ended lines, gas/steam pressure relief equipment, and sampling connection systems; every 6 months for flanges, other connectors, and other components. Threshold concentration for identifying leakage: ≥2000 μmol/mol for equipment and pipeline components with organic gas and volatile organic liquid flowing through them; ≥500 μmol/mol for other equipment. |
Enterprise | Location | Main Product Types | Output (unit: t/a) |
---|---|---|---|
A | Zhejiang | Chemical bulk drug | 190 |
Pharmaceutical intermediates | 40 | ||
B | Zhejiang | Preparation of chemical drug | 85 |
C | Jiangsu | Pharmaceutical intermediates | 50 |
D | Jiangsu | Biotin | 120 |
E | Shanghai | Chemical bulk drug | 30 |
F | Shanghai | Pharmaceutical intermediates | 34.5 |
G | Shanghai | Chinese medicine | 40 |
H | Guangdong | Pharmaceutical intermediates | 80 |
I | Jiangxi | Chemical bulk drug | 135 |
Enterprise | Total Number of Components | Number of Accessible Components | Number of Inaccessible Components and Proportion of the Total (%) |
---|---|---|---|
A | 22,436 | 20,842 | 1594 (7.10) |
B | 8454 | 8128 | 326 (3.86) |
C | 13,215 | 12,739 | 476 (3.60) |
D | 13,551 | 13,005 | 546 (4.03) |
E | 3521 | 3186 | 335 (9.51) |
F | 9534 | 9232 | 302 (3.17) |
G | 3632 | 3504 | 128 (3.52) |
H | 4134 | 3956 | 178 (4.31) |
I | 19,698 | 18,792 | 906 (4.60) |
Sum | 98,175 | 93,384 | 4791 (4.88) |
Enterprise | Flange | Valve | Connector | Open-Ended Line | Agitator | Pump | Others |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | 13,906 | 3459 | 2127 | 1119 | 0 | 1 | 230 |
B | 4494 | 1430 | 1942 | 250 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
C | 7049 | 2900 | 2411 | 326 | 23 | 22 | 8 |
D | 3329 | 1877 | 7594 | 200 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
E | 2360 | 541 | 192 | 77 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
F | 4892 | 1914 | 2026 | 298 | 65 | 37 | 0 |
G | 995 | 576 | 1784 | 143 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
H | 2603 | 677 | 579 | 76 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
I | 12,955 | 3932 | 1436 | 283 | 134 | 52 | 0 |
Sum | 52,583 | 17,306 | 20,091 | 2772 | 245 | 144 | 243 |
Enterprise | Total Number of Components | Number of Components with Leaks | Number of Components with Serious Leaks | Leak Ratio (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | 20,842 | 175 | 9 | 0.96 |
B | 8128 | 636 | 8 | 0.93 |
C | 12,739 | 511 | 17 | 1.52 |
D | 13,005 | 723 | 26 | 1.37 |
E | 3186 | 77 | 7 | 2.43 |
F | 9232 | 282 | 8 | 0.99 |
G | 3504 | 19 | 0 | 0.27 |
H | 3956 | 8 | 0 | 0.11 |
I | 18,792 | 54 | 2 | 0.29 |
Sum | 93,384 | 2485 | 77 | 0.99 (average) |
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Zhang, G.; Fei, B.; Xiu, G. Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compound Leaks from Equipment Components: A Study of the Pharmaceutical Industry in China. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6274. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116274
Zhang G, Fei B, Xiu G. Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compound Leaks from Equipment Components: A Study of the Pharmaceutical Industry in China. Sustainability. 2021; 13(11):6274. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116274
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhang, Gangfeng, Bo Fei, and Guangli Xiu. 2021. "Characteristics of Volatile Organic Compound Leaks from Equipment Components: A Study of the Pharmaceutical Industry in China" Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6274. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116274