The Importance of Volatile Organic Compound Leak Detection

The Importance of Volatile Organic Compound Leak Detection

Did you know that prioritizing emissions monitoring throughout your facility can benefit your business’s success and productivity? Learn more about the importance of volatile organic compound leak detection and related LDAR technologies.

What Are Volatile Organic Compounds?

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are either natural materials or human-made chemicals that contain health-hazardous elements. Natural VOCs are typically found in petroleum fuel vapors, isoprenes, and monoterpenes, whereas manufactured VOCs include solvents like fuel oxygenates trichloroethylene and MTBE. Chloroform and other water treatment byproducts are also common examples of volatile organic compounds.
 
VOCs within refineries and related industrial plants are emitted through gases in the air due to burning solid or liquid forms of organic compounds. Human exposure to VOC emissions can cause many minor and significant health complications, including internal tissue damage, throat irritation, persistent respiratory conditions, and nervous system issues. Plus, most volatile organic compounds are carcinogenic in their gaseous state.
 

What Is VOC Leak Detection?

If volatile organic compounds are so dangerous, why are they used so commonly in refineries and related industrial plants? Many of these organic materials produce valuable fuel when burned or vaporized, and facilities can effectively manage their VOC emissions with the proper equipment. That’s where VOC leak detection comes into play, as they’re often a part of a larger Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) system. VOC leak detection is a collection of equipment and software responsible for diagnosing and locating potentially hazardous emissions.
 
For example, an advanced LDAR system can determine the accurate position of a VOC leak and implement helpful solutions to mitigate the impact. Included within many LDAR systems is an FID analyzer, also commonly known as a Toxic Vapor Analyzer or TVA*, which measures analytes throughout a gas stream. This is just one of the many elements that make these protective measures so beneficial to employees, the general public, and the environment.
 

Understanding the Importance of VOC Leak Detection

There are endless benefits to prioritizing effective VOC leak detection throughout your facility. First and foremost, it’s an ethical—and often legally mandated—decision that protects the health and well-being of employees, surrounding communities, and nearby ecosystems. With the proper LDAR tools, refineries can reduce the likelihood of human-toxin exposure, atmospheric explosions, and other catastrophic emergency situations.
 
Thanks to the superior accuracy of LDAR equipment, downtime related to leak repairs is significantly reduced, enhancing facility productivity and success. Ultimately, VOC and LDAR technology helps your business’ bottom line—a win-win scenario!
 
The importance of volatile organic compound leak detection cannot be understated, especially in hazardous refineries and related working environments. It saves lives and the environment and boosts your business’s productivity. Contact our friendly team at LDARtools today and learn how our emissions detection equipment and solutions can benefit your facility.

*This is a misnomer, but also a term the industry has accepted to describe portable FIDs.

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Things Energy Executives Should Know About Leak Detection

Things Energy Executives Should Know About Leak Detection

Emissions control is a hot topic throughout many industries. Various government and safety regulations only further the importance of emissions awareness, especially among executive professionals who may not spend significant time at their facilities. Read on to learn more about leak detection, repair technology, and everything energy executives should know about the benefits of this equipment.

Commitment to LDAR Boosts Public Reputation

Safer work environments, increased worker safety, reduced carbon footprint, and enhanced processing and results are just a few benefits of implementing adequate LDAR technology throughout your facility.

Combined, these benefits boost your business’s public reputation. For one, commitment to LDAR technology highlights a company’s environmental and ethical morals, two characteristics that are important in the modern business world. By embracing the functions and capabilities of LDAR technology, energy executives can showcase positive aspects of their companies.

Advanced LDAR Is Cost Effective & Scalable

Traditionally, leak detection and repair techniques involved intensive testing of any and all possible emission fugitives. As a result, LDAR was seen as expensive, time-consuming, and an overall headache for employees.

Thanks to the advanced LDAR equipment of today, leak detection methods are faster and more cost-effective than ever! With the help of highly intelligent software programs, emissions managers can easily monitor widespread refineries in a matter of seconds. This alone makes newer LDAR technology incredibly scalable, as computers can simplify the most tedious aspects of the job. Regardless of your scale of operations, LDAR tools and software remain the most affordable solutions for effective emissions control.

LDAR Technologies Protect Labor Forces

Concerning the effects of emissions in refineries, the focus is usually on the environment and surrounding ecosystem health. However, the employees inside and around these facilities are also in potentially hazardous environments.

By including advanced LDAR technologies throughout your business, workers are less likely to suffer exposure to toxins and other harmful air contaminants. For one, this ensures a productive and present staff. More importantly, this commitment to employee safety increases workforce morale and shows how much your business cares for its most valuable assets.

There are plenty of things energy executives should know about leak detection, but the most important is that LDAR technology is always a net benefit for businesses. Learn more about effective leak detection and repair methods today here at LDARtools, or contact our friendly team for further information on our facility and refinery emissions solutions.

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LDAR in Shadowy Grey Neighborhoods: Understanding DTMs and fDTMs

If you’re working in the field of Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR), you may have heard the term “DTM” before, but are unsure of its meaning. In this blog post, we aim to clarify what DTMs are and what distinguishes them from fDTMs.

LDAR DTM and fDTM

What is a DTM?

DTM stands for “Difficult to Monitor”. In its simplest form, it refers to a component that is elevated and difficult to access, which is authorized to be monitored on an annual basis instead of its normal frequency. This could be due to its height above a support surface or other reasons. A DTM component would require special access processes (such as ladder, manlift, crane, etc.) and would be grouped together with other DTMs to make the monitoring process more efficient for the technician.

But what happens when the situation is not as simple as a traditional DTM? What if the DTM component is not qualified for annual monitoring? This is where fDTMs come into play.

What is an fDTM?

An fDTM(frequencyDTM) is a component that is elevated, difficult to access, and not qualified for annual monitoring. In this case, the component is still treated as a DTM, but it is monitored at its normal frequency. This means that the technician is informed that it is a DTM, but Chateau schedules it for quarterly monitoring instead.

Why are DTMs and fDTMs important?

When setting up a database for LDAR, it’s essential to understand the distinction between DTMs and fDTMs. If your rules do not allow for DTMs to be done annually, all DTMs in your database should be classified as fDTMs to ensure they are monitored at the normal frequency.

In conclusion, DTMs and fDTMs are important concepts in LDAR that refer to elevated and difficult to access components. While DTMs are authorized for annual monitoring, fDTMs are monitored at their normal frequency due to regulations or other limitations. By understanding the distinction between DTMs and fDTMs, you can ensure that your LDAR monitoring process is efficient and in compliance with regulations.

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