Dilution Purging

In dilution purging method, the inert gas simply flows through the vessel and reduces the concentration of
unwanted component. It is used for tanks, reactors, and other vessels. Figure below is used to determine
requirement of inert gas.

Number of vessel-volumes of inert gas required

Let say, you want to purge a tank full of air (21%-mole oxygen) to 1%-mole oxygen. Then:

 Ratio of initial to final concentration of oxygen is 21

 From figure above, at ratio of 21, you need 3 vessel volume of inert gas
Pressure-cycle Purging
In this method, the vessel at 1 atm is alternately pressured with inert gas and vented. It is used for vessel that
can withstand 30 psig (about 2 barg) or more, vessel with only one port, or vessels with coils or baffles inside. I
also used this method for leak test in piping system.

The dilution ratio is (1/P)n. Where P is in atm and n is number of cycle.

The quantity of inert gas required for each cycle is P-1 vessel volumes.

Let say, you want to purge a vessel from 21%-mole oxygen to 1%-mole oxygen. You use inert gas to pressure
to 5 atm.

 Guess number of cycle. We guess 2 cycles for started.

 (1/P)n = (1/5)2 = 0.04
 0.04 x 21%-mole = 0.84%-mole. The results is satisfied. If the result is bigger than requirement, try to
increase number of cycle.
 Purge requirement (P-1) = 5-1 = 4 vessel volumes

Vacuum-Cycle Purging

Based on its name, this method can only be used for vessels capable to withstand a vacuum. In this method,
the vessel is alternately evacuated and fed with inert gas to 1 atm.

Concentration of unwanted component is reduced from C to CPn.

C = concentration (%)

P = pressure (atm)

n = number of cycles

The quantity of inert gas required for each cycle is 1-P vessel volumes.

Let say, you want to purge from 21%-mole oxygen to 1%-mole oxygen. You use vacuum-cycle purging to 0.5
atm.

 C = 21%
 CPn = 1%, (21%)(0.5)n = 1%. We get n = 4.4, so use 5 cycles
 Purged gas required = 5 x (1-0.5) = 2.5 vessel volumes
Why nitrogen is commonly used in tank blanketing?
Nitrogen has inert properties, wide availability, and relatively low cost at any economic efficiency. Other gases,
such as carbon dioxide or argon, are also sometimes used for certain application.

Nitrogen reduces oxygen content in the vapor space of a storage tank of vessel, making it inert and eliminates
the possibility of fire or explosion. It also decreases evaporation and protects the tank from structural
corrosion damage caused by air and moisture. In addition, nitrogen blanketing is used to prevent air,
moisture or other contaminants from entering the vapor space, causing product degradation or spoilage.

Element of Fire
Remember figure above? It is called fire triangle. It consists of oxygen, heat, and fuel. Removing one of these
components will eliminate the possibility of fire. In tank blanketing, oxygen is the component that is
controlled.

Read about Flammability Limit and Explosive Limit

Nitrogen Consumption for Tank Blanketing

Volume of nitrogen for storage tank blanketing can be estimated by formulas and calculation. Essentially,
nitrogen consumption for tank blanketing has two components: the nitrogen requirement by the throughput
or total liquid discharge from the tank; and the nitrogen required by thermal breathing, or the rise and fall of
the liquid level due to different temperature during day and night.

Average nitrogen consumption = nitrogen consumption due to working loss

+ nitrogen consumption due to thermal breathing

Nitrogen Consumption due to Working Loss (Material

Discharged from Tank / Working Throughput)
Nitrogen requirement due to working loss is estimated from liquid annual throughput.

Monthly working loss = annual throughput (in barrel) x 5.615 (conversion

from barrel to scf) / 12 (number of months in a year)

Nitrogen Consumption due to Daily Breathing Loss

(Thermal Breathing)
To estimate nitrogen consumption due to daily breathing loss, we need the following data:

 Tank diameter
 Height of average vapor space (average outage)
 Storage temperature
 Daily temperature change

First, we need to calculate vapor volume by using the following equation:

V0 = π x D 2 x H o / 4
V0 = vapor volume (ft3)

D = tank diameter (ft)

Ho = average empty headspace/average vapor space/average outage (ft)

Secondly, we calculate daily breathing loss (DBL).

DBL = Vo {[(460 + Ts + Tdc / 2) / (460 + Ts + Δ – Tdc / 2)] – 1.0}

Ts = storage temperature (oF)

Tdc = daily temperature change (oF)

Δ = adjustment for differential between blanketing and pressure-relief setting (normally 2-4 oF)

DBL = daily breathing loss (scf)

Finally, we calculation overall consumption which is addition of nitrogen consumption due to working loss and
daily breathing loss.

Peak Consumption of Nitrogen for Tank Blanketing

Average monthly nitrogen consumption for tank blanketing can be relatively small compared to peak nitrogen
consumption. Peak consumption can be larger due to fast thermal changes. Peak nitrogen requirement and
frequency is important when selecting and sizing the nitrogen supply system.

Peak nitrogen consumption for tank capacity up to 840,000 gallon (20,000 barrel or 3180 m 3) can be estimated
by the following equation:

Maximum nitrogen flow rate (scfh) = 8.021 x pump out rate (in gpm) +
0.02382 x total tank capacity (in gallon)
8.021 is unit conversion factor from gpm to scfh.

0.02382 is a factor based on cooling an empty tank from a high of 120 oF at a rate of change 100oR/h.

For tank larger than 840,000 gallons (20,000 barrel or 3180 m3), the peak usage can be estimated by the
equation.

Maximum nitrogen flow rate (scfh) = 8.021 x pump out rate (in gpm) +
nitrogen inbreathing requirement as per API 2000
For tanks larger than 840,000 gallons, peak nitrogen requirements due to thermal breathing are shown as per
API standard no. 2000 for non-refrigerated, above ground, un-insulated tanks. Table below shows the
requirement.
Tank Capacity (in Barrels) Tank Capacity (in Gallons) N2 inbreathing Requirement (scfh)
20,000 840,000 20,000
25,000 1,050,000 24,000
30,000 1,260,000 28,000
35,000 1,470,000 31,000
40,000 1,680,000 34,000
45,000 1,890,000 37,000
50,000 2,100,000 40,000
60,000 2,520,000 44,000
70,000 2,940,000 48,000
80,000 3,360,000 52,000
90,000 3,780,000 56,000
100,000 4,200,000 60,000
120,000 5,040,000 68,000
140,000 5,880,000 75,000
160,000 6,720,000 82,000
180,000 7,560,000 90,000

Example of Calculation Average Nitrogen Consumption for

Tank Blanketing
A fixed-roof tank has the following specification.

Diameter = 128 ft

Height = 36 ft
Average empty headspace = 12 ft

Storage temperature (Ts) = 75oF

Daily temperature change (Tdc) = 15oF

Adjustment for differential between blanketing and pressure-relief setting (Δ) = 2 oF (assumed)

Determine monthly inert gas usage?

Vapor volume = π x (128)2 x 12 / 4 = 463,243 ft3

Daily breathing loss = (155,000) x {[(460 + 75 + 15/2) / (460 + 75 + 2 – 15/2)] – 1.0} scf/d

Daily breathing loss = 3,791 scf/d x 30 days/month = 113,734 scf/month

Monthly working loss = 300,000 x 5.615 / 12 month = 140,375 scf/month

Thus, average inert gas consumption = 113,734 + 140,275 = 254,109 scf/month

If the vessel could stand some pressure, the pressure purging technique would probably ensure complete mixing.

The number of cycles would then be computed from:

[ln (2÷21)] ÷ [ln (1.0÷P)]

Where 1.0 is the starting pressure (ie, atmospheric), P is the absolute pressure to which the vessel is brought on each cycle. If,
for example, P can be 2 ata., the number of cycles would be:

-2.35 ÷ -0.693 = 3.4, namely 4 cycles, to reduce oxygen from 21 to 2%.

The higher the pressure that the vessel can sustain the less the number of pressure cycles.

• Depending on the size of the vessel and whether its design includes full vacuum, vacuum purging could be your solution.