What is the reason why the gas station smells great? How can oil and gas recovery still taste normally?

What is the reason for the strong smell of gas at gas stations? Why is there still a smell when the oil and gas recovery is normal? Direct answer: The obvious smell of oil is not a "normal phenomenon". Most of it comes from leakage at sealed points on the oil and gas recovery chain - such as the oil discharge port, recovery port, oil measuring port end cover, discharge pipe pressure vacuum valve, flange joint, etc. The seals are aging or not tightened, and the oil and gas are running out; It may also be due to the failure of the secondary recycling and collection process, where the oil and gas were not pumped back during refueling but scattered on site. There are also situations where the equipment testing data is qualified but there is still odor on site, and the reason is more concealed. This article explains the sources, high incidence points, and troubleshooting methods of oil odor clearly.

Where does the smell of oil come from

Smelling gasoline indicates that the gas has appeared in an area where it should not have. Under normal operating conditions, oil and gas are confined in a closed system consisting of storage tanks, pipelines, and recovery devices, and are only discharged in a controlled manner at the discharge outlet. The on-site oil smell is obvious, which means that there is a leak or collection failure in some part of the system, resulting in both loss of oil and safety hazards. It cannot be ignored as a trivial matter - the smell is the on-site alarm given by the system, which comes earlier than the data.

High risk leakage points

In the inspection experience, the high incidence points of oil odor are concentrated: the sealing of the oil unloading quick connector and cap, the end cover of the manual oil measuring port, the valve seat of the pressure vacuum valve, the flange and valve packing of the oil and gas recovery pipeline, the damaged gas collection hood of the refueling gun, and the broken valve joint. Sealing ring components have an aging cycle of one to two years and are consumable parts. Failure to replace them upon expiration is a leakage point. The odor intensifies during the unloading period, mostly indicating the quality of the connection between the unloading joint and the tank truck's return air circuit.

How to conduct self inspection on site

Three steps: First, take a look and walk along the pipeline and interface to see if there are any oil stains, oil stains, or shiny areas seeping out; During the shift handover period, patrol around the fuel dispenser and tank area and note down the areas with obvious odors; Three tests, if possible, use a portable detector to measure the concentration around a closed point. If the value is significantly higher than the background, it is a suspected point. After reaching a conclusion through self-examination, decide whether to handle it yourself or report it for repair.

Special situation where the device still has odor despite normal operation

There is a situation that needs to be addressed separately: the test data shows that both the gas-liquid ratio and emissions are qualified, but the on-site oil smell is strong. In the engineering investigation, a case of reverse rotation of the return air pump motor was found - the pump was running and tested, but the oil and gas in the tank were pumped to the refueling site for discharge. This type of problem is not visually displayed and can only be located by on-site odor detection. So the smell is an earlier alarm than the instrument, don't ignore the nose just because the data is qualified.

Comparison of Reasons and Countermeasures

Investigation and rectification steps

1. Identify areas with distinct odors and their occurrence periods;
2. Visually inspect the pipeline interface and seals in the area;
3. Recheck the portable device to confirm the location of the leakage point;
4. Replace aging seals or damaged components;
5. Review the gas-liquid ratio and emission concentration data;
6. After rectification, observe continuously for three days to confirm that the odor has disappeared.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the smell of oil be more noticeable on rainy days?

meeting. When the pressure is low and the humidity is high, the diffusion of oil and gas is slow, and the same amount of leakage is more noticeable; The odor changes significantly before and after rainy days, which happens to be the window period for locating leakage points.

Is it normal to smell gasoline when unloading?

Unloading oil is the process with the least amount of open work, and under standardized operation, the joint should be sealed without obvious odor; When unloading oil, there is a strong odor. First, check the sealing of the quick connector and the connection of the return air pipeline.

What if I can't find the leakage point myself?

Please have a third party perform tests on liquid resistance, airtightness, and gas-liquid ratio, and use data to identify weak areas in the system; The efficiency of detecting and observing complex leaks is low, and the instrument can measure them in sections faster.

This article is compiled by Luoyang Wohong Petrochemical Equipment Co., Ltd., which provides design, manufacturing, and operation and maintenance services for condensation recovery, membrane separation recovery, and complete solvent recovery equipment to chemical and pharmaceutical enterprises. If you need process evaluation or scheme configuration, please feel free to contact us for discussion.