Tank barges with “watertight” hatches are now
required to hold pressures of up to 3 PSI without
emissions from deck side hatches on equipment
that was not designed for that purpose. The
problem is that the current gasket technology
most commonly used – a Teflon Braided material
– is porous and will allow pressure within the tank
to bleed off at a significant rate.
After exhaustive research and testing, ERL had a
solution – The EverGreen Seal (pat. pend.).
• Direct replacement for Teflon Gasket material
• Reduces Hatch emissions by 90.6%
• Eliminate transfer issues where detection
systems are in use
• Chemically compatible with all liquid cargo
• 2 sizes available: 18”x24” cargo hatch, and
19” round
• Increases safety for deckhands from
hazardous vapors
ERL EverGreen VS Teflon Braided Material
Using compressed air as the test gas, we found that the Teflon braided material leaked at a rate measured at an average of 122.45 cubic inches/minute at 3 PSI and 65F. Leakage occurred at a significant rate regardless of if new or used and was minimally affected by over-tightening the hatch. The EverGreen Seal is a direct replacement for the current braided Teflon gasket material currently employed, and in that same test had a leak rate of 11.6 cubic inches/minute at 3 PSI and 65F – a reduction of hatch emissions by 90.6%
Eliminate Transfer Issues
In many cases, Barge Operators are not allowed to discharge their liquid cargo due to excess vapor emissions from the deck side hatches. Docks and terminals are now employing technology such as Infrared (IR) which allows for the detection of these emissions and if discovered when approaching the dock, the Tank Barge Operator is turned away until the issue is resolved, resulting in lost time and money. By significantly lowering the emissions rate from deck side hatches, operators will no longer experience the transfer issues where detection systems are currently in use and this will become more important as more of these systems are deployed.
Sizes Available to Fit Your Needs
ERL Inc. currently has two sizes available – 18”x 24” Cargo Hatch and 19” Round. The EverGreen Seal can be produced in any dimension required. Contact us today for more information and a detailed analysis of your fleet and the reduction that can be achieved.
