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Rail Car Degassing

Rail Car Degassing

Safe, fast degassing of petroleum and chemical tank cars for cleaning, repair, and product change operations.
rail car degassing overview

Degassing Tank Cars Safely

Railroad tank cars carrying petroleum products — crude oil, refined fuels, and petrochemicals — accumulate explosive vapor concentrations that must be fully eliminated before any cleaning, inspection, repair, or product change operation can safely begin.
NanoVapor’s vapor suppression technology is introduced into the tank car and rapidly neutralizes all VOC vapors throughout the interior — including in areas that cannot be reached by ventilation alone. The result is a breathable, non-explosive atmosphere within a short treatment window.
Tank Type
DOT-111, DOT-117, and specialty tank cars
Contents
Crude oil, refined petroleum, ethanol, chemicals
Use Cases
Cleaning, inspection, repair, product change
Technology Used
Vapor Suppression
Industry
Energy · Rail Transport
Vapor suppression in action
NanoVapor vapor suppression applied to a petroleum tank car
The Stakes

Rail Tank Car Cleaning Is Inherently Dangerous

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Explosion Risk

Even small residual amounts of petroleum products leave enough vapor to create explosive concentrations. One spark during cleaning or repair can be fatal.

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Inhalation Hazard

VOC vapors in confined tank car spaces quickly reach levels that are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) without proper suppression.

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Operational Pressure

Tank car fleets operate on tight schedules. Slow traditional degassing methods create costly delays that NanoVapor eliminates.

The NanoVapor Advantage

A Better Way to Degas Tank Cars

01

Faster Turnaround

Completes degassing in a fraction of the time of steam cleaning or ventilation, getting cars back into service faster.

02

Reaches Every Corner

The agent disperses as a vapor throughout the entire tank car interior, including baffled sections and areas ventilation cannot penetrate.

03

No Steam, No Water, No Waste

Unlike steam cleaning, NanoVapor leaves no wastewater requiring treatment or disposal — a significant cost and compliance advantage.

04

Worker Safe

Creates a breathable atmosphere, reducing personal protective equipment requirements and worker exposure risk.

Regulatory Context

Rail tank car cleaning and degassing is governed by DOT regulations, OSHA confined space requirements (29 CFR 1910.146), and EPA air quality standards. NanoVapor's approach satisfies all three frameworks simultaneously.

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DOT Rail Safety Compliance
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OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 (Confined Space)
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EPA Air Quality Standards
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Zero Emissions Discharge
Related Applications
Aboveground Storage Tanks Petrochemical Frac Tanks
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NanoVapor Vapor Suppression Technology

Rail tank car degassing facilities rely on NanoVapor's patented Vapor Suppression system to rapidly eliminate explosive VOC concentrations. The same technology recognized by Shell as Best Practice for underground storage tanks is now engineered for high-throughput rail cleaning operations.

Learn About the Technology

Ready to Degas your
Tank Car Fleet?

Our team will assess your fleet type, facility layout, and throughput requirements.

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