Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) System

Author: Stephens H Robertson

Vehicle fuel emissions are harmful to people and the environment. Therefore, it is important to prevent the harmful effects of these emissions. Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) is a vehicle emission control system that controls emissions by getting fuel vapors (while refueling) absorbed by the filtering component.

What is ORVR?

The ORVR facility consists of a carbon canister (a cylindrical vessel). The canister collects the fuel vapors that are pushed up when you refuel the vehicle. The activated carbon in the canister changes the vapors such that they could be used by the engine.

How does the ORVR work?

  • When you refuel the vehicle at a gasoline dispensing facility, the fuel tank and the fill hose work together. They are made in such a way that the vapors in the tank go to the canister. The canister contains activated carbon that absorbs the fuel vapors.
  • When the engine is running, the vapors are sent into the engine intake manifold, where it is used as fuel.

How much fuel do you actually save?

  • In this technology, fuel vapors are captured and are used as fuel. According to Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the cost of ORVR is low.
  • By having ORVR equipped in your vehicle, you can save up to $25 to $30 a year on your fuel cost. It's also helpful for automakers because the cost of installing an ORVR in a vehicle is as low as $6.

Benefits of ORVR

Beneficial to the environment

  • ORVR controls are likely to play an important role in reducing the amount of VOC (volatile organic compounds) and other harmful chemicals in the atmosphere by 300,000 to 400,000 tons throughout the country annually.
  • VOC are the major causative factors in the formation of smog and ozone in the atmosphere.
  • According to EPA, ORVR will save an estimated 78 million gallons of fuel during 1998-2020.

Safe for public health

  • The fuel vapors contain harmful chemicals. Using ORVR technology, consumers and gasoline dispensation facility personnel are less exposed to gasoline vapors when refueling vehicles.
  • EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluate each ORVR vehicle and this ensures that they comply with rules under the Clean Air Act. Under this Act, manufactures must make vehicles such that they do not cause or contribute to a high risk to public health, welfare or safety in its operation or function. (Source: EPA)

More efficient

According to EPA, ORVR vehicles operate at an efficiency of 98%.

Minimal maintenance

There is hardly any deterioration of the vehicle during its life. Thus, you need to spend little or none on maintaining the vehicle.

To conclude, ORVR technology is being increasingly accepted by manufacturers and it could be the trend in the long run. In the aggregate, it is likely to lead to fuel saving when more and more vehicles are brought under this technology.