Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer equipment is a type of air pollution control device used to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted from industrial processes. RTOs work by using a heat exchanger system to recover and reuse the heat generated during the oxidation process, which makes them highly energy-efficient.
The process exhaust containing VOCs and/or HAPs is directed into the RTO.
The air is preheated to a high temperature, typically around 750°C to 850°C, using heat recovered from the previous oxidation cycle. It is then mixed to ensure even distribution of VOCs and temperature throughout the chamber.
The preheated air enters a combustion chamber where it is exposed to high temperatures, causing the VOCs and HAPs to undergo oxidation (or combustion), breaking them down into harmless compounds like carbon dioxide, water vapor, and nitrogen oxides (if present in the original exhaust).
The hot, clean exhaust gas leaving the oxidation chamber passes through a heat exchanger, transferring its heat to the incoming, cooler air. This significantly reduces the amount of energy required to preheat the incoming air, making the RTO process energy-efficient.
The now-cooled, cleaned air is discharged into the atmosphere, meeting regulatory emissions standards.
RTOs are commonly used in industries such as printing, coatings, painting, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and more, where the emission of VOCs and HAPs is a concern. They offer several advantages over other air pollution control technologies, including high destruction efficiency, low operating costs due to heat recovery, and the ability to handle large volumes of air with relatively low concentrations of pollutants.
