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Regenerative thermal oxidizer’s (RTOs) are used to control many various types of air pollution compounds which are emitted by a wide variety of industrial processes. RTO’s are widely accepted and regenerative thermal oxidizer technology has been successful with most installations, operating free of trouble for extended periods. In a number of cases, operation has been bothersome.

RTO Understanding

Regenerative thermal oxidation technology is a method of capturing and retaining the temperature needed to oxidize the plant air pollution. The air pollutant is injected into a heat recovery chamber which contains ceramic media, by Injecting the process stream through the inlet heat recovery chamber, the emission stream is preheated to a temperature near or at the combustion chamber temperature. In low VOC applications a fuel burner maintains the temperature to approximately 1,450 degrees Fahrenheit for complete oxidation.

Upon leaving the combustion chamber, the waste stream enters the outlet heat recovery chamber. The waste stream passes through the outlet heat transfer ceramic media bed, where the heat energy from the inlet heat recovery and the combustion chamber is transferred to the ceramic heat exchange media. To end, the cleaned process stream leaves the regenerative thermal oxidizer system through outlet valves to the exhaust stack.

This process reversal allows the RTO to recover up to 95 percent of the BTU value generated in the combustion chamber which greatly minimizes the supplemental fuel costs. A correctly designed and engineered RTO unit can operate continuous without downtime or significant amount maintenance.

Process Stream

A valuable tool is to understand the importance of process stream that defines the RTO operation. Most all process streams have some particulate matter in an emissions stream. The quantity may be insignificant as in ambient air, but it is always present.

The VOC concentration in the process stream varies, but process upset conditions due to excessive VOC, can be adjusted for by allowing necessary operating flexibility in the design of the RTO system such as the additional dilution air, hot air by-pass systems and proper LEL monitoring.

Particulates in your process stream are another matter. Particles in the gas stream are the biggest threat to efficient RTO operation as it can lead to bed plugging and/or media degradation and account for a large amount of RTO fires. Among all of the plant processes, starch facilities, water treatment facilities, rendering, biomass dryers and coffee roasters are particularly prone to such problems because of the many ways their processes can generate particles.

Source of Particles and Effects to the RTO System

Coarse particles are particles greater than five microns. Their cause is completely mechanical from such as actions as tumbling or pneumatic action. Characteristically particles of this origin impact or plug the cold face surface of the ceramic media bed. If left unabated, this can also become a fire safety hazard.

Fine particles have a diameter less than one micron. Which are exclusively caused by the thermal processes. Particles are formed when the process stream vapor cools and then condenses. The particle may be solid or liquid in nature depending on its chemical properties; some examples are oils and resins, while others that are generated thermally are metal oxides.

Fine particles are derived from the evaporation of organic material and the cooling within the ceramic bed prior to the exhaust manifolds has the potential to plug the ceramic media. Particles in the process stream which are considered fine and which are considered chemically reactive also cause ceramic media plugging. They also tend to react with the heat exchange media. Examples of chemically active fine particles are the oxides of sodium and potassium. These react with the ceramic media at high temperatures and cause the media to become brittle with breaking and media bed plugging.

For more information about regenerative thermal oxidizer operations visit: American Environmental Fabrication & Supply,LLC