Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer. A device used for VOC emissions control in a manufacturing facility. An RTO consists of
two or more heat exchangers connected by a
common combustion chamber or zone. The heat exchangers consist of beds filled with
media that
will allow air to pass while serving as a
mass to store heat. The VOC laden air stream enters the first heat exchange
bed and passes directly through the media where it is preheated en route to the combustion chamber. Here a
burner adds any heat necessary to reach optimum combustion temperature and complete the oxidization process. The now clean air stream
next enters a second heat exchange
bed. It passes directly through the media where the stream is cooled while heating the media before being exhausted to atmosphere. The
flow through the heat exchange beds is reversed at regular intervals to conserve the heat of combustion within the RTO. Depending on the application, up to 95% of the heat combustion can be recovered and recycled representing a huge fuel savings. Regenerative Thermal Oxidation of VOC’s and other air pollutants works by a simple reaction of the harmful air pollutants with oxygen and heat. In this environment the VOC’s are converted to CO2, water vapor (H2O) and usable heat.
