Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO)

RTO Description of Operation

The Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) converts Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) to carbon dioxide and water vapor through thermal oxidation. RTOs use regenerative heat transfer to achieve very high thermal efficiencies, which results in very low fuel cost. Through flow reversal, process gas is alternately heated then cooled in the thermal energy recovery chambers prior to being exhausted to atmosphere.

Exhaust gas containing VOC and HAP compounds is directed past the inlet isolation valve, into the exhaust fan and discharged into the inlet manifold where the gas is directed into one of two thermal energy recovery chambers that is on inlet at that time. Valves designed to alternate flow from one chamber to the next insure the exhaust gas is directed to the proper chamber. As the gas passes through the thermal energy recovery media it gradually increases in temperature until is it very close to the combustion temperature (usually 1,500 Deg F). During this period, the VOCs and HAPs are heated above the respective ignition temperature and thermal oxidation begins. After the gas exits the heat recovery media it passes through the combustion chamber to insure total conversion of the contaminants have occurred. At this point, a burner will add heat, if required, to maintain set point temperature.

The newly purified exhaust gas exits the oxidation chamber and enters a heat recovery chamber, which is on outlet at that time. Similar to the inlet, the exhaust gas passes through the heat recovery media, but this time, gradually decreasing in temperature until it is very close to the inlet temperature (within 100 Deg F on a 95% thermal energy recovery system). The cleaned exhaust gas is collected in the exhaust manifold, directed to the exhaust stack and discharged to atmosphere.

Exhaust gas will continue to flow in an alternating pattern from one chamber to the next, exiting from the opposing chamber. The sequence is then reversed every 2 to 5 minutes to provide equal heating and cooling within each heat recovery chamber.

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Innovative Design Features

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Industry / Application	Flow/acfm	Average Inlet / ppm VOC	DRE / Average Outlet / ppm	Reliability / % Uptime	Design / Actual TER	Heat Recovery Media Type	Operating Temp.
Ethanol DDGS Dryer	56,425 acfm	515.0 ppm	99.4% 3.00 ppm	99+%	93.5% / 93.8%	Ceramic Saddles	1,600°F
Ethanol Fermentation Scrubber	10,525 acfm	830.1 ppm	99.1% 7.11 ppm	99+%	95.0% / 95.4%	MLM	1,600°F
Batch Chemical Reactor	87,300 acfm	440.0 ppm	99.6% 1.87 ppm	99+%	95.0% / 96.1%	Ceramic Saddles	1,550°F
Kiln/Exhaust	45,190 acfm	99.0 ppm	98.1% 1.86 ppm	99+%	90.0% / 91.3%	Ceramic Saddles	1,500°F
Styrene/Resin Curing	6,094 acfm	1641.0 ppm	99.7% 4.17 ppm	99+%	95.0% / Self-Sustaining	Monolith	1,550°F
Plate Coating	4,000 acfm	5832.0 ppm	99.4% 37.60 ppm	99+%	85.0% / Self-Sustaining	Monolith	1,600°F

Click here for the full RTO Data Sheet (pdf)