A membrane coating operation in the eastern United States installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) for the abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The equipment to control air pollution was needed to help the coater comply with existing permit limits. The oxidizer, which was manufactured by Catalytic Products International (CPI), Dixon, Ill., was sized to allow for production at full capacity and accommodate future expansion. According to the company, it provides both high destruction rate efficiency and high thermal efficiency.

The 2,000-scfm oxidizer will be used to control cyclohexane and isopropyl alcohol, among other VOCs, from five coating systems in the manufacturing process. To provide greater than 99 percent destruction rate efficiency of the VOCs, CPI equipped the oxidizer with an auxiliary VOC polishing chamber system. While the process emissions contain low concentrations of VOCs and provide little heat release, CPI was able to raise the thermal efficiency to 97 percent with a special media design. This upgrade reduced overall fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, the company says.