A specialty wire manufacturer installed a 6,000-scfm regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) for the abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the wire enameling process.

The RTO, which was supplied by Catalytic Products International, will destroy VOC emissions with 98 percent destruction rate efficiency and achieve a thermal efficiency of 95 percent. Thermal treatment of VOCs and other air pollutants works by a simple reaction of the hydrocarbon-based air pollutants with oxygen and heat. In this environment, the VOCs are chemically oxidized to form inert byproducts like CO₂, water vapor (H₂O) and usable heat. These byproducts are released to the atmosphere or used within primary or secondary energy-recovery techniques.

As part of a site relocation and expansion, the wire manufacturer chose to replace an existing oxidizer with a new RTO to meet new capacity needs and ensure compliance with local air-quality district and Clean Air Act standards. The RTO will control VOC emissions from multiple relocated ovens and a cleaning/storage room in addition to ovens slated for future installation.