A tree-free pulp mill in the western United States installed a catalytic oxidizer (CatOx) for the abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  

Designed and supplied by Catalytic Products International (CPI), the 3,000 scfm unit controls gas stream vents from a number of process units, including from hood or enclosure vents of specific machines and from sweep air vents on tanks with an inlet control damper. The exhaust gas streams contain methanol, non-methanol TAP (toxic air pollutant) and non-TAP VOC. A sealed ducting system conveys the inlet gas stream to the CatOx, which will destroy the VOC emissions from the process units with 98 percent destruction rate efficiency (DRE).

Catalytic treatment of VOCs and other air pollutants works by reacting the harmful air pollutants over a specially designed catalyst, where VOCs are converted to CO2, water vapor (H2O) and usable heat. These harmless byproducts are passed through a heat exchanger, where the gas stream’s energy is transferred to the incoming exhaust.