Case history: Effectively operating an RTO with batch VOC spikes
The problem at a foam packaging plant in Texas was periodic spikes of expanded foam blowing agent to atmosphere. The amount of butane blowing agent released is a function of the thickness of the packaging foam desired. As the facility changed products on the multiple extrusion lines, volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions varied widely. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) requires abatement of the blowing agent. If the abatement device was not designed for the wide variation in VOCs, the abatement device could shut down under high temperature conditions. With the abatement device shutdown, the manufacturing operation must also be shut down. Two methods were used in the past to address the widely varied operating conditions. One was to operate an abatement device with a less thermally efficient recuperative style oxidizer. These units had thermal efficiencies in the range of 50 to 70%. The second method of dealing with the different operating conditions was to oversize the abatement device for the maximum VOC concentration. In this case a very large regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) was used to minimize operating costs. This paper will provide case history information on an innovative way to deal with effective operation in dealing with VOC spikes in an expanded foam packaging application. A hot gas bypass system was designed and installed to address the VOC spikes. As a result the system operates with lower overall operating costs than previous systems. The design, operation, and environmental performance for this unit will be reviewed during this presentation.
- Research Organization:
- Eisenmann Corp. (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20002172
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990608-; TRN: IM200002%%172
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Air and Waste 92nd Annual Meeting and Exhibition, St. Louis, MO (US), 06/20/1999--06/24/1999; Other Information: 1 CD-ROM. Operating Systems: Windows 3.1, '95, '98 and NT; Macintosh; and UNIX; PBD: 1999; Related Information: In: Air and Waste 92nd annual meeting and exhibition proceedings, [9500] pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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