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Thermal treatment puts a cap on VOCs

Journal Article · · Pollution Engineering; (United States)
OSTI ID:7286935
 [1]
  1. Somerset Technologies Inc., New Brunswick, N.J. (United States)

The control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a major consideration for industry, in part from the growing number of government regulations and increased public concern for health and safety. Thermal treatment could minimize the capital and operating costs required to meet existing. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean air standards, as well as the provisions of new laws under consideration by Congress. Depending on their design, thermal systems usually can be categorized as recuperative or regenerative. Recuperative systems use plate or tubular-type heat exchangers to attain the necessary pre-heat temperatures. Thermal efficiencies as high as 80 percent are not uncommon. In other words, with a 160 F process stream entering an 80 percent effective heat exchanger, a pre-heat temperature of 1,230 F could be achieved with an oxidation temperature of 1,500 F. This only requires the addition of 270 F created by fuel or solvent. Regenerative systems use high-density media to transfer heat to the incoming process stream. The major advantage of these systems is the ability to achieve up to 95 percent created by fuel or solvent.

OSTI ID:
7286935
Journal Information:
Pollution Engineering; (United States), Journal Name: Pollution Engineering; (United States) Vol. 26:4; ISSN PLENBW; ISSN 0032-3640
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English