Due to the current world situation, energy transition and taking into account the European Union objectives, recently there has been a shift in the demand of how companies want to heat up the oxidation chambers of their Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) systems for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions removal at their production plants. Si here it is an introduction to Electric RTO technology for VOC emissions treatment and abatement.
The trend has gone from burner-powered to electric-powered or to other forms of power, therefore flameless, and therefore without any NOX emissions derived from the burner, for a greener output.
How Electric RTO technology works:
RTO equipment usually works with burners that use gas or fuel to heat up the oxidation chamber during start-up so that oxidation of VOCs can take place.
In the case of Electric RTOs, there is no burner and therefore no flame and no NOX emissions generated. The oxidation chamber gets heated up via some electrical resistances placed inside.
– During start-up: the electric resistances will work at 100% to be able to heat the RTO oxidation chamber up to the required temperature (eg. 850ºC, 1100ºC).
– During operation: the consumption of electricity will depend on the VOC concentration at the inlet and its calorific value. If the concentration is above the autothermal point, resistances will turn off. Otherwise, if the concentration is lower than this point, the thyristors will modulate the resistances power to maintain the oxidation chamber temperature at the required temperature (eg. 850ºC, 1100ºC) to guarantee the oxidation of VOCs.
Sectors and Applications:
The Electric RTO technology is suitable for all kinds of solvent concentrations, from low to medium and high, as well as indicated for installation in sectors and applications such as chemical, coating, flexoprinting, odour control, etc.
Technical Advantages of Electric RTO:
- Very High VOC elimination
- High thermal efficiency
- Once it reaches operating temperature, the system runs on auto thermal mode, with zero electricity consumption
- No flame and therefore no NOx associated to combustion
- Reduction of CO2 emissions, zero if renewable energy is used
- Equal features and performance as Tecam conventional RTOs
- Less noise around the equipment, due to the lack of a burner fan
- Easier to do the installation and commissioning
- Low operating costs
- Simple and robust design
- Almost no maintenance required
We hope that this information was useful for you to get to know how the Electric RTO technology can help you eliminate the polluting emissions generated at your production plant.
Please remember that you can count on Tecam specialists at any time to help you select the technology that best suits your case. We will be happy to assist you in the analysis phase and to design a custom installation for your needs.
You can contact us now for further info.
