Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO)

An installed regenerative thermal oxidizer unit

A regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) is an air pollution control device that destroys VOCs and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) in industrial exhaust air. By using regenerative heat recovery, it achieves high fuel efficiency, often operating with 95% heat recovery.

Maintaining an RTO

How do thermal and catalytic oxidizers differ?

Catalyst utilized in a regenerative catalytic oxidizer (RCO) allows chemical reactions to occur at lower temperatures (700-800F) than they occur in a thermal oxidizer (typical 1400-1450F) or an RTO (typical 1600F).

Read more in Comparison: RTOs and RCOs.

What are the types of ceramic media for an RTO?

There are two main types of ceramic media. Structured ceramic media is typically block-shaped, with ceramic materials configured in a geometric design. It is often placed in several layers. The other type of ceramic media is random-packed ceramic saddles. These smaller, U-shaped (also called saddle-shaped) ceramic pieces are also availiable in different sizes and are spread and leveled evenly across the media bed. Kono Kogs also offers custom media configurations, such as a hybrid media bed, to best fit the heat transfer and particulate requirements of each process and unit.

Can the flow capacity of ceramic media be increased?

It depends on some design factors that need to be scrutinized but typically, no. Advancements in new structured media designs can sometimes increase the thermal efficiency and reducing pressure drops through the media beds. This can sometimes can provide a couple percentage points of capacity increases over RTOs that utilize saddle ceramic media.

What is the operating temperature of a thermal oxidizer?

Typically 1400° F minimum up to 1550° F depending upon the VOC characteristics. Read more in Operating Temperatures of Different Oxidizers.

Does the RTO main fan use a variable frequency drive (VFD)?

Yes, most RTO systems are equipped with a VFD on the main fan. VFDs are important for efficient operation, allowing for volume turn-down, improved energy savings, and idle-mode operation when full airflow isn’t needed.

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