Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer
Contact: Dr.-Ing. Stefan Vodegel
Plants for thermal oxidation with regenerative exhaust air preheating (RNV plants for short) are used to clean industrial exhaust air streams. The pollutants contained in the exhaust air - mostly volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as alkanes, aromatic compounds, solvents and the like - are almost completely oxidized in the combustion chamber of the plants at high temperatures and converted into the harmless compounds carbon dioxide and water.
Regenerators made of ceramic storage masses recover a very large proportion of the enthalpy of the hot clean gas and use it to preheat the exhaust air.
Industrial application of the plants is mainly in processes with low pollutant contents and low demand for process heat.
The pilot plant of the CUTEC Institute is automated with a control system according to industrial standards and equipped with a continuous data acquisition system. With the help of a dosing station, up to three model pollutants can be added to the air simultaneously in defined concentrations. Furthermore, an SNCR system for the internal reduction of nitrogen oxides and a hot bypass are available.
The pilot plant of the CUTEC Institute can be used, for example, for the following questions:
- Which clean gas concentrations result from certain exhaust air compositions? - How do oxidation and formation of secondary pollutants depend on operating conditions (temperature, residence time, etc.)? - How does fuel demand depend on operating conditions and how can it be minimized? - What degree of preheating can be realized with certain storage masses?
In addition, it is possible to adapt the plant technology depending on the problem and the customer's requirements. Design, manufacturing and installation of equipment modifications can usually be realized by our in-house staff.
Technical data
- Volume flow: approx. 3,000 mN3/h
- combustion chamber temperature: < 1,100°C
- Dwell time: depending on operating conditions and equipment
- Burner capacity: < 150 kW