A Presentation Prepared For:

PROCESS COMBUSTION CORPORATION

 Introductions
 Mike Foggia - Business Development / Marketing Manager

 Son Nguyen – Business Development Manger – Gulf Coast

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 Program Objectives
 Technology Description and Basic Design Parameters
• Thermal Oxidizers
• Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers
• Flameless Thermal Oxidation
 Typical Application’s and resulting Control capabilities
• Selection of the “appropriate” technology is critical to overall
compliance
 Case Study –
 Q&A

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 “APC” Equipment Selection Process
What distinguishes one technology from another is the temperature at which the
air pollutant is destroyed and the methods used to generate the heat used in the
process. The basic design concept of a thermal oxidizer is configured such that it
promotes a chemical reaction of the air pollutant with oxygen, at an elevated
temperature. This subsequent reaction destroys the pollutant in the air stream by
converting it to carbon dioxide, water, and heat. The rate of reaction is controlled
by three interdependent and critical factors:

 Time
 Temperature
 Turbulence

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 “APC” Equipment Selection Process
Selecting the right oxidation technology depends on many factors & often times
is not an easy decision…….
 Detailed description of the production process that is generating the waste gas or
liquid.
 Hours of process operation per day, per month, per year
 Detailed listing of different emission points to be combined and controlled
 Waste gas flow rates and temperatures associated with each emission point
 Compound Composition and volumes of all Waste Gas to be treated
 Required Compliance needs – Removal Efficiency
 Need for Waste Heat Recovery – If required, in what form
 Utility Requirements/Costs 20,000 CFM TO
Textile Manufacturing Facility
 Others needs specific to the site, i.e. footprint, location etc.
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 Common “APC” Technologies
Most Common APC Technologies/Equipment
 Direct Fired/Recuperative Thermal
Oxidizers
 Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers
 Flameless Thermal Oxidizers
 Flares – Tip, Ground, Enclosed Ground

Waste Water Incinerator System

Acrylonitrile Application - China

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 Technology Overview
Direct Fired/Recuperative Thermal Oxidizers

A Direct Fired Thermal Oxidizer is a “thermal reactor” where pollutants, in a waste stream
are heated in the presence of oxygen to a temperature sufficient to convert the pollutants to
harmless compounds (usually carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen, and oxygen)”.
Resin Plant
Waste Gas Application
Burner
Fuel

Air Stack
Combustion Chamber

A simple thermal oxidizer system consists of a refractory lined

cylinder, into which waste, air and fuel are introduced.

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 Technology Overview
Recuperative Thermal Oxidizer systems incorporate the use of heat exchangers and / or
waste heat boilers which utilize the available heat contained in the thermal oxidizer hot
products of combustion to reduce the system energy costs, to produce steam, to heat a process
air stream, etc…

Rich Vapor – Low BTU Gas Steam

Vapor

Incinerator Chamber Waste Heat Boiler

Air Water

Lean Waste Gas – Low Oxygen – Air Preheat TO

Gas to Gas
Heat Exchanger WHB
Air
Liquid
Waste

Fuel
Incinerator Chamber
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Recuperator Waste Gas
 Technology – Selection Criteria

Selection Criteria Direct Fired TO Recuperative TO

Waste Gas Exothermic Endothermic/Exothermic
Aux. Fuel Requirement Minimal Need Minimal Need
Fuel Cost Not a Concern Major Concern
Heat Recovery Steam, Hot Oil, Hot Air,
None
Requirement Hot Asphalt
MOC Concerns,
Major design criteria -
Dirty/Corrosive waste Minimal Concern
Must be Evaluated
Streams

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 Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO)
A regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) is a 95% thermally efficient device
used to control VOC emissions on high volume waste gas streams that
contain low VOC concentrations.

2 Chamber RTO
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 Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO)
Burner
 Thermal Oxidizer
Combustion Chamber
 Heat Exchangers
Heat Heat
Recovery Recovery
Chamber Chamber
 Switching Valves
Open Closed Closed Open

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 How do RTO’s Work?
Burner

 Valves divert flow

 Preheat Combustion Chamber

 Combust VOCs
Heat Heat
 Exchange heat Recovery Recovery
Chamber Chamber
 Vent to Stack
 Valves switch again Closed
Open Closed
Open Closed
Open Closed
Open

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 RTO MEDIA BED EXAMPLES

Structured
Packing Ceramic
Example

Random Packing
Ceramic Saddles
Examples

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 Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO)
TYPICAL APPLICATION FITS:

 High Volume & Low VOC Concentration

Streams

 Clean Waste Streams (minimal/ no

particulate)

 Non- Corrosive Waste Streams

 Steady State Waste Stream Operating Ranges

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 Flameless Thermal Oxidation (FTO)
Fume
Pre-Mixed Air What is FTO?
Fuel
• A refractory lined vessel filled with ceramic
media

Clean
Gas
How Does it Work?
Outlet
• Bed is preheated to initiate oxidation
reactions (Bottom Mounted Preheat Burner)
• Premix Waste Gas, Ambient Air, and Natural
Hot Gas
Ceramic
Matrix • Gas mixture below flammable range (Below
LEL)
Oxidation
Zone • Oxidizing; Not Combusting
• Maximum Temperature 1800-1900°F

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Pre-Heater – Start-Up Only
 FTO Start-Up & Run Sequence

Run Mode
Start-Up Mode • Air, Fuel, & Fume Premixed
• Bed Initially in Cold State • Heat Transfers to total gas flow
• Burner used for Preheat • Organics Oxidize Releasing heat
• Burner only used during start-up • Treated Gases Discharged in
Headspace of the System
 Flameless Thermal Oxidation (FTO)

Design Benefits:
 High DRE……… 99.9999%
 Low Thermal NOx….. < 1 ppmv
 Low Temperatures Throughout
 Feed Forward Control to account for
changing waste conditions
 Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs)

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How do we achieve NOX emissions < 1 ppm?

Yakov Zel’dovich
Determined the correlation
between temperature and
NOx formation in a
combustion system.
Temperatures >2300F cause
an exponential growth rate
in NOx generation.

Typical “Maximum”
Bed Temperature = 1,800oF
 Proactive, Feed Forward Control
to Manage Change
AIT FIT

AE FE
LEL; BTU

Vent Source 1 TO FTO

Vent Source 2

FTO is a Smart Feedforward

Vent Source 3 Reactor
No More High/Low Temp
Vent Source 4 Trips….
No More Nuisance Shutdowns….

Great for Sold Out Products!

Maximize Production Time!

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 Example FTO Installation

System Burner (Start-up Only)

Dip Tube
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 Refractory Condition:
15 Years in Operation at Pfizer

Media Bed
During Full Operation

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 Elevated or Tip Flares
Flares can be used to control almost any VOC stream, and can typically
handle large fluctuations in VOC concentration, flow rate, heating value,
and inert species content. Used for continuous, batch, and variable flow
vent stream applications. The primary use is to control a large volume of
pollutant resulting from upset conditions.

Flares find their primary application in the petroleum and petrochemical

industries. The majority of chemical plants and refineries have existing flare
systems designed to relieve emergency process upsets that require release of
large volumes of gas. They can also be used to control vent streams from
various process operations. Typical flared waste streams are low molecular
weight and have high heating values.

Disadvantages of Elevated/Tip flares include:

 Can produce undesirable noise, smoke, heat radiation, and light
 Can be a source of SOx, NOx, and CO
 Cannot be used to treat waste streams with halogenated compounds
 Released heat from combustion is lost.
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 Enclosed Ground Flare
Enclosed ground flares are used when heat, light, and noise must be controlled and safety is
an issue. Open ground flares are useful when these are not concerns.

Advantages:

 Closer to ground, making repairs and cleaning easier.

 Lower operating costs than elevated flares.
 Enclosed flares block radiation, luminescence and noise.
 Almost fully smokeless.
 Very cost-effective and simple
 Natural draft with high excess air
 Great for consistent exothermic waste streams
 98% DRE is common

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 Forced Draft – Ground Flare
Some applications require a reasonable but effective alternative to a thermal oxidizer or an
enclosed ground flare. A Forced Draft Flare incorporates the best features of both to produce
a cost-effective, fuel-efficient, combustion-based pollution control device. A modular design
also allows for simple and quick modifications to increase residence time or incorporate heat
recovery in the future.

 Improved management of combustion air for performance benefits

 Significantly less fuel consumption vs. EGFs
 Burner access at grade
 Not draft dependent
 Adaptable to varying operating cases
 Minimum 0.5 seconds residence time
 Operating temperature 1400°F to 1800°F
 98%+ Destruction Removal Efficiency (DRE)
 Greater turndown
 No open dampers at grade that could expose errant fumes and personnel to flame
 Flame detection, block valves, and purge
 Not impacted by wind
 Skid mounting
 Heat recovery

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 Competing Control Technologies
NOx v.s. DRE Indication of an
underserved market

High

FTO: 99.9999% DRE,

Thermal Oxidizer <1ppm NOx

RTO
High Low

Flare Bio-Oxidation

Low
DRE NOx
 Technology vs Application Fit
Regenerative
Flameless
Thermal Thermal Flare
Project Parameter Thermal
Oxidizer Oxidizer Systems
Oxidizer
(RTO)
High Concentration X X X

Low Concentration X X X

High Waste Stream Volume X X X X

Halogenated Service, Cl, Fl, Br X X

Sulfur, Mercaptans, thiols, etc. X X X

DRE 99.99%+ X X

Continuous Process X X X Pressure Relief,

Low DRE VOC
Emergency
Batch Process X X X By -Pass

Thermal NOx < 1ppmv X

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 Chemical Reactions In Air

O2
O3
(Ozone)
Smog

HNO3 NO2
VOCs

Acid Rain
NO

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 What is NOx?
 Nitrogen Oxides are one of six chemical species
classified as a criteria pollutants under the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

 NOx in combination with volatile organic compounds

(VOC) present in the atmosphere can combine in the
presence of sunlight to form ozone which has been
found to be damaging to human health.

 Major precursor of photochemical smog

( NOx + VOC + SUN LIGHT = O3 + Smog )

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 NOx Control
The objective of combustion NOx control is to minimize the
formation of NOx during the combustion process.
Chemical NOx control – reducing the formation of NOx by
breaking the chemical bonds and then effectively Oxidizing
the non-chemically bound compounds.

Common Types: Reduces

 Low NOx Burners (LNB) -(thermal NOx)
 Vitiated Air -(thermal (NOx)
 Flue Gas Recirculation (FGR) -(thermal NOx)
 Water / Steam Injection -(thermal NOx)
 Fuel Staging -(thermal NOx)
 Multi-Stage Combustion -(chemical NOx)
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 Multi- Stage NOx Control
Optional Conditioning
Oxygen-Deficient Section
Zone

Combustion
Air
Auxiliary
Reducing Oxidizing
Fuel
Zone Zone
Burner
Stack
Waste Gas Stream Thermal Oxidizer
w/low O2

• For Chemically Bound Nitrogen:

Reduced oxygen content converts N to N2 - Inter-stage cooling may be
required to reduce the temperature prior to entry into the Oxidizing Zone.
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 Case Study
AOGI – WWI Systems –
Acrylonitrile Production Process
Background Information:

Process Combustion Corporation was selected by the customer to supply one (1) Absorber
Off-Gas Incinerator (AOGI) and one (1) Waste Water Incinerator (WWI) because PCC is the
world leader in Low NOx combustion systems for treating waste streams from the
Acrylonitrile Production Process.

This project was a joint venture between a major US chemical company, that PCC had work
with on previous Acrylonitrile Projects, and a major China chemical company. PCC was
selected because of our proven application experience with the US partner of this joint
venture.

Two separate incinerator systems were supplied. One incinerator treated a gaseous waste
stream and the other incinerator treated multiple liquid waste streams. Both incinerators
used a "multi-stage" combustion process to minimize the formation of NOx emissions.

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 AOGI - Solution

DRE – 99.9% - 99.99% NOx- <100ppmv

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 WWI - Solution

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DRE – 99.9% - 99.99% NOx- <70ppmv
 Conclusion
It is very important that your APC equipment selection be based on a well
planned and executed selection process. Many factors must be
considered to ensure you install a system that will meet your control
requirements in an efficient, economical manner.

 Oxidation control technology selection is normally driven by the waste

stream type, waste stream composition and air permit requirements

 Every oxidation control technology has benefits & limitations

depending on the application & air permit needs

Do not base a decision on capital cost alone. Consider operating costs,

maintenance costs, up-Time, reliability, supplier service and overall lone
term compliance.

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