Environmental

New types of industrial processing can challenge companies to comply with increasingly stringent emissions regulations. Those include industries that involve high gas flow rates, low VOC concentrations and intermittent or variable VOC emissions, such as those found in the printing, coating and chemical industries. Various equipment types can be employed to supply air pollution control. However, an RTO presents an effective solution for companies that need to control emissions from multiple process streams with different VOC compositions, as the system can handle a wide range of VOC concentrations and flow rates.

RTOs are a widely used technology for air pollution control, particularly for industrial applications that emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The market for RTOs is estimated to grow through 2027 in response to rapid industrialization and the need to comply with the regulatory policies of individual countries or municipalities.

Typical industries that utilize RTOs to comply with emissions regulations include:

• Printing and packaging. These use a variety of solvents and inks that emit VOCs.
• Chemical manufacturing. This industry might be most closely associated with VOCs, encompassing many products and processes, such as plastics, rubber, cleansing agents or adhesives.
• Automotive. Painting and coating operations associated with automotive manufacturing contribute to VOC emissions.
• Semiconductor manufacturing. Semiconductor fabs utilize a wide range of solvents and chemicals during manufacturing.
• Pulp and paper. Manufacturing many different types of wood products includes chemicals that can omit VOCs.
• Pharmaceuticals. Depending on the end product, processing may involve solvents or other chemicals that emit VOCs.

Emerging industries and growing VOC emissions

In the last ten years, emerging or growing industries can be added to the list of applications requiring an RTO for emissions control. As each industry grows and processing facilities increase in size or production capacity, an RTO can capture the VOC emissions and pollutants.

Multiple benefits associated with the right RTO installation include greater RTO energy efficiency and energy savings, enabling compliance with local and federal emissions regulations, and further, promoting brand image associated with a company’s sustainability efforts related to environmental issues.

Installation of an RTO to capture pollutants for the betterment of the environment could be considered eco-innovation. The phrase refers to any corporate effort to foster sustainability and green business practices. Companies that invest in eco-innovation efforts typically experience better growth rates than companies that do not, according to one market research study.

A few up-and-coming industries that must deal with VOCs can include:

• Additive manufacturing. Additive manufacturing or 3D printing processes is growing an average of 30% per year. Processes associated with this manufacturing technology can emit VOCs, particulate matter or other pollutants related to the materials and solvents used during the additive printing process. These can vary depending on the type of process used. Total VOC emission rates were higher from stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing than fused filament fabrication (FFF).
• Cannabis. The cannabis industry provides another example of a relatively new industry that may require an RTO for emissions control. Cannabis cultivation and processing can involve using solvents such as butane, propane and ethanol for extraction, which can emit VOCs and other pollutants into the environment. This industry is currently governed on a state-by-state basis. Individual states and some local municipalities have enacted emissions regulations that might require control technologies with a high VOC destruction efficiency. This industry has a projected CAGR of 26.2% through 2030, with an anticipated market size for legalized cannabis of 135 billion.
• Biomass energy conversion. Another industry of note is biomass conversion for energy or other purposes. Biomass pellet plants, for example, can emit formaldehyde, a hazardous air pollutant. Larger pellet plants are prescribed RTOs to control VOC emissions emanating from wood dryers. The global biomass power market alone has a CAGR of 5.73% through 2030.

Geometrically arranged corrugated blocks such as FLEXERAMIC^® structured packing media from Knight provide greater fouling resistance. This highly engineered design can shave height off the RTO tower to cut initial construction costs and ongoing maintenance. The system design supplies high capacity, greater RTO energy efficiency and lower pressure drop compared to random ceramic packing.