Ceramic Saddles

RTO AND RCO PERFORMANCE STARTS WITH THE RIGHT MEDIA

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CERAMIC SADDLES ENGINEERED FOR RTO PERFORMANCE

What Are Ceramic Saddles

Ceramic saddles are a high-performance ceramic heat transfer media used in regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), regenerative catalytic oxidizers (RCOs), scrubbers and thermal destruction systems. Their engineered geometry provides high surface area, efficient airflow distribution, low pressure drop and excellent thermal durability for demanding heat recovery operations.

Within an RTO, ceramic saddles form the packed heat-exchange bed, absorbing thermal energy from treated exhaust and transferring it back to incoming process air to improve heat recovery and reduce fuel demand. The random packing design promotes uniform airflow, reduces channeling and maintains consistent heat transfer throughout the media bed while supporting efficient VOC and HAP destruction.

Knight Material Technologies manufactures ceramic saddles engineered to withstand repeated thermal cycling, corrosive process conditions and long operating lifecycles in environmental compliance systems worldwide.

The Right Ceramic Saddle Makes a Difference

Whether your priority is lower pressure drop, longer media life or standard RTO performance, Knight has a ceramic saddle engineered for your application.

LOWER PRESSURE DROP

LPD^® (Low Pressure Drop) ceramic saddles

Engineered for lower pressure drop, improved airflow distribution and reduced particulate retention in demanding RTO applications.

structurally strong ceramic, 3-rib design limits nesting and withstands rugged chamber loading

Priority: Reduce Pressure Drop / Reduct Particulate Retention

LONGER MEDIA LIFE

GR (Glazed Resistant) LPD^® saddles

Glazed ceramic media designed for applications where chemical and alkali attack can shorten conventional media life.

Priority: Chemical/Alkali Resistance

STANDARD RTO PERFORMANCE

FLEXISADDLE^®

Proven random ceramic packing for reliable heat transfer, open airflow and consistent performance across standard RTO applications.

Priority: Standard RTO Application

CATALYTIC APPLICATIONS

HPC (High Porosity Catalytic)

High-porosity ceramic media designed to support catalytic coatings in regenerative catalytic oxidizer (RCO) applications.

Priority: Catalytic Application

Key Features and Benefits of Ceramic Saddles

High Chemical Resistance

Resistant to acids, alkalis and solvents
Ideal for corrosive RTO process environments

Thermal Stability

Maintains structural integrity through repeated thermal cycling
Performs reliably across a wide range of operating temperatures

High Surface Area and Efficiency

Maximizes thermal contact surface area for efficient heat exchange between alternating air streams
Improves heat recovery efficiency per unit of chamber depth, reducing supplemental fuel demand

Low Pressure Drop

Higher void fraction than Raschig ring delivers lower system pressure drop and more efficient airflow distribution through the heat exchange chamber

Ceramic saddles offer high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock while improving capacity and efficiency.

Size Selection Guidance

Smaller sizes → higher surface area, higher efficiency
Larger sizes → lower pressure drop, better suited for high flow applications

Application-based recommendations: Knight’s technical team can assist with size selection based on your specific system requirement.

LPD^® (Low Pressure Drop) Ceramic Random Packing

SIZE	CRUSH STRENGTH	PIECE COUNT	PACKING DENSITY	VOID SPACE	ALUMINA (AL203)
1 in	290 lbs 132 kg	1,350 pcs/ft³ 47,700 pcs/m³	40 lbs/ft³ 641 kg/m³	71%	28%
1.5 in	300 lbs 136 kg	460 pcs/ft³ 16,300 pcs/m³	37.5 lbs/ft³ 600 kg/m³	75%	28%

GR (Glazed Resistant) LPD^® Ceramic Random Packing

SIZE	CRUSH STRENGTH	PIECE COUNT	PACKING DENSITY	VOID SPACE	ALUMINA (AL203)
1 in	300 psi 2.1 MPa	1,350 pcs/ft³ 47,700 pcs/m³	40 lbs/ft³ 641 kg/m³	71%	67%

FLEXISADDLE^® Ceramic Random Packing

SIZE	CRUSH STRENGTH	PIECE COUNT	PACKING DENSITY	VOID SPACE	ALUMINA (AL203)
0.75 in	153 lbs 69 kg	4,900 pcs/ft³ 172,970 pcs/m³	44 lbs/ft³ 705 kg/m³	69%	28%
1 in	211 lbs 95 kg	2,100 pcs/ft³ 74,100 pcs/m³	42 lbs/ft³ 673 kg/m³	70%	28%
1.5 in	200 lbs 90 kg	575 pcs/ft³ 20,300 pcs/m³	39 lbs/ft³ 625 kg/m³	74%	28%
2 in	200 lbs 90 kg	320 pcs/ft³ 11,700 pcs/m³	44 lbs/ft³ 705 kg/m³	76%	28%
3 in	1087 lbs 487 kg	59 pcs/ft³ 2080 pcs/m³	33 lbs/ft³ 529 kg/m³	77%	28%

Common sizes range from small lab-scale media (19 mm/.75 inches) to large industrial sizes (76 mm/3 inches)

Why Choose Knight Material for Ceramic Saddles

Made in the USA: Knight Material manufactures ceramic saddle media in Canton, Ohio, providing customers with domestically manufactured heat transfer media backed by reliable U.S. production and supply
Inventory availability: broad stock of ceramic saddle media across all standard sizes for fast project fulfillment and emergency bed replacement
Four varieties of ceramic saddle types including LPD® and GR LPD® saddles, standard FLEXISADDLE® and HPC (High Porosity Catalytic).
Fast shipping and reliable sourcing to support both new system builds and replacement media projects
RTO Rating Sheets available to support system evaluation and ceramic media selection
Technical expertise in media selection, bed design and heat transfer performance specification
Industry partnerships with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and environmental system suppliers

Request a Quote/Contact

Ready to specify ceramic saddles for your RTO or environmental heat transfer application? Knight Material Technologies provides fast quotes, technical guidance and reliable delivery across all standard ceramic saddle sizes and configurations.
Contact our team today.

FAQ

What are ceramic saddles used for?

Ceramic saddles are used as heat transfer media in regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) and regenerative catalytic oxidizers (RCO), where packed beds of saddle media absorb thermal energy from treated exhaust streams and release it back into incoming process air. This heat recovery cycle reduces supplemental fuel demand while maintaining the combustion temperatures required to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) to EPA compliance standards.

What industries use ceramic saddle packing?

Ceramic saddle media is used in industries operating under EPA air quality mandates that requires regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) for VOC and HAP destruction.

Industries served: Environmental, Acid Plants, Wastewater Treatment Plants, Food Processing Plants and Rendering Plants, Automotive, Wood Processing.

What size ceramic saddles should I use?

For RTO applications, size selection is primarily driven by pressure drop tolerance and fan energy costs. While ceramic saddle size matters, saddle type does as well. Knight Material Technologies offers four types of ceramic saddles including LPD® ceramic random packing; GR (Glazed Resistant) LPD® ceramic random packing with a chemically resistant glaze for demanding environments; FLEXISADDLE® Ceramic Random Packing or a classic saddle design; and HPC (High Porosity Catalytic).