RTO: Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer
Regenerative thermal oxidizer, recuperative thermal oxidizers and catalytic oxidizers all fall in the thermal oxidizer family of pollution control systems. A thermal oxidizer (or thermal oxidiser) is an VOC control system that decomposes solvent emissions at a high temperature and releases them, including CO2, into the atmosphere. The technology is based on using ceramic media as heat exchangers and switching values. RTO technology has been developed for large volumes and relative high VOC concentration.
The disadvantage of RTO for use in flexible packaging is:
- It is necessary to add fuel (gas) to maintain the required temperature.
- The energy cost are high due to the high pressure drop through the media.
- The media needs replacing every 5 -6 years on average.
- Moving parts need high maintenance and replacing every 3-4 years.
As a result the operational cost of RTO are very high, especially when compared with the VOCUS. Higher fuel prices and future CO2 tax could increase these high cost even more.
VOCUS as an alternative
The VOCUS is, for most situations, able to counter the disadvantages of RTO. Using sophisticated biotechnology, the VOCUS is able to remove the VOC’s at an efficient manner.
- The VOCUS operates at ambient temperature, adding fuel is not necessary.
- The VOCUS is able to operate even with fluctuating flow and concentration.
- There are no moving parts in the system; therefore high maintenance is not necessary.
- The modular design enables flexibility.
- There is no emission of CO2.
- Sophisticated automation enables us to monitor the system at a long distance therefore cost of maintenance is low.
- Operational costs are low because adding expensive (natural) gas is not necessary.
- Above all: the VOCUS uses clean and green biotechnology.