Innovations of Catalytic Combustion

Catalytic Destruction of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) contaminants in an air stream is a very economical solution to plant emission reduction. The process involves lower temperature operation than the corresponding thermal options and often allows heat recuperation without the requirement of exotic alloys in the heat exchangers. This feature further reduces the comparatively low fuel consumption of the catalytic systems. While these economic factors have made the catalytic systems attractive to the end user, the applications have been limited by the vent stream constituents that could be tolerated by the catalyst formulation. Catalysts used in VOC oxidation processes have had limited applicability because the catalyst could be deactivated by some contaminants, masked by some, and poisoned by others. The former limitations were so broad that only select applications were considered an appropriate fit. Aggressive research programs by catalyst suppliers have developed formulations to eliminate these limitations, or render them less harmful. This paper will review the system's construction, give better understanding of these limitations, and indicate the future trends of the technology.