New developments in the war against emission-control costs include structured heat-transfer media, alternative oxidation technology and fuel optimization techniques
The average concentration of VOCs has decreased as more dilute point-source air streams are targeted for emission control systems. To the plant manager, this translates into more VOC abatement equipment with higher operating costs. Converters around the world are struggling to reduce operating expenses while remaining environmentally compliant. This is especially difficult in areas where utilities such as natural gas and electricity are expensive.
Pollution-control providers are being challenged to develop new ways to reduce operating costs for new and existing systems. Air-emission control systems can either recover or destroy hydrocarbons. If reuse is possible in a converter’s process, recovery is preferred as a means to minimize operating costs. Much of the time, however, the only recovery value may be as a fuel source; the recovered hydrocarbons are eventually destroyed by an oxidation process where their latent heat is used as part or all of the heat required for oxidation and destruction.