Parametric Evaluation of VOC/HAP (Volatile Organic Compounds-Hazardous/Toxic Air Pollutants) Destruction via Catalytic Incineration

摘要

The report describes the use of a pilot-scale catalytic incineration unit/solvent generation system to investigate the effectiveness of catalytic incineration as a way to destroy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous/toxic air pollutants (HAPs). Objectives of the study were to: (1) investigate the effects of operating and design variables on the destruction efficiency of VOC/HAP mixtures, and (2) evaluate destruction efficiencies for specific compounds in different chemical classes. Study results verified that the following factors affect catalyst performance: inlet temperature, space velocity, catalyst geometry, compound type, compound inlet concentration, and mixture composition. Tests showed that destruction efficiencies exceeding 98 percent were possible (given sufficiently high inlet temperatures/low space velocities) for the following compounds/compound classes: alcohols, acetates, ketones, cellosolves/dioxane, aldehydes, aromatics, and ethylene/ethylene oxide. Destruction efficiencies of at least 97 percent were achieved for acrylonitrile and cresol. Chlorinated hydrocarbons were not effectively destroyed with the type of catalyst used in this study.