Reduce VOC Emissions and Costs
September 2003
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Pollution abatement systems are designed with heat recovery systems that can reduce overall energy costs.
VOCS IS A four-letter "word." So is cost. Package printers working with solvent-based inks must deal with these profanities on a continual basis—eliminating the emission of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and other air pollutants, while minimizing costs. It's a dual-edge sword that has gotten sharper over the past couple of years due to significantly higher energy costs.
VOCs, along with nitrous oxide (NOx), are detrimental to air quality because of the ozone that is produced when sunlight acts on these pollutants. Ozone is the primary component of smog, and since it is not emitted into the air by any specific sources, it must be controlled by eliminating the ingredients that produce it. This explains one of the reasons for the focus on VOCs and other hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).
Air pollution solution
Those companies in the business of providing solutions for eliminating VOCs in process air streams have long offered options and design features for reducing energy-related costs. However, during times of increasing energy bills, cost reduction opportunities get a renewed focus, and some companies can take advantage of the situation by being able to justify upgrades and/or new equipment installation that provide a good business return.
Jim Alamena of Glenro Inc. (Paterson, N.J.) says that companies like Glenro that also supply industrial dryers can take further advantage of cost reduction/energy recovery opportunities. Depending on a customer's needs, Glenro can supply pollution abatement equipment such as regenerative thermal oxidizers, recuperative thermal oxidizers, and catalytic oxidizers integrated with process dryers and heat recovery systems in complete, turnkey processing packages.
To augment its pollution abatement line, Glenro introduced a new line of regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) earlier this year. Called Regenex™, this system combines high heat recovery and a compact package to achieve guaranteed VOC destruction efficiencies of 99 percent-plus. It can be used for low VOC concentration applications when catalyst systems cannot be used due to cost concerns, or when catalyst-destroying chemicals are in the solvent mixture. It can also be used when flexibility is needed to handle many products with different solvent mixtures running on the same line. Depending on the application, up to 95 percent of the combustion heat can be recovered and recycled.
The CMM Group (DePere, Wis.) also supplies both air pollution control systems and industrial web dryers. It provides custom-designed equipment with guaranteed VOC and/or HAP destruction efficiencies of up to 99 percent-plus. Sizes are available to treat exhaust process air streams from 3,000 scfm to 100,000-plus scfm. Again, depending on application parameters, primary heat recovery efficiencies of 80 to 95 percent can be achieved to significantly reduce energy costs.
VOCS IS A four-letter "word." So is cost. Package printers working with solvent-based inks must deal with these profanities on a continual basis—eliminating the emission of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and other air pollutants, while minimizing costs. It's a dual-edge sword that has gotten sharper over the past couple of years due to significantly higher energy costs.
VOCs, along with nitrous oxide (NOx), are detrimental to air quality because of the ozone that is produced when sunlight acts on these pollutants. Ozone is the primary component of smog, and since it is not emitted into the air by any specific sources, it must be controlled by eliminating the ingredients that produce it. This explains one of the reasons for the focus on VOCs and other hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).
Air pollution solution
Those companies in the business of providing solutions for eliminating VOCs in process air streams have long offered options and design features for reducing energy-related costs. However, during times of increasing energy bills, cost reduction opportunities get a renewed focus, and some companies can take advantage of the situation by being able to justify upgrades and/or new equipment installation that provide a good business return.
Jim Alamena of Glenro Inc. (Paterson, N.J.) says that companies like Glenro that also supply industrial dryers can take further advantage of cost reduction/energy recovery opportunities. Depending on a customer's needs, Glenro can supply pollution abatement equipment such as regenerative thermal oxidizers, recuperative thermal oxidizers, and catalytic oxidizers integrated with process dryers and heat recovery systems in complete, turnkey processing packages.
To augment its pollution abatement line, Glenro introduced a new line of regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) earlier this year. Called Regenex™, this system combines high heat recovery and a compact package to achieve guaranteed VOC destruction efficiencies of 99 percent-plus. It can be used for low VOC concentration applications when catalyst systems cannot be used due to cost concerns, or when catalyst-destroying chemicals are in the solvent mixture. It can also be used when flexibility is needed to handle many products with different solvent mixtures running on the same line. Depending on the application, up to 95 percent of the combustion heat can be recovered and recycled.
The CMM Group (DePere, Wis.) also supplies both air pollution control systems and industrial web dryers. It provides custom-designed equipment with guaranteed VOC and/or HAP destruction efficiencies of up to 99 percent-plus. Sizes are available to treat exhaust process air streams from 3,000 scfm to 100,000-plus scfm. Again, depending on application parameters, primary heat recovery efficiencies of 80 to 95 percent can be achieved to significantly reduce energy costs.
Companies Mentioned:
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