Industry
VOC Control Materials for the Chemical Industry
Emission problems, pollutants, operating conditions and recommended materials for the chemical sector.
Typical emission problems
- VOC emissions from reactors, dryers and vents
- Varying solvent compositions between batches
- Humidity and acid gases in some streams
Main pollutants
- VOCs (solvents)
- Acid gases
- Moisture
Operating conditions
Chemical exhaust composition follows the process — batch operations produce concentration swings. Material selection starts from the solvent list and temperature/humidity profile.
Recommended material selection
- Pt-Pd VOC catalysts for mixed solvent oxidation
- Zeolite adsorption concentration for dilute streams
- Activated carbon for solvent recovery applications
Engineering considerations
Chemical process exhaust spans an enormous range — from dilute, nearly clean vents to concentrated streams that are close to flammability limits. Concentration determines the technology zone: below roughly 1 g/Nm³ adsorption economics dominate, 1–4 g/Nm³ is the catalytic oxidation sweet spot, and above that thermal oxidation or oxidation with heat recovery takes over.
Halogenated and sulfur-containing VOCs require either upstream scrubbing or dedicated catalyst formulations; siloxanes and heavy metals must be excluded before a catalytic unit. Where the species list is unknown, we recommend a measurement campaign before committing to a system.
Batch operations add a cold-start dimension: the catalyst must light off quickly each campaign, so pre-heating and light-off margin are part of the design basis.
Tell us about your stream
Gas flow, concentration, temperature, humidity, SO₂ and dust — we will recommend the right catalyst or adsorbent system.