Solution
VOC Catalytic Oxidation
Catalytic oxidation destroys VOCs at 220–600°C — far below thermal oxidation — using honeycomb catalysts that suit medium-to-high concentration streams.
Typical flow path
VOC exhaust
Pretreatment / filtration
Preheating
Catalyst bed
Heat recovery
Clean gas discharge
Typical VOC components
Benzene, toluene, xylene, alcohols, ketones, esters, ethers, aldehydes and general hydrocarbons are typical oxidation targets.
Catalyst selection
| Condition | Candidate technology |
|---|---|
| Standard VOC streams | Pt / Pd honeycomb catalyst |
| Lower light-off temperature required | Pt-Pd bimetallic catalyst |
| Some chlorine-containing streams | Non-precious-metal catalyst, subject to testing |
| Low concentration, high flow | Zeolite adsorption concentration + catalytic oxidation |
| High temperature flue gas | Selected by catalyst temperature rating |
| High humidity | Water-resistance verification required |
| High SO₂ | Sulfur-resistance verification required |
Design considerations
Catalyst volume is determined by VOC load, space velocity (typically 10,000–20,000 h⁻¹) and target conversion. Heat recovery from the exothermic oxidation reaction reduces operating cost.
Engineering notes
A VOC catalytic oxidation project starts with the species list. The total VOC number tells you the heat balance; the species list tells you the catalyst chemistry and the deactivation risks. Silicones, halogens and heavy metals are the showstoppers that must be screened before committing to catalytic oxidation.
For clean streams in the 1–4 g/Nm³ range, the reaction exotherm covers preheating at steady state, and regenerative heat recovery (RCO) drives fuel consumption close to zero. The design check is the adiabatic temperature rise at the maximum concentration — it must stay inside the catalyst's safe window.
Discuss your gas conditions
Share your flow rate, concentration, temperature and composition — we will recommend the right material system.