Air Pollution Control Specs

Published: February 01, 2003, By Charles M. Martinson, The CMM Group LLC

To design an air pollution-control system that meets your company's needs, the proper information must be supplied.

As the full effect of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments continue to impact today's industry, many companies will be required to install new or additional air pollution-control equipment. With more than 25 years of proven success in a variety of industries, catalytic and thermal oxidation has become a popular method for controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions.

These air pollution-control systems destroy harmful VOCs and air toxic pollutants contained in process exhaust fumes at elevated temperatures. The methods used (catalytic or thermal oxidation) assure complete VOC/HAP destruction. Today's energy efficient air pollution control systems utilize high-efficiency heat exchangers to preheat incoming exhaust fumes, thus further reducing operating costs.

A Specification Checklist
Once a decision has been reached to purchase an air pollution control system, the company should select several experienced vendors and provide them with specific design specifications and details that can be used as a basis for preparing formal proposals.

When requesting a proposal from a system manufacturer, it's best if the following information is made available:

• Describe the type of production process emitting the VOC and/or HAP to be controlled.

  If possible, include a rough sketch of the building floor plan showing the location of all pertinent production equipment.

• Provide the geographical location (and elevation level if known) where the system will be installed.

  Both the outdoor climate (surface finishes/types of dampers, etc.) and the elevation (fan sizing) could have an effect on system design.

• Estimate the number of hours per day the system will be operated.

  The heat exchanger efficiency, chamber design, etc., could change depending upon the operation hours required.

• List the total number of different emission points (exhaust stacks) to be controlled by the air pollution control system.

  A process control/bypass tee-damper may be required at each emission point. The system's electrical control design also will change depending upon the number of dampers to be controlled.

• List the exhaust rates and temperatures for each individual emission point.

  The exhaust rates are important for sizing the unit, but also are used to size the ductwork and dampers. The temperature is used to calculate estimated operating costs and to determine the necessity for ductwork insulation.

• Describe the type of heat source used for any dryers/ovens that are to be controlled.

  If the heat source for process dryers or ovens are gas-fired burners, there are NFPA regulations that determine the method of purging and damper control. If the heat source is by steam or hot oil, process control/bypass tee-dampers may not be required at each stack.

• List the solvent types and quantity being used.

  In addition to affecting the choice of catalyst used in catalytic units, solvent type and quantity will affect the VOC destruction efficiencies, the heat exchanger efficiency, the internal materials of construction, and the estimated operating costs.

• Provide the type, cost, and line pressure of supplemental fuel available.

  The fuel type available (natural gas, propane, etc.) and the line pressure are used to determine the burner and fuel train design. The fuel cost is used to calculate the estimated operating costs.

• Provide the electrical voltage and available power cost.

  The voltage available determines the type of electronics that are used. The power cost is used to calculate the estimated operating costs.

• Describe the physical location of the air pollution control system installation.

  The actual location determines whether a concrete equipment pad or steel support structure is required. Also, if possible, provide specific site installation plans such as duct run length, exhaust stack height, and gas piping length required.

• Indicate the percent of VOC/HAP destruction efficiency required.

  The destruction efficiency percentage required will determine the amount of catalyst needed (in catalytic models) as well as the operating temperature in either technology.

• List any catalyst masking or poisoning agents that could be present in the air stream.

  Compounds such as silicones, phosphorus, heavy metals, halogen, sulfur, and any particulates could be of concern and should be identified. A catalytic oxidizer can be designed to handle various levels of most compounds if they can be quantified by the user.

Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to understand the bona fide differences between one air pollution-control system manufacturer's offerings and another's. When evaluating a system for purchase, there really isn't any product testing that can be done for review, so purchasing decisions typically are made by relying on the vendor's credibility and on the assembled design data. The more thorough and precise your company can be in providing operating and design criteria, the more likely your project will culminate with an air pollution control system that will meet your individual needs and provide many years of trouble-free service.

Charles M. Martinson is president of The CMM Group LLC, DePere, WI. He has been involved in the design, fabrication, sale, and installation of air pollution-control systems for more than 15 years. The company manufactures custom-designed systems and provides emergency field service, preventive maintenance programs, engineering services, system retrofits and rebuilds, turnkey installation, and spare parts for all makes and models. The CMM Group can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone 920/336-9800.

The views and opinions expressed in Technical Reports are those of the author(s), not those of the editors of PFFC. Please address comments to author(s).