ABSTRACT
Thermal oxidation is a high temperature process. Energy is required to produce this temperature. It can be produced by the volatile organic compounds oxidation reactions themselves, auxiliary fuel combustion, or a combination of both. Heat recovery can be classified into two general categories: recuperative and regenerative. In recuperative systems, the heat from the thermal oxidation process exchanges heat via indirect contact with another fluid on a real-time basis. When using a heat exchanger for recuperative heat recovery, the designer of the thermal oxidation system must account for the additional pressure drop through the system. In most instances, the casing of the heat exchanger must include a refractory lining, just as in the thermal oxidizer. One of the terms in the calculation of the overall heat transfer coefficient is the fouling resistance. Fouling can be caused by particulate in the gas stream or condensation of low boiling point organics in the waste stream.
