A Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) is an industrial system that destroys volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) in process exhaust air before it pollutes the environment. Historically, RTO’s have been used extensively in industries producing a high waste stream containing low VOC concentrations such as paint manufacturing, printing and food processing, among others.
How an RTO Works at a Glance
While the process itself is rather complex, at a high level, Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers force process exhaust fumes in one direction over a passive heat exchanger, sending a stream of clean (cooled) air through the exhaust stack out to the atmosphere.
Typical applications range from chemical processing, surface coating, wood finishing, heat set printing and more. RTO’s destroy air pollutants at temperatures ranging from 815 °C (1,500 F) to 980°C (1,800 F).
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