AM Monday – Ceramic Media; The Thermal Engine of an RTO

AM Mondays: Ceramic Media – The Thermal Engine of an RTO

February 16, 2026

Ceramic media is the core thermal storage mechanism of a Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer. Its purpose is to absorb heat from treated exhaust and release it back into incoming process air, allowing the RTO to maintain destruction efficiencies above 99% while minimizing supplemental fuel demand. When ceramic media performs as designed, the system operates efficiently and predictably. When it degrades, the RTO compensates often invisibly and expensively.
Ceramic media is continuously exposed to high temperatures, thermal cycling, particulate loading, and chemical contaminants. Over time, media can become fouled, cracked, or unevenly settled within the beds. These conditions disrupt airflow distribution and reduce effective heat transfer surface area. Because these changes develop gradually, they are rarely detected through standard operating alarms.

Challenges:

Early symptoms include rising pressure drop across the beds, uneven temperature profiles, increased fan load, and higher burner firing rates. As heat recovery efficiency declines, burners must supply more energy to maintain oxidation temperature, driving up fuel consumption. Uneven airflow also places additional stress on switching valves and refractory surfaces. Left uncorrected, degraded media reduces overall system efficiency, increases operating costs, and shortens the service life of multiple RTO components.

Solutions by Ship & Shore Environmental:

Ship & Shore Environmental (SSE) provides comprehensive ceramic media evaluation and optimization services. SSE technicians perform thermal profiling, airflow analysis, vibration assessment, and visual inspection to identify fouling, settling, or damaged sections within the beds. Rather than defaulting to full replacement, SSE applies targeted media replacement and rebalancing strategies to restore uniform packing density and heat transfer efficiency. Maintenance recommendations are tailored to process conditions and operating history.

Results:

Restored ceramic media performance improves heat recovery, stabilizes temperature profiles, and reduces burner demand. Facilities experience lower fuel consumption, improved system balance, and extended component life. SSE’s media optimization services help maintain consistent destruction efficiency, reduce unplanned downtime, and protect long-term RTO reliability while avoiding unnecessary capital expense.

Contact us at +1 (562) 997-0233 or email service@shipandshore.com for more information. For urgent oxidizer emergencies, text or call +1 (562) 477-7557 or +1 (562) 400-4439.