CASE STUDY – Integrated VOC Collection System with Zeolite Concentration & Thermal Oxidation
December 9, 2025 1:48 pm
CASE STUDY: Integrated VOC Collection System with Zeolite Concentration & Thermal Oxidation
December 10, 2025
A Client Overview
A U.S. semiconductor manufacturing plant undergoing production expansion required a complete upgrade of its VOC control strategy. Increased solvent usage during cleaning, coating, and precision chemical processes generated VOC loads beyond the capacity of existing ducting and ventilation. The plant sought a system capable of high capture efficiency, controlled airflow, and regulatory assurance.
Ship & Shore Environmental engineered a full-scale abatement platform centered on a 25,000 SCFM zeolite concentrator feeding a 2,000 SCFM Direct-Fired Thermal Oxidizer (DFTO) to meet current VOC profiles and future expansion.
Challenges
- Variable emission rates due to batch production cycles
- Existing ducting unable to maintain balanced airflow
- Rising fuel demand from large untreated airflow volumes
- Low-NOx requirements and compliance tracking
- Need for modularity without redesigning the system later
Engineering Strategy
The design focused on optimized capture, reduced total airflow, and controlled concentration before oxidation.
Capture and Collection Design
Permanent total enclosures at solvent-based production lines created near zero fugitive loss. Custom hoods, access seals, and localized plenums maintained uniform capture during high-load events.
Airflow Segmentation
Process-zone separation eliminated cross-pull between wet and solvent zones. Balanced ducting minimized unnecessary volumes routed to the oxidizer.
Primary Abatement System
- DFTO sized at 2,000 SCFM for concentrated inlet gas
- 25,000 SCFM concentrator condensed large airflow into a manageable treated stream
- Typical 20:1 concentration ratio significantly lowered burner consumption
- Low-NOx system maintained clean exhaust quality
Control and Efficiency Features
- Variable-frequency blower drives scaled airflow to active tools
- Heat recovery design stabilized burner duty
- PLC-based logic tied treatment equipment to production status
- Remote monitoring tracked oxidizer temperature curves, VOC trends, pressure drops, and runtime hours
Delivered Outcomes
Commissioning results demonstrated measurable operational benefit:
- 95–99% VOC destruction efficiency verified through monitored temperature and residence time
- Capture efficiency approaching full containment in controlled enclosures
- Noticeable decrease in fuel usage due to reduced airflow treated at combustion temperature
- Compliance documentation automatically recorded through system data logs
- Designed expansion ports allowed additional production tools to be integrated with zero disruption
Conclusion
The case illustrates that effective collection engineering determines not only compliance but long-term operating cost. By lowering airflow at the source, concentrating it, then thermally oxidizing a reduced volume, Ship & Shore delivered a solution that remains scalable, energy-efficient, and robust for semiconductor-grade duty cycles. This configuration meets strict environmental expectations while providing a stable platform for future manufacturing capacity.
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📧 Email: service@shipandshore.com
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