CASE STUDY – Mastering Complex VOC Emissions

A flavor and fragrance ingredients manufacturer required an air pollution control system to treat VOC emissions generated from multiple batch production lines. Because production recipes changed frequently, both VOC concentration and exhaust composition varied significantly throughout operation.

To maintain environmental compliance, the facility required a reliable system capable of treating 35,000 Nm³/h while maintaining stable performance under fluctuating process conditions.

The Challenge

The exhaust stream contained oxygenated VOCs with trace acidic compounds and intermittent flammable solvent concentrations. Variable VOC loading reduced treatment stability, while acidic gases increased corrosion potential. The facility required a system capable of maintaining high destruction efficiency, protecting downstream equipment, and operating safely during startup, shutdown, and normal production.

The Solution

Ship & Shore Environmental designed a complete VOC abatement system integrating a caustic scrubber, three-chamber Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO), and activated carbon adsorption unit.

The caustic scrubber removes acidic and water-soluble contaminants before thermal treatment, improving equipment protection and process stability.

The three-chamber RTO processes 35,000 Nm³/h while achieving up to 99% VOC destruction efficiency with a minimum residence time of 0.75 seconds. Regenerative ceramic media recover thermal energy, reducing natural gas consumption while maintaining efficient oxidation.

An activated carbon unit provides temporary VOC control during startup, shutdown, and process transitions until the RTO reaches operating temperature.

For combustible VOC streams, the system incorporates continuous LEL monitoring, dilution air control, PLC interlocks, alarms, and automatic emergency shutdown.

Results

After commissioning, the system consistently met environmental requirements while maintaining reliable operation across changing batch processes.

Project benefits included:

• Up to 99% VOC destruction efficiency
• Stable operation during variable production
• Reduced corrosion through acid-gas pretreatment
• Improved process safety
• Reliable long-term compliance

Conclusion

Ship & Shore Environmental delivered a customized VOC control solution that combines pretreatment, regenerative thermal oxidation, activated carbon backup, and integrated safety controls into a single, dependable system. The result is efficient emissions control, improved operational reliability, and a flexible design capable of supporting future production requirements.