EQUIPMENT Emission control Emission control technologies for carbon fibre processing Carbon fibre and graphite reinforced polymers are materials that have been, and will be, revolutionizing the products we use every day by making them stronger, lighter and more durable. However, the manufacturing process can have serious environmental ramifications and immediate danger to human health if careful consideration is not given to emission control at the production phase of these materials. carbon fibre company in the Peoples Republic of China was faced with this challenge while designing a new facility and process line for their specialty fibre products. Company officials knew they would need a pollution control device that not only met the local regulations but also protected their employees and heavily populated neighbourhood. The new line would include a furnace and oven with the potential to discharge significant levels of carbon monoxide (CO), ammonia (NH3) and lethal amounts of hydrogen cyanide (HCN). A Emission-laden process gas enters the RTO through an inlet manifold to flow control, poppet valves that direct this gas into energy recovery chambers where it is preheated. The process gas and contaminants are progressively heated in the ceramic media beds as they move toward the combustion chamber. Once oxidized in the combustion chamber, the hot purified air releases thermal energy as it passes through the media bed in the outlet flow direction. The outlet bed is heated and the gas is cooled so that the stack temperature is only slightly higher than the process inlet temperature. Poppet valves alternate the airflow direction into the media beds to maximize energy recovery within the oxidizer – up to 97% heat recovery is possible. The high energy recovery within these oxidizers reduces the auxiliary fuel requirement and Technologies There are two primary pollution control technologies used downstream of the ovens and furnaces at carbon fibre processing plants. The industry has historically used DFTOs (direct fired thermal oxidizers) for emission control. While the technology is fairly dependable and effective, these oxidizers consume a considerable amount of auxiliary fuel to maintain temperatures above 815°C and ensure all the organics get combusted. A newer, more fuel-efficient technology called the RTO (regenerative thermal oxidizer) is now being used in this application where it was once thought impossible. The RTO is capable of 9899%+ destruction efficiency with very low operating costs compared with other emission abatement technologies. Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) 12 jec composites magazine / No57 May 2010