5/2/22, 10:27 AM Catalytic oxidizer rates for PA plant emissions reduction

News | August 28, 2000

Catalytic oxidizer rates for PA plant emissions reduction

PA plants have special emission-control needs.

By Degussa-HüIs Corp.

The off-gas from a phthalic anhydride (PA) manufacturing plant contains carbon monoxide, PA, maleic anhydride
(MA), several by-products, and sometimes sulfur dioxide. (Sulfur dioxide is used to stabilize the catalyst and
enhance its activity during oxidation of the feedstock.)

The PA off-gas typically has a volumetric flow rate in the range of 40,000 to 160,000 Nm3/hr (23,500 to 94,000 scfm), and a
temperature of 140 to 160°C. The emission limits in Europe for the compounds found in PA off-gas are <100mg/Nm3 CO and <20
mg/Nm3 hydrocarbons. Thus the PA off-gas prior to venting to atmosphere must be treated for removal of most of the pollutants.

Gas-cleaning options
Cleaning of these vent gases can be performed using various abatement technologies—for example, absorption, adsorption, thermal
incineration, and catalytic incineration.

Absorption techniques, such as caustic scrubbing, generate a liquid waste stream, requiring disposal. Also, the emission limit for CO can
be difficult to reach, since CO will not react with caustic solution.

Carbon adsorption is the preferred method for streams containing valuable and recoverable chemicals, since the technique captures—
rather than destroys—pollutants.

However, the removal efficiency of a carbon-adsorption bed diminishes with small pollutant concentration, higher stream temperature,
and high moisture content. Moreover, carbon adsorption is challenged to meet remove CO to reach emission limit.

Thermal and catalytic oxidation. The stringent emission limits for various compounds, including CO and hydrocarbons, can be met
through thermal and catalytic incineration.

Thermal incineration operates at high temperature (800 to 1,000°C), which generates NOx; also high fuel consumption aggravates NOx
production.

Catalytic oxidizers, however, operate at inlet temperatures to the catalyst bed of 200 to 400°C, thereby cutting the required fuel load by
up to 50%. The addition of a gas-to-gas heat exchanger, allow for a reduced fuel load (to the minimum for stable process control). The
burner is then a secondary element of the plant, being used for heating the catalyst bed during plant start-up, but being idle during
normal operation.

Two ways better

The amount of NOx produced by a catalytic oxidizer is less than that produced by a thermal incinerator because of the lower operating
temperature and the reduced fired fuel.

The quantity of CO2 emitted also is reduced because of the reduced fuel use. However, catalytic oxidation with its low operating
temperature causes no concern about high CO emissions because CO is readily oxidized across the catalyst bed.

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5/2/22, 10:27 AM Catalytic oxidizer rates for PA plant emissions reduction

Thus, catalytic incineration is the best choice for PA off-gas abatement.

For more information: Sivento Division, Chemical Catalysts, 65 Challenger Rd., Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660. Tel: 800-422-8773. Fax:
201-641-6708.

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