Problem
A major automotive component supplier needed to control the
emissions from its paint spray process. The plant emissions had
characteristics common to many paint spray plants: high air flow,
low volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration and particulate.
The company needed an emission control solution that had low
operating costs and that could also fit in their limited space.
System reliability was also a major design consideration; since the
company is a synchronized delivery partner to the automobile
industry, plant downtime or process delays result in expensive
fines.
Action
After an extensive technical evaluation of the proposed
technologies and equipment manufacturers, the customer chose Anguil
Environmental Systems to provide a turnkey solution for the VOC and
particulate emissions. Anguil recommended a Rotor Concentrator
coupled with a Thermal Oxidizer System to effectively process the
120,000 SCFM/190,000 Nm3/h of plant exhaust.
Solution
The cost of an emission control system is predominantly based on
the volume flow rate of air that needs to be treated. Emissions
from paint spray applications have historically been expensive to
control because the process requires large volumes of air to
maintain the quality of the painted products and to ensure
acceptable indoor air quality. Anguil's Rotor Concentrator
technology makes VOC emission control cost-effective because it
greatly reduces the air volume that needs to be processed by the
oxidizer.
In this case, the Rotor Concentrator reduces the flow rate of
process air that needs to be treated by a factor of 15, a major
consideration in the capital cost of the system. The high volume
airstream from the water wash paint booths and the curing ovens is
passed through the rotor concentrator wheel, where the VOCs are
adsorbed in the bed, purifying the high volume airstream. This high
volume air is then exhausted to atmosphere. The concentrator wheel
rotates continuously, transporting adsorbed VOCs into a desorption
section where they are desorbed a low volume heated airstream.
After being desorbed from the wheel, the air volume has been
reduced from 120,000 SCFM/190,000 Nm3/h to about 8,000 SCFM/12,700
Nm3/h and the VOC concentration of the air stream is increased to
about 4,500 ppmv. This low volume, high VOC-laden air is then
processed by the oxidizer. By isolating and treating only the
contaminated air, Anguil is able to provide a system with operating
costs far lower than alternative emission control systems.
Innovative technologies, like the rotor concentrator, are just
part of the solution Anguil provides. Anguil believes a complete
solution involves careful analysis of the emission-producing
process and engineering that is focused on the customer's specific
application. As always, Anguil worked closely with this customer to
identify and solve their key concerns.
System reliability was the first concern for this customer. The
plant is a Tier One supplier to the automotive industry and must
meet very stringent delivery deadline requirements. Failure to meet
a delivery schedule can result in fines of up to $30,000 a minute.
One of the reasons Anguil recommended the Rotor Concentrator system
is its highly reliable performance. Anguil took extra steps to
integrate the system into the existing process and engineered the
system with safety controls and advanced Programmable Logic
Controls (PLC) for trouble-free operation.
The next design consideration was the tight space restriction.
Due to a number of plant expansions, the facility had reached its
legal minimum of parking spaces, and nearby residential development
meant the company could not purchase additional land. Local zoning
restrictions also required the planned equipment to meet strict
noise limits. Therefore the emission control system had to be
designed with the smallest possible footprint and with low noise
generation. Anguil's customer-specific engineering accommodated the
unique space restrictions with a major advance in Rotor
Concentrator/Oxidizer system design. A vertical arrangement that
greatly reduces the unit's space requirements gave the system a
footprint that is 70% smaller than the space requirements for the
regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) proposed by several
competitors. Additionally, the design incorporated a number of
sound attenuation features to satisfy the low-level noise
requirements.
Another major concern was controlling the high level of
particulate in the paint spray exhaust. Particulate control was
necessary to protect the concentrator wheel and to satisfy the low
particulate emission limit. Anguil supplied a highly efficient
filtration system designed for simple, low-cost filter replacements
that can be easily changed out during scheduled maintenance.
Anguil's solution included a complete on-time turnkey
installation. The system was seamlessly integrated into the
existing process and is exceeding regulatory requirements. Anguil's
combination of proven application-specific engineering and
technologically advanced products has led to yet another satisfied
customer.