SABIC UK plant targets VOC emissions

Teesside, UK - SABIC UK Petrochemicals’ 400,000tpa LDPE plant at the Wilton International Site on Teesside -one of the world’s largest single stream LDPE production plants - is to use a Regenerative Thermal Oxidation system (RTO) to remove VOCs in the process gases from the plant’s dryer system and six storage silos.

Cambridge-based air pollution company AirProtekt is providing the complete VOC emission control solution by supplying a 5-bed Roxitherm RTK 70 Regenerative Thermal Oxidation system (RTO) from Lufttechnik Bayreuth (LTB) of Germany, which has installed more than 200 RTO systems across Europe. The system is being tailored to comply with the LDPE processor’s specific emission regulation requirements.

The new RTO system is designed to combine very high thermal efficiencies (up to 97 percent) and while minimising operating costs. The system is capable of treating high volumes of exhaust gases and is able to handle exhaust air flowrates up to 73.500 Nm³/h at 50°C.

The RTK 70’s high temperature operation is capable of achieving more than 99% VOC destruction efficiency. A purge system is featured to prevent emissions of untreated VOCs during the valve operating cycle.  AirProtekt’s package embraces process assessment, project design, supply of the air pollution equipment, installation and commissioning. The air pollution specialist also provides a complete after sales service.

Trevor Lawton, AirProtekt’s managing director said: “This application highlights our engineering expertise which enabled us to offer the plant’s main contractor, Simon Carves, a competitively priced project solution with a design flexibility that enabled a large RTO system to be efficiently packaged to maximise the potential of the limited available space.”