Catalytic Combustion Equipment

Catalytic combustion is a purification method that uses a catalyst to oxidize and decompose combustible substances in waste gases at lower temperatures. Therefore, catalytic combustion is also known as catalytic chemical conversion. Due to the acceleration of the oxidation and decomposition process by the catalyst, most hydrocarbons can be completely oxidized at temperatures between 300~450°C through the use of a catalyst. Catalytic combustion requires minimal auxiliary fuel, has low energy consumption, and occupies a small volume of equipment. However, issues such as catalyst poisoning, the replacement and cleaning of the catalytic bed, and high costs, have hindered the promotion and application of this method in industrial production processes. During the chemical reaction process, a method called catalytic combustion is used to lower the combustion temperature by utilizing a catalyst, accelerating the complete oxidation of toxic and harmful gases. Due to the carrier of the catalyst being made from porous materials, which have a large specific surface area and suitable pore size, when organic gases heated to 300~450℃ pass through the catalytic layer, oxygen and organic gases are adsorbed on the catalyst at the surface of the porous material, increasing the opportunities for contact and collision between oxygen and organic gases, enhancing activity, and causing a vigorous chemical reaction between the organic gases and oxygen to produce CO2 and H2O, while also generating heat. This transforms the organic gases into non-toxic and harmless gases. When designing a catalytic combustion unit, the following aspects should be considered: 1. Uniform air flow and temperature distribution. To ensure even air flow and temperature distribution over the catalyst surface and to prevent direct flame contact with the catalyst, the combustion chamber must be of sufficient length and space. The catalytic combustion unit should have good thermal insulation properties. The furnace body is typically lined with refractory material inside a steel structure shell, or a double-walled structure is used. 2. Easy to clean and replace. Catalyst reactors should generally be designed with easy-to-load/unload drawer structures for convenient cleaning and replacement of the catalyst carrier. 3. Auxiliary Fuel and Combustion Aids. Catalytic combustion typically uses natural gas as auxiliary fuel, but can also employ fuel oil, electric heating, etc. as auxiliary fuel. Combustion aids usually involve purified gases; if purified gases are not suitable for combustion aid, air should be introduced to assist. 4. High conversion rate. As catalytic combustion is an irreversible exothermic reaction, it should be conducted at the highest possible temperature at any stage of the reaction to achieve a high conversion rate. However, the operating temperature is often limited by certain conditions, such as the heat resistance of the catalyst, the availability of high-temperature materials, the supply of thermal energy, and the presence of side reactions. Therefore, in actual production, it is appropriate to select the operating conditions according to the specific situation.