Chemical Engineering January 2018 - 51

ated by the thermal oxidizer to use
in generating steam or other costsaving
applications.
Handling challenging components.
Other product-selection
decisions revolve around the type
of process gas being handled.
Corrosive components, such as
hydrogen sulfide and halogenated
compounds, demand systems capable
of safely disposing of these
components. Typically, once the
concentration of any of these compounds
reaches a certain level, the
safest and most effective way of
destroying them is through specially
designed direct-fired thermal oxidizers.
Other combustion systems
are either sensitive to the presence
of these chemicals, such as catalytic
thermal oxidizers and regenerative
thermal oxidizers, or they
are not suitable for handling more
dangerous chemicals, such as with
enclosed flares and combustors.
Direct-fired thermal oxidizers must
be designed to handle these chemicals,
especially in the selection of
the refractory media. For hydrogen
sulfide, a ceramic-fiber blanket
can be used, but the oxidizer
should employ a hot-shell design
to prevent acid gas condensation.
For this design, a wind shield is installed
outside of the oxidizer shell
to prevent wind or rain from cooling
the surface of the chamber. This
prevents the sulfur dioxide and sulfur
trioxide that is produced by the
combustion process from condensing
into sulfurous and sulfuric acids.
For halogenated compounds, a
high-grade refractory media that is
high in alumina and can withstand
the corrosive products of combustion
must be used
With all the different factors that
can influence the selection of an enclosed
combustion system, it can
be difficult to determine where to
start. In general, the decision factors
should prioritize process-gas
composition, followed by emissions,
and finally fuel efficiency and capital
costs. Following these priorities ensures
that the equipment selected
provides the required performance
at the least capital and operational
costs. Proper selection requires that
these factors be researched and
determined in advance to ensure
that the expectations for the equipment
are in line with the operational
requirements. Armed with this information,
the descriptions in this
article can provide a starting point
for equipment selection to ensure
that the final decision achieves the
requirements for the application. ■
Edited by Mary Page Bailey
Author
Anu D. Vij is chief operating officer
(COO) of Ship & Shore Environmental
Inc. (2474 N. Palm
Drive,
Signal Hill, CA 90755;
Phone: (562) 997-0233; Website:
www.shipandshore.com). Vij has
over twenty years of experience in
the environmental, chemical, petrochemical
and air-pollution-control
industries, and has specific
expertise in thermal oxidation technologies. As COO at
Ship & Shore, he oversees several business units, including
Sales, Finance, Engineering, Project Management,
Procurement, Production and Services. Prior to
joining Ship & Shore, Vij served as vice president, enclosed
combustion systems at Aereon and was director
of engineering at OnQuest Inc. Vij holds a M.S.Ch.E.
from the University of Southern California and a
B.S.Ch.E. from Panjab University in India.
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Chemical Engineering January 2018

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