Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer operation process

                   Elevation Diagram of Rotary RTO                                               Schematic Diagram of Rotary  RTO Regenerative Chamber Status

Stage 1:
When Zones 2–6 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed are in an inlet condition, the supply fan delivers waste gas to the rotary valve. The rotary valve distributes the flow upward through the heat media bed. During this process, the waste gas is preheated to about 750 °C before entering the combustion chamber at the top. There, it undergoes oxidation and decomposition. The decomposed, clean, high-temperature flue gas then flows downward through Zones 8–12 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed. It transfers and stores heat in the media and then discharges it to the stack via the rotary valve. Meanwhile, Zone 1 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed is in purge condition. The purge fan extracts purified flue gas or fresh air that sweeps upward through the voids of the heat storage media. This removes residual waste gas, ensuring complete decomposition in the combustion chamber. After purging, this chamber is converted to an outlet chamber. Zone 7 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed serves as an isolation between the inlet and outlet streams.

Stage 2:
With the continuous rotation of the rotary valve at a uniform speed, the supply fan delivers waste gas to Zones 3–7 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed. The gas passes upward through the heat media bed, is preheated to approximately 750 °C, and enters the top combustion chamber for oxidation and decomposition. The resulting clean high-temperature flue gas then flows downward through Zones 9–1 of the regenerative chamber fixed bed, transferring and storing heat in the media, and is subsequently discharged to the stack via the rotary valve. Zone 2 switches from inlet to purge condition, where the purge fan extracts purified flue gas or fresh air to sweep upward through the voids of the regenerative bed, removing residual waste gas and ensuring complete decomposition in the combustion chamber. Zone 8 switches from outlet to isolation mode.

With the steady rotation of the rotary distribution valve, the twelve fixed beds of the regenerative chamber sequentially enter Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, and so forth, allowing each chamber to operate cyclically in inlet → purge → outlet → isolation mode in continuous operation. The rotary valve operates at a speed of 120 s/r, so that each regenerative bed undergoes a “heat storage–heat release” cycle approximately every 50 seconds.