Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer Petrochemical Project Case

Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer Project Background

 Guangzhou Petrochemical is a joint entity comprising the Guangzhou Branch of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and the Guangzhou Branch of Sinopec Asset Management Co., Ltd. Its predecessor, Guangzhou Petrochemical Complex, was established on June 18, 1973. The current plant site covers an area of 4.45 million square meters and houses over 60 major production units. It is a crucial processing base for imported crude oil in South China and a production base for National VI standard clean fuels. Its main petroleum products include 60 varieties such as gasoline, diesel, aviation kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); its chemical products include 70 varieties across three major categories: polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene.

Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer of Guangzhou Petrochemical continuously implements upgrades to its oil product quality, placing it at the forefront of the petrochemical industry. It persistently pursues the construction of environmental protection facilities and environmental governance, forging a path of sustainable development characterized by high technological content, low resource consumption, and minimal environmental pollution.

Waste Gas Source

The waste gas from the chemical zone's wastewater treatment plant at the Guangzhou Branch of Sinopec primarily originates from harmful gases generated by the respiration and fermentation of anaerobic and aerobic microorganisms during wastewater treatment, as well as Volatile Organic Pollutants escaping from the sewage itself. The main pollutants in the waste gas include non-methane total hydrocarbons (NMHC), benzene, toluene, xylene, and hydrogen sulfide. The waste gas is at ambient temperature and pressure. The project handles a waste gas volume of 15,000 Nm³/h, with a concentration ranging from approximately 400 to 1000 mg/Nm³.

Design Solution

For the Guangzhou Petrochemical M22/550902 Waste Gas Treatment Rotary Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer Equipment Procurement Project (Equipment ID: 20240621-M), the technical route adopted was "Buffer Mixing/Dehydration + RTO" to treat VOCs emanating from the wastewater treatment tanks. Following a technical selection process, the third-generation technology product – the Rotary Valve RTO – was ultimately chosen.

Operational Status

The regenerative thermal oxidizer project was successfully commissioned on October 5, 2025, with a single startup. Analysis of its operational performance reveals the following:

1. Purification Efficiency: Achieves a peak efficiency of up to 99.7%, with long-term, stable emissions readings from the stack outlet consistently below 10 mg/m³.

2. Thermal Efficiency: Reaches as high as 96.6%.

3. Energy Savings: Exhibits a small temperature differential between the RTO inlet and outlet, indicating high energy efficiency.

4. Operational Reliability: The RTO unit operates stably and reliably, offers convenient maintenance, features high automation, and demonstrates strong operability.