Rejuvenation of industrial air pollution control catalysts

Catalytic destruction of volatile organic compounds is an effective means of complying with air emission standards. Capital equipment cost of a catalytic reactor is similar to a comparable thermal incinerator, but operating costs are generally much lower. Extended catalyst life is an important consideration in further reducing operating cost of catalytic systems. Perhaps the most important element in extending catalyst life is proper maintenance of the catalyst bed. Many catalytic reactors will perform well for ten years or longer with no loss in destruction efficiency. Others may become less effective in a few years due to contaminants in the emission stream. Replacement cost of contaminated catalyst beds can be of tens of thousands of dollar per cubic meter. However, a more cost effective alternative is available. Chemical rejuvenation of contaminated catalyst may cost one tenth that of replacement. Usually, catalyst beds can be returned to better than ninety-five percent of their original design performance by the rejuvenation process. This presentation will discuss catalyst deactivation and the benefits of chemical rejuvenation.