Catalytic Oxidizers Vary in Design & Quality

A common misconception is that you've seen one catalytic oxidizer for air pollution, you've seen them all.  The reality is these systems can vary greatly. 

In most cases, a control system automatically unlocks the process, energizes the blowers, and purges the system with fresh air prior to igniting the burner and bringing the system up to its optimum operating temperature. Once heated, the air stream laden with VOCs enters the oxidizer's mixing chamber. It's best that a thorough mixing occurs to insure temperature uniformity.

Certain basics do apply for all catalytic oxidizers. In general, the catalytic treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other air pollutants,  happens over a customized precious metal catalyst bed withing the combustion chamber. During the oxidation process the harmful compounds are broken down to carbon dioxide, water vapor, and usable heat. These relatively harmless byproducts are often released into the atmosphere and the thermal energy can be recovered in attempt to lower the costs of operation. Although the cost of the catalyst and handling can be a downside, the use of catalytic oxidizers results in lower operational costs than standard thermal oxidation processes as the catalyst allows for a chemical breakdown at a lower temperature.