Investigation into the Use of Low Temperature Catalytic Oxidation for the Control of Volatile Organic Compounds Released from Forest Product Industry Operations

The release of volatile organic air emissions from pulping and papermaking operations is coming under increased scrutiny with the promulgation of the Cluster Rules by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on November 14, 1997. Catalytic oxidation is a technology for controlling this type of emission in other industries. This research project investigates a variety of catalysts to determinewhat conditions are necessary to control the emissions for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from pulp and paper operations, as well as from lumber drying kilns. A platinized alumina catalyst can reduce methanol concentrations by 99% at a temperature of 150 deg. C. Destruction of methyl sulfide and methanol has been achieved using a cobalt molybdate catalyst at a temperature of 250 deg. C. Whilefield tests using actual mill emissions to determine the effect of other constituents in the air streams will be critical to ensure success, these results suggest that VOC emissions may be significantly reduced at conditions much more moderate than those required by thermal incineration.