Again, the most effective destruction of HAPs and VOC s is accomplished by oxidation. At the heart of most pollution control technologies is a concept we all learned in our early chemistry classes. Add the right amount of heat and oxygen to hydrocarbons and you create oxidation. In the thermal oxidation process, the contaminated air is heated, breaking apart the contaminated compounds. The compounds will reform naturally, bonding into the harmless compounds of carbon dioxide and water vapor and releasing energy.
Thermal oxidation requires high temperatures to break apart the compounds.
The large amounts of fuel needed to maintain high temperatures can be expensive. Different pollution control technologies help reduce the long-term costs of the equipment. Catalysts , for example, react and oxidize the VOC s at a lower temperature, meaning less fuel and lower costs. Temperature, Time and Turbulence. Based on the VOC s that need to be destroyed there is a temperature at which the compounds can be oxidized.