Patent ID: 8038957

Claim:
A catalytic oxidizer for the treatment of a hydrocarbon-air vapor mixture, comprising: a containment vessel having a bottom cover from which a cylindrical side wall extends vertically upward, said containment vessel being generally cylindrical in shape, a vertical longitudinal axis of said cylindrical containment vessel being generally perpendicular to the bottom cover of said containment vessel, said containment vessel having a top cover removably connected to said cylindrical side wall, said side wall, top cover and bottom cover defining a containment vessel interior, said side wall having an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface; a spiral plate heat exchanger coaxially positioned within the containment vessel interior; a heater assembly centrally positioned within said containment vessel interior; a catalyst chamber within said containment vessel interior and positioned between said spiral heat exchanger and said heater assembly, said catalyst chamber being packed with particulate catalyst; wherein said spiral plate heat exchanger, catalyst chamber, and heater assembly occupy successively smaller annular regions within said containment vessel; a plenum section, vertically disposed along the exterior sidewall surface, said plenum section providing conductive flow access for the hydrocarbon-air vapor mixture to the containment vessel interior, said plenum section comprising: a vertical exhaust plenum comprised of a vertical row of exhaust plenum apertures through the containment vessel side wall and providing fluid communication with an exhaust stack; and a vertical, parallel inlet plenum comprised of a row of inlet apertures through the containment vessel side wall interconnecting an input assembly with said spiral plate heat exchanger; and a plurality of essential flow pathways interconnecting said plenum section, heat exchanger, catalyst chamber and central heater.