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Dow's Intention to Buy FTO Brightens Thermatrix's Prospects
Edited By Paul Hersch
Published: Pollution Online: Feb 10, 2000
Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, MI) and Thermatrix Inc. (Knoxville, TN) have signed a letter of intent covering the design and construction of multiple Thermatrix flameless thermal oxidizer (FTO) units at Dow plant sites. Thermatrix, which was allowed to continue operations under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Feb. 3, will submit its final agreement with Dow to bankruptcy court for approval.
The company said the agreement should help remove the uncertainty surrounding its financing and is therefore significant.
The company also announced the resignation of company Chairman/President/CEO John T. Schofield. Stepping in as president is XVP/CFO Daniel S. Tedone, a 20-yr industry veteran, who will manage the company's operations and restructuring. Frank R. Pope, a long-time Thermatrix director and managing director of Critical Resources (San Francisco, CA), becomes chairman/CEO. He will assist in the restructuring.
According to Thermatrix, Dow will use FTO as an alternative to incineration in a proprietary recovery process associated with a major capital-investment program. Thermatrix has already begun design of the first FTO unit ordered under the agreement and says Dow currently is considering a second order.
Thermatrix flameless thermal-oxidation installation
Dow's order reportedly is the largest system that Thermatrix has supplied since it commercialized FTO seven years ago. In use at more than 100 installations worldwide, FTO uses pollutant gas as fuel to maintain oxidation of the pollutant in an inert ceramic bed.
FTO systems reputedly produce a uniform and stationary oxidation zone perpendicular to the flow of the contaminated air streams. The design takes advantage of heat-transfer properties to ensure that all reactants pass through this highly reactive region.
Thermatrix said that field tests show FTO destroys VOCs and HAPs efficiently, quickly, safely, reliably, and cost-effectively.
In addition to FTO, Thermatrix provides other air pollution control solutions and a broad range of engineered products and services. It also seeks to use FTO technology to treat emissions from mobile and stationary diesel engines.
Contact: Thermatrix Inc., Daniel S. Tedone, president, 308 North Peters Rd, Suite 100, Knoxville, TN 37922. Tel: 423- 539-9603 X3207; Fax: 423-539-9643.
The previous news item was adapted from one prepared by Managing Editor Alan S. Brown of Chemical Online, a sister site to Pollution Online within the VerticalNet family of e-commerce sites.
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