USE
What is an COV (Volatile Organic Component)
A volatile organic component is a component which contains at least one element of carbon and one or more of hydrogen, halogen, oxygen, sulphur, phosphorous, silicum and nitrogen.
The main COVs:
. butane
. propane
. alcohols
. ketones
. certain solvants in paint
Chlorine solvents
They are pollutants which encourage destruction of the ozone layer.

The Ministerial decree of 2nd February 1998 modified by the Ministerial decree of 29 May 2000, imposes objectives for the reduction of COV emissions for all industrial sectors which use these products.

The processing of COV waste involves two things:
1° Capturing the source of the pollution
2° Elimination procedures.

Equipment PRINCIPLE
The study of capturing and transporting the pollutant must take into careful consideration the production and maintenance concerns for the equipment involved.

For the maximum reduction of the different pollutants, the processing can be divided into 3 main procedures, after careful study of the pollutants and after analysis by our services.

1) Processing with absorption over an activated carbon bed.
This simple method involves passing the pollutant over an activated carbon bed, the carbon absorbing and treating the pollutant.
2) Bio-purification, passing the pollutant over a bed of micro-organisms, the pollutant being destroyed by bacteria.
3) Destruction by incineration including 3 systemes of possible processing:
- Oxidation at very high temperature (600 to 1000°C)
- Catalytic oxidation, at a lower temperature (300 to 600°C)
- Regenrative oxidation, where the pollutants pass over several beds of inert material, collecting the reaction heat.

These different systems are to be investigated according with the results of the pollutant analysis, the quantities to be treated, the resources implemented and the particularities of each site.