MEGTEC’s Dual-Dry® RTO dryer with integrated oxidizer lowers gas consumption and emissions by 50%

MEGTEC’s Dual-Dry® RTO dryer with integrated oxidizer lowers gas consumption and emissions by 50%

De Pere, Wis., U.S.A., February 10, 2008—MEGTEC Systems announces the first installation of its new Dual-Dry® RTO drying system with integrated Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) on an 80-page press with web width of 2250 mm.

"Continuously rising energy prices and more stringent environmental requirements in combination with wider and faster webs demand different technology for profitable operation of modern high volume offset heatset presses" said Andy Keil, director of marketing and product development of MEGTEC’s Printing Products Group. "Since the 1990’s, independent regenerative pollution control systems have replaced recuperative technology in web offset printing. At the same time, dryers with integrated oxidiser were developed for many applications. MEGTEC combined both industry trends in the design of the Dual-Dry® RTO. The Dual-Dry® RTO completely redefines the standards for heatset performance in energy consumption, environmental footprint, product quality and lifetime operating costs."

With the integration of regenerative thermal oxidation (RTO) for air pollution compliance combined with an ultra high 95% efficiency heat exchanger, the Dual-Dry® RTO is the most fuel-efficient print dryer in the world. Under many production conditions, the RTO supplies all the energy required for both, oxidation and drying, leading to zero fuel consumption. In average production conditions, the Dual-Dry® RTO reduces gas consumption by 50% compared to the best-in-market recuperative systems.

With RTO technology, ink solvent is burned at a combustion temperature about 100°C above the temperature required by recuperative systems. Result is a reduction of NOx and CO guaranteed emissions by 50% without negative impact on the lifetime of the oxidizer. CO2 emissions are reduced under all printing conditions as well and make the Dual-Dry® RTO the most environmentally friendly dryer in the world.

Engineered to meet the growing demand for wider web formats, the Dual-Dry® RTO is designed for high-volume offset presses of 48, 64, 72 80 and 96 pages and is available in 2 different lengths for different speeds up to 18 m/s.

The first Dual-Dry RTO with the new design for large presses will be installed at Leykam in Austria in March 2008, on a MAN Roland 80-page Lithoman press with a maximum web width of 2,250 mm together with the new DLC 6000 paster from MEGTEC.

MEGTEC Systems is the largest independent supplier of pasters and splicers, dryers and related equipment to the newspaper and commercial printing industries.

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ADD ONE, MEGTEC Dual-Dry® RTO

Low cost transport & simple installation

With increasing web widths, the physical size and weight of the dryer increases to a point where transport costs and transport permissions become real issues. On the other hand a mechanical installation at the printing plant is not advantageous for cost and time reasons. By splitting dryer and oxidizer into two compact units of about the same weight, the new Dual-Dry RTO becomes easily transportable, even up to 2860 mm web width. The dryer connects to the oxidizer at only three points and is designed to keep installation time very short. All supply fan motors remain on the dryer and do not need to be removed for transport.

Unique at MEGTEC : RTO pollution control

Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO) use ceramic stoneware as a heat exchange media to absorb heat. The media is arranged in two beds within the oxidizer. The solvent-laden air stream passes through the first bed into a combustion zone where it is heated to oxidation temperatures. Energy is released during the process. The air stream then passes through the second media bed which "stores" energy from the hot air stream. After a specific period of time, the airflow direction is reversed and the second bed heats the incoming air stream while the first bed stores energy. Constant cycling between the beds ensures complete oxidation. Regenerative thermal oxidation is the most energy efficient emission control technology available with zero fuel consumption under many operating conditions.