Identification

• A wastewater thermal oxidizer is comprised of a holding tank, duct and burner. The waste that enters the thermal oxidizer is made of hydrocarbons and can either be solid, liquid or in gas form.
  
  

Function

• When wastewater enters the burning chamber, it is heated to between 500 degrees and 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. This effectively oxidizes the hydrocarbons with the presence of air and produces an end product of water vapor and carbon dioxide, which is then ducted to the outside atmosphere.
  
  

Considerations

• If there is a particularly large amount of harmful hydrocarbons in the wastewater, water mist or extra air is used while burning to control any threat of overheating. Typically, natural gas is used to heat the water, allowing good control of the heating process.