Case Study: Kitchen Appliance Eco-Coating Upgrade
Summary
A zeolite rotor concentrator with a 3-chamber regenerative thermal oxidiser for a top-5 kitchen appliance brand in Indonesia, treating 30,000 m³/h of exhaust from five range hood and water heater coating lines at 200–400 mg/m³ inlet concentration. The rotor concentrates the stream 12–15 times so the RTO runs with ≥95% heat recovery and ≥98% destruction, and stack concentration is stable at 3–4 mg/m³ against the 5 mg/m³ standard. Annual operating cost is USD 54,000 lower than the activated-carbon alternative. Emission figures as reported after commissioning in 2024.
Project Background
The client is a top-5 kitchen appliance brand in Indonesia. Their existing range hood and water heater coating lines couldn't meet Indonesia's tightened 2024 emission standards (≤5 mg/m³). Urgent environmental upgrade was required.
The Challenge
5 coating lines running simultaneously — high airflow (28,000 m³/h), low concentration (200-400 mg/m³). Traditional activated carbon would mean high running cost; pure RTO has minimum concentration requirements.
MUSI's Solution
MUSI recommended a zeolite rotor concentrator + RTO combined solution: 5 lines' exhaust collected centrally → zeolite rotor concentrates 12x (raises concentration to 2,400-4,800 mg/m³) → 3-chamber RTO incineration (DRE ≥98%). Best total cost of ownership.
Equipment Configuration
| Exhaust source | 5 coating lines |
|---|---|
| Total airflow | 30,000 m³/h |
| Inlet concentration | 200-400 mg/m³ |
| Outlet concentration | ≤5 mg/m³ (meets new standard) |
| Zeolite rotor | 3.5 m diameter, 12-15x concentration |
| RTO type | 3-chamber regenerative thermal oxidizer |
| Heat recovery | ≥95% |
| Self-sustained | ≥1,500 mg/m³ no auxiliary fuel needed |
Equipment used on this line
- VOCs and environmental equipment — RTO, RCO, activated carbon, zeolite rotor and wastewater treatment
Implementation
90-day delivery, 25 days on-site installation. Client factory was in busy production season — MUSI worked nights and connected piping on weekends to minimize impact.
Results
Post-upgrade emissions stable at 3-4 mg/m³, well below the 5 mg/m³ standard. Annual operating cost $54K USD lower than the alternative activated carbon solution — payback on the additional zeolite rotor investment in 3 years.
Client Feedback
"The new emission standards came suddenly. MUSI delivered the optimal solution in record time, helping us pass environmental inspection smoothly."
— Project Manager, Client Side
Selection logic: why this configuration
A rotor concentrator plus RTO was chosen over activated carbon because five lines produce a large, low-concentration stream where carbon replacement would dominate running cost, and over a stand-alone RTO because 200–400 mg/m³ is below the concentration at which an RTO sustains itself without gas. Concentrating 12–15 times lets a small RTO handle a 30,000 m³/h source. A 3-chamber design was preferred to 2 chambers to avoid the untreated puff at valve switching.
Scope of supply and key components
| Item | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exhaust collection | 5 coating lines, 30,000 m³/h | Ducting and balancing dampers |
| Zeolite rotor | 3.5 m diameter, 12–15× concentration | |
| RTO | 3-chamber regenerative, ≥95% heat recovery | Self-sustaining above 1,500 mg/m³ at the RTO inlet |
| Controls | PLC with online monitoring | |
| Stack | Outlet ≤5 mg/m³ | Client's emission standard |
Key components
Key components are available from international brands, configurable per customer specification, so that spare parts can be sourced locally over the life of the line. Brand names below are the usual options for this type of equipment; the brands actually fitted are fixed in the contract specification.
| Component | Brands available on request |
|---|---|
| RTO ceramic media and burners | Lantec MLM, Honeywell Maxon line burners, Riello RS, Eclipse |
| Oven and dryer gas burners | Riello RS series, Weishaupt monarch WM-G, Baltur TBG, Honeywell Maxon OVENPAK, Eclipse |
| PLC and HMI | Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500, Mitsubishi Electric MELSEC iQ-R, Schneider Electric Modicon, OMRON NX, Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley |
| Variable-frequency drives | ABB ACS580, Siemens SINAMICS G120, Danfoss VLT, Schneider Electric Altivar, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi Electric |
| Sensors and temperature controllers | SICK, Pepperl+Fuchs, OMRON E5CC, Honeywell UDC, Yokogawa UT, ifm, KEYENCE |
| Low-voltage switchgear and relays | Schneider Electric TeSys, ABB AF, Siemens SIRIUS, OMRON, Eaton |
Not included in the scope of supply
- Civil works, foundations and pits
- Building services up to the battery limit: power supply, gas, compressed air, water and drainage
- Local permits, emission approvals and third-party inspections
- Paint or powder supply, unless stated in the contract
- Ductwork modifications inside the coating booths
Services included with every line: engineering design, manufacturing, shipping documentation, installation supervision, commissioning, operator training, warranty and spare parts.
Typical programme
The durations below are typical for equipment of this class and are given for planning; they are not the recorded schedule of this project. A complete line usually runs 90–180 days from contract to acceptance, a single unit 30–60 days.
| Stage | Typical duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Data review and sizing | 3–7 days | Exhaust data or part drawings reviewed remotely |
| Design | 10–20 days | General arrangement and connection points |
| Manufacturing | 30–60 days | Unit built and factory tested |
| Shipping | 20–45 days | Sea freight |
| Installation and connection | 7–25 days | Ducting, gas or utilities connected on site |
| Commissioning and acceptance | 5–10 days | Performance run and acceptance record |
Results: before and after
Figures are those published on this page; measurement party, sample size, test date and method are not on record here and are left blank rather than estimated.
| Metric | Before | After | Change | Measured by | Single / average | Samples | Test date | Method / instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack concentration | 200–400 mg/m³ inlet | 3–4 mg/m³ (limit 5) | ≥98% DRE | |||||
| Annual operating cost | activated-carbon alternative | USD 54,000 lower | −USD 54,000/yr |
Applicability and limits
The 3–4 mg/m³ result applies to solvent-borne paint exhaust at 200–400 mg/m³ with the rotor and RTO sized for 30,000 m³/h. Streams with high humidity, silicone or high-boiling compounds can foul a zeolite rotor, and exhaust above roughly 1,500 mg/m³ is usually treated by an RTO alone without a concentrator.
Results shown in this case study reflect the stated operating conditions and should not be interpreted as guaranteed performance under different feed, production, environmental, or site conditions.
After-sales and spare parts
Warranty on a MUSI coating line runs from acceptance: 12 months on the complete line excluding consumables, 36 months on critical components such as motors, drives and the PLC, and 60 months on structural parts such as steel structure, ducting and oven bodies. Failures within warranty, excluding misuse, are repaired free of charge.
Support starts remotely: the service line is staffed around the clock, a preliminary diagnosis with recommendations is given within 2 hours, and where a site visit is needed an engineer reaches any major city within 72 hours. A spare-parts inventory is held at the Changzhou headquarters with same-day shipping, and customers can keep a dedicated parts stock at MUSI for emergencies. Details are on the after-sales service page.
FAQ
When is a zeolite rotor needed in front of an RTO? When the exhaust is large in volume but low in concentration, typically below 500 mg/m³. The rotor concentrates it 10–15 times so the RTO can be smaller and run with little or no auxiliary fuel.
How does this compare with activated carbon? Carbon was the lower capital option but would have cost the client about USD 54,000 more a year in replacement and disposal; the rotor investment pays back in about three years.
What emission level does the system hold? Stable at 3–4 mg/m³ at the stack against a 5 mg/m³ standard, measured after commissioning.
Why a 3-chamber RTO? A third chamber is purged during valve switching so untreated air does not reach the stack, which keeps the outlet stable at low limits.
Did installation stop production? No. Delivery took 90 days and the 25-day installation was done at night and on weekends around the client's peak season.
Next step: a configuration proposal for a similar line
If your parts, volumes or plant conditions are close to this project, MUSI can return a line configuration and layout proposal. To prepare it we need four things:
- Photos and dimensions of the workpieces, with weight and material
- Required output (pieces per hour or per day, and shifts)
- Number of colours and how often colour changes are needed
- Available floor space and ceiling height, with the utilities on site
Message us on WhatsApp with these details, or use the quotation form.
Provided by Lin Cong, Technical Director, MUSI Technology · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-09-30 · Last technical review: 2026-09-30
QQuestions buyers ask before ordering
quotation · price · lead time · installation · warranty
What information do you need to prepare a quotation?
Send part drawings or photos, the largest part size and weight, the material, the required output per shift, the paint or powder type and number of colours, and the available floor space, ceiling height and power or gas supply. MUSI engineers reply within 24 hours; a recommended configuration and quotation follow once your part data is complete.
How much does this equipment cost?
Budget depends on part size, throughput and the level of automation. Indicative ex-works ranges are published in our complete coating line cost guide; a configured quotation is prepared from your part data. Published indicative ex-works ranges: a complete powder coating line is roughly USD 75,000–230,000 semi-automatic, USD 200,000–600,000 for a standard automatic line and USD 600,000–2,000,000 for a high-throughput automated plant.
What is the lead time?
Standard configurations ship in 30–60 days from contract signing and down payment; custom configurations take longer. The delivery date is fixed in the contract.
Do you install and train operators overseas?
Yes. MUSI engineers carry out on-site installation and commissioning and give 3–5 days of operator and maintenance training. MUSI has delivered 800+ coating lines to customers in 36 countries.
What warranty and after-sales support are included?
12 months full-machine warranty, 36 months on critical components and up to 60 months on structural parts. International customers get 24-hour phone response and 72-hour on-site arrival; spare parts ship from the Changzhou headquarters.
Can the environmental equipment be supplied with the line?
Yes. VOC treatment (RTO, RCO, activated carbon, zeolite rotor), dust collection and paint wastewater treatment are supplied with the coating line under one contract; MUSI has equipped 50+ coating facilities whose projects all passed local environmental compliance reviews.
Get a Similar Solution
If your industry and requirements match this case, contact MUSI to schedule a free consultation. We'll design an optimal solution based on your specific workpieces, capacity, and facility.