A groundbreaking partnership between two forward-thinking companies has contributed to cleaner air for a challenged region-the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Texas Instruments' North Campus in Dallas and Matros Technologies found new ways to reduce emissions from volatile organic compounds while also reducing fuel use and the resultant emissions of nitrogen oxides. Volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, an air pollutant with potentially harmful respiratory effects.

In 2005, Texas Instruments (TI) asked Matros Technologies to help solve a problem that has plagued the industry since regenerative thermal oxidizers went into use to reduce air pollution-the formation of silica. The silica plugs up the oxidizers, and when that happens the oxidizers can't perform their critical task of reducing volatile organic compound emissions. Engineers from Matros and TI devised an industry-specific catalyst that solved the problem. With the Dallas-Fort Worth area recognized as an "Ozone Nonattainment Area" in Texas, which means it currently does not meet federal ozone standards, the project couldn't have come at a better time.

Installation of this new catalyst makes it possible to oxidize volatile organic compound emissions at lower temperatures, and this has reduced TI's fuel costs by almost $900,000 a year. More importantly, the new, efficient process cut nitrogen oxides emissions by 45 percent and eliminated the disposal of 136 tons of packing material every four years. Reduced maintenance downtime also results in further volatile organic compound emissions reductions.

The solution has been such a success that Texas Instruments recently reported its findings at the International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative with the hope that similar facilities around the world turn to this technology. Even better, the performance to date is helping drive home the point that environmental stewardship is not only good for the conscience, it's good for the pocketbook as well.