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PAINT SPRAY BOOTH MODIFICATIONS FOR RECIRCULATION VENTILATION
Citation:
Darvin*, C H., D. Proffitt, AND J. Ayer. PAINT SPRAY BOOTH MODIFICATIONS FOR RECIRCULATION VENTILATION. MODERN PAINT AND COATINGS 87(10):46-52, (1997).
Impact/Purpose:
Journal Article
Description:
The control of emissions from spray painting operations has historically been cost prohibitive, due to the high exhaust flow rates coupled with low volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) Concentrations. Past studies, conducted by the U.S. EPA and U.S. Air Force indicate that significant emission control cost reductions can be achieved by reducing booth exhaust flow rates; these studies demonstrated that the concept of booth air recirculation combined with exhaust flow partitioning can safely achieve a >50% reduction in exhaust flow rates. Based on these results, the EPA and the U.S. Marine Corps launched a full scale demonstration program sponsored by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program in which several paint booths were modified for recirculation ventilation; the booth exhaust streams are vented to a VOC emission control system. This paper presents the results of the full-scale demonstration program in which booth exhaust flow rates were safely reduced from 137,000 to 43,000 cfm (65 to 20 m3/sec). This program was designed to address several issues in the application of air recirculation.
Baseline Study - Involved full characterization of booth operating conditions, including a VOC/HAP emission and in-booth constituent stratification profile, and operator hazardous exposure assessments for all booths.
Booth Ventilation System Modification - Included construction of recirculation/partitioning ventilation systems, safety interlock controls, booth operating equipment, and the VOC control system.
Post-Conversion Study - Demonstrated safe recirculation system operation.
The paper discusses in detail the key engineering and safety issues included in the system evaluation and design efforts, and illustrates the viability of recirculation/partitioning for many industrial, aerospace, and military coating operations. Spray booth coating operations comprise one of the single largest stationary sources of organic pollutant emissions in the country. In light of increasingly stringent HAP and VOC emission reduction and control requirements mandated by provisions of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and state/local regulations, the development of strategies for cost-effectively controlling VOC emissions is critical.
Copy available at NTIS as PB97195598.