Coil coating line managers report that they experience three basic problems in solvent vapor monitoring, last week we looked at maintenance issues, this week the focus is on accuracy:
Sensor accuracy is a problem. Because most analyzers have a wide solvent response factor, they must be checked and adjusted whenever there is a change in the solvents or coatings being run.
Coil coating line managers report that they experience three basic problems in solvent vapor monitoring, we've discussed the maintenance and accuracy issues, now let's look at response time:
For the past few weeks we've talked about the problems that plague the coil coating application, including: maintenance, sensor accuracy, and response time. However, there is a solution to all three.
Fire codes and safety laws limit the maximum solvent concentration allowable to 25% of the LFL under worst case operation. Large volumes of ventilation air must be heated and circulated to keep the solvent vapors in the ovens at safe operating levels.
However, if a flammable vapor analyzer is installed as a safety control, the maximum allowable concentration is 50% of the LFL, which means not as much air has to be heated to dilute the vapors.
