Enclosures and other air flow management techniques to reduce the size and cost of controls for the fiber-reinforced plastics industry
- Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); and others
Research Triangle Institute (RTI), in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA`s) Office of Research and Development, evaluated enclosures and other forms of air flow management, for controlling spraying emissions from fiber-reinforced plastics manufacturing. These approaches may reduce the size and cost of end-of-pipe controls. Testing was conducted in a spray booth at a bathtub and shower stall manufacturing facility. The goal of the testing was to produce low-volume, high-concentration exhaust streams, without increasing operator exposures to styrene. The enclosure that was evaluated consisted of a metal frame covered with plastic sheets. A test mold was placed inside the enclosure, and the spray gun operator stood outside the enclosure, spraying onto the mold. The other air flow management techniques that were evaluated were based on a close-capture exhaust panel placed behind a production mold within the spray booth. Testing included continuous measurements of styrene concentrations with flame ionization detectors (FIDs) at three locations: (1) the spray booth exhaust, (2) the enclosure exhaust or the duct from the exhaust panel, and (3) the operator breathing zone. Air flow rates in the spray booth exhaust and enclosure/panel exhaust were also measured, so that the capture efficiency of the enclosure and exhaust panel could be measured. Enclosure exhaust flow rates were factors of 15 to 20 lower than the spray booth exhaust rate. Enclosure capture efficiencies approached 100 percent; therefore, exhaust concentrations were increased by factors of 15 to 20. The enclosure increased average operator exposures to styrene, but this increase was primarily because the operator placed his head inside the enclosure during part rollout. Calculations of the potential reductions in size and cost of controls that can be achieved by enclosures are presented.
- OSTI ID:
- 625656
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9702113-; TRN: 98:002184-0031
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Specialty conference on emerging solutions to VOC and air toxics control, San Diego, CA (United States), 26-28 Feb 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Emerging solutions to VOC & air toxics control; PB: 525 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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