Fundamentals of Paint Spray Booth Lighting - Choose the Right Lighting

Fundamentals of Paint Spray Booth Lighting - Choose the Right Lighting

The most common type of lighting used in paint spray booths are panel mounted fluorescent lighting fixtures. The fixtures are actually mounted and recessed in the booth panels. These fixtures are commonly Class I, Division 2 or Class I, Division 1 rated fixtures and are third party listed for hazardous locations. Class I, Division 2 locations are those where volatile flammable liquids or gases are handled, processed, or used. Normally, they will be confined within closed systems from which they can escape only in the case of rupture or deterioration of the systems.

Panel mounted design provides a simple and efficient means of installation. These fixtures are typically constructed of either 18 or 20 gauge steel construction. Coupled with a white baked enamel finish, a durable and highly reflective fixture finish is created. A clear, tempered safety glass lens is sealed and gasketed to ensure a durable, long lasting seal against vapor, dust, and moisture. Commonly used fixtures of this type used in paint spray booths are 4 lamp, 4-foot fixtures with 32, 40, or 60-watt HO lamps, with 40-watt lamps being the most commonly used. The fixtures will normally have an inside, rear, or dual inside/rear access hinged door panel for the purpose of servicing the lamps and ballasts. In fixtures with an inside access, an interlock switch is provided and is to be wired in such a way as to disable paint spray equipment when the inside access panel is opened. This enables the fixture to be mounted in spray booth panels without the previously required second lens. In instances where a non-hazardous rated fixture is used, these must be mounted behind a sealed stationary mounted lens. These fixtures can only be serviced from the outside of the booth.

Hazardous rated fixtures must, by code, be used in areas that extend from the edges of any opening of the booth in accordance with the following:

* If the exhaust ventilation system is interlocked with the spray application equipment, then the Division 2 location shall extend 5 feet horizontally and 3 feet vertically from the open face or open front of the booth.

* If the exhaust ventilation system is not interlocked with the spray application equipment, then the Division 2 location shall extend 10 feet horizontally and 3 feet vertically from the open face or open front of the booth. The term interlocked means that the spray application equipment cannot be operated unless the exhaust ventilation system is operating and functioning properly and spray application is automatically stopped if the exhaust ventilation system fails.

If fluorescent light fixtures are actually mounted inside a paint spray booth and are not recessed panel mounted, then Class I, Division 1 explosion proof fixtures must be used. These fixtures are typically available with 2, 3, or 4 lamps in 2 foot or 4 foot length fixtures. A Class I, Division 1 location is defined as where hazardous atmosphere may be present during normal operations. It may be present continuously, intermittently, periodically, or during normal repair or maintenance operations, or those areas where a breakdown in processing equipment releases hazardous vapors with the simultaneous failure of electrical equipment.

When actually selecting light fixtures for a paint spray booth, it is important to think about what you want to achieve and to get an even distribution of lighting in the booth. There are many factors that can influence lighting levels in a spray booth application. In order to help select the right fixtures, the following information is important to know:

Booth Information

* Is the application retrofit or new?

* What are the inside dimensions of the booth? (To include width, length, and depth.)

* What is the specific booth design?

* If a retrofit situation, what are the type and number of existing lights in the booth?

* For servicing, do you want the lights to be inside access, outside access, or both?

* Does the existing booth have a hipped ceiling? If yes, what is the hip size and degree? Are there lights in the hip, and is it possible to add lights to the hip?

* Does an existing booth have corner chambers, and what are the sizes?

* What construction is the booth floor?

* What materials are used for booth construction in the floor, walls, and ceiling, and what are the specific colors?

* Are there man-doors in the booth walls? If so, where?

* Are there any windows or translucent panels? If so, where?

* Are the filters located in the floor, ceiling, or booth walls?

Objects

* What types of products are normally painted?

* What are the shapes of the products (square, round, rectangular, etc.)?

* What is the largest object in terms of width, height, and depth?

* What is the smallest object in terms of width, height, and depth?

* What colors are primarily painted?

With this information, light fixture manufacturers can use computer programs to help determine the recommended number and placement of the fixtures.; As a rule of thumb, 100 foot-candles at a 3-foot height has been a general industry standard. If a different foot-candle level is desired to be maintained at a different height, this should be communicated to your lighting supplier. Light intensity measured on a plane, at a specific location, is referred to as illuminance. Illuminance is measured in foot-candles, which essentially are lumens per square foot. Other factors such as reflectance of surrounding surfaces, fixture efficiency, and lamp lumen output can influence the type and quantity of needed light fixtures. As mentioned earlier, the size of a paint booth also can influence the size of the fixtures. In larger booths, such as truck paint spray booths, 4 lamp, 8-foot length fixtures featuring 95 or 110-watt HO lamps are sometimes desired. The type of a booth can also influence the choice of fixtures. Slim light fixtures that feature a compact design, which are just 2 1/4-in. fixture depth, allow for mounting in an insulated panel.

The ability to see colors properly is another aspect of lighting quality. Light sources vary widely in their ability to accurately reflect true colors of objects. The color rendering index (CRI) scale is used to compare the effect of a light source on the color appearance of its surroundings. A scale of 0 to 100 defines CRI. The higher the color rendering index, the less color shift or distortion that occurs. As an example, a standard cool white T12 (1.5' diameter) fluorescent lamp with a Kelvin temperature of approximately 4100oK has a CRI of 62, which is considered low. Where quality or color matching is important, a higher CRI rated lamp will normally be needed. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the CRI, the lower the efficiency of the lamp. It is important that a balanced approach be used when considering CRI, lamp lumen output, and efficiency of the lamp.

For many years, the lighting standard has been F40T12 fluorescent lamps. These are 40 watt, 1.5' diameter lamps. Through technological advances, lamps have been developed that consume less energy, produce better quality and higher levels of light, such as T8 (1' diameter) lamps. The T5 (5/8' diameter) lamps, which are starting to be introduced to the U.S. market, show even more promising results concerning maintained lumen output over the life of the lamp, energy savings, and they operate more efficiently at higher ambient temperatures than T8 or T12 lamps.

Once the light fixtures have been installed in the spray booth, care must be taken to prevent dirt accumulation and paint over-spray buildup on the fixture lenses. If not removed on a continual basis, this will degrade the overall lighting quality in a booth. A simple, effective light fixture lens covering is cling-on plastic film. This is a 3 mil plastic with a custom acrylic adhesive in 12" and 18" widths. It is easy and quick to install and remove. A total re-lamping program should also be considered as lamps reach the end of their life.

In conclusion, lighting selection in a paint spray booth should not be taken for granted. Different applications can require different light properties. To correctly match the proper lamp, ballast, and fixture combination, you should consult and work closely with your lighting supplier before making your lighting selection. One such manufacturer of fluorescent lighting for paint spray booths and hazardous industrial locations is LDPI Lighting. They specialize in this area and are an acknowledged industry leader in providing lighting solutions for paint booths and hazardous industrial locations.

http://www.ldpi-inc.com/main-site/technical/articles/fundamentals.html
Written by Mike Singer, as seen in Metal Finishing, May 1999

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Exhaust Systems For Laser Engravers "Suck"

Exhaust Systems For Laser Engravers "Suck"

These days, as laser engraving becomes more and more popular, the need for proper ventilation and fume removal is often overlooked. There are three basic methods; direct ventilation out of the building, tapping into a large air handling system, or a stand-alone filtered system. There are advantages and disadvantages to each which will be addressed. It is important to note that most flatbed lasers are operated in a retail environment, relatively small shops or are even home based so not every method of ventilation is applicable.

Laser engraving is very versatile and a wide variety of materials can be processed with attractive results. Because of the diversity of the substrates it is imperative that dust, debris and fumes be efficiently removed from the laser enclosure. The need to ventilate is not unimportant. Considerations include safety, potential damage to the laser and work environment.

Safety for the operator and other personnel in the shop should be paramount for any employer. Lasing is a thermal process and as such the material is burned, melted and vaporized. Some plastics are even toxic when they are heated and the fumes can be harmful when inhaled. To address this all lasers come equipped with a fume removal port that allows external connections.

Air is "pulled" through this port by the vacuum unit and away from the lasing area. What happens to that particle laden air is what differentiates the three ventilation methods.

The simplest method is to use a blower system that draws the air through a hose which is then ported outside the building. This is certainly functional but typically does not handle odor or the fumes very well and often there is a strong residual smell in the work area. In addition, certain parts of the country have EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) rules that prohibit pumping toxic elements into the air. Blower motors tend to operate at a fairly high decibel level so they can be quite loud. The blower motors themselves are inexpensive, but sometimes there are modifications required to the building itself that can drive the overall costs to install up.

In industrial environments there are sometimes existing air handlers that can be tapped into via the laser exhaust port. These very large devices are filtered such that the air they expel in to atmosphere has been "scrubbed" and is not toxic. In most cases they comply with the local EPA restrictions and are totally safe. However these are physically large, expensive units that are designed for use in manufacturing plants and are overkill if purchased solely to operate that standard laser engraving system. If such a system exists in your building by all means explore this as an alternative for your ventilation needs, but make sure that the system has the capacity needed for the laser when venting other equipment in the facility at 100% volume.

The third alternative is a self contained, multi-stage filtered device. As with the others, it attaches to the port on the laser but then draws the air through a series of filters that serve to remove large particles, gasses and odors. The air that is vented from the unit is usually 99% odor free and is safe to inhale. These devices are relatively small, very quiet and are portable. The filters are consumable items and have various operating durations based on usage and the particulate being filtered.

The filter system consists of a large particle filter/or catch bag, a HEPA filter and either an active chemical filter or activated charcoal reservoir. All of the filter elements can be replaced by the user with very little effort. Unlike the other configurations which are hard plumbed to the laser, the stand-alone units are mounted on wheels and can be easily relocated within the shop at the operator's convenience. This makes them the preferred solution for smaller shops and home based businesses.

There are a number of vendors such as Quatro, TBH, Purex and others. If this seems to the best alternative for you take the time to evaluate the systems including the Db level and the consumable costs.

Protecting the laser is also a consideration. Some plastics produce caustic and molten particulate that can infiltrate the moving parts of the laser gantry. In some instances, this can cause rust or non-typical wear on components which can affect the life of the motors, belts, screws and consequently can deteriorate the performance and output of the machine. Out gassing and smoke caused by lasing plastic, wood or coated materials can adhere to the optical components of the unit. Dirty mirrors or lenses lead to low output power or back reflection issues that can result in damage to the system. All adequately sized fume removal systems should have the air volume capabilities to protect the mechanical elements and optical components from these air born particles. All laser manufacturers should be able to provide the CFM requirements for their laser models which can then be used to size the proper exhaust unit.

Having a comfortable work environment is a goal of most shop owners. Managing the odors caused by processing wood, leather, plastics or rubber is part of the effort to keep the employees happy and productive. If you have ever had to smell some of the materials mentioned burning it is obvious how unpleasant it can be. If you take this one step further and consider the customers in the shop you can see how managing the fumes and odors should be a priority. Some vendors operate lasers in malls or other retail locations so courtesy for the storefront next to yours, should not be discounted. The last thing you want to do is to drive your customers out of the shop due to a very manageable situation.

Whether you have already purchased a laser engraver or you are investigating adding one to your shop, do your due diligence when selecting a ventilation method also. The laser is an investment in your business so maximize your return by choosing the proper exhaust system that will extend the life of the machine and provide a safe comfortable working environment for you and your employees.

I'll be happy to provide advice should anyone wish to contact me.

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