Safety Solvents: What Defines a Safe Solvent?

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Since the Clean Air Act of 1990 was passed and the EPA developed its original list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), an increased focus has been placed on the use of dangerous solvents in industrial and commercial settings, where strong cleaning solutions are frequently dispersed in large amounts to meet the requirements of large scale, business-critical cleaning operations.

What Makes Safety Solvents Safe?
What makes a solvent “safe” to use in one setting can be different than what makes it safe to use in another, with safety precautions such as personal protective equipment (PPE) that workers wear and a ventilation system that traps airborne contaminants in the cleaning environment being determining factors. However, there are certain elements of solvent safety that apply to all situations. Below are four ubiquitous characteristics that define safety solvents.

  1. High Flashpoint / No Flashpoint

The flashpoint of a solvent is the temperature at which it ignites. Although solvents that have flashpoints that are high enough to classify them as “inflammable” or have no flashpoint at all are typically used in environments that have prominent ignition sources, their non-flammable formulation can benefit any type of user in terms of safe solvent storage. If a fire breaks out in the solvent storage area, the last thing you want is for flammable solvents to feed the blaze.

  1. No Hazardous Air Pollutants

Chemicals that are hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are listed in the EPA’s list of hazardous air pollutants. Acute exposure to HAPs can cause temporary conditions such as respiratory distress and blurred vision, and chronic exposure is linked to chronic conditions such as nerve damage and cancer. In addition to the health risks they pose, solvents that contain HAPs are a bad choice because the EPA has often set their acceptable volume of usage at low levels.

  1. Strong Dielectric Formulation

Dielectric solvents contain a dielectric substance that functions in the opposite capacity of an electricity conductor: It prevents electrical current from traveling through the solvent stream and injuring the user. Dielectric solvents are commonly used for cleaning energized equipment. However, even if you don’t clean energized equipment, using a dielectric solvent is a good idea for at least one reason: It can prevent injury due to accidental dispersal near electricity sources.

  1. Non-Hazardous Solvent Waste

As long as it is properly secured in a solvent waste trap, hazardous solvent waste should pose a minimal threat to workers in the environment where the trap is located. However, depending on how the waste is removed, it could release small amounts of HPAs that, over time, could have a stronger effect due to cumulative emissions. The goal is to prevent toxic emissions altogether.

Contact Ecolink for Safety Solvents
If your company or organization uses solvents that lack the characteristics above, now is a good time to replace them with safety solvents that deliver the same cleaning power but don’t pose serious health risks to humans or pollute the environment. Ecolink supplies these types of solvents in the form of readymade products and custom formulations. For assistance choosing replacements for unsafe solvents, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or use our contact form.

 

How to Identify Safe Solvents for Your Cleaning Operations

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At a time when companies and organizations carefully considering operating costs in light of the recent recession, and the EPA continues to add chemicals to its list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), emphasis on choosing safe solvents is more profound than ever before. What are safe solvents? It depends on their formulation, as well as how and where they are used. With this in mind, we present four considerations for identifying safe solvents for your cleaning operations.

  1. HAP Content

When it comes to human safety, using solvents that contain HAPs has two drawbacks: Acute exposure can lead to short-lived, negative health conditions such as upset stomach and dizziness, and chronic exposure can lead to chronic conditions such as brain damage and cancer. In all cases, safe solvents are ones that contain an exceptionally low level or no level of HAP emission. For a list of HAPs, see the EPA’s most recent list of hazardous air pollutants.

  1. Flashpoint

Choosing solvents that have no flashpoint is the safest option, as these solvents remain inflammable under all conditions. However, if using a cleaner with no flashpoint is not an option, using a solvent that has an exceptionally high flashpoint (e.g., a flashpoint that classifies the cleaner as inflammable) is the best alternative. Cleaning solvents that have low flashpoints have been responsible for countless fires that destroyed equipment and seriously injured workers.

  1. Intended Use

Using solvents for uses other than their intended ones continues to be a primary way in which solvents are used unsafely. For example, using a water-based, non-dielectric cleaner for cleaning energized equipment could cause the worker who applies the solution to be severely shocked, as a strong electrical current travels from the equipment through the solvent stream. In all cases, be sure to only use a cleaning solvent for the application(s) for which it is formulated.

  1. Work Conditions

Safe solvents are also defined based on conditions in the work environment where they are applied. For example, if you use a solvent that contains measurable amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using it in an environment that has a ventilation system for removing VOC vapors, and where workers wear high-level personal protective equipment (PPE), would almost certainly be safer than using the cleaner in an environment that lacks these safety precautions.

Let Us Supply Your Safe Solvents
Using safe solvents for your cleaning needs is a key to eliminating negative health effects in workers that use the cleaners, avoiding EPA fines for overusing hazardous solvents, and preventing damage to equipment that is cleaned. If you need assistance identifying safe solvents for your company or organization’s cleaning operations, Ecolink is here to help. We provide a wide range safe solvents and can also produce custom products for special needs.

Call us today at (800) 563-1305 and let us apply our expertise in solvents to your unique set of cleaning needs. We look forward to supplying you with solvents that are truly safe to use in your work environment!

Three Types of Solvents: Oxygenated, Hydrocarbon, and Halogenated

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types of solventsThere are literally thousands of types of solvents available for purchase. However, regardless of the brand name or the proprietary formulation of a solvent, it typically falls into one of three categories of cleaning solvents: oxygenated solvents, hydrocarbon solvents, or halogenated solvents. Below, we present a basic overview for each of these types of solvents to inform your selection of industrial cleaning solvents for your organization’s business-critical cleaning needs. – SHOP SOLVENTS HERE

For additional information about these solvent classes, call Ecolink today at (800) 563-1305.

  1. Oxygenated Solvents

These types of solvents are produced by distilling components from chemicals to create the right consistency and balance of ingredients for the end product. Oxygenated solvents are known for possessing an exceptionally high rate of purity due to solvent refinement processes — such as the removal of particulate matter and excess water — that occur in the end stages of production. Common examples of oxygenated solvents are alcohols, glycol ethers, and ketones. We can supply a wide rage of oxygenated solvents for a various industrial cleaning operations.

  1. Hydrocarbon Solvents

These types of solvents contain special hydrocarbons that make them useful for a wide variety of cleaning products, from those that are used for residential cleaning to ones that are used for industrial cleaning operations. Because hydrocarbon solvents are typically created to serve a specific purpose, their formulation is often more complex than the formulation of oxygenated solvents, particularly in terms of solute composition, color, flashpoint, and aromatic quality.

Common examples of hydrocarbon solvents are benzene, petroleum ether, and turpentine.

Some hydrocarbon solvents — particularly benzene — are infamous for emitting hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) that cause poor health due to chronic or acute exposure. If you use a toxic hydrocarbon solvent, we can provide a safe replacement that has the same cleaning power.

  1. Halogenated Solvents

These types of solvents are hydrocarbon solvents that have been subjected to a chlorinating process, which means that they possess some of the same qualities as the parent solvents. However, one significant difference between hydrocarbon and halogenated formulations is that the latter tend to have a more pungent aroma than the former. Halogenated solvents are highly effective. Unfortunately, though, their chlorinated formulation often poses safety risks. Common examples of halogenated solvents are chlorobenzene, dichloromethane, and trichloroethylene.

Some hydrocarbon solvents are known to emit HAPs that cause negative health events due to chronic or acute exposure (trichloroethylene is perhaps the most well-known). If you use a toxic halogenated solvent, we can provide a safe replacement that has the same cleaning power.

Which Types of Solvents Do You Need?
Some organizations use all three types of solvents listed above, while other organizations only use one. If you aren’t sure exactly which type(s) of solvents you need for new cleaning operations, Ecolink is here to help. In addition to selling readymade and custom made industrial grade solvents, we advise our customers on choosing the best solvent options for their unique cleaning requirements. We also provide eco friendly replacements for hazardous solvents.

For assistance selecting the right oxygenated, hydrocarbon, and/or halogenated solvents, or for help identifying replacements, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or complete the contact form located on our website. We look forward to providing you with safe, effective cleaning products!

 

Solvent Tank Filler: How Does It Operate Inside the Solvent Tank?

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A solvent tank filler is exactly what it sounds like: a solvent that is placed inside a tank that is typically used for cleaning purposes. Solvent tanks are most commonly operated as immersion tanks, where parts are submerged for deep cleaning operations. Using a solvent tank to clean parts via immersion typically results in a deeper degree of cleaning than spray on or wipe on applications. This can partly be seen in how the solvent operates when inside the solvent tank.

The Anatomy of a Solvent Tank
Solvent tanks come in various designs and configurations. However, in terms of their operation, they share many of the same characteristics. To describe the tank as simply as possible, below is a basic list of its parts in terms of how it contains and dispenses solvents for parts cleaning.

  • Wash Tank — The largest part of a solvent tank is usually the wash tank, as this is where parts are placed to be thoroughly cleaned. In industrial grade models, the wash tank is usually a few feet deep but relatively confined in terms of its equipment footprint.
  • Rinse Tank — The second largest part of a solvent tank is the rinse tank, which is where parts are transferred after undergoing cleaning in the wash tank. The rinse tank may be filled with a special rinsing agent, depending on the agent that is used in the wash tank.
  • Supply Lines — Most industrial grade solvent tanks have one or more supply lines through which solvent tank filler can be placed in the wash tank, and rinsing agents can be added to the rinse tank. These supply lines help to automate the washing process.
  • Solvent Drains — Solvent tanks also feature drains through which washing solutions and rinsing solutions can be removed. The rate at which the solutions must be drained depends on their unique formulation and the level of parts cleaning that is performed.

Using solvent tanks is an excellent option for companies that need to deeply clean a large volume parts on a regular basis. However, the success of the cleaning operation depends as much on the solvent that fills the tank as it does on the proper construction of the equipment.

Need a Solvent Tank Filler?
If so, the experienced chemists at Ecolink will provide you with a solution that offers the cleaning power, environmental safety profile, and price point that you need in a solvent tank filler. If we do not carry a pre-formulated solution that meets your solvent cleaning needs, we can create a custom solution that addresses your specific set of requirements for a solvent tank filler.

For more information about the operation of solvent tanks, or for assistance with choosing the right solvent tank filler, contact us today at (800) 563-1305 to schedule a free consultation, or fill out the contact form on our website. With us serving as your trusted provider of pre-formulated and custom cleaning solutions, you can maximize the cleaning capability of your solvent tank.

How Important is the Flash Point of a Solvent?

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The flash point of a solvent is the lowest possible temperature at which it can vaporize to form an ignitable vapor. Flash point is often confused with “autoignition temperature”, which is the temperature at which a solvent ignites without an ignition source. It is also confused with “fire point”, which is the temperature at which the ignitable vapor burns after it has been ignited.

All three concepts are important for applying flammable solvents in the proper way and ensuring that the environment where they are applied is safe. However, flash point tends to receive the most attention because the ignition of flammable vapors happens so insidiously. For example, flammable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can vaporize at room temperature and ignite.

Choosing an Appropriate Flashpoint
It should be mentioned that not all cleaning solvents have a flashpoint. Some feature a formulation that makes them completely inflammable. However, the movement to create non-flammable solvents is still in its infancy compared to the practice of manufacturing flammable ones. So, it is not uncommon for the solvent a company needs to have a flashpoint.

The question, of course, is: when it comes to flash point, how low is too low? The answer depends largely on the application for which the solvent is used. For example, a solvent that is used to degrease hot jet engines soon after they exit the runway should ideally have a higher flashpoint than a solvent that is used to degrease the same engines after they have cooled.

If you would like to know a specific temperature at which the flash point of a solvent becomes a safety concern, the Department of Transportation (DOT) states that “any materials with flash points lower than 60 degrees C (140 F) [should] be handled with extra caution.” Taking “extra caution” with a highly flammable solvent involves the following considerations, among others.

  • Where and how the solvent is stored
  • Protective equipment for those who use the solvent
  • The application for which the solvent is used
  • Ignition sources in the environment of application

Failing to consider these factors can result in fires that cause major property damage property and seriously injure workers, the latter of which can precipitate liability lawsuits and workers compensation payouts that could easily reach a high six-figure mark, and commonly exceeds the mark in the case of injury lawsuits. Investing in a high flash point solvent can potentially save your company lots of money in the form of avoidable equipment damage and worker injuries.

Contact Us Today
If you have questions about the flashpoint of a solvent that you are considering using, or you need assistance choosing the right solvent for a particular application, the solvent specialists at Ecolink are here to help. We sell a variety of solvents that have a high flash point or no flash point. For help assessing your solvent needs in terms of flash point, call us today at (800) 563-1305 to schedule a free consultation, or fill out the contact form located on our website.