Many fast drying solvents have a low flashpoint that makes them easily combust. High-purity Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is a common example. The chemical compound works great for removing a variety of adhesives and soils that commonly accrete on everyday surfaces, such as glass, plastic, and metal.
But don’t use IPA around sources of heat that could it ignite it, or you may end up exposing the cleaning surface to a layer of blue-orange flame that burns until the alcohol is consumed. The same inconvenience and safety issue come with using many other fast drying solvents, creating the need for a solvent submarket dedicated to offering fast drying non flammable solvents. This is one submarket of the solvent industry that Ecolink has helped pioneer.
When are fast drying non flammable solvents needed?
Before you start exploring product options for fast drying non flammable solvents, be sure that you actually need a solvent that dries fast and won’t ignite under any condition. Let’s look at the two basic characteristics of these solvents to shed some light on the issue.
- Fast Drying
Solvents that dry exceptionally fast are commonly used for one more of the following reasons: sensitive engine parts must be free of the solvent quickly, little if any solvent collects in the waste trap, there is little if any need to perform solvent cleanup, and/or the cleaning operation — from start to dry — must be performed quickly.
- Non Flammable
Like fast drying solvents, non flammable solvents are generally used for one or more specific reasons: to help prevent fires in the solvent storage area and/or workstations, help prevent fires during the engine cleaning operation, and — if the cleaner is a general cleaner — to be used for a broad array of applications that ideally require a solvent that’s inflammable or has a high flashpoint.
Hypothetically, when you combine the benefits of the two characteristics, you might end up using fast drying non flammable solvents for an application such as this: degreasing a non-energized engine within a short period of time. The grease flows away quickly, parts are dry soon afterward, and the non flammable formulation decreases the chance of flammable engine residues igniting.
If this doesn’t nearly describe your application, don’t worry. There are multiple scenarios for using fast drying non flammable solvents. If you need help selecting the right solution, we recommend you to contact the team of experienced chemists at Ecolink for professional assistance.
Contact Us Today
Ecolink specializes in environmentally safe and environmentally preferred industrial solvents. In addition to offering a wide selection of eco friendly stock solvents that replace older, toxic solvents, we also create custom solvents that meet the requirements of specific customers.
To inquire about our products and services, place an order, or request a free product sample, please give us a call today at 800-563-1305, or send us an email through our contact form. We look forward to learning about your solvent needs and seeing how we can help!
Mark
