Industrial work environments often contain sources of electricity and heat that could cause combustion if they come into contact with a flammable cleaning solvent. This is why companies and organizations that have industrial cleaning needs often make choosing a non flammable solvent a top priority. When it comes to investing in solvents for business-critical cleaning operations, users receive the following four benefits when they choose a non flammable solvent.
- Reduced Chance of Injury
When they are used to clean high-voltage electrical equipment that remains energized during cleaning, flammable solvents can facilitate dangerous arc flashes, which are defined as “electric [currents] that [immediately] pass through air when insulation or isolation between electrified conductors is no longer sufficient to withstand the applied voltage.”
According to a report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), “Five to ten arc explosions occur in electric equipment every day in the United States,” and “More than 2,000
people are treated in burn centers with severe arc-flash injuries [each year].” Using a non flammable solvent for cleaning energized equipment can help reduce arc-flash injuries.
- Improved Equipment Protection
Workers aren’t the only ones that can be severely affected by arc-flashes. The equipment they use can be heavily damaged, too. Sometimes, the damage occurs because the equipment goes up in flames (this is especially common with switchgear that contains plastics). Equipment can also be damaged by the concussive force that high-voltage arc-flashes emit. Using a non flammable solvent can help protect both your workers and the equipment they must clean.
- Wider Range of Use
Why use a flammable degreaser to clean non-energized equipment and a non flammable degreaser to clean energized equipment, when you could use the latter type of degreaser for both applications? In addition to helping you save money, using a single, non flammable solvent for all degreasing operations helps simplify the cleaning process. It also prevents workers from accidentally using a flammable solution for applications that require a non flammable cleaner.
- More Storage Options
There are several places in industrial facilities where flammable solvents are not recommended to be stored, such as near switchgear, around furnaces that maintain a lit pilot light, in environments that have foam-based sound absorbers, and in storage rooms that contain plenty of combustibles. Using a non flammable solvent helps eliminate barriers to storing solvents — a benefit that can be especially helpful for small facilities where square footage is at a premium.
Need a Non Flammable Solvent for General Cleaning?
If so, Ecolink is ready to supply you with a non flammable cleaner that meets your requirements. For example, our Hypersolve™ cleaner is a non flammable solvent that conforms to the performance of propyl bromide (NPB) while offering a better safety profile than NPB solvents.
Ideal for precision cleaning, cold cleaning, and vapor degreasing, this product may be all that you need to satisfy your cleaning requirements for industrial parts and equipment. If not, we can present you with other viable options among our readymade cleaners, or we will create a custom, non flammable solvent that is tailored for your unique cleaning operations.
To place an order or receive information about Hypersolve™ and our other non flammable cleaners, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. Let us supply you with non flammable solvents that meet all of your industrial cleaning needs!
Four Benefits of Non Flammable Solvent for Industrial Cleaning
/in Non Flammable/by Industrial DegreasersIndustrial work environments often contain sources of electricity and heat that could cause combustion if they come into contact with a flammable cleaning solvent. This is why companies and organizations that have industrial cleaning needs often make choosing a non flammable solvent a top priority. When it comes to investing in solvents for business-critical cleaning operations, users receive the following four benefits when they choose a non flammable solvent.
When they are used to clean high-voltage electrical equipment that remains energized during cleaning, flammable solvents can facilitate dangerous arc flashes, which are defined as “electric [currents] that [immediately] pass through air when insulation or isolation between electrified conductors is no longer sufficient to withstand the applied voltage.”
According to a report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), “Five to ten arc explosions occur in electric equipment every day in the United States,” and “More than 2,000
people are treated in burn centers with severe arc-flash injuries [each year].” Using a non flammable solvent for cleaning energized equipment can help reduce arc-flash injuries.
Workers aren’t the only ones that can be severely affected by arc-flashes. The equipment they use can be heavily damaged, too. Sometimes, the damage occurs because the equipment goes up in flames (this is especially common with switchgear that contains plastics). Equipment can also be damaged by the concussive force that high-voltage arc-flashes emit. Using a non flammable solvent can help protect both your workers and the equipment they must clean.
Why use a flammable degreaser to clean non-energized equipment and a non flammable degreaser to clean energized equipment, when you could use the latter type of degreaser for both applications? In addition to helping you save money, using a single, non flammable solvent for all degreasing operations helps simplify the cleaning process. It also prevents workers from accidentally using a flammable solution for applications that require a non flammable cleaner.
There are several places in industrial facilities where flammable solvents are not recommended to be stored, such as near switchgear, around furnaces that maintain a lit pilot light, in environments that have foam-based sound absorbers, and in storage rooms that contain plenty of combustibles. Using a non flammable solvent helps eliminate barriers to storing solvents — a benefit that can be especially helpful for small facilities where square footage is at a premium.
Need a Non Flammable Solvent for General Cleaning?
If so, Ecolink is ready to supply you with a non flammable cleaner that meets your requirements. For example, our Hypersolve™ cleaner is a non flammable solvent that conforms to the performance of propyl bromide (NPB) while offering a better safety profile than NPB solvents.
Ideal for precision cleaning, cold cleaning, and vapor degreasing, this product may be all that you need to satisfy your cleaning requirements for industrial parts and equipment. If not, we can present you with other viable options among our readymade cleaners, or we will create a custom, non flammable solvent that is tailored for your unique cleaning operations.
To place an order or receive information about Hypersolve™ and our other non flammable cleaners, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. Let us supply you with non flammable solvents that meet all of your industrial cleaning needs!
Contact Cleaners: Is Aerosol or Liquid the Right Choice?
/in Electrical Contact Cleaning Solutions/by Industrial DegreasersElectrical contact cleaners come in different forms, two of the most popular of which are aerosol and pure liquid. Although both types of formulations are capable of delivering the same level of cleaning power, there are often extenuating circumstances that make aerosol contact cleaners a better option than liquid contact cleaners, or vice versa. In this entry, we look at how aerosol contact cleaner compares to liquid contact cleaner based on five important considerations.
Because it emits cleaner at a steady rate of speed in particles of the same size, aerosol form is ideal for cleaning operations in which cleaner must be applied evenly to the contact area. Liquid form can be used to achieve a similar effect when it is placed spray bottles, but aerosol offers the gold standard when it comes to dispersing cleaner evenly across a small surface area.
Because aerosol emits a fine spray of evenly sized particles, it generally delivers a faster evaporation rate than liquid cleaner. However, there are also cases when liquid form dries faster than aerosol form because it is formulated to have an exceptionally high evaporation rate. Therefore, aerosols and liquids can demonstrate equal effectiveness in terms of evaporation.
Because cleaner residue attracts dirt and grime to electrical contacts and thus requires the contact cleaning process to be performed at greater frequency, always choose a cleaner that’s residue-free. Liquid form may leave more excess cleaner on electrical contacts than aerosol form, but as long as it evaporates quickly and is residue-free, this shouldn’t pose a problem.
Because electrical contacts transmit current throughout the equipment’s circuits, users are generally recommended to choose a cleaner that has a low flashpoint or no flashpoint. This is especially the case when it comes to cleaning contacts in equipment that remains energized as it is cleaned. Concerning flammability, aerosol form and liquid form can be equally efficacious.
Electrical contacts are often surrounded by rubber wire coatings and plastic wire harnesses. Consequently, it’s important to identify contact cleaners that don’t chemically react with these materials. With this concern, the main issue is how cleaner is formulated, not how it disperses. Aerosol form and liquid form can be formulated to offer the same range of application.
Contact Us About Contact Cleaners
Ecolink supplies new generation contact cleaners that have a better safety profile than earlier generations of contact cleaner. For example, our ECC (A) contact cleaner contains no 1,1,1 trichloroethane or HCFC-141b which makes it an excellent replacement for cleaners that use toxic CFC-113 and 1,1,1 trichloroethane to complete the cleaning operation. We also have the capability to create custom contact cleaner that meets unique contact cleaning requirements.
For assistance choosing the best cleaner for your needs, contact us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. If you know what you need, and you are ready to make a purchase, place your order from the convenience of our online store. We look forward to supplying you with high-quality, eco friendly contact cleaners in the form that serves you best.
Choosing an Electrical Contact Cleaner: Essential Considerations
/in Electrical Contact Cleaning Solutions/by Industrial DegreasersUsing electrical contact cleaner to clean electrical contacts is one of the key service measures for maintaining many types of electrical equipment. Over time, substances can coat electrical contacts and gradually form a barrier between the contacts and the metal parts to which they deliver an electrical charge — a situation that inhibits the rudimentary transmission of electricity throughout the electrical system and can cause the equipment to operate less efficiently.
Choosing an Electrical Contact Cleaner
Electrical contact cleaners are designed for a highly specific purpose: to clean electrical contacts. However, because different users have different contact cleaning needs, not every formulation of contact cleaner is the same. That is why it’s essential to define your contact cleaning needs before you place an order for cleaner. Below are three considerations that will help you choose an electrical contact cleaner that meets your equipment maintenance needs.
Electrical contacts are made from a variety of metallic alloys, such as copper-tungsten, stainless steel, and silver-graphite, to name a few. Because metal can be corroded by the ingredients in industrial cleaners, it’s essential to choose a product that is formulated for the type of metal you need to clean. Like the accumulation of dirt and grime on contacts, the corrosion of contacts can inhibit the flow of electricity and eventually create spent contacts that need to be replaced.
Electrical contacts are often tightly surrounded by components to which they deliver an electrical charge. When this is the case, using liquid cleaner in wipe-on form is generally inefficient. Instead of removing components to get a better entry point for cleaning contacts, a better option may be to choose an aerosol cleaner that is designed for cleaning precision electronic parts. The cleaner should be fast drying, have a high flashpoint or no flashpoint, and be residue-free.
It’s also essential to identify a cleaner that is formulated to remove the type(s) of accumulation on electrical contacts. Grease, adhesive residue from electrical tape, and residue from airborne contaminants are common examples of substances that must be removed from contacts to facilitate the efficient transmission of the charge. If necessary, Ecolink can create a custom contact cleaner that is designed to remove two or more types of accumulation simultaneously.
Need a New Electrical Contact Cleaner?
Companies and organizations switch contact cleaners for numerous reasons. At a time when dedication to worker safety and environmental awareness is at an all-time high, one of the main reasons for switching is to implement a solution that is “greener” than the one it replaces. This is the type of contact cleaner we specialize in supplying. Our contact cleaners, such as ECC, are formulated to be safer than toxic cleaners while delivering the same level of cleaning power.
If you need assistance choosing a contact cleaner that meets your unique cleaning needs, call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. Whether one of our readymade cleaners would meet your needs, or you need a custom formulation, we’ll provide you with an electrical contact cleaner that addresses all of your requirements. Contact us today!
What is Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Why is it Hazardous?
/in TCE/by Industrial DegreasersWhat is trichloroethylene (TCE)? The question is often asked by companies and organizations that have never used cleaners that contain the chemical but have heard good and bad things about using it on a consistent basis. According to Wikipedia, TCE is “a halocarbon commonly used as an industrial solvent. It is a clear non-flammable liquid with a sweet smell [and] should not be confused with 1,1,1-trichloroethane, which is commonly [identified] as chlorothene.
A Good Start With a Bad End
Soon after it was invented in Britain in the early decades of the 20th Century, TCE was promoted as a cutting edge anesthetic that was said to possess less hepatotoxicity than chloroform and lacked the unpleasant smell and flammability of ether. However, after further scientific research into TCE, it was found to be as dangerous as its previously mentioned counterparts, although the danger of using the chemical compound was responded to slowly.
In fact, trichloroethylene (TCE) was still used as a self-administered, inhalation analgesic to aid with childbirth until the early 1980s, when developed countries officially began to consider the substance dangerous for human use. In fact, today, the Agency for Toxic and Disease Substances (ATSDR) classifies trichloroethylene (TCE) as a hazardous substance that has the following, undesirable — if not outright dangerous — characteristics that establish its toxicity.
If your company or organization still uses TCE for cleaning operations or other procedures, it faces two problems: The chronic use of the chemical compound can have deleterious effects on human health, and the environmental protection agency seems poised to add TCE to its list of toxic substances that was instituted following the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1990. In fact, The EPA already regulates the presence of TCE in drinking water to help protect public health.
Finding a Replacement for TCE
In addition to its use in humans, Trichloroethylene (TCE) has a long history of being used to remove grease from fabricated metal parts to facilitate textile production. In many sectors, it’s most common application continues to be as a degreasing agent for breaking up tough accumulations quickly. However, companies are not left in the difficult position of deciding whether to use TCE or not.
Instead, they can work with Ecolink and identify a TCE replacement that works just as well or better for degreasing jobs. One option is replacing TCE with NuGenTec FluoSolv® CX. Unlike TCE, NuGenTec FluoSolv® CX offers the following, health-related and environmental benefits.
These reasons should be more than enough to motivate your company or organization to reach out us to discuss Trichloroethylene (TCE) replacement solutions if it uses the toxic substance. If our ideal TCE replacement solution for degreasing, NuGenTec FluoSolv® CX, doesn’t meet your unique needs, don’t worry. We will create a custom solution that is tailored to address your requirements. Call us today at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website.
NPB Hazards: Frequently Asked Questions
/in N-Propyl Bromide/by Industrial DegreasersPropyl bromide (NPB) is a chemical compound that is widely used for industrial cleaning operations. However, like using many cleaning solvents of the same generation, using NPB solvents comes at a price concerning their negative effects on humans and the environment. If you’re somewhat familiar with NPB hazards and are interested in NPB replacements, but you need more information before you buy a replacement, see the questions and answers below.
Can a “safer” replacement solvent deliver the same cleaning power?
Yes. NPB replacements are formulated to offer the same cleaning power — and sometimes more cleaning power — as NPB solvents. The replacements are often described as “drop-in solutions” because they can replace NBP solvents without requiring significant downtime.
Does investing in a replacement solvent mean investing more money?
Some solvent replacements that eliminate NPB hazards do cost more than NPB solvents, as NPB is quite cost effective to produce and thus results in relatively low-lost NPB products. However, implementing eco friendly NPB replacements can help eliminate certain costs.
Are there costs that can be negated by a safer replacement solvent?
Yes. Because NPB has been proven to cause negative health conditions, replacements that have a better safety profile help reduce these costs: settlements for personal injury cases, sick days taken, diminished productivity due to negative health conditions in workers, and payouts for workers compensation claims. Significantly reducing these costs could save you millions.
Will the EPA add NPB to its official list of hazardous air pollutants?
The EPA is conducting an inquiry into the safety of NPB solvents on humans and the environment — an endeavor that could could result in NPB being placed on the EPA’s list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). This is why it makes sense to find replacement options now.
Should I use my supply of NPB solvent while shopping for a new solvent?
Despite NPB hazards, using your supply of NPB solvent while you search for replacements may be the most sensible option. If NPB supports your company’s or organization’s crucial cleaning requirements, you simply can’t afford to halt the use of NPB until a replacement is identified.
Is it an option to formulate a custom NPB replacement solution?
Some sellers of NPB replacements only offer pre-formulated cleaning solutions, while other sellers offer both readymade solutions and custom solutions. If you still use NPB solvent, assuming that you need a custom replacement solution is putting the cart before the horse. First, you should consult with an NPB replacement supplier to evaluate your options.
Contact Ecolink Today
Replacing your hazardous NPB solvent with a cleaning solution that has a better safety profile has several benefits, but in order to realize them, you must first find a solvent supplier that offers high-quality NPB replacements that eliminate NPB hazards. This is where Ecolink enters the picture. We can supply you with readymade solutions or custom formulated cleaners that offer the same efficacious cleaning power and range of application as your current NPB solvents.
For assistance with selecting a new cleaning solvent that eliminates NPB hazards, call us at (800) 563-1305, or refer to the contact page on our website. Don’t delay; contact us today!