EPA & Techinal Tips | SATA Clean Air Tips

 

EPA & TECHNICAL TIPS: SATA Clean Air Tips

SATA Filtration

Air filtration and supply is probably the most overlooked aspect in the shop, yet also the most important. With today’s HVLP spray guns using 15 CFM, SATA’s supplied air respirators using 10 CFM, SATA Dryjets use 8.2 at 29 psi CFM, and air tools such as DA’s are now using 15 to 16 CFM, air volume is more critical than ever as well.

Waterborne basecoats are becoming not only mandated in many areas, but are also being used as the paint of choice in many markets. It is more critical than ever that the air coming into and out of a spray gun is clean.It must be free from dust, dirt and silicone, as well as free from water and oil condensate. The obvious to see particles, water droplets and oil droplets must of course be removed. But what is more difficult to see, yet equally important to eliminate is the oil vapors. The oil vapor contaminates the surface and causes considerable problems for adhesion and for proper alignment of metallic and pearls when it is present during the spraying of waterborne basecoats. Oil vapors can cause small pinhole size fish eyes in water borne base coat and appear to look like small pinhole solvent pop in clears.

SATA’s filtration has evolved over the years into an outstanding product, with 3 major features that are critical in air purification. First it removes particles down to the absolutely fine size of 0.01 micron. This is clean enough now to use for painting, as well as breathing air.

The second feature is the high amount of CFM possible through a SATA filter.The SATA 400 series unit allows 129.6 CFM at 90 PSI line pressure. That means it can clean the air, and allow enough volume to run multiple painters, or when properly placed, clean the air for more than one booth or spray area. It can also offer clean air into the mixing room, so a supplied air full hood can be worn, to protect the painter even when mixing paint and cleaning spray equipment.

The third advantage is low maintenance. The recommended 3 stage filter, the SATA 484 filter has 3 important stages. The first stage has a cleanable filter cartridge. This sintered bronze element is surrounded by a white water cyclone device, which spins the air, removing larger droplets and particles through a fully automatic drain valve. The air then travels through the sintered bronze cartridge which removes particles down to 5 microns. This stage can be cleaned with pure clean thinner, and a nylon brush, then blown dry from the inside out and returned back into operation. This should be done every 6 months. The second stage houses a micro fine filter cartridge which removes particles down to 0.01 micron. Inside this filter element there is over 9 square feet of folded filter media, which offers an enormous space to stop and store particles, without reducing air volume. This cartridge should be replaced within 6 to 12 months. Properly plumbed shops using a refrigerant dryer will more than likely extend the use of this filter to the 12 month end of the range. The final stage is the charcoal filter stage. This final filter removes the remaining hydrocarbons, oil vapors and odors to give you amazingly clean air for breathing and for spraying both solvent and waterborne materials with no contamination. This should be replaced every 3 to 6 months.

Protecting painters is a must today. You can safely breathe using the SATA Vision 2000 Full Hood supplied air respirator when it is following the SATA filters, and a CO monitor is installed. This filtration system offers the advantage of breathing air, and pure spraying air in one system. If your shop does not have the availability or need for 129.6 CFM, SATA also offers the SATA 284 series unit with the same filtration quality at 70 CFM, for less investment costs as well. Ask your distributor to contact the SATA representative near you for an in shop demonstration.