Evaluation of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Technology to Reduce Solvent in SprayCoating Applications

摘要

The evaluation, part of the Pollution Prevention Clean Technology Demonstration(CTD) Program, addresses the product quality, waste reduction, and economic issues of spray paint application using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2). Union Carbide has developed the technology and is currently marketing this process under the UNICARB trademark. The report reviews the UNICARB process as it is used in the application of nitrocellulose lacquer finish on a chair finishing line at the Pennsylvania House Furniture Company in White Deer, Pennsylvania. It also provides a comparative analysis between the conventional spray application methods previously used on the chair finishing line and the new UNICARB process. The report demonstrates that use of the UNICARB process can result in a net reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) without increasing other wastestream products of disposal costs or negatively affecting product quality. The equipment costs and other factors that affect the return on investment for the process can be variable, but a payback period of five years is estimated for the process as implemented at the White Deer facility.