WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FOR PAINT BOOTHS

by Alan Monken
Calgon Corp., St. Lows

As a nonrenewable resource, water and its conservation are of prime importance in the
metal finishing industry. The reduction and control of water pollution in the manufacturing
process is an important area for improvement; one of the most critical areah of industrial water
usage is the paint shop. Current technology can be utilized to reduce water consumption and
improve the efficiency of water use. To put this technology in perhpcctive, it i!, necessary to
explore the use of water in the paint ahop. the available chemical means to deal with uatct
pollutants. and the mechanical means of removing these pollutants.

THE PAINT SHOP

The function of the paint shop is to apply an organic coating (i.e.. paint) to a \uhstrate
(i.e.. metal or plastic) for protective and decorative reasons. The painl can be applied in
various forms. including dry powder, solvent-diluted formulations, and waterborne tormula-
tions. The application method can vary widely. two of the most common bein! thl-ough
spraying or through immersion. In the case of immersion or dip-paint systems, bery llttle palnl
waste is generated. The drawback to immersion painting. however. is that variation\ in paint
colors and types are severely limited within the hame operation. Spray apstcmh allow a great
deal of flexibility in the types and colors of coatings that can he applied.
The downside of spray systems i\ that not all of the paint sprayed comes into contact with
the work surface. The paint that misses the production part ih commonly known a\ overspray.
If the process being used is powder painting, the o~eqrtr~rd paint can most typically be
collected and reused (the abilily for capturing this excess powder typically i\ designed into the
powder paint spraying system or booth). If the procesr involves lquid paint, howrvcr. the
paint ovcrapray quickly changes from an asset to a liability as It hecome\ paint waste.
Although it is possible to collect thi\ oversprayed paint on dry-filter media. the most common
collection/removal method is the use of the waterwash paint booth.

WATERWASH PAINT BOOTHS

The primary function of a paint booth, whether wet 01. dry, is to remove the paint
overbpray from the air of the work environment: secondarily. it functions to remove the paint
holids from the air stream, allowing any volatile solvent vapors to he expelled from the worh
area. Dry-filter booths make use 01 media somctimcs re\emhling con\~entional lul-nace du<t
filters to screen out the tacky paint solids, which are actually the organic portion of the paint
responsible for providing the coating. This media can quickly plug. nzducing the cffeclivencss
of the removal process. The media. once saturated with paint. is di\poszd of. typicall: a\
tlammahle waste. Waterwaah booths perform the same function but use water as the medium
of capturing the paint overspray and the resultant waste material.
Although there is a wide variety of variations in waterwash painthooth style\ and types, the
two basic culegories of design are side-draft and downdraft booths. Drcifi here refer\ to the way
the air movement is directed through the system to draw the paint overspray in tor capture.
Side-draft booths. most common in small noncontinuouI metal finishing and manufacturing
operations, typically function by pulling a mixture of paint overspray and air through a mobile
water curtzin. using the action of the waler to scrub the paint solids from the water. This water
is recirculated from a holding tank and continuously is cahcadcd down the wlttetiall wall.

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 A similar mechanism can be used in the downdraft paint booth, which is most common
in larger continuous operations, such as automotive assembly plants. The downdraft system
makes use of a downward airflow, most typically through a steel floor grating, into a mobile
floodsheet (much like a horizontal waterfall) or pit of water. Downdraft systems normally
contain much larger volumes of water than side-draft systems, making the treatment and
conservation of this water even more critical.

COMMON PAINT-RELATED WATER POLLUTANTS

In the case of either side-draft or downdraft systems. the recirculated water comes into
contact with a wide variety of potential pollutants from the paint overspray. Many of the
materials in the paint, particularly in solvent-based formulations, are not particularly
compatible in water systema. The solvents, which would include xylene. toluene, and
methylene chloride, are typically not water soluble but can be water miscible (i.e., mixable).
At any rate. most of these solvents are volatile and will evaporate over time to exit through
the air exhaust. The organic resins making up the bulk of the paint coating are insoluble in water
and tend to stay tacky if not treated with some additional material introduced into the water.
If left untreated. tacky sludge can plug up recirculation pipes and pumps (as well as
adhere to any and all surfaces of the booth), reducing overall efficiency. Other additives in the
paint formulation, such as film-forming/wetting agents. may or may not be soluble in the water and
will be present in varying degrees. Some pigments or other inorganic components, such as Lint or
chromate compounds, may be partially or completely soluble in water. These inorganics,
especially the zinc and chromium salts found in many primers. can pose major problems in
disposaLThe key to reducing or removing any of these pollutants is to find a way to either
aolubiliae or detackify the paint solids and to collect and remove the dissolved solids (if possible).
Water-based paints, unlike solvent-based formulations, dissolve or disperse readily in water.
Because of this dispersibility, caused in part by the relatively small particle size of the waterborne
pigments and resins, water-based paints can often be difficult to physically remove from the
system. The problem then is one of solids concentration and removal. mther than detackitication.

PAINT DETACKIFICATION

A number of method:, have been developed to chemically treat the sticky organic paint
sludge collecting in waterwash paint booths. Reviewin, 0 these detackification systems both
historically and in terms of increasing effectiveness. they include caustic/hydroxide treat-
ments, metal salts programs, clay-based programs, and acid colloid programs.

Caustic/Hydroxide Treatments
The use of caustic-based treatments (most commonly in the form of sodium hydroxide)
represents the oldest chemically based treatment fordetackification. These products work well
with lacquers (paints cured by solvent loss), which made up many low-solid, paints in the
past. The basic principle of detackification is the cleavage of ehter linkages found in the fatty
acid-based resin by hydroxide. This results in the formation of a metal-based soap, which
emulsifies any remaining solvents in the paint. The remaining material, with no solvent
present. cures and hardens into a mass for easy removal.
The drawback of the caustic-based program is that, ah paint technology has advanced,
with changes to higher solids levels (primarily for reasons of environmental compliance) and
catalyzed curing, this type of treatment no longer fully react? with the components of the
paint. This results in only partially killed paint, which causes most of the same problems as
live paint. To combat this problem. caustic-based programs containing some insoluble
inorganic material (such as lime) were developed. The insoluble material helps to capture

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some of the unkilled mass of the paint, essentially embedding it. Even these modified
programs are inefficient. however, as the solids level of the paint increases past 25%.

Metal Salts Programs

Metal ,alts products primarily make use of aluminum and zinc salts combined with a
source of alkalinity to form either catalyzed insoluble metal soaps (somewhat similar to the
treatment with caustic) or suspended metal complexes. which can be removed by treatment
with an additional polymer.
The limitation of this type of treatment is that, except in the case of alkyd-based, air-cured
paints, the pH control of the system is very crucial to proper operation, Fluctuations in pH level
can easily cause di\mption of the program, resulting in live paint and settling solids.

Clay-Based Programs
Clay-based products primarily represent a physical. rather than chemical, method of
paint detackification. As bentonite clay absorbs water. it swells to a large irregularly surmced
material. Sticky paint particles entering the water containing this clay adhere to the outside
surface and are, in turn, covered by other clay particles. This results in a large detuckificd
mass. An amine is often fed to increase the paints tendency to disperse prior to contact.
Although the clay itself is relatively inexpensive as treatments go, large amounts of clay
or clay slurry are often required to maintain good detackification. This produces voluminou;
amounts of sludge. as compared with other treatment types. In addition, both water and
solvent are often trapped in the clay matrix. making it difficult for landfill and limitmg the
ability to dewater to a range of 20% to 25% maximum. Clay programs al\o typically have
problems with foaming and biological contamination, due to the entrapment of paint and
water in the clay sludge.

Acid Colloid Programs

The acid colloid treatments function on the principle that certain mixtures of hydrophilic
(water loving) and hydrophobic (water hating) materials can form stable suspensions
under acidic conditions but precipitate as associated complexes as the pH increases. There are
three detackification programs currently used based on this principle: silicate amine programs.
silica amine programs. and melamine-tormaldehyde programs. The basic principle is to feed
the product into the system at a raised alkalinity level to form the associated complex. The
hydrophobic end orients onto the hydrophobic paint particle. with the hydrophilic end sticking
into the water phase. This effectively allows the paint particle to be coated with a thin film of
water that prevents its surface from adhering to other surfaces.

Silicate Amines
In this treatment, the hydrophrlic portion is a polyamine and the hydrophobe is a silicate
(usually sodium metasilicate). These materials are fed separately to the booth in a fixed ratio
based on the paint overspray rate. (Most typically 4 to 13 parts of silicate to I part of
polyamine and both at 5% to 15% based upon overspray.) The pH level is critical. since too
high a pH can cause the complex to redissolve.
The main drawback in silicate amine treatments is that they do not disperse paints very
hell, nor do they provide instantaneous detackification. Because of this, it is not uncommon
to find sticky deposit\ in the back sections of spray booths where good mixing does not occur.
Better detackification usually takes place as the system runs longer.

Silica Amines
The silica amine program is very similar to the silicate amine treatment. The primary
difference is that it utilizes an aqueous colloidal silica sol as the hydrophobe. Colloidal silica

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can be thought of somewhat as a nonswelling clay. The silica sol is fed at a ratio of I to 3 parts
to each part of polyamine. Since the pH of these materials is essentially neutral, an alkalinity
source (usually potassium hydroxide) is fed to bring the system pH to 8.0 to 9.0. The primary
drawback of this program is that under conditions of high shear, such as might take place with
a centrifuge separator, the small size of the silica might not allow itself to fully embed onto
the paint, resulting in partially killed sludge.

Melamine Formaldehyde
This copolymer was originally developed by Du Pont in the early 1940s. It makes use of
its unique organic structure to act to detackify paint. The alternating melamine and
formaldehyde in the polymer chain form a two dimensional netlike structure, the melamine
portion acting as the hydrophobe and the formaldehyde functioning as the hydrophile. Under
alkaline conditions, the compound forms an associated complex. The melamines orient on the
surface of the paint while the formaldehyde groups attract the water layer that prevents the
paint from sticking. Because both of these groups are on the same molecule, the effect of
detackification is nearly instantaneous. Also, because the size of the groups is small relative
to that of silicate or silica amine, the melamine formaldehyde coats the paint particle much
more effectively.
One of the drawbacks of melamine formaldehyde treatment is the relative fragility of the
coating. Because of this, it is necessary to disperse the paint well. Under conditions of high
shear the coating can be ruptured, releasing sticky paint. The other fact to consider is that
because of the sensitivity of this treatment to waterborne particulates, the cleaner the system,
the more effective the melamine formaldehyde is in killing the paint. As the solids loading
increases, the level of detackification decreases and the ability to form a good floe is affected.

SLUDGE REMOVAL METHODS AND EQUIPMENT

Once the paint sludge has been detackified or otherwise concentrated, it is necessary to
use some mechanical means to remove it from the water. The methods used to remove the
captured paint overspray from paint booths vary widely in type, effectiveness, and cost. A
great deal of the choice as to which method is selected is dependent upon the type of booth,
the amount of paint sprayed, the desired end results of the sludge removal, and the money
available for equipment. Options available for side- draft and downdraft systems will be
examined separately, in terms of both manual and automatic methods.

Side-Draft Systems
In smaller booths, the most common method of sludge removal has historically been
skimming. Some portion of most solvent-based paints will usually float if untreated;
caustic-based treatments will typically result in partial float/partial sink on a continuous basis,
especially when a flotation aid is used. Many users of small booths were, therefore,
accustomed to continual skimming of floating material from their systems.
With the advent of paint-dispersing polymer treatments, continuous manual skimming is
unnecessary. Elimination of this process reduces much of the daily labor and its associated
costs. In side-draft systems, use of a polymer paint detackifier normally keeps paint in a
suspended, dispersed state, allowing for flocculation and flotation on a batch (periodic) basis.
Manual skimming, with screens or rakes, is still possible at this point. Manual skimming has
the next-to-lowest capital cost (the lowest being passive settling, which will be discussed in
detail in the downdraft section) but is also labor intensive.
The next level of sophistication in side-draft sludge removal would be the use of
semiautomatic or automatic equipment to remove the floating waste. One way of reducing
labor and eliminating manual skimming in batch flocculation cleanouts would be to use a
wet-vacuum filtration system. This basically consists of an industrial wet-vacuum head on a

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 WATER + SLUDGE

steel drum containing a burlap (or other coarse filter cloth) bag. The floating sludge (and some
water) is vacuumed from the top of the booth tank. The paint sludge should collect in the bag.
while the water is drained (or pumped) from the bottom of the drum back into the booth. This
method can also be used for sludge settling out on the booth tank bottom, although the sefrlctl
slu&e musr hr complrfrly &tarkified. Another method for removing periodically produced
floating sludge is the use of a tank-side weir (see Fig. I) In essence, a small weir is welded
onto the side of the booth tank, allowing floating material to overflow from the booth and be
pumped to a filtering tank (or other system) for dewatering.
Side-draft booths can also be equipped for automatic cnnfinuous removal of Hosting
sludge. using equipment generically referred to as a consolidator (see Fig. 2). This type of
system pumps water from the booth into a separate tank. As the water is pumped in. a
flocculating polymer is injected into the water, causing the detackified paint sludge to float to
the top where it is skimmed off by a continuously moving blade. The clean water iq cycled
back into the booth. Paint sludge can also be removed continuously without
UocculationKloating using filtration methods. The simplest filtration equipment consists of
filter beds utilizing paper or cloth media. These systems allow the solid material to settle out
on the filter media, with the water draining to some collection unit where it can be returned
to the booth. Although this type of system has low labor and capital require- merits, It is often
very cumbersome, which can be a problem since space around a painting area is usually at a
premium. Gravity filtration systems are alao slow and restricted as to throughput volume.
which makes them suitable for only low levels of water or sludge to be processed. Vacuum
filtration, huch as that done using diatomaceous earth filters, is effective on completely
detackified materials, but can add to the overall volume of wable produced due to the
contributions of the disposable media itself.
Centrifugal methods of sludge removal/dewatering are somewhat more expensive to
purchase and install than skimming or filtration equipment but can make up the difference in
cost with their performance. The two most commonly encountered centrifugal separator types

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 WATER FROM EO0l-H

are the hydrocyclone and the centrifuge. Hydrocyclones (see Fig. 3) are basically solids-
concentrating devices. Liquid (in this case, paint-booth water) enters the hydrocyclone under
pressure and spins around the inside surface of the cone. This spinning imparts an increased
force of gravity to the liquid, which in turn causes the heavier solid particles to be pulled
outward (by the centrifugal force) to the walls of the cone. The opening at the bottom releases
part of the pressure, which causes the lighter liquid to be pulled back upward through the cone
exit in a vortex much like a tornado (hence the cyclone part of the name). The solids (and
some water) exit at the bottom. Because of the fact that some water does exit along with the
paint sludge solids, hydrocyclones by themselves are not efficient dewatering devices.
Typically the sludge and water exiting the cone drains into a drum or container where it is
further expected to separate due to gravity. Several of these systems have been designed with
secondary filtration systems (such as filter belts) to further dewater the sludge. These systems
are effective if the paint remains fully detackified at all times. Any tacky paint entering the
system can cause problems and plugging of both the cone and the belt.
Centrifuges work on the same principle as the hydrocyclone except that, instead of the
water spinning through the cone, the water is pumped into a spinning drum (much like a

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 WATER
OUT

Fig. 3. Principle of hydroqclonr separators.

clothes drier set on end), which imparts the centrifugal force that throws the water out of
the solids, A cake of solid material then builds up on the walls of the drum. In the simplest
of these systems, the centrifuge (see Fig. 4) is allowed to operate until the drum is full, after
which the drum is removed and manually emptied. The more elaborate systems will
periodically go through a cleaning cycle where the solids will be automatically scraped
from the drum and allowed to fall into a container. These systems can produce sludge at a
level of 85% solids or more (with some paints), as compared to the average of 40% to 60%
solids from a hydrocyclone. The major downside of this is, as previously mentioned, the high
equipment cost. A fully automatic system will cost upwards of $35,000, as compared to the
$15,000 for a hydrocyclone.
Since these centrifugal-type systems function by pulling solids directly from the booth
water, it is vital to maintain uniformity of the water through agitation and circulation. To
assure complete agitation, many of these centrifugal systems are packaged with booth
agitation equipment, which may include some type of tank-bottom sprayers. Since polymeric
detackifiers tend to settle out in still water, the addition of bottom circulation may enhance the
operation of the chemicals, not only with centrifugal systems but in all operations.

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