A paint booth is designed to vacuum and filter hazardous substances such as oversprays (mist) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
It thus prevents the spread of particles, odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the workshop or outside.
In addition to protecting the environment and complying with regulations, it guarantees the safety of employees and facilities.
Isolating the painting process in a booth also ensures high quality work, free of contaminants like dust.
Composition of a paint booth
A paint booth is a ventilated and sometimes heated space, allowing painters to work in hygiene and safety conditions that comply with standards. It can be open or closed and is adapted to the dimensions of the parts to be painted. There are cabins for different uses, such as automotive or industrial.
A paint booth consists of:
- Filter panels to capture particles
- Motorized fan to suck out stale air
- Extraction chimney to expel filtered air outside
- Electrical control cabinet to control the cabin
Selection criteria for a paint booth
To choose the appropriate paint booth, it is crucial to know the dimensions of the parts or products to be painted and to select a booth large enough to accommodate and handle them. It is also important to ensure sufficient space and ventilation in the cabin.
After determining the size, choose the filtration type based on the application process:
- Liquid applications: Typically use a booth with a dry filter. An exhaust fan draws excess paint toward a series of filters located in the booth walls or floor, capturing the particles.
- Powder paint applications: Require an industrial dust collector which will separate the dust from the air through cleaning cartridges or filter bags.
Sizing a paint booth
It is important to consider the dimensions of the largest room to be painted, including the rack, pallet or cart.
Add at least 60 cm to the height and 1.5 m to the length and width to determine the size of the cabin.
If you are painting several rooms simultaneously, allow approximately 90 cm between rooms.
Types of ventilation in a paint booth
Good ventilation is essential for the health of operators and the quality of the paint. The cabin must provide a constant supply of fresh filtered air and exhaust of polluted air. The ventilation system includes a blower fan and an exhaust fan.
Airflows can move in different ways:
- Vertical airflow: From the ceiling grille to the gratings. Advantages: cleanliness, reduction of contaminants, better finish. Disadvantages: requires tunnels or pits, high cost.
- Horizontal air flow: From a blowing cabinet towards an extractor wall. Similar advantages and disadvantages to diagonal flow.
Paint booth heating system
The need for heated air is an important criterion to consider before purchasing.
- Horizontal flow cabins sometimes have a heating system through filter walls.
- Vertical flow cabins are generally those originally equipped with a heated pulsed air system.This is particularly the case for body type cabins, which are also used in industrial environments.
The first advantage is a constant temperature of the cabin or room where the painting is carried out, which allows optimal quality of application and drying.
The 2nd advantage is that the hot air is filtered before being blown into the cabin, which allows for the best quality finish.
The 3rd advantage is that the cabin can also be used as a drying oven outside of spraying hours.
Filtration system
Filtering the air in a paint booth is crucial to achieve good results and protect the environment. Continuously monitor filters to avoid performance losses. Filtration systems include:
- Pre-filters: Located before the insufflation fan, purify the incoming air.
- Plenum: Often located on the ceiling for maximum air quality
- Extraction filters: Located on the floor under gratings, retain paint fallout. There are filters specially designed for spray booths, which are very effective in preventing inhalation or ingestion of particles by workers.
The standards
The NF EN 12215 + A1 standard covers the obligations concerning paint booths (safety requirements for spray application booths of liquid organic paint products).
It makes it obligatory :
- Ventilation by one or more fans.
- A dry air filtration or air washing system. Measuring and control devices.
- Fire extinguishing equipment.
- An alarm device.
>> Discover the paint boxes and booths designed by Technicis Filtration.
Technicis Filtration in a few words
Since 1992, TECHNICIS FILTRATION has been the leading French manufacturer of pleated cardboard filters for paint booths.
An expert in filtering overspray and mist generated in industrial spray booths and surface treatment environments, we design and market a complete range of filters tailored to all finishing processes on wood, metal, plastic, composite, glass, or leather, for all brands of installations.
In addition, we design and manufacture custom exhaust units and extraction walls to efficiently capture and filter overspray and spray mist in industrial environments.
Our expertise and commitment to quality allow us to meet the specific needs of our clients across various industrial sectors.