Abstract: Apparatus for removing solvents from air, for example, from the air discharged from a paint spraybooth, includes an air duct through which solvent laden air is arranged to flow. A plurality of coalescer pads each having an extended surface area extend across the duct. A plurality of spray nozzles for spraying an absorption liquid such as oil are arranged upstream of each pad and have a spray pattern which impinges over substantially all of the upstream external surface of the respective pad. As the pressure drop experienced by the air flowing through the pads is low the apparatus enables efficient solvent removal and yet has a lower power requirement.

Abstract: A paint spray booth of the type having a forced air/water exchange for trapping paint overspray. A subfloor beneath the working area comprises a flat pan which is deeply flooded with water and plural central discharge tubes, the sides of which are raised above the subfloor to create a weir effect. Sludge troughs sunk into the subfloor are used to periodically drain the water from the pan and clean paint buildup from the subfloor.

Abstract: A method and ducting system for collection of hot exhaust gases from paint curing oven heaters is disclosed for heat energy recovery in which a large collector duct is extended above the paint curing oven and into which is drawn large volumes of slightly warmed air heated by radiation from the paint curing oven or from secondary warm air sources. The vent stack of each paint curing oven heater is extended into the interior of the collector duct, directing the hot exhaust gases into the center of the large volume air stream in order to cool the gases and allow the collection without the need for insulated collection ducting, thermal expansion joints or flow balancing dampers. The heated air volume is passed through the heat recovery exchanger unit prior to being exhausted to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A paint spray booth of the type having a forced air/water exchange for trapping paint overspray. A sub-floor beneath the working area comprises a flat pan which is deeply flooded with water and plural central discharge tubes, the sides of which are raised above the sub-floor to create a weir effect.

Abstract: A system and method for conditioning the air supplied to a paint spray booth enclosure in which the air is dehumidified during summertime operation by liquid absorption of the water vapor from the incoming air.The circulated absorption liquid is cooled to eliminate the heat developed by the dehumidification by a portion of the heat being rejected into the air exhausted from the paint spray booth. In one version, heat pump units are used to extract the remaining portion of the rejected heat with the extracted heat transferred to a regenerator heat exchanger utilized to provide heat to reconcentrate the liquid absorption solution. The heat pumps are also utilized to cool the supply air and the heat so extracted is also used to heat the absorption liquid during regeneration.

Abstract: A paint spray booth which includes a system for supplying air thereto under controlled conditions, with a heat pump operated to produce cooling or heating adjustments to incoming air as required under summer or winter operating conditions. Heat is transferred into or out of filtered air exhausted from the booth into the evaporator or out of the condenser by various heat exchanger arrangements to improve the operating efficiency of the heat pump during heating or cooling, respectively. Dehumidification is achieved by cooling the incoming air to an appropriate dew point temperature and then reheating to achieve the proper supply temperature, which process is improved in efficiency by either an air-to-air heat exchanger which utilizes incoming air to reheat the air, or alternatively, by a pair of secondary air-to-liquid heat exchangers positioned on either side of the main heat exchanger to transfer heat from the incoming air to the dehumidified air.

Abstract: An energy recovery system for industrial plants or similar installations providing for recovery and utilization of heat from relatively low temperature waste heat sources. The system includes refrigeration units operated as heat pumps to absorb the recovered heat from each of the sources in the evaporator and transfer heat to heat-using processes from the condenser. The heat transfer media circulated from and to the evaporator and condenser are accumulated in thermal storage tanks which allow for maintenance of temperature gradations in the media to allow control of the condenser operating temperature and in order to recover the maximum thermal energy from the media received from various recovery heat exchanger units.