Handbook of Solvents - George Wypych - ChemTech - Ventech!

1026 Mohamed Serageldin, Dave Reeves
14.26 USE OF SOLVENTS IN THE SHIPBUILDING AND SHIP REPAIR
INDUSTRY
Mohamed Serageldin
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Dave Reeves
Midwest Research Institute, Cary, NC, USA
14.26.1 INTRODUCTION
The focus of this chapter will be on the use of solvents in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry.
This industrial sector is involved in building, repairing, repainting, converting, or alteration
of marine and fresh water vessels. These vessels include self-propelled vessels,
those propelled by other vessels (barges), military and Coast Guard vessels, commercial
cargo and passenger vessels, patrol and pilot boats, and dredges. The industry sector is also
involved in repairing and coating navigational aids such as buoys. This chapter begins with
an overview of operations in a typical shipbuilding and/or ship repair facility (shipyard), to
identify those operations that generate significant volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions
and/or hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions from the use of organic solvents. Organic
solvents that are VOCs contribute to formation of ozone in the troposphere. Other
organic solvents such as chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) cause depletion of the ozone
layer in the stratosphere. Therefore, VOCs and other air toxics, such as those compounds
listed as HAPs, are both indirectly and directly detrimental to the general public’s health.
Because many solvents are VOCs and often contain large amounts of HAPs, many state
agencies 1,2 and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) have issued
regulations to limit their content in materials used for surface coating and cleaning operations
at shipyards. 3-7
14.26.2 SHIPBUILDING AND SHIP REPAIR OPERATIONS
Most facilities engaged in shipbuilding or ship repair activities (shipyards) have several
manufacturing areas in common, each including one or more “unit operations”. These areas
include: (a) surface preparation of primarily steel surfaces, which may include cleaning
with multiple organic solvents; (b) assembly operations, which involve assembly of blocks
that were constructed from sub-assembled parts (this step involves steel cutting and material
movement using heavy equipment such as cranes); (c) cleaning operations (other than
surface preparation) such as equipment and parts cleaning; and (d) coating operations. 8,9
There are secondary operations such as chrome plating, asbestos removal, fuel combustion,
carpentry, and, to various degrees, polyester lay-up operations (composite materials construction
activities). We will next discuss those operations that involve the use of organic
cleaning solvents.
14.26.3 COATING OPERATIONS
Marine coatings can be applied by the use of spraying equipment, brushes, or rollers. Coating
operations at shipyards are typically conducted at two primary locations: (1) outdoor
work areas or (2) indoor spray booths. The outdoor work areas can include ship exteriors
and interiors. Most shipyards report that typically only a small percentage (10%) of the
coating operations are done indoors. However, in large construction yards a larger propor-