Handbook of Solvents - George Wypych - ChemTech - Ventech!

18.1 Measurement and estimation of solvents emission and odor 1219
Figure 18.1.6. Maximum concentration of n-butyl acetate in the spray-room of a joiner’s with windows and door
closed. A - Spray wall, B - Rack track for shelving the varnished parts.
The response time is only 13 s for a single gas or water-vapor, or approx. 40 s if 5 gases
and water-vapor are measured.
The measurements are quasi-continuous. When measuring a single gas, the measuring
value is updated every 30 s, with five gases and humidity the update time is 105 s. The measured
values are stored, statistically evaluated and numerical or graphical output can be obtained
either immediately or on demand. Such devices make the emission measurement
effort much easier than with the older, less automated equipment.
Figure 18.1.6 shows the results of emission investigations in the spray-room of a
joiner’s with and without ventilation. 31 Windows and doors were closed. The varnisher was
standing in front of a spray-wall, opposite to him was placed a platform rack truck for shelving
the varnished parts. Those areas in the joiner’s, which showed roughly the same emission
values of n-butyl acetate, are marked on each drawing.
The emission load in the room was decreased by the technical ventilation to about a
tenth of the values.
18.1.5 “ODOR” DEFINITION
One of the senses of the living organism is the sense of smell. Smell is caused by a substance
whose effect is largely dependent on its chemical structure.
The odorous substances perceived by human are suspended in the air as volatile substances.
The degree of response to a substance depends on its vapor pressure, thus, in turn on
its concentration in the air and its molecular weight. An odorant also has to be sufficiently
water and fat-soluble, which enables it to interact with the olfactory receptors.