Hot Air Leveling and emissions control

Thread from IPC's ComplianceNet

Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 14:01:24 -0800
Reply-To: "ComplianceNet E-Mail Forum." , Steve Ward
Sender: ComplianceNet Mail Forum
From: Steve Ward
Subject: Hot Air Leveling and emissions control

I am seeking advice from someone who may have discovered a way to effectively control emissions from a HAL. We have a horizontal unit which is exhausted to an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and then through a water fume scrubber. We are having a very difficult time with keeping the ESP operational because the acid in the flux deteriorates the collection cells, causing electrical shorts in the unit. The networking we have done indicates that others are having similar problems. Does anyone have a success story to share? I can also be contacted at 619.513.2200

Thanks for the assistance,
Steve Ward
Hallmark Circuits, Inc.

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 07:16:37 -0500
Reply-To: "ComplianceNet E-Mail Forum." , "Brown, Cyndi"
Sender: ComplianceNet Mail Forum
From: "Brown, Cyndi"
Subject: Re: Hot Air Leveling and emissions control
X-To: Steve Ward steve_ward@HALLMARKCIRCUITS.COM

WE RUN OURS THROUGH A SIMPLE WATER SCRUB AT A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED pH AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS. WE DO NOT USE AN ESP. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY BYPASSING THE ESP UNIT WITH THIS PARTICULAR AIRSTREAM.

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 07:21:38 -0800
Reply-To: "ComplianceNet E-Mail Forum." , "Sharp, John"
Sender: ComplianceNet Mail Forum
From: "Sharp, John"
Subject: Re: Hot Air Leveling and emissions control
Steve,

We have only a water scrubber installed on our HASL line. We put it in several years ago. We haven't source-tested it, but it seems to be working very effectively, judging by the condition of the roof.
John Sharp
Merix Corporation
Forest Grove, OR
503-992-4351 Telephone
503-359-1040 FAX
john.sharp@merix.com

Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 10:27:06 -0500
Reply-To: "ComplianceNet E-Mail Forum." , Holly Lynch
Sender: ComplianceNet Mail Forum
From: Holly Lynch
Subject: Re: Hot Air Leveling and emissions control

Steve and others:

In the October, 1996 issue of Circuitree, Mostafa Pournejat and Kenneth Schifftner wrote an article entitled, "Opacity and Odor Control for Hot Air Solder Leveling Operations." The article addressed new pollution prevention control options for that process. Zycon had been using wet electrostatic precipitatirs and found that the units were not effective at eliminating odors. They switched to a patented fluidized bed gas absorber followed by a fiberbed filter which was successful at dealing with emission and odor problems.

Steve -- I will fax you the article.

Regards,

Holly Evans
Director of Environmental and Safety Programs
IPC
1400 Eye St., N.W., Suite 540
Washington, D.C. 20005-2208
ph: 202-638-6219
fx: 202-638-0145
e-mail: HollyEvans@ipc.org