Printing Plant Ventilation
Having designed, manufactured and supplied fans for a variety of applications for decades, CFW has become a leader in industrial ventilation. Our diverse product lines are not limited to fans, but also include ducting, accessories, extraction equipment and cyclones. Our engineers are able to design bespoke solutions if required.
Volatile Organic Solvents (VOCs) are a common airborne pollutant in printing plants, the main source being solvent-based inks. These solvents constitute a health and safety issue, cause complaints about odours and are sometimes flammable. In poorly ventilated rooms, they are associated with an elevated risk of cancer. For this reason, they must be removed by a forced-air ventilation system. The extraction of vapours may have to be done using fans designed not to ignite them accidentally, possibly with sensors to check for leaks of gases. The solvents may be recycled by transporting them to a vapour recovery plant, or released into the atmosphere if legislation permits.
Ceiling supply ventilation with return ducts is generally adequate for the removal of solvents. However, some workers are exposed to repeated short-term exposure to high levels of solvents. Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) equipment such as hoods can help to reduce the exposure of these workers.
Sometimes the ventilation system can dry out the air in the plant, increasing drying-in on screens, causing problems with static electricity and drying or shrinking raw materials. In such cases, humidification systems using steam, compressed air or pressurised water are used to humidify the air. On the other hand, excessive humidity can cause long ink-drying times and problems with paper stock, in which case dehumidification will be needed.
The ideal ventilation system offers the optimum balance between cost effectiveness (taking capital costs, maintenance costs and energy use into account) and air exchange efficiency. In general, excessively noisy fans are an indication of poor equipment selection or maintenance that will result in high future costs.
Contact Us
Address
Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)
3 Parin Road, Parow Industria, 7500, Western Cape
Johannesburg, South Africa
4 Chilworth Road, Founders View North, Modderfontein, Edenvale, 1645, Gauteng
Phone
Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)
T +27 (0)21 931 8331
F +27 (0)21 931 3165
Johannesburg, South Africa
T +27 (0)11 452 5830 / 5146
F +27 (0)11 452 5132
Cape Town, South Africa (HQ)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1542, Parow, 7499, South Africa