Responsible Organic Solvents: Exploring Government Classifications

By Timothy Byron

image: depositphotos

Businesses invest quite a bit of cash into their machinery and mechanical parts, and consequently take upkeep procedures very seriously. While accumulation of dirt and dust is perfectly normal, the truth is that if these materials are not properly washed off machinery, they will cause long-term problems like corrosion.

More seriously, when these materials are not washed off of critical parts like ball joints, these components become dangerous to use and can lead to human fatality. For this reason, many organizations choose to use solvents to clean their machinery and parts. These substances use a solid, liquid, or gas to dissolve another solid, liquid, or gas. In the process, these materials end up being uniformly distributed so that no residue remains. Environmentally responsible organizations will go a step further and use organic solvents because their natural ingredients do not pose a threat to users or the environment. Yet when a company is concerned with more than just grime and needs to remove grease or oil, a degreaser/ MIL-PRF-680 will not only get the job done, but also allow the company to breathe easier knowing that their product is environmentally preferred.

Companies will find that there are actually four different classifications of MIL-PRF-680 degreasers. They are classified based on the four different types of petroleum distillates, and the degreaser's flash point. A flash point is simply the lowest temperature at which a material will vaporize. Additional information on each level of classification can be found below.

Organic Solvents: Environmentally Friendly Options Exist

By Timothy Byron

image: depositphotos

Industrial machinery represents a very high operating expense for organizations. It is no surprise then that corporations have a lot to gain by devoting time and energy to the upkeep of their various machines and parts. Businesses that take the time to care for essential machinery will extend the life expectancy of those resources, which ultimately affects the bottom line. One standard threat to industrial machinery is the accumulation of dirt and dust, which occurs naturally over time. While most companies would expect regular cleaning procedures to be sufficient, one can never be entirely sure. All it would take is just a hint of overlooked dirt to damage the metal of the machine, leading to corrosion. For this reason, many companies utilize solvents to ensure that their equipment receives a sufficient cleansing. So how do they work?

Put simply, a solid, liquid, or gas is used to dissolve another solid, liquid, or gas. Once one substance is dissolved into another, a solution is formed. During the chemical reaction, all of the ingredients end up being uniformly distributed, and no residue remains as a result. However, there is also a major environmental risk that comes from the use of solvents. If they reach the soil, they can migrate great distances which can quickly lead to widespread soil contamination. Even more troublesome is when solvents reach the water supply, which can induce health effects like damage to the nervous system, reproductive damage, kidney damage, and cancer.

Though there are risks, businesses should not stop using these substances altogether. Residue left on machinery will not only affect the condition of the machine, but when washing high precision parts like ball bearings, any remaining residue will have substantial safety implications of its own. The question remains: how do companies wash their essential machinery and parts without risking harm to the environment? The answer is organic solvents, which are made up of organic compounds and contain carbon atoms. Since their ingredients occur naturally, they are much safer for employees to work with and pose less of an environmental risk.

Safety Solvents: An Easy Solution for Eliminating Harsh Chemical Agents

By Timothy Byron

image: depositphotos

The use of volatile cleaners brings about concerns both in regards to human and environmental safety. Companies require solvents in order to clean parts or equipment during manufacturing, maintenance, or other industry specific processes. Several chemicals will evaporate under regular temperature conditions thus making them potentially more harmful and certainly more difficult to use or store. Formed gas from evaporation enters the air without any visual sign that can make them very dangerous. Health problems have been directly linked to highly volatile solvents in addition to being problematic for the environment. Indoor concentrations pose increased risk to individuals because they are much higher. Air filtration systems and other methods may be taken to reduce this hazard, but the amounts often released in the immediate environment are still troublesome. The Environmental Protection Agency or EPA has created usage regulations to reduce the adverse effects of volatile solvents. Suppliers have taken steps to provide safety solvents that offer reduced danger of fire as well as minimal evaporation, and fall within compliance of EPA regulations to deliver an affordable yet effective industrial solution.

Organic Solvents: What Measures Have Been Taken to Reduce Hazards?
Degreasers can consist of numerous hazardous ingredients that put companies at risk for human injury as well as EPA violations. Newer organic solvents do not contain chlorinated compounds or other high-risk ingredients to provide a safer product for businesses that must apply these cleaning agents quite frequently.

Part cleaning is a constant process in most manufacturing and mechanical servicing industries. New products are being offered to businesses requiring these agents to operate efficiently. Environment oriented organic solvents include minimal to no hazardous materials and are typically hydrocarbon based. Hydrocarbon is an organic compound created from combining two specific elements: carbon and hydrogen. These compounds may be alkaline, alkene, cycloalkane, or alkyne-based in nature. Hydrocarbons may be utilized as a gas, liquid, polymer, or solid ranging from simple to complex combinations. Methane, ethane, butane, propane, and octane are a few of the simplest hydrocarbons.