Paint Booth Air Filtration

Overspray and Solvent Vapor Are Two Separate Jobs

Paint booths catch a lot of people out on one point: the filters that stop overspray do almost nothing about the solvent vapor.

Spraying produces two things at once. Overspray is the fine paint particulate that doesn't land on the workpiece, and standard booth filters are built to capture it. Solvent vapor is the VOC portion of the coating, and it passes straight through those same filters as a gas. Curing and flash-off release more solvent after spraying stops. Sanding and surface prep before painting add dry dust to the mix. And solvent vapor accumulating in an enclosed booth is a safety concern as well as an emissions one.

Booth Problems Worth Acting On

• Solvent smell is noticeable outside the booth

• Finish defects are appearing from dust or contamination

• Booth filters are loading up much faster than expected

• Local permits set VOC limits you aren't measuring against

• Airflow through the booth feels weak or uneven

• You've switched to a coating with higher solvent content

Carbon Filtration for What Booth Filters Let Through

Electrocorp's activated carbon stages are built for the VOC portion of booth exhaust, which particulate filters don't address. Carbon adsorbs the solvent vapor released during spraying, flash-off, and curing, which is what drives both the smell and the emissions. Systems can be added to existing booth exhaust or configured for enclosed booths where solvent vapor accumulates, and they work alongside your overspray filters rather than replacing them.