MikeV
Hey Gip, what do you think about the CFM rating of my spraybooth?
I know you will say it needs more covering on the sides and top and I agree and am considering making some cardboard sides or something for it.
http://www.chicagoairbrushsupply.com/banewhospbo.html
Mike,
Thanks for the link. I looked at the booth and, as you say, it needs a little something. Face area works out to 1.76 square feet, which would mean that at least a 175 cfm fan would be needed; however, from a design perspective, I think the general idea is that the model is moved as close to the face as is practical, and then spraying commences, with the overspray going directly into the filter. There are some issues, however, with that setup. First would appear to be the presumption that most spraying is going to be completely horizontal in nature and toward the filter. That would be OK, except I think most modelers don't spray that way all the time, so particulate/vapor capture becomes more "difficult" when spraying outside of perpendicular. Second, and probably most important, at least IMHO, is the top and side design. The short of it is this: most of the airflow is going to come around the sides of the booth and into the filter. Most of the airflow won't be used for capture. I see this constantly in welding applications. Remind me, and I'll calculate the 100 fpm capture distance for that booth for you.
You are correct; for the booth to be more efficient, the airflow has to become more linear. In order to be more linear, the booth needs to be deeper. There is a calculation to determine booth depth. Trouble is, I can't remember it (that's old age for you), and my references aren't at hand. If you're interested in how long the sides and tops need to be, email me, and I'll get you the info.
Interestingly, with the given face area, that 162 cfm fan will provide you over 90fpm of capture velocity, which is considered acceptable. Get the sides and top on and you'll notice some improvement in overall ventilation efficiency!
Hope this helps you some
Blessings, my friend
Gip