What’s Safer About Fast-Drying and Nonflammable Cleaning Solvents?

Nonflammable and fast-drying degreasing solvents, such as Enviro Tech’s nonflammable NEXT 3000 fluorinated solvent and EnSolv® n-propyl bromide-based vapor degreaser, work like any other solvent. A chemical effectively encases and removes grease and other contaminants, but the reaction is just a bit faster. That means the degreaser spends less time in the engine, which is an added safety feature.

To understand all the safety benefits of these two types of cleaning solvents, it helps to consider them separately.

• Fast-drying solvents have that designation because they evaporate more quickly than water. As such, they are far easier to remove from an engine after degreasing is completed. That enhances safety because not all engines and engine parts should be immersed in any solvent for a long period of time. With sensitive engine parts, you want them in and out of the solvent as quickly as possible, leaving behind no potentially dangerous residue if you can help it.
• Nonflammable solvents are also safer in engines, for obvious reasons. Some solvents have a flash point, which refers to the temperature at which the chemical will ignite. A low flash point means the solvent will more easily ignite, and that’s a danger. High flash point solvents and nonflammable solvents give you far more flexibility to degrease without the risk of sparking a fire. What’s more, when combined with a fast-drying solvent, they leave behind no residue that could ignite at some later time.

What Type of Solvents Should I Use?

One of the most common and effective fast-drying solvents is isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Depending on the temperature of the cleaning environment, IPA can evaporate very quickly. And whatever the environment, it will always evaporate more quickly than water.

In terms of nonflammable cleaning solvents, it’s easier to rule out the solvents that are flammable. If you want a nonflammable solvent, steer clear of acetone, alcohol, benzene, toluene and xylene. At the other end of the spectrum are the nonflammable NEXT 3000 and Ensolv® products. When in doubt, look for the flammability rating. At the safest end is water, which is rated 0 because it will not ignite under any circumstances. At the other end would be a highly flammable chemical like propane, which clocks in with a rating of 4.

Why Enviro Tech Can Steer You in the Right Direction

Sounds simple enough, right? But there are caveats that make one type of solvent better than another. That’s where Enviro Tech can help. With our broad expertise in environmentally friendly and highly effective nonflammable and degreasing cleaning solvents, we can guide you to the smartest, safest choice for your application. Contact us today for more information or to request a quote.