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Solvent recycling is the process of cleaning used solvents to their pure form. It reduces costs and environmental impact by reusing solvents instead of disposing of them. Solvent recycling uses fractionation and distillation, and is common in laboratories, workshops, body shops, and paint contractors.
Solvent recycling is the process of taking used and dirty solvents and cleaning them until the solvent is returned to its pure form. The used solvents are placed in a solvent recycler and undergo a process that fractionates and distills them from the chemicals that made them dirty, those introduced to create a reaction with the solvent. Aside from the environmental reasons for recycling solvents, the main benefit is cost reduction. Laboratories do not need to purchase as much solvent because it can be recycled and disposal costs are significantly reduced because less dirty solvent is expelled. This can be true for any industry that uses solvents, including workshops, body shops, and paint contractors.
Solvents are common in nearly every environment where chemicals are used. A solvent is any liquid, gaseous, or solid chemical substance that dissolves in another, forming a compound between the two chemicals. This creates a series of reactions, depending on the chemicals used, but all reactions have one thing in common: the solvent is always dirty at the end of the synthesis. Once upon a time, the compound would be thrown out, incurring disposal fees, forcing the purchase of more solvents, and greatly increasing the cost of doing business.
With solvent recycling, the dirty solvent compound is placed in a solvent recycler. Using a solvent recycler usually only requires loading the solvent and pressing a button. Depending on how much compound went into the recycler, it can take several hours or more to complete. The clean solvent will then be deposited into a collection bag or tank.
Solvent recycling works by fractionation and distillation. With fractionation, the chemical is pushed through small tubes and treated at different temperatures to separate the solvent from the solute. Distillation is similar and works by turning the compound into a vapor before cooling it back into a liquid, which causes the chemicals to separate and allows the solvent to collect. Operators rarely have to do much work beyond loading solvent, but some recyclers require trained operators to set up the machine for certain solvents.
The target market for solvent recycling is largely laboratories, which work with solvents on an almost constant basis. Other businesses that use solvents include paint contractors and auto body shops, which use solvent-based chemicals such as paint thinners. Dry cleaners use solvents for cleaning and beauty stores use solvents in nail polish remover and perfume, but these markets often use too little solvent to bother with solvent recycling.
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