Taikisha Japan has recently installed a dry booth at Honda’s Yorii plant near Tokyo which will allow overspray paint separation and removal by a filtration method rather than the water-based ‘venturi’ approach. In a dedicated chamber, the oversprayed paint and pre-coat material powder, usually a form of calcium carbonate (CaC03), will be mixed together so that the amalgamation can be captured by filters. A reverse air purge cleans the filters by dislodging the paint/powder mixture for collection and disposal.
According to Japanese data cited by Taikisha in comparing wet and dry booth applications, a dry booth using a 90% recycling system can reduce operational costs by 35-40% while CO2 emissions can be cut by 50-60%, although the initial investment premium is 25-30% higher. Taikisha notes that dry booth installations are most effective when a recycling system integrates them into broader environmental strategies and that climatic and other operating conditions in locations such as India can negate the advantages. Taikisha operates a dry booth system at its plant in Tianjin, China, for its own purposes and as a demonstration aid for potential clients.