Control Instruments®

Corporation

Application Note
Understanding NFPA 86
Safety Ventilation & Continuous LFL Monitoring
Introduction to NFPA 86 Safety ventilation is required to stay
below 25% LFL
The National Fire Protection
Copies of NFPA 86, the
Association (NFPA) establishes fire To prevent solvent vapor buildup,
Standards for Ovens and
safety standards, including standards for NFPA 86 requires continuous ventilation
Furnaces, may be obtained
the safe operation of processes. NFPA 86, of the oven. This requirement is true for
from the National Fire
the Standard for Ovens and Furnaces, all continuous process ovens, including
Protection Association.
addresses the safe operation of Class A, multiple zone ovens, as well as batch
Call toll free to order: Class B ,Class C and Class D ovens, process ovens.
1-800-344-3555 dryers, and furnaces, thermal oxidizers,
NFPA states the safety ventilation rate
and any other heated enclosure used for
of continuous process ovens shall be
processing of materials and related
designed, maintained, and operated to
equipment.
prevent the vapor concentration in the
NFPA 86 is the minimum standard oven exhaust from exceeding 25 percent
required by law of the LFL. 1 Similar language is found
regarding batch process ovens.
OSHA makes reference to NFPA 86
under paragraph 1910.107, the law related Using safety ventilation alone can
to coating processes utilizing flammable result in higher operating costs
or combustible liquids. NFPA 86 is there-
It is important to note that the safety
fore the minimum standard required by
ventilation rate required to keep the sol-
law, and should be applied in all proc-
vent vapor concentration from exceeding
esses falling under OSHA regulations.
25% LFL is calculated based on the
In addition, Factory Mutual applies oven’s maximum solvent load. If the
NFPA 86 when auditing insured facilities process typically runs below its maximum
for compliance to acceptable safety solvent load, then excess ventilation air is
Control Instruments® standards. being run through the oven. This excess
Corporation ventilation results in higher operating
Solvent Vapor Monitoring
costs not only for heated air: it will also
25 Law Drive This technical note focuses on the increase the cost of handling the exhaust
Fairfield, NJ 07004-3295 NFPA 86 requirements for solvent vapor air stream (which must be run through a
973-575-9114 monitoring in continuous process ovens VOC reduction system).
Fax 973-575-0013 in which flammable liquids (solvents and
[email protected] Safety ventilation alone provides
other compounds) are being vaporized.
only a limited margin of safety
Copyright © 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003 The number of industries and types of
2007, 2010 products falling into this category is very The ventilation-only method results in
Control Instruments Corporation. All
Rights Reserved. Control Instruments large, including paper, film and foil con- higher operating costs, yet provides only
is a registered trademark of Control verting, printing, coating and laminating a limited margin of safety. The methods
Instruments Corporation. operations. In these processes, solvents for calculating expected vapor
Document H7APP001 are used to apply a coating or finish to concentration cannot take into account
Created 3/92 substrate or raw material. The “wet” failures within the process itself, and
Revision H
Rev Date 11/2010
material is then run through an oven or there is no ability to shut down the
dryer, where the solvents are vaporized, process should such a failure occur.
leaving behind finished product.
1
NFPA 86:2011 section 11.6.8.1
 For example, an improperly welded Should the concentration rise due to a
damper can close too far, or the web can failure in the process, the operator is noti-
break and block the exhaust duct; solvent fied immediately and the monitoring
vapor will build up without warning, system can shut down the process before
presenting a serious explosion hazard. an explosive concentration is achieved.
Continuous solvent vapor LFL monitoring reduces operating
monitoring allows operation above costs while enhancing productivity
25% LFL
When vapor concentrations can rise
NFPA also states the safety ventilation above 25% LFL, the amount of heated air
rate shall be permitted to operate at a needed to ventilate the oven can be
safety ventilation rate lower than that reduced, resulting in lower operating
specified where a continuous solvent energy costs. Or the ventilation rate can
vapor concentration indicator and be maintained but the throughput can be
controller is provided in accordance with increased, improving productivity.
11.6.10. For such installations, the con-
In addition, the lower ventilation rate
tinuous indicator and controller shall be
means that there is a lower amount of
arranged to alarm and shut down the oven
exhaust air that must be handled by the
heating systems or operate additional
VOC reduction system. In some cases, the
exhaust fans at a predetermined vapor
VOC reduction system may be smaller in
concentration that shall not exceed 50
size or may require less fuel to operate
percent of the LFL.2 Similar language is
(because the higher vapor concentration
found regarding batch process ovens
in the process exhaust can be used as
In other words, when a continuous fuel).
LFL monitor is installed, the oven can
operate above 25%LFL but must shut
***
down before exceeding 50%LFL.
LFL monitoring improves safety
For more information regarding NFPA 86 and
There is enormous benefit in knowing solvent vapor monitoring, please refer to these
the actual concentration of solvent vapor additional application notes:
present in the oven zone. Rather than re- How to Select a Continuous Solvent Vapor
lying on calculations, the vapor monitor Monitor to meet NFPA 86 requirements.
provides real-time, actual conditions. Using Flammability Analyzers to Protect Thermal
Oxidizers.
Reducing Fuel Costs in Process Ovens and Dryers
which use Solvents.

100% LFL Control Instruments®

Corporation

25 Law Drive
Fairfield, NJ 07004-3295
50%
Phone 973-575-9114
With LFL Monitoring
Fax 973-575-0013
25%
[email protected]
Ventilation Only www.controlinstruments.com
0%

When continuous LFL monitors are installed,

the solvent vapor concentration in the oven
can exceed 25% LFL. This allows operators
to increase overall safety and productivity
while reducing operating costs.

2
NFPA 86: 2011, section 11.6.8.1