Emission factors for trichloroethylene vapor degreasers

Emission factors were developed for two production trichloroethylene (TCE) vapor degreasers: an open-top (0.76 m x 1.16 m x 1.8 m) and a conveyor-fed enclosed design. Both were fitted with functioning local exhaust hoods. Emissions were determined from field data by using a Fick's law diffusion approach and the observed variation in time of the TCE concentration gradient within 4 m of each device. The average emission factor for the open-top degreaser was 2.6 g TCE/min [2.9 g TCE/(m2.min)] which corresponds to 9.5% of the total degreaser emissions escaping into the workplace. The average emission factor for the enclosed degreaser was 0.67 g TCE/min, a release of 3% of the total emissions into the work area. These values are considered to be representative of the average lower limit of emissions during production from TCE degreasers of like designs with similar local exhaust controls (which were typical but did not meet American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' [ACGIH] airflow rate criteria).