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Understanding HVLP

Learn More About HVLP

A Little Industry History: HVLP is much more than just a spray gun. It began as an independent spray system that did not involve an air compressor but rather a fan or vacuum blower style motor in a box as the air source. It was originally called Turbo Technology. In the mid1980’s Apollo Sprayers International took their system to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in California. It was proved beyond a doubt that Apollo’s spray and turbine system offered less Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) to be oversprayed into the air. The technology had earned itself a new name, HVLP, and a new spraying category was born.

Turbine Systems – How They Work: Inside every HVLP system is a blower style motor. The motors are small, efficient and useful over a long life. It is important to understand that the smaller the motor, the lower amount of available pressure it produces. The reverse is also true. The larger the motor, the greater the amount of available pressure is produced. When you are selecting an HVLP Turbine system this is important because while you can always adjust the pressure of a higher powered motor downwards, you cannot increase it.

Picking the Pressure You’ll Need: As we have explained, it is smart to pick a turbine equal to the heaviest duty or highest pressure you’ll need. Be an intelligent consumer. If you only spray thin coatings, then lower powered systems will work for you. However, if you use higher viscosity and thicker products, you need the turbine that has the power to atomize them. You can lower viscosity by thinning but in some cases that is neither practical nor wise. Waterbase coatings are a good example. Read our report on Water Based Coatings.

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