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You use solvents in your facility and you're asking: "Can this solvent actually be recovered?" The answer is almost always yes — but not every solvent is equally straightforward to reclaim. In this article we explain which solvents ARMIN machines can process, along with their boiling points and realistic recovery rates.
How Does Solvent Recovery Work?
ARMIN solvent recovery machines use distillation: the waste solvent is heated, the solvent vapour rises and the contaminants (paint residue, resins, oils) remain in the tank. The vapour is cooled in a condenser and collected as clean, reusable solvent.
For distillation to work effectively, two conditions must be met:
- The solvent must have a defined boiling point (not too high or undefined)
- The contaminants must boil at a different temperature than the solvent itself
Complete List of Recoverable Solvents
The table below shows the solvents that ARMIN machines successfully process, with their boiling points and typical recovery rates:
| Solvent | Boiling Point | Recovery Rate | Common Industry | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acetone | 56 °C | 90–95% | Paint, cosmetics, laboratory | ✓ Easy |
| Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) | 82 °C | 88–95% | Electronics, cleaning, pharma | ✓ Easy |
| MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) | 80 °C | 90–95% | Paint, coatings, adhesives | ✓ Easy |
| Ethyl Acetate | 77 °C | 88–93% | Printing, food packaging, flexo | ✓ Easy |
| Toluene | 111 °C | 90–95% | Paint, adhesives, textiles | ✓ Easy |
| Thinner (blended) | 60–130 °C | 80–90% | Paint, furniture, automotive | ✓ Easy |
| Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) | 78 °C | 85–92% | Pharma, food, cleaning | ✓ Easy |
| Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) | 65 °C | 85–92% | Chemical, biodiesel, laboratory | ✓ Easy |
| Butyl Acetate | 126 °C | 85–92% | Paint, automotive, coatings | ✓ Easy |
| Hexane | 69 °C | 90–95% | Oil extraction, laboratory | ✓ Easy |
| Xylene | 138–144 °C | 88–93% | Paint, textiles, resins | ✓ Easy |
| MIBK (Methyl Isobutyl Ketone) | 116 °C | 85–92% | Coatings, adhesives | ✓ Easy |
| Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) | 40 °C | 88–94% | Metal cleaning, pharma | ✓ Possible |
| Perchloroethylene (PERC) | 121 °C | 90–95% | Dry cleaning, metal | ✓ Possible |
| THF (Tetrahydrofuran) | 66 °C | 80–88% | Pharma, polymers | ~ Caution |
| NMP (N-Methyl Pyrrolidone) | 202 °C | 75–85% | Electronics, battery production | ~ High temp |
| Water-based solvent blends | Variable | 40–60% | Some printing inks | ✗ Difficult |
The Most Common Solvents — In Detail
🧪 Acetone — The Easiest Solvent to Recover
Its low boiling point means distillation cycles complete very quickly. Acetone is one of the most widely used solvents in paint, nail-care, laboratory cleaning and plastics processing. The ARMIN AR 60 model can cover the entire acetone demand of a small facility with just two to three cycles per week.
💻 IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) — The Electronics Industry Standard
Widely used for cleaning PCBs, wiping optical lenses and pharmaceutical manufacturing. IPA becomes contaminated quickly in use but, after distillation, returns to near-original purity. Electronics manufacturers routinely save hundreds of litres of IPA every month with a recovery unit.
🎨 MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) — The Paint Industry Favourite
Heavily used in industrial paint, coatings and adhesive production. Resin and polymer residues separate cleanly; recovered MEK is production-ready quality. Because market prices for MEK are high, payback periods are especially short — often under four months.
🖨️ Ethyl Acetate — The Key to Flexo and Gravure Printing
One of the most consumed solvents in flexo printing, gravure printing and food packaging production. Ink-contaminated ethyl acetate is ready for reuse after a single distillation run. The vast majority of printing facilities in this sector operate AR 120 or AR 200 units.
🏭 Thinner — Blended but Still Recoverable
Thinner is not a single chemical — it is a blend of multiple solvents with different boiling points, which makes distillation slightly more nuanced. ARMIN machines handle this blend reliably. It is by far the most frequently asked-about solvent from paint shops, furniture finishers and automotive body shops.
🧴 Toluene & Xylene — High-Value Solvents
Both carry high market prices. They are widely used in textiles, paint, resins and adhesives. Their higher boiling points extend cycle time slightly, but because their market value is significant, ROI is still very fast — typically three to five months for most installations.
Which Solvents Are Difficult or Impossible to Recover?
⚠️ Recovery rates drop — or may not be practical — in the following cases:
- Solvents that form azeotropes with water: Some alcohol–water mixtures cannot be fully separated by standard distillation. A vacuum system or molecular sieve may be required.
- Waste with very high dissolved polymer content: If dissolved polymers exceed roughly 40% of the waste volume, distillation efficiency drops significantly.
- NMP (202 °C) and similar high-boiling solvents: These require specialised high-temperature equipment; standard ARMIN models may not be suitable.
- Reactive or cross-linked solvents: Certain specialist formulations undergo chemical reactions when heated, making clean separation impossible.
Which Model Is Right for Your Industry?
| Industry | Common Solvent | Recommended Model |
|---|---|---|
| Paint / Lacquer production | MEK, Xylene, Butyl Acetate, Thinner | AR 120 / AR 200 |
| Printing / Flexo | Ethyl Acetate, IPA, Acetone | AR 60 / AR 120 |
| Automotive body shop | Thinner, MEK, Acetone | AR 60 / AR 120 |
| Electronics manufacturing | IPA, Acetone, Dichloromethane | AR 60 |
| Furniture / Wood finishing | Thinner, Acetone, Ethanol | AR 60 / AR 120 |
| Dry cleaning | Perchloroethylene (PERC) | AR 120 / AR 200 |
| Pharma / Chemical | Methanol, Ethanol, THF, IPA | AR 200 / AR 500 |
| Large-scale production | All solvents | AR 500 |
Bottom Line: Your Solvent Is Almost Certainly Recoverable
More than 90% of the solvents used in industry today are recoverable through distillation. To find out for certain, all you need to do is tell us which solvent you use and how much you go through each month. We'll calculate your recovery rate and payback period — free of charge, no obligation.