Reflow Oven Exhaust

2/28/2017 1:35:47 PM

We're installing our first SMT line and my boss asked me a question I couldn't answer right off the top of my head. I have been an SMT process engineer for about 12 years and I guess this just never came up before. I was surprised but it made good sense for him to ask the question. Can anyone offer any input?? Is there a way to supply outside unconditioned air to a forced convection reflow oven? If we are exhausting 500-600 cfm and the oven is drawing it's air from inside the building, and we are conditioning (heating/cooling/humidifying/dehumidifying) that air, then it stands to reason that we are wasting an awful lot of our factory conditioned air, i.e. WASTING ALOT OF MONEY!! My boss is pretty tight with his $$$. I know one option is to buy a filtration system and exhaust the air back into the facility, but the last time I did that, the filtration system was pretty expensive. Any inputs appreciated.