초록 ▼

A cleaning system and method utilizing sonic whistle agitation to enhance the soil removal and mass transport capacity of the liquid carbon dioxide at low process temperatures. Sonic whistles are within a cleaning chamber, and liquid carbon dioxide is forced out of the sonic whistle jets to ultrason

A cleaning system and method utilizing sonic whistle agitation to enhance the soil removal and mass transport capacity of the liquid carbon dioxide at low process temperatures. Sonic whistles are within a cleaning chamber, and liquid carbon dioxide is forced out of the sonic whistle jets to ultrasonically emulsify and disperse non-miscible liquids or insoluble solids, such as remove low solubility oils and greases, in the liquid carbon dioxide contained in the cleaning chamber. Cleaning is accomplished at temperatures between -68.degree. F. and 88.degree. F., and the temperature of the liquid carbon dioxide is typically below 32.degree. F.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a liquid carbon dioxide cleaning system having a cleaning chamber, a storage tank containing liquid carbon dioxide, a pump for pumping the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank to the cleaning chamber, a gas recovery compressor communicating with said cleaning ch

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] In a liquid carbon dioxide cleaning system having a cleaning chamber, a storage tank containing liquid carbon dioxide, a pump for pumping the liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank to the cleaning chamber, a gas recovery compressor communicating with said cleaning chamber for compressing gaseous carbon dioxide into the liquid carbon dioxide, a condenser communicating with said gas recovery compressor for recondensing the gaseous carbon dioxide, and a still communicating with said cleaning chamber and containing a heater for heating the liquid carbon dioxide, a method for removing immiscible liquids or insoluble solids from parts disposed in the cleaning chamber, the method comprising the steps of:a) disposing sonic whistles within the cleaning chamber;b) pumping liquid carbon dioxide from the storage tank into the cleaning chamber through said sonic whistles; andc) forcing said liquid carbon dioxide out of said sonic whistles to remove said immiscible liquids or said insoluble solids from said parts and to ultrasonically emulsify said immiscible liquids or said insoluble solids in the liquid carbon dioxide in said cleaning chamber, thereby cleaning said parts disposed in said cleaning chamber.