Cleaning process

Details Cleaning process Cleaning process

1996-09-18

1998-12-29

Horlick, Kenneth R.

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Processes

Including application of electrical radiant or wave energy...

134 1, 134 10, 134 26, 134 2214, 510535, B08B 312, B08B 704, B08B 300, B08B 900

Patent

active

058534890

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a process for cleaning solid surfaces of glass, ceramics, metals, plastics, etc. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for cleaning machine parts, electronic parts, precision parts, machine tools used for assembling or processing these parts, or the like, which are stained with fats and oils, machine oils, quenching oils, greases, cutting oils or other working oils, waxes, liquid crystals, fluxes, abrasion dusts, cutting dusts, or the like. More specifically, it relates to a process for cleaning wherein a dense detergent component with a high cleaning performance can be used without concern about fire, explosion and workplace environment pollution due to odor, etc.


BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, chlorine-based solvents such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane and tetrachloroethylene, and chlorofluorocarbon solvents such as trichlorotrifluoroethane have been used for cleaning solid surfaces of glass, ceramics, metals, plastics, etc., e.g., surfaces of machine parts, electronic parts, precision parts, machine tools used for assembling or processing these parts, which are stained with fats and oils, machine oils, quenching oils, greases, cutting oils or other working oils, waxes, liquid crystals, fluxes, abrasion dusts, cutting dusts, or the like, because these solvents have a high cleaning performance and are easy to handle. Here, these parts and tools are collectively referred to as "machine and precision parts."
The use of detergents containing chlorofluorocarbon- or chlorine-based solvents is being reconsidered or totally banned or legally regulated, as they have proven to be potentially hazardous to the global environment and human life, due to ozone layer depletion, carcinogenesis, etc. caused by atmospheric evaporation or diffusion of the solvents, or subterranean water contamination therewith.
In response to this trend, various detergents or cleaning technologies that can replace such chlorofluorocarbon- or chlorine-based detergents have already been proposed. Typical examples include xylene or petroleum solvent, or a detergent comprising such a hydrocarbon solvent and an appropriate amount of surfactant (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-94082); viscosity, or a dense detergent liquid comprising such a substance and a small amount of water (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 3-62895 and 3-162496); and detergent being diluted with a large amount of water. However, all these cleaning methods are problematic as to a cleaning performance, cleaning workplace environmental protection and other factors.
For example, the cleaning methods 1) and 2) described above use a cleaning liquid wherein organic substances form a continuous phase. These methods exhibit an excellent cleaning performance against various types of organic stains including liquid organic substances, such as machine oils and metallurgic oils, and viscous or solid organic substances, such as grease and fluxes. Such an excellent cleaning performance of these methods may be explained by the cleaning mechanism of the detergents. Specifically, organic stains are removed by dissolving into the cleaning liquid, since the organic substances form a continuous phase in the cleaning liquid as in the case of chlorofluorocarbon-based solvents and 1,1,1-trichloroethane. However, the cleaning methods 1) and 2) have risks of catching fire, exploding, and polluting workplace environment due to evaporation of volatile organic components, such as hydrocarbon solvents and glycols, because organic substances form a continuous phase. Detergents containing an appropriate, small amount of water to prevent catching fire have no risk of fire, provided that the water content is appropriately controlled at the time of cleaning. However, these detergents need extra cost and personnel for controlling water content, i.e., analytical instrument and water supply facilities for controlling water, and personnel for their operation. In addition, the other problem, workplace environmental pollution due to evaporation of organ

REFERENCES:
patent: 5350457 (1994-09-01), Kitazawa et al.

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