Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Fluid treatment – Manipulation of liquid
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-17
2001-02-06
Warden, Jill (Department: 1743)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Fluid treatment
Manipulation of liquid
C008S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182318
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to liquified gas dry-cleaning systems and, more particularly, to a liquified gas dry-cleaning system having means for minimizing temperature decreases within the pressure vessel cleaning chamber incident to evacuation of gases released during a dry-cleaning cycle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Known dry-cleaning processes consist of a wash, rinse, and drying/draining cycle with solvent recovery. During this process, items, such as garments, are loaded into a basket positioned within a vessel and immersed in a dry-cleaning solvent pumped into the vessel from a base tank. Conventional dry-cleaning solvents include perchloroethylene (PCE), petroleum-based or Stoddard solvents, CFC-113, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane, all of which are generally aided by a detergent. The use of these solvents, however, poses a number of health and safety risks as well as being environmentally hazardous.
To minimize these problems, dry-cleaning systems that use liquified gas as a cleaning medium, such as liquid carbon dioxide, have been developed. An example of such a cleaning system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,844 entitled “Low Cost Equipment For Cleaning Using Liquifiable Gas.” This system includes a source of liquified gas, an enclosed pressure vessel that forms a cleaning chamber for containing items to be cleaned and a bath of the liquified gas, and a circulatory system for circulating the liquified gas between the source and the vessel. Additionally, as is typical of the prior art, the system utilizes a compressor in the circulatory system, positioned remotely from the pressure vessel, which is used to evacuate gaseous vapors in the vessel released during a cleaning cycle.
Such liquified gas dry-cleaning systems, however, have substantial disadvantages. For example, during the vapor recovery cycle of the dry-cleaning process, heat must be supplied to the vessel to prevent the interior temperature from descending below a prohibitively low level. In currently used systems, this heat is provided by electrical heat exchangers. However, the costs associated with operating these heat exchangers is relatively expensive and, as a result, undesirably diminishes the rate of return dry-cleaning operators can expect to receive. Additionally, the arrangement of using a separate compressor that is typically located 6-8 feet away from the vessel undesirably uses space that could be used, for example, to position another cleaning system. As such, it is seen that a need exists for an improved dry-cleaning system that addresses these problems.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved liquified gas dry-cleaning system that minimizes the costs associated with its operation.
Another object is to provide a dry-cleaning system as characterized above that requires relatively lesser space requirements when installed in a dry-cleaning establishment.
A further object is to provide an dry-cleaning system of the foregoing type in which the heat of compression associated with the evacuation of gaseous vapors from the cleaning chamber is utilized to directly offset temperature decreases incident to the gaseous evacuation. In this manner, the system may be operated with relative cost savings while also minimizing the overall spacial print of the dry-cleaning system.
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Kegler Andrew
Roberts James L.
Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
Lee Paul J.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
Warden Jill
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