# US 12,005,480 B1 · Environmentally safe ultra-high pressure surface cleaning system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,480 B1 - Document ID: US12005480B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/170,707 - Filed: 2023-02-17 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-19 - Assignees: Innovative Surface Prep Rentals, LLC - Applicants: Randy Paul Leboeuf, Sr. - Inventors: Randy Paul Leboeuf, Sr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005480B1 ## CPC - B08B 15/00: Preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced; Collecting or removing dirt or fumes from that area - B08B 3/02: Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays - C02F 1/001: {Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00)} - C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis} - C02F 1/444: {by ultrafiltration or microfiltration} - C02F 2301/08: Multistage treatments, e.g. repetition of the same process step under different conditions - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract A method of ultra-high pressure surface cleaning. Water is first preferably filtered and de-ionized. The de-ionized water is pressurized to about 25,000 to 60,000 psi. The ultra-high pressurized water is applied to a surface, typically using a robot. The robot includes a vacuum for collecting water and debris removed from the surface. The stream leaving the robot will be an aqueous mixture of everything removed from the surface. The mixture next passes through a vacuum filtration unit, where most solids will be removed. Next, the mixture passes through a membrane filtration unit for removal of most remaining suspended solids. If toxic heavy metals are present, the mixture will pass through a heavy metal scavenger. After the foregoing treatment steps, the mixture will have less than 29 ppm suspended solids and be substantially free of lead and other heavy metals, rendering the mixture safe for surface water discharge in most cases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness comprising: de-ionizing water pressurizing said water to at least about 25,000 psi; applying said pressurized, de-ionized water to said surface to remove foreign substances from said surface until at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness is obtained; collecting a mixture of said water and said foreign substances from said surface via vacuum; transporting said mixture of said water and said foreign substances to a first filtration unit; removing a portion of said foreign substances from said mixture in said first filtration unit; transporting said mixture to a second filtration unit; and removing a second portion of said foreign substances from said mixture in said second filtration unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 1 further comprising passing said mixture through a heavy metal scavenger, whereby substantially all heavy metal ions present in the mixture are removed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 1 wherein said water is pressurized to between about 25,000 and 60,000 psi. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 3 wherein said water is applied at a rate of between about 5.6 and 6.5 gallons per minute. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 1 wherein said first filtration unit comprises a dewatering vacuum container box. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 5 where said first filtration unit further includes a filter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 6 wherein said filter is configured to allow disposal of the filter and its contents without directly handling the contents. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 1 wherein said second filtration unit comprises a membrane filtration unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 8 wherein said second filtration unit comprises at least two membrane filtration units provided in sequence. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 8 wherein said mixture includes some suspended solids. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 10 wherein said suspended solids comprise less than 29 parts per million of said mixture after exiting said second filtration unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 11 wherein said suspended solids comprise between about 4 and 15 parts per million of said mixture after exiting said second filtration unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 2 wherein said heavy metal scavenger further comprises calcium polysulfide. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of cleaning a surface to at least a WJ-2 level of cleanliness according to claim 1 where said deionization of said water leaves said water substantially free of salts and chlorides.