Method for removing salts and negative chloride ions from porous materials

Abstract

A method for removing salts from a porous material, using cyclical wetting and drying of the surface of the material. The basic idea of the method is to identify a salt that is desired to be removed from the material, along with its equilibrium moisture content. A piece of sheeting is placed on the surface of the material and the edges of the sheeting are sealed against the surface. Moist air is then passed inside the sheeting until the surface of the material has been wetted. Dry air is then passed inside the sheeting until the relative humidity of the air inside the sheeting comes below the equilibrium moisture content of the salt. Cycles of supply of moist air and dry air are repeated until a desired amount of salt crystals is formed on the surface of the material and the salt crystals are removed from the surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.