Method and Apparatus for Laser Assisted Power Washing

A process for removing a material that is adhered to an underlying surface, the process comprising:

• using a laser beam, heating the material until at least one of the following occurs:
• i) the material changes from its solid state to its molten state;
• and
• ii) the material pyrolizes to form a residue of the material;
• and
• using a stream of gas, displacing from the underlying surface the material in its molten state or the residue of the material.

A system for removing a material that is adhered to an underlying surface, the system comprising:

• a laser beam source for providing a laser beam to heat the material;
• a nozzle in communication with a source of a compressed gas;
• and
• a controller for controlling the laser beam source to scan a beam spot across the material that is adhered to the underlying surface, and for advancing the nozzle behind the beam spot such that a stream of gas exits from the nozzle and impinges upon the heated material or a residue thereof, the nozzle producing a stream of gas that has sufficient force to remove the heated material or the residue thereof from the underlying surface.