Fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning device
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsAmgad M. Salama, Arin Navasartian, Jonathan Giddens, Jason M. Ritacco, Nikiea T. Haywood, Alan V. Truong, William C. Bosworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning apparatus is provided to drain, clean and replace Polyalphaolefin (PAO) in a system. The apparatus is fully automated and integrates disparate parts in a distinct configuration, featuring a custom graphical user interface (GUI) for operation. The apparatus is capable of flushing the system with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and drying with compressed dry air, and is housed within a mobile cart containing plumbing, pumps, manifolds, sensors, solenoids, check valves, and control electronics.
Claims20
An apparatus for fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning of an attached system, the apparatus comprising:
- a mobile housing that includes:
- a coolant source container;
- a coolant waste container;
- an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) source container;
- an IPA waste container;
- a coolant pump configured to transfer coolant from the coolant source container to the attached system and back to the coolant source container creating a loop for coolant circulation through lines in the housing;
- an IPA pump configured to transfer IPA from the IPA source container to the attached system and back to the IPA waste container through the lines in the housing;
- an inlet manifold connected to the coolant pump and the IPA pump, an outlet manifold configured to direct flow of the coolant and IPA to and from the attached system through the lines in the housing;
- a compressed dry air system integrated with the inlet and outlet manifold, configured to flush out the coolant within the attached system as well as drying the attached system after cleaning the lines in the housing;
- and
- a control system with a user interface configured to manage and monitor all processes of the coolant and IPA pumps, inlet and outlet manifold, and compressed dry air system.
A control system for a mobile apparatus for fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning of an attached system, the control system comprising a user interface configured to manage operation of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a mobile housing that includes:
- a coolant source container;
- a coolant waste container;
- an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) source container;
- an IPA waste container;
- a coolant pump configured to transfer coolant from the coolant source container to the attached system and back to the coolant source container through lines in the housing;
- an IPA pump configured to transfer IPA from the IPA source container to the attached system and then to the IPA waste container through the lines in the housing;
- an inlet manifold connected to the coolant pump and the IPA pump, an outlet manifold configured to direct flow of the coolant and IPA to and from the attached system through the lines in the housing;
- a compressed dry air system integrated with the inlet and outlet manifold, configured to dry the attached system after cleaning the lines in the housing;
- sensors;
- and
- a touch screen configured to display performance of the coolant and IPA pumps and manifolds monitored by the sensors to provide alerts for maintenance and operational errors, the performance including volumetric flowrates readings and pressure readings, filling levels of the IPA and coolant waste containers,
- wherein the control system is configured to automatically detect an overpressure situation and in response de-pressurize affected lines, and to control adjustment of fluid flow rate through the lines.
A method of controlling, using a control system, a fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning of an attached system attached to a mobile apparatus that comprises:
- a mobile housing that includes:
- a coolant source container;
- a coolant waste container;
- an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) source container;
- an IPA waste container;
- a coolant pump configured to transfer coolant from the coolant source container to the attached system and back to the coolant source container through lines in the housing;
- an IPA pump configured to transfer IPA from the IPA source container to the attached system and then to the IPA waste container through the lines in the housing;
- an inlet and outlet manifold connected to the coolant pump and the IPA pump, the inlet and outlet manifold configured to direct flow of the coolant and IPA to and from the attached system through the lines in the housing;
- a compressed dry air system integrated with the inlet and outlet manifold, configured to dry the attached system after cleaning the lines in the housing;
- and
- sensors;
- the method comprising:
- controlling the fluid evacuation and chemical cleaning of the attached system using a touch screen configured to provide performance of the coolant and IPA pumps and manifold monitored by the sensors to provide alerts for maintenance and operational errors, the performance including volumetric flowrates readings and pressure readings, filling levels of the IPA and coolant waste containers, and
- automatically detecting an overpressure situation and in response de-pressurizing affected lines, and controlling adjustment of fluid flow rate through the lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.