Fluid handling system

Abstract

A fluid handling system for circulating a selected fluid medium from a selected tank through one of a plurality of wash tanks for a predetermined period of time, draining the selected wash tank and thereby returning the fluid to the selected tank, and then filling the selected wash tank from a different tank and continuing the sequence for each of the different tanks. After a wash by medium from each tank, the object being washed is removed, and another is inserted. The sequential washes are repeated. This operation continues until the contents of a predetermined one of the tanks has degraded by a predetermined increase in impurity concentration, and for thereafter initiating a cascade whereby the tank having fluid of highest impurity concentration is drained, and the contents of each other tank is transferred to an adjacent tank, and completing the sequence by filling the predetermined tank with relatively pure fluid. The cascading sequence is effected with minimal impact on the washing sequences. Each of the fluid transfers from tank to wash tank and back is effected on a timed basis without significant mixing notwithstanding the fact that the particular medium employed prevents the use of a level sensor to identify when a wash tank has been pumped dry.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.