# US 5,348,588 A · Evaporative treatment of inorganic saponifier wash water

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 5,348,588 A
- Document ID: US5348588A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/129,430
- Filed: 1993-09-30
- Granted: 1994-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 1993-06-29
- Assignees: Church & Dwight Co., Inc.
- Inventors: Anthony E. Winston
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348588A

## CPC

- C23G 1/36: Regeneration of waste pickling liquors
- C02F 1/5236: {using inorganic agents}
- 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 1/283: {using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them}
- C02F 1/32: with ultraviolet light
- C02F 9/00: Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
- C02F 2001/422: {using anionic exchangers}
- C02F 2001/425: {using cation exchangers}
- C02F 2101/20: Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
- C02F 2103/16: from metallurgical processes, i.e. from the production, refining or treatment of metals, e.g. galvanic wastes
- C02F 2103/346: {from semiconductor processing, e.g. waste water from polishing of wafers}
- H05K 3/26: Cleaning or polishing of the conductive pattern
- C23G: CLEANING OR DE-GREASING OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY CHEMICAL METHODS OTHER THAN ELECTROLYSIS
- 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)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

## Abstract

The aqueous effluent from the wash cycle of a process for cleaning electronic circuit assemblies of rosin flux and other organic residues with an aqueous alkaline cleaning solution comprises evaporating the effluent to cause separation of an aqueous vapor phase and a solid phase comprising residues of the rosin flux and residues of the cleaning solution including alkaline salts such as alkali metal carbonates and bicarbonates and organic adjuvants such as surfactants which do not vaporize.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for treating an aqueous cleaning effluent derived from the wash cycle of a process for cleaning electronic circuit assemblies with an aqueous alkaline cleaning solution having a pH from about 10 to about 13 and containing rosin flux residues, and inorganic alkaline salt residues and substantially no volatile organic compounds comprises: evaporating said effluent to form an aqueous vapor phase and a solid residue comprising said rosin flux and said inorganic alkaline salt.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising condensing said aqueous vapor phase.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent is an effluent from the wash cycle of a process for cleaning electronic circuit assemblies with an aqueous alkaline cleaning solution.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said inorganic alkaline salt residues are part of said cleaning solution and comprise alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates or both.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent further contains alkali metal silicates originally present in said alkaline cleaning solution.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent further contains non-volatile organic ajuvants originally present in said cleaning solution, said organic adjuvants being separated from said effluent as part of said solid residue.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the process for cleaning said electronic circuit assemblies further includes a rinse cycle in which said cleaned assemblies are rinsed with water to form a rinse effluent, said effluent from said wash cycle being subjected to said evaporation and said effluent from said rinse cycle bypassing said evaporation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The process of claim 7 wherein said effluent from said rinse cycle contains said rosin flux residues and metal ions washed from said electronic circuit assemblies and alkali metal salts and organic adjuvants from said cleaning solution and wherein said effluent from said rinse cycle is passed through an activated carbon bed to effect removal of said rosin flux residues and organic adjuvants to form a substantially organic-free effluent and wherein said substantially organic-free effluent is passed through an ion exchange resin bed to remove said metal ions and alkali metal cations from said alkali metal salts.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8 further comprising condensing said aqueous vapor phase and combining the said aqueous condensate with the rinse cycle effluent subsequent to treatment in said ion exchange resin bed and recycling the combined effluent to said wash cycle, rinse cycle or both.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9 wherein heat removed from said aqueous vapor phase during said condensing is captured and directed to heat said alkaline cleaning solution.

### Claim 11 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent further contains alkali metal silicates originally present in said alkaline cleaning solution.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The process as claim 4 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent further contains non-volatile organic adjuvants originally present in said cleaning solution, said organic adjuvants being separated from said effluent as part of said solid residue.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11 wherein said aqueous cleaning effluent further contains non-volatile organic adjuvants originally present in said cleaning solution, said organic adjuvants being separated from said effluent as part of said solid residue.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6 wherein said organic adjuvants are selected from the group consisting of surfactants, anti-foam agents, carboxylated polymers or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The process of claim 13 wherein said organic adjuvants are selected from the group consisting of surfactants, anti-foam agents, carboxylated polymers or mixtures thereof.