Apparatus and process for spray rinsing chemically treated articles

An apparatus for spray-rinsing chemically treated workpieces wherein said workpieces are supported within a bulk carrier employing a single spray rinse tank, whereby the least amount of rinse solution is used for removing contaminated residue from the workpieces, wherein said apparatus comprising:

• a spray-rinse tank having a spray means mounted therein consisting of at least one inlet spray line;
• a plurality of reservoirs having spray-rinse solutions stored therein;
• a counterflow means including a discharge flow means and a return flow means to provide a multiplicity of rinse cycles, said discharge flow means being operably connected to said spray-rinse tank, whereby said rinse solution is sprayed in sequential overlapping cycles from said reservoirs into said spray-rinse tank, and wherein said return flow means communicates between said spray-rinse tank and said reservoir, whereby rinse solution from said spray-rinse tank is returned sequentially to said reservoirs in a corresponding overlapping response to the discharging of said rinse solution from said respective reservoirs;
• means for supplying a fresh water flow including a fresh water supply valve;
• means for pressurizing said reservoir, whereby said rinse solution is transported under pressure through said discharge flow means to said spray-rinse tank;
• means for controlling and operating the sequential operation of said discharge flow means, said return flow means, and said fresh water flow means to said spray-rinse tank and said return flow system.

A process for multi-spray counterflow rinsing chemically treat workpieces comprising the steps of:

• positioning a single spray rinse tank within a processing line, wherein said multi-spray rinsing apparatus includes a multiplicity of rinse cycles;
• positioning at least one workpiece in said spray rinse tank;
• storing rinse solution in a multiplicity of pressurized reservoirs;
• discharging said rinse solutions from respective pressurized reservoirs through respective pipelines connected to inlets formed in a manifold, and wherein said manifold includes a single outlet downstream thereof;
• spraying said rinse solution over said workpiece in said rinse tank in selective predetermined rinse cycles by means of a tank spray apparatus;
• spraying uncontaminated rinse solution from a supply means during predetermined rinse cycles;
• introducing a continuous air downstream of said single outlet of said manifold, wherein said rinse solutions are sprayed under a pressure over said workpieces;
• purging said spray means of all remaining rinse solutions after each rinse cycle by means of said continuous air pressure;
• automatically controlling the discharging of said rinse solutions including said uncontaminated rinse solution to establish overlapping sequential rinse cycles.