System for removing a coating from a substrate

A system for removing material from a structure that includes a substrate covered with at least one layer of the material to be removed, said system comprising:

• a source of pulsed radiant energy;
• means for moving said source of pulsed radiant energy along a path on the structure at controllable rates to at least substantially pyrolyze the material of the layer in the path;
• and
• means for impinging the pyrolyzed material with frozen gas particles to remove the pyrolyzed material from the substrate, said means for impinging being connected for movement with said means for moving and being directed to impinge the pyrolyzed material with frozen gas particles quickly after the material is pyrolized to remove the pyrolyzed material and to cool the substrate.

A system for removing material that is coating a substrate of a structure, comprising:

• a housing;
• a radiant energy source mounted to said housing for generating radiant energy to irradiate a target area of the structure with a quantity of energy sufficient to at least pyrolyze the material;
• a reflector for directing the radiant energy from said radiant energy source to the target area of the structure;
• scanning means to scan radiant energy from said radiant energy source along the structure thereby changing the location of the target area;
• particle directing means operatively connected to said scanning means for directing a cool particle stream at the pyrolyzed material for removing pyrolyzed material from the substrate and for cooling the substrate;
• and
• collecting means operatively connected to said scanning means for collecting material removed by the cool particle stream.