Solvent drying method
OwnerDonald Grayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a controlled environment processing chamber of chambers in which parts are to be dried. The parts either contain water on or imbibed into the part. The process includes a means of applying a negative gauge pressure to the chamber to remove air or other non-condensable gases. Further, means are provided for introducing a solvent in a vapor state to the chamber to cause the water to flash off the part. A first system recovers water or aqueous solution(s) from the object being dried and the chamber. A second system, separate from the first system, further recovers residual solvent from the object and chamber after the drying process.
Claims11
A closed circuit solvent drying method comprising the steps of:
- placing an object to be dried of water in a chamber;
- sealing the chamber;
- evacuating the air from said chamber to reduce the pressure within said chamber to create a vacuum condition;
- introducing a fluid to the evacuated chamber from a fluid supply tank to heat the object contained therein and vaporize the water on the object;
- continuously recovering the fluid and water vapor from the object and the chamber while continuously introducing additional fluid to the chamber;
- ceasing the introduction of fluid to the chamber;
- recovering the fluid from the object and chamber;
- introducing a non-condensable gas to the chamber to return the chamber to atmospheric pressure;
- opening the chamber and removing the object;
- and
- separating said drying fluid from the recovered water vapor and retaining said drying solvent for use in drying subsequent objects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.