Drying, of clothes

Stubbing [107] describes the use of drying at atmospheric pressure in a steamy environment, which he terms airless drying, with the tower density of the steam relative to the air being used to seal the chamber, so that the air is progressively displaced. A possible application in the drying of cloth is suggested. 

Textiles. Microwave drying of textiles is under investigation, in addition to the possible uses for curing of impregnated and dyed fabrics (182). A microwave clothes dryer for consumer or commercial apphcation is also under discussion (183). Considerable developmental work and media pubhcity have occurred. Problems remain, however, particularly relating to arcing and resonant heating of metal objects that may be present in a load of clothes. These problems may be alleviated by operation at 915 rather than 2450 MHz (184). 

The wrinkle recovery angle provides a measure of the degree of chemical modification. This is calculated by blending a small sample and measuring the recovery to the flat configuration (180°). Whereas the untreated cotton recovers approximately 90°, the cross-linked cotton sample recovers 120—140°. If this is measured on dry fabric, it is termed conditional wrinkle recovery angle if on wet fabric, it is termed wet wrinkle recovery. At one point, wet wrinkle recovery was important, particularly in Europe. In the United States, the widespread use of clothes dryers has made conditional wrinkle recovery important. 

A vacuum filter is a cloth-covered dmm which operates under an appHed vacuum. As the dmm passes through the sludge vat, soHds are deposited on the filter. As the dmm passes through the air, drying of the cake occurs. The cake is continuously discharged to a conveyor belt. 

Some of the discomfort of warm environments, the perception of skin moisture, and the interactions of clothing fabrics with the skin may be due to the moisture itself. The skin s outer layer of dead squamous cells of the stratum corneum can readily absorb or lose water. With moisture addition, the cells swell and soften. With drying, they shrink and become hard. In this setting the skin s moisture may be better indicated or characterized by the relative humidity of the skin (RH i ) rather than skin wettedness,-" ... 

Eye Contact Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 min. Then get immediate medical attention. Skin Contact Wash skin with soap and water for at least 15 min while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Get immediate medical attention. Thoroughly clean and dry contaminated clothing and shoes before reuse. 

Other sources of "background" cancer are trace levels of chemicals found in drinking water, food, building materials, and common activities. Such exposures are not natural, but they are ubiquitous because they are associated with elements of modern life that most people deem essential. For example, some of the chlorine used to chlorinate public drinking water forms chloroform. Vapors from dry-cleaned clothes (tetra- and trichloroethylene) mix with the air in closets. Building materials contain formaldehyde. Dioxins, furans, and PCBs are found in the food chain. 

Halogenated alkanes are very useful as solvents in a variety of industrial processes (at one time they were the solvents of choice for the dry cleaning of clothes, for example). The scale of their use is such that their accidental or deliberate discharge into the environment can lead to long-term contamination problems. As is true for many environmental contaminants, the molecule originally released may not be a particular danger from an environmental perspeedve, but some product into which it is transformed may be considerably more cause for concern. 

Use of reverse micelles in synthetic chemistry to improve the rate and the yield of reactions seems likely to be a fruitful area of research in the future. In addition to catalysis, several other applications of reverse micelles can be cited. Just as nonpolar dirt is solubilized in aqueous micelles, so, too, polar dirt that would be unaffected by nonpolar solvents may be solubilized into reverse micelles. This plays an important role in the dry cleaning of clothing. Motor oils are also formulated to contain reverse micelles to solubilize oxidation products in the oil that might be corrosive to engine parts. 

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