Equipment vapor degreasers

Clean Air Act 1990 Amendments will lead to a phase out of 1,1,1-trichloroethane by the year 2005, which in turn will likely result in a slight resurgence of trichloroethylene in vapor-degreasing appHcations. The total production, however, will probably stay relatively low because regulations will require equipment designed to assure minimum emissions. 

Organic solvents are most effective as blends of polar and nonpolar solvents that have a constant boiling point known as azeotropes. Azeotropes are mixtures of two or more solvents used primarily in vapor-degreasing equipment. 

Table 4.8 Examples of vapor degreasers and ultrasonic cleaning equipment ...

Summarizing, the cost factors favoring vapor degreasing are as follows low energy requirements, low equipment investment, low floor space requirements, no drying equipment required, and consistent cleaning quality attainable with a minimum of control. This process eliminates the cost of wastewater treatment, and with solvent distillation, reduces waste disposal to a minimum. 

In addition, specialized equipment has been developed that has specific application to vapor degreasing. When work is of the type or configuration that cannot be placed so that it will be cleaned or drained, or both, it should be rotated in immersion-type degreasing equipment. If the surface finish is such that it would be damaged by bulk handling, the work can be placed in trays holding each piece individually and these trays inserted into fixtures that would revolve the tray and the work. 

When operating a vapor degreaser or still equipped with a conventional water separator, conditions exist where some of the active ingredients of fluorocarbon admixtures can be extracted by condensing water vapors. This may render the product ineffective. Therefore, it is advisable to re-... 

Equipment manufacturers and producers of vapor degreasing solvents generally agree that the following procedures and practices will permit optimum cleaning performance and safety of operation ... 

A number of factors enter the overall picture of vapor degreasing economics such as initial equipment cost and depreciation, plant floor space requirement, heat, water, electricity, solvent, maintenance, operating labor, and waste disposal. 

Vertrel KCD-9547 is a proprietary azeotrope-like blend of Vertrel XF hydrofluorocarbon with trans-1,2-dichioro-ethylene and cyclopentane. It is ideally suited for use in vapor degreasing equipment to remove light oils, fingerprints, and particulate contaminants. Vertrel KCD-9547 is specially formulated to provide a high degree of compatibility with plastics, elastomers, and other nonferrous metals, such eis in aerospace parts. Vertrel KCD-9547 is nonflammable, has "zero" ozone depletion potential, and heis low global warming potential. It can replace CFC-113,1,1,1 -trichloroethane (1,1,1 -TCA), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC), and perfluorocarbons (RFC) in many applications. 

Vertrel XMS is a proprietary azeotrope-like blend of Vertrel XF hydrofluorocarbon with trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, cyclopentane, and methanol. It is ideally suited for use in vapor degreasing equipment with solvency power for cleaning ionic soils and flux residues from electronic assemblies. 

NFPA Health 2, Flammability 1, Reactivity 0 Storage Store in cool, dry, well-ventilated, clearly identified area, out of direct sunlight, away from heat/ignition sources Uses Solvent for cleaning precision instmments, vapor degreasing of metals, coldcleaning, dip cleaning, plastic molds, elec, equip., motors, electronic components, dry-... 

Table 4.8. Examples of Vapor Degreasers and Ultrasonic Cleaning Equipment... 

Chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethyl-ene are the solvents most commonly used for vapor degreasing, particularly the former. Considerable detail on the equipment required and the vapor degreasing process is given in Ref. ... 

Vapor degreasing n. A process of removing grease from parts and equipment components by suspending them with a closed chamber over a pool of boihng, nonflammable solvent such as a mixture of chlorofluorinated hydrocarbons. 

Vapor degreasing equipment using trichloroethylene vapor is very effective in eliminating mold release. This operation, however, is performed at a high temperature, thus requiring the substrate to be thermally stable. 

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