Cleaning process utilizing an organic solvent and a pressurized fluid solvent
A cleaning method and system that utilize an organic cleaning solvent and pressurized fluid solvent is disclosed. The method and system have no conventional evaporative hot air drying cycle. Instead, the method and system utilize the solubility of the organic solvent in pressurized fluid solvent as well as the physical properties of pressurized fluid solvent. After an organic solvent cleaning cycle, the solvent is extracted from the textiles at high speed in a rotating drum in the same way conventional solvents are extracted from textiles in conventional evaporative hot air dry cleaning machines. Instead of proceeding to a conventional drying cycle, the extracted textiles are then immersed in pressurized fluid solvent to extract the residual organic solvent from the textiles. This is possible because the organic solvent is soluble in pressurized fluid solvent. After the textiles are immersed in pressurized fluid solvent, pressurized fluid solvent is pumped from the drum. Finally, the drum is de-pressurized to atmospheric pressure to evaporate any remaining pressurized fluid solvent, yielding clean, solvent free textiles. The organic solvent is preferably dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether or tripropylene glycol methyl ether, a mixture thereof, or a similar solvent and the pressurized fluid solvent is preferably densified carbon dioxide.
1. A process for cleaning substrates, the process comprising:
placing a substrate in a non-pressurized cleaning vessel;
adding organic solvent to the non-pressurized cleaning vessel;
agitating the substrate in the cleaning vessel under non-pressurized conditions;
removing a portion of the organic solvent from the cleaning vessel;
placing the substrates in a pressurizable drying vessel;
pressurizing the drying vessel and adding pressurized fluid solvent thereto;
removing a portion of the pressurized fluid solvent from the drying vessel; and
depressurizing the drying vessel.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein x, y and z each is zero or one and at least one of x, y and z is one;
R″ is a C 1-10 linear or branched alkyl;
R 1-12 , if present, are independently C m H n F p where m is an integer between zero and two, inclusive, and n and p are integers between zero and five, inclusive; and
R′ is O, S, carbonyl or ester.
3. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 each is H.
4. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 each is H.
5. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-3 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 1-3 is CH 2 CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 are each H.
6. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-3 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 1-3 is CH 2 CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 are each H.
7. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 .
8. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 .
9. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 2 CH 3 .
10. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 2 CH 3 .
11. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-3 are independently H, F, CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 and at least one is CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 ; and
R 4-12 are independently H or F.
12. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl, or ester;
R 1-3 are independently H, F, CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 ;
and at least one is CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 , or CF 3 ; and
R 4-12 are independently H or F.
13. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R 1-3 are independently C m H n F p ;
at least one of R 1-3 is C 2 H n F p ;
R 4-12 are independently H or F; and
R′ is O.
14. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R 1-3 are independently C m H n F p ;
at least one of R 1-3 is C 2 H n F p ;
R 4-12 are independently H or F; and
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester.
15. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R 1-9 are independently H or F;
R 10-12 are independently H, F, CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 or CF 3 ;
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 or CF 3 ; and
R′ is O.
16. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R 1-9 are independently H or F;
R 10-12 are independently H, F, CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 or CF 3 ;
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 , CH 2 F, CHF 2 or CF 3 ; and
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester.
17. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-3 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ;
at least one of R 1-3 is CH 2 CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 are each H.
18. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-3 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ;
at least one of R 1-3 is CH 2 CH 3 ; and
R 4-12 are each H.
19. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 .
20. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R; is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 3 .
21. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is O;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 2 CH 3 .
22. The process of claim 2 wherein:
R′ is S, carbonyl or ester;
R 1-9 are each H;
R 10-12 are independently H, CH 3 , or C 2 H 5 ; and
at least one of R 10-12 is CH 2 CH 3 .
23. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein x, y, and z are each zero or one and at least one of x, y or z is one;
R″ is selected from the group consisting of H,
where R′″ is H, F or combinations of H and F;
R IV selected from the group consisting of H,
where R V is H, F or combinations of H and F;
when R″ is H or F, R IV is not H or F;
R 1-3 are independently H, F, CH3, CH2F, CHF2 or CF3; and
R 4-12 are independently H or F.
24. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R IV is H or
wherein R V is H, F or combinations of H and F; and
R″ is
wherein R′″ is H, F or combinations of H and F.
25. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R″ is H or
wherein R′″ is H, F or combinations of H and F; and
R IV is
wherein R V is H, F or combinations of H and F.
26. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R″ is H, F or
wherein R′″ is H, F or combinations of H and F; and
R IV is H, F, or
wherein R V is H, F or combinations of H and F; and
when R″ is H or F, R IV is not H or F.
27. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ;
R 4-12 are each H;
R IV is H or
and
R″ is
28. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ;
R 4-12 are each H;
R″ is H or
and
R IV is
29. The process of claim 23 wherein:
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ;
R 4-12 are each H;
R″ is H or
R IV is H or
and when R″ is H, R IV is not H.
30. The process of claim 1 , wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein
R′ is
and R″ is independently
wherein R′″ is O and j is 1, or R′″ is N and J is 21
n is an integer between zero and two, inclusive;
R IV are each independently H, CH 3 or CH 2 CH 3 ;
k is an integer between zero and two, inclusive; and
R is C y H 2y+1 where y is an integer between one and (12−(3k+3n+x)) inclusive, and x is an integer between one and (12−(3k+y)), inclusive.
31. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein
R′″ is O or NH;
R IV are each independently H, CH 3 or CH 2 CH 3 and k is an integer between zero and two inclusive; and
R is C y H 2y+1 , y is an integer between one and (12−(3k+x)) inclusive, and x is an integer between one and (12−(3k+y)), inclusive.
32. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein x, y and z each is zero or one and at least one of x, y and z is one;
R″ has a structure of C j H 2j+1 or C j H u F v ;
R IV has a structure of C k H 2k+1 or C k H r F s , wherein j and k are integers from one to (13−3(x+y+z), inclusive, and the sum j+k is an integer from two to (13−3(x+y+z), inclusive, u and v are integers from zero to 2j+1, u+v=2j+1, r and s are integers ranging from zero to 2k+1, and r+s=2k+1;
R 1-3 and R 10-12 , if present, are independently C m H n F p where m is an integer between zero and two, inclusive, and n and p are integers between zero and five, inclusive;
R 4-9 , if present, are independently H, F, or methyl; and
R′ is O, S, carbonyl or ester.
33. The process of claim 1 wherein the organic solvent is of formula:
wherein x, y and z each is zero or one and at least one of x, y and z is one;
R 1-3 are independently H or CH 3 ; and
R′ is a C 1-10 linear or branched alkyl.