METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE WET-CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF MATERIAL TO BE TREATED

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method for the wet-chemical treatment of material to be treated, in particular of flat material to be treated, in a continuous process plant,

wherein the material to be treated is transported through a treatment vessel and is treated in the treatment vessel with a treatment liquid,

wherein an inert gas is fed into the treatment vessel,

wherein the treatment vessel has an inlet slot, through which the material to be treated is transported into the treatment vessel, and an outlet slot, through which the material to be treated is transported out of the treatment vessel, the inert gas being drawn off from the treatment vessel through the inlet slot and/or the outlet slot.

16 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein the inert gas is fed into the treatment vessel in at least one first region of the treatment vessel, and wherein the inert gas is discharged from the treatment vessel in a second region of the treatment vessel that is spaced from the first region.

17 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein the inert gas is removed from the treatment vessel via an edge region of the treatment vessel.

18 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein a finite flow velocity of gases through the inlet slot and the outlet slot is established, the flow velocity being so oriented that the gases flow from the treatment vessel into adjacent treatment modules, and

wherein intake regions are provided on the adjacent treatment modules to remove waste air by suction.

19 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein the inert gas is introduced at least into the treatment liquid in order to feed the inert gas into the treatment vessel.

20 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein the treatment vessel has a sump in which the treatment liquid accumulates at least to a level and from which the treatment liquid is fed to a treatment member, the inert gas being fed into the treatment vessel below the level.

21 . A method according to claim 20 ,

wherein the inert gas is introduced into the treatment liquid accumulated in the sump in a region in which there is a finite flow velocity to an intake opening of a conveyor device that conveys the treatment liquid from the sump to the treatment member.

22 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein a volume flow rate of the inert gas fed into the treatment vessel is established such that an oxygen concentration in a vapour space of the treatment vessel is in the range from 0.1 to 15 vol. %, in particular in the range from 3 to 12 vol. %, in particular in the range from 4 to 8 vol. %.

23 . A method according to claim 15 ,

wherein the volume flow rate of inert gas fed to the treatment vessel is established such that a ratio between the volume flow rate, measured in m 3 /h, and a volume of the treatment liquid, measured in m 3 , present in the treatment vessel is less than 20:1, in particular less than 10:1

24 . A device for the wet-chemical treatment of material to be treated, in particular of flat material to be treated, comprising

a treatment vessel for treating the material to be treated with a treatment liquid,

a transport device for transporting the material to be treated through the treatment vessel, and

a feed device for feeding an inert gas into the treatment vessel,

the treatment vessel having an inlet slot for introducing the material to be treated into the treatment vessel and/or an outlet slot for discharging the material to be treated from the treatment vessel, and

the device being configured to draw off the inert gas from the treatment vessel through the inlet slot and/or the outlet slot.

25 . A device according to claim 24 ,

wherein the feed device is configured to feed the inert gas into the treatment vessel in at least one feed region of the treatment vessel, and wherein the treatment vessel has at least one discharge opening for discharging waste air from the treatment vessel, the at least one discharge opening being provided at a distance from the at least one feed region.

26 . A device according to claim 24 ,

wherein the feed device is configured and disposed to introduce the inert gas into the treatment liquid.

27 . A device according to claim 24 ,

wherein the treatment vessel has a sump and a conveyor device for conveying treatment liquid from the sump to a treatment member of the treatment vessel, the feed device being configured to introduce the inert gas into a treatment liquid accumulated in the sump.

28 . A device according to claim 27 ,

wherein the feed device is configured to introduce the inert gas into the treatment liquid accumulated in the sump in a region in which there is a finite flow velocity to an intake opening of a conveyor device, the conveyor device being configured to convey the treatment liquid from the sump to the treatment member

29 . A device according to claim 24 ,

comprising a control or regulating device for establishing a volume flow rate of the inert gas in order to establish in a vapour space of the treatment vessel an oxygen concentration in the range from 0.1 to 15 vol. %, in particular in the range from 3 to 12 vol. %, in particular in the range from 4 to 8 vol. %.

30 . A method for the wet-chemical treatment of material to be treated in a continuous process plant, comprising:

transporting a material to be treated through a treatment vessel and treating the material in the treatment vessel with a treatment liquid,

feeding an inert gas is fed into the treatment vessel,

wherein the treatment vessel has an inlet slot, through which the material to be treated is transported into the treatment vessel, and an outlet slot, through which the material to be treated is transported out of the treatment vessel, the inert gas being drawn off from the treatment vessel through the inlet slot and/or the outlet slot. America 17018213 . 1