Non-Ozone Depleting Supercritical Cleaning Fluids: Design, Fabrication, and Operation of First Preproduction Natural Convection Device.
Abstract
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed the natural convection supercritical fluids (SCF) cleaner as a potential substitute for 1,1,1-trichloroethane and Freon 113. This cleaner offers the potential for reduced capital investment, lower, operating costs, and improved maintainability and reliability over the conventional SCF devices principally by eliminating the circulating SCF and the compressor requirement. The first prototype cleaner (only 2 inches in diameter) was built in 1991 at SwRI on internal research and development funds. To demonstrate the natural convection technology on a production scale and to provide a USAF with a useful tool for detailed assessments, this project's objective was to construct a preproduction device which could clean 70% of all parts handled at WPAFB (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) Aircraft Modification Directorate. A 10-inch diameter cleaning chamber was specified to handle parts weighing up to 70 pounds. The SwRI prototype was used for experimental studies for process design purposes and as a guide for scale-up.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA307000
Entities
People
- Gordon Pollard
- Mary Marshall
- W. T. Roberds
Organizations
- Southwest Research Institute