EP0421902B1 - Procédé de séchage sous vide de pièces diverses et dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé - Google Patents

Procédé de séchage sous vide de pièces diverses et dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0421902B1
EP0421902B1 EP19900420432 EP90420432A EP0421902B1 EP 0421902 B1 EP0421902 B1 EP 0421902B1 EP 19900420432 EP19900420432 EP 19900420432 EP 90420432 A EP90420432 A EP 90420432A EP 0421902 B1 EP0421902 B1 EP 0421902B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
enclosure
parts
air
drying
process according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19900420432
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0421902A1 (fr
Inventor
Mario Dallot
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ultrasons Annemasse SA
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Ultrasons Annemasse SA
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Application filed by Ultrasons Annemasse SA filed Critical Ultrasons Annemasse SA
Publication of EP0421902A1 publication Critical patent/EP0421902A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0421902B1 publication Critical patent/EP0421902B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F26—DRYING
    • F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
    • F26B5/00—Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat
    • F26B5/04—Drying solid materials or objects by processes not involving the application of heat by evaporation or sublimation of moisture under reduced pressure, e.g. in a vacuum

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the general technical field of methods and devices for drying various parts or bodies from any production line.
  • the drying processes are used in various industries and, in particular, in the pharmaceutical industry, in the chemical industry, in the ceramic and synthetic materials industry, in the electrical engineering and electronics industry, and again, for example, in the optical industry and in the mechanical industry in general.
  • the parts or bodies from a production line which are liable to undergo a drying phase can for example be components and printed circuits, simple or complex machining parts, made of metal, plastic or glass, etc.
  • the present invention therefore relates to the industrial problem of the removal of water and, more generally, of residual liquid substances on the surface or on any parts or bodies resulting from a process or a production chain and relates, more specifically, parts that cannot withstand too high temperatures.
  • the present invention relates, more particularly but not exclusively, to parts or bodies from a production line including a cleaning step at the end of which the parts are covered with a film of liquid or water or else contain, because of their porosity or their complexity of shape or structure (blind holes), a certain liquid mass.
  • fluorocarbon compounds for example CFC 113
  • CFC 113 fluorocarbon compounds
  • the drying principle is identical, and consists in evaporating the solvent on the parts by passing the parts through a zone of saturated steam in order to reach the maximum temperature of 47 °. The solvent is then evaporated off by passing the parts through a drying zone at a temperature close to or identical to that of ambient temperature. If the tank is used, evaporation is obtained by lowering the internal temperature of the tank to room temperature.
  • Fluorocarbon compounds are also used for drying parts that have been previously cleaned in an alkaline cleaning cycle.
  • the parts are generally subjected to a first cleaning with a detergent, then to a rinsing with water and finally to a drying by a device using a fluorocarbon compound which, heavier than water and additive to it. ci, moves the water to a decanter. Part of the water is also eliminated by the phenomenon of azeotropic vapor formation.
  • parts drying methods in which the parts to be dried are subjected to a temperature rise in a hermetic enclosure and the liquid phase is eliminated by evaporation under vacuum (see, for example, document FR-A-625 501).
  • the object of the invention is to propose a method and a device for drying parts which do not have the drawbacks of the techniques of the prior art, and which make it possible not to have recourse to fluorocarbon compounds, while allowing drying at low temperature.
  • a secondary object of the invention is to provide a process and device allowing direct drying in air, without solvent, and this in a very short time.
  • An additional object of the invention consists in proposing a method and a device whose overall energy consumption is particularly economical, and whose fields of application are multiple.
  • Figs. 1 to 3 illustrate a device according to the invention which makes it possible to implement the drying process according to the invention.
  • the device comprises an airtight enclosure 1 in the form of a vacuum drying tank limited by an outer casing 2 made of stainless steel sheet for example.
  • the hermetic enclosure 1 can, of course, be of varied shape and of variable volume depending on the nature of the product or the parts to be dried, and according to the average flow rate of the production chain. For information only, it is possible to use a cylindrical tank with a height of 500 mm and a diameter of 450 mm.
  • the hermetic enclosure 1 comprises an interior casing 3 , for example made of stainless steel. It is possible to improve the insulation of the airtight enclosure by introducing mineral fibers between the outer casing 2 and the inner casing 3 , as is well known to those skilled in the art.
  • the hermetic enclosure 1 can be fitted with pressure safety valves (not shown in the figures) and reinforcement ribs or bars 4 fixed for example by welding to the external housing 2 .
  • the hermetic enclosure 1 is equipped with a removable opening means 5 preferably arranged at its upper part and which consists of a cover 6 , integral with an axis 7 around which it is mounted for rotation by means of a drive member 8 , in this case a hydraulic cylinder.
  • a drive member 8 in this case a hydraulic cylinder.
  • the latter can be, for example, fixed by one end to the outer casing 2 and by the other end directly or indirectly to at least one spar 9 secured to the cover 6 .
  • the seal between the cover 6 and the outer 2 and inner 3 housing is provided in a known manner by an elastic seal 11 .
  • the temperature rise of the hermetic enclosure 1 is ensured by heating elements 12 arranged inside the enclosure 2 and applied for example to the wall of the internal housing 3 . Preferably, they are placed in the middle part or at the top of the airtight enclosure 2 .
  • the heating elements 12 are provided to ensure a temperature below 100 ° C, of the order of 90 ° C and, of preferably between 50 to 70 ° C and provided with conventional temperature control means intended to maintain a constant set temperature within the range mentioned above. These elements are not part of the object of the invention and will therefore not be described in more detail.
  • the sealed enclosure 2 is equipped with a vacuum pump 13 , capable of providing a partial vacuum inside the enclosure of the order of - 0.5 to - 1 bar. As an indication, it is possible to use a vacuum pump by compressed air with several stages of vacuum.
  • the vacuum circuit inside the hermetic enclosure 1 is completed by the mounting of a pressure relief valve 14 inside the hermetic enclosure 1 .
  • the valve 14 is advantageously arranged at the lower part of the enclosure 1 , so as to prevent, when the re-pressure is carried out by admission of ambient air therefore necessarily having a certain humidity, that drops of condenstation are reformed on the rooms.
  • the interior of the hermetic enclosure 1 is preferably provided, in its middle part, with support means 16 intended to support an openwork storage means 17 for the storage of the parts or components to be dried.
  • the perforated storage means consists of a mesh basket 17 provided with gripping means 18 intended to facilitate the automatic insertion and removal of the basket 17 .
  • the basket 17 it is, of course, possible to have recourse to the provision of one or more mesh grids, superimposed or not.
  • Air circulation is advantageously improved by a forced air duct network 22 delimited by deflector panels 23 mounted parallel to the walls of the internal housing 3 and above the stirring blades 21 .
  • the forced air lines 22 thus run along the walls of the internal housing 3 and stop at a distance from the cover 6 , so as to create a flow of one-way stirring air indicated by the reference 24 ( fig. 2 ) which ascends inside the conduits 22 and descends into the central part of the hermetic enclosure 1 , in which the receiving basket 17 is arranged, the descending flow therefore being brought and forced to pass through the basket 17 and the parts that it contains.
  • Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention which does not differ from the variant shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , only through the arrangement of the forced air duct network 22 .
  • the pipes 22 ' are interposed directly between the fan 19 and the underside of the basket 17 , so that the basket 17 occupies the entire section of the air stream at the outlet of the fan 19 .
  • the forced air lines 22 ′ are then in the form of connection pipes fixed to the outlet of the fan 19 .
  • the forced air flow therefore crosses the basket 17 and the parts in a single ascending direction, the air recirculation being effected laterally and descendingly in the enclosure 1 , according to arrow F.
  • centrifugal type fan capable of ensuring a forced air flow as homogeneous as possible and an air speed at least equal to 5 m / s and preferably between 5 and 10 m / s.
  • Such operating characteristics positively influence the quality and speed of drying.
  • the forced air lines 22 can be arranged so as to cover the entire internal housing 3 or, on the contrary, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , be arranged punctually on two opposite faces of the airtight enclosure 1.
  • the method according to the invention consists in subjecting the parts to be dried to a rise in temperature in the airtight enclosure 1 .
  • the cover 6 is opened by retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 8 and pivoting around the axis 7 .
  • the basket 17 containing the parts or components to be dried is then introduced into the hermetic enclosure 1 and comes to rest against the support elements 16 , the cover 6 then being closed.
  • the uniformity of the temperature can, moreover, be favored by the commissioning of the fan 19 .
  • This preheating operation, external to enclosure 1 can be ensured in the case of a production line by a rinsing phase in a hot water bath at the temperature of use of the drying tank for one minute. for example.
  • the preheating temperature can usefully be between 50 and 90 ° C.
  • the temperature inside the enclosure 1 is raised to a temperature between 50 and 90 ° C and, preferably, between 50 and 70 ° C. This This step is all the more brief as the rooms and / or the enclosure 1 have been preheated beforehand.
  • the heating elements 12 are stopped and the temperature is increased for the parts which, due to their thermal inertia, require a delay stage so that their temperature stabilizes at internal temperature of enclosure 1 .
  • this time delay or thermal stabilization step has a duration of at least 1 minute and, preferably, varies between 1 minute 30 seconds and 3 minutes.
  • the interior of the sealed enclosure is then subjected to a partial vacuum of between - 0.5 and - 1 bar by switching on the vacuum pump 13 , while ensuring forced recirculation of the air on the parts to be dry using fan 19 and lines 22 .
  • the retained vacuum level is maintained for a period of at least 30 seconds, which is sufficient to remove a film of water on smooth parts.
  • the vacuum level can be maintained for a period of up to three minutes (non-dandruff water).
  • a vacuum of - 0.9 bars can be reached in about two minutes, the complete drying time being between two minutes thirty and three minutes for example.
  • the air charged with water vapor inside the enclosure is continuously heated by the heating element or elements 12 , and the circulation of air inside the the enclosure is ensured by the rotation of the blades 21 .
  • An optimal heat exchange is thus obtained, reducing the total drying time.
  • the vacuum pump 13 is then stopped and by opening the re-pressure valve 14 , the interior of the hermetic enclosure 1 gradually returns to ambient atmospheric pressure.
  • the duration of the re-atmospheric pressure phase is regulated by the degree of opening of the re-pressurization valve 14 , the duration of the re-atmospheric pressure varying from 5 seconds to 15 seconds, and being preferably equal to about ten seconds.
  • the return to ambient atmospheric pressure can be effected by admitting ambient air having a certain humidity or by admitting dry air and hot if necessary. As an indication, the hot air may have an average temperature of the order of 40 ° C.
  • drying is incomplete, in particular in the case of parts with low thermal inertia, it may prove necessary to repeat one or more complete drying cycles before removing the parts by carrying out a new stage of heating the parts. and the enclosure, followed by a time-out step, then by vacuuming while respecting the parametric values indicated.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment in which the drying process is fully automated and is included, as an operational phase, in an industrial chain.
  • the device comprises a slide 31 on which is slidably mounted a movable carriage 32 driven by a motor member, and the movement of which is entirely automated by a control system.
  • the mobile carriage 32 is provided with robotized gripping arms responsible for handling the basket 17 .
  • the parts subsequently intended to be dried and coming from a production line are deposited in the basket 17 and arrive at an entry station 33 located under the slide 31 .
  • the robotic arms of the carriage 32 then take hold of the basket 17 and transport it by sliding along the slide 31 in station A which can be, for example, a unit responsible for cleaning the parts and requiring for example a rise in temperature of the 'around 60 °.
  • the basket is transferred by the robotic arms to station B which can, for example, be a cold and water rinsing station, the basket 17 then being transferred to station C where the parts of the basket 17 are subjected to rinsing with demineralized water at a temperature of for example between 50 and 90 ° C.
  • the rinsing operation at station C corresponds to the preheating phase of the drying process according to the invention.
  • the basket 17 is then transferred to the drying module corresponding to station D and introduced into the airtight enclosure 1 .
  • the drying operation is carried out in accordance with the steps described above and the drying basket is then transferred to the outlet station 34 .
  • the process thus described has the advantage of drying parts or bodies from a production line without using fluorocarbon compounds, and without requiring a high drying temperature, since the internal temperature of the hermetic enclosure remains , in all cases, less than 100 ° C.
  • the method and the device according to the invention also make possible rapid drying of all the parts, insofar as the parts to be dried are preheated. This feature makes it possible to introduce the method and the drying device according to the invention into an industrial production line without unnecessarily lengthening the manufacturing time.
  • vacuum levels required are sufficient to allow a drying operation limited in time and the technical means of implementation are of relatively simple design and maintenance.
  • drying method described as well as the implementation device are suitable for multiple and varied uses, and that the parts or bodies liable to undergo the drying operation are not limited and can be chosen from fragile parts that cannot withstand high temperatures.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
EP19900420432 1989-10-06 1990-10-08 Procédé de séchage sous vide de pièces diverses et dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé Expired - Lifetime EP0421902B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8913312 1989-10-06
FR8913312A FR2652888A1 (fr) 1989-10-06 1989-10-06 Procede de sechage sous vide de pieces diverses et dispositif de mise en óoeuvre du procede.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0421902A1 EP0421902A1 (fr) 1991-04-10
EP0421902B1 true EP0421902B1 (fr) 1993-07-21

Family

ID=9386309

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900420432 Expired - Lifetime EP0421902B1 (fr) 1989-10-06 1990-10-08 Procédé de séchage sous vide de pièces diverses et dispositif de mise en oeuvre du procédé

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0421902B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE69002298T2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2652888A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH04132388U (ja) * 1991-05-24 1992-12-08 千住金属工業株式会社 真空乾燥装置
FR2689967A1 (fr) * 1992-04-14 1993-10-15 Silva Laon Procédé et dispositif de traitement thermo-mécanique, par détente contrôlée, de produits divers.
US5231771A (en) * 1992-09-29 1993-08-03 United States Surgical Corporation Vacuum drying method for metallic workpieces
DE4328199C1 (de) * 1993-08-21 1994-10-13 Duerr Gmbh & Co Verfahren und Einrichtung zum Trocknen eines nach einer Bearbeitung mit einer Reinigungsflüssigkeit gereinigten Werkstücks
DE19525554B4 (de) * 1995-07-13 2006-11-23 Rolf Schwan Gmbh Vorrichtung zur Trocknung photopolymerer Druckplatten
DE19756830A1 (de) 1997-12-19 1999-07-01 Wacker Chemie Gmbh Vakuumtechnisches Trocknen von Halbleiterbruch
FR2774911B1 (fr) 1998-02-19 2005-01-14 Karim Allaf Procede de traitement thermique, thermo-mecanique, hydro-thermo-mecanique de produits divers solides ou pulverulents, pateux, liquides ou melanges de liquides, applications de ce procede
DE19910723A1 (de) * 1999-03-11 2000-09-21 Fraunhofer Ges Forschung Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Vakuumtrocknen
US6358637B1 (en) * 1999-12-13 2002-03-19 General Motors Corporation Freeze-protecting a fuel cell by vacuum drying
RU2182691C1 (ru) * 2000-10-30 2002-05-20 Открытое акционерное общество "Ракетно-космическая корпорация "Энергия" им. С.П. Королева" Способ сушки внутренних поверхностей гидросистемы
RU2198361C2 (ru) * 2001-01-04 2003-02-10 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "Научно-производственное общество "ТОИР" Способ осушки полости оборудования и устройство для его осуществления
FR2920046A1 (fr) 2007-08-13 2009-02-20 Alcatel Lucent Sas Procede de post-traitement d'un support de transport pour le convoyage et le stockage atmospherique de substrats semi-conducteurs, et station de post-traitement pour la mise en oeuvre d'un tel procede
US8756826B2 (en) * 2010-11-30 2014-06-24 Mei, Llc Liquid coalescence and vacuum dryer system and method
DE102014213172A1 (de) * 2014-07-07 2016-01-07 Dürr Ecoclean GmbH Anlage für das Trocknen von Werkstücken
CN115751860B (zh) * 2022-11-29 2025-04-11 贵州盘江民爆有限公司 一种恒温烘干箱

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR625501A (fr) * 1926-11-30 1927-08-12 Main Et Cie G Dispositif de chauffage et de ventilation des étuves et séchoirs industriels pour séchage par le vide
DE603918C (de) * 1931-04-17 1934-10-10 Louis Gil Verfahren zum Betriebe von Vakuumtrocknern
CH197048A (de) * 1937-08-17 1938-04-15 Josef Knecht Verfahren zum Trocknen von Trocknungsgut und Trockenvorrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens.
US2329600A (en) * 1939-02-11 1943-09-14 Central Hanover Bank And Trust Dehydration process
FR976986A (fr) * 1942-05-29 1951-03-27 Appareil de dessiccation ou cuisson, sous basses pressions
FR1241907A (fr) * 1958-11-19 1960-09-23 Straumann Inst Ag Appareillage pour traitements thermiques sous vide poussé
DE1202732B (de) * 1961-01-11 1965-10-07 Siemens Ag Trocknungsverfahren mit wechselndem Evakuieren des Trocknungsraumes
DE2022478A1 (de) * 1970-05-08 1971-11-18 Leybold Heraeus Gmbh & Co Kg Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Verbesserung des Waermeueberganges in Vakua
FR2247388B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1973-10-12 1977-08-05 Anrep Rene

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2652888A1 (fr) 1991-04-12
DE69002298T2 (de) 1994-02-10
DE69002298D1 (de) 1993-08-26
EP0421902A1 (fr) 1991-04-10
FR2652888B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1995-02-03

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