GB1231459A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,231,459. Dry-cleaning apparatus. ZOLRA A.G. 5 Sept., 1968 [6 Sept., 1967], No. 42353/ 68. Heading D1A. Clothing is dry-cleaned in a chamber 2 from which air is at least partly evacuated, the solvent is drained from the chamber and heated air is circulated through the chamber to remove remaining solvent, through condenser 6, the heat evolved from the condenser being used to distil 'the drained solvent, and back to the chamber. The solvents used may be trichloromonofluoromethane or trichlorotrifluoroethane. A drum 3 rotates in a chamber 2 through which solvent is continuously circulated during cleaning. Solvents, clear distillate, finishing liquid and impregnating liquid are supplied from tanks 20, 22, 24, 26. Through a coarse filter 30 to chamber 2 and via shutoff valve 32 with filter 18 for solvent filtering. Pump 31 is connected via a valve 35', powder dispenser 36 and non-return valve to filter 18 in which a filter bed of e.g. kieselguhr is formed. Auxiliary substances may be supplied to solvent flowing from filter 18 to chamber 2 by metering tank 39. The drying circuit comprises condenser 6, a fan 11, a fabric pad filter 12 and an air heating device using waste heat from a cooling unit. A cooling circulation system with a compressor 41 using dichlorodifluoromethane cools the plant, liquefies the solvent vapours and supplies waste heat for distillation. Air compressor 46 generates pressure for operating the various valves and for sucking out part of the air from cleaning chamber 2; The plant is controlled electrically by device 44 to a programme selected by a card. After clearing, when spin-drying is almost complete, fan 11 and heating device 13 are switched on and shortly after pump 31 is switched off. The air and solvent mixture at about 60-65‹C circulates through drum 3 until all the solvent vapour has been condensed and drained into tank 22 through separator 34. Just before the end of drying, a vacuum starts to form in chamber 2 anda pressure equalization valve opens. During operation still 15 can operate constantly. After about 20-30 cleaning processes under the control of the appropriate programme card, the powder filter bed is discharged, valve 40 being opened and the powder slurried into the still while fresh powder is fed to metering vessel 36.