GB1448780A - Combination solvent-water bath laudnry system - Google Patents

Abstract

1448780 Dry-cleaning apparatus McGRAW EDISON CO 22 March 1974 [30 April 1973] 12920/74 Heading D1A A solvent-water bath laundry system comprises a recirculating still for distilling dirty solvent-water mixtures comprising an evaporator 62, a residual tank 60 for said solvent having a bottom outlet feeding by gravity into the bottom of said evaporator 62 and a side inlet duct connected to the top of the evaporator, a steam supply for the evaporator, a condenser 71 in the top of the residual tank 60 for condensing solvent and water vapour and draining the condensed liquid from the tank, a still feed tank 33 for receiving dirty solvent from the laundry system to be distilled, means 64B for pumping the dirty solvent from the bottom of the still feed tank 33 into the residual tank 60, a water separator 72 having an inlet receiving the condensed liquid from the residual tank 60, and a pipe connecting the solvent outlet 74 of the separator 72 back into the still feed tank 33. As described the system comprises a known type of washer-extractor 10 with cylindrical casing 11 rotatable perforate drum front door 12 and trunnions 13 permitting upward/downward facing for loading/unloading respectively. The washer receives clean solvent from a tank 20, or semiclean solvent from a tank 25. After each wash the solvent baths are fed to the tank 33 and water rinse baths are pumped to a tank 37 and thence to a water separator 41. Solvent is fed back to the tank 33. When enought water has accummulated on the surface of the solvent in tank 33, the contents are pumped to tank 60 and batch distillation is effected. Solvent is returned to the tank 33 and water drained off at outlet 73. Very dirty solvent is distilled in the secondary still 47, clean solvent being fed to the tank 33. Final distillation takes place in the primary still 46. The system carries out three wash cycles: a: Dry cleaning with solvent from tank 20 and solvent returned to tank 33; followed by a second solvent wash. Each wash includes a light additive e.g. detergent, b: Two clean solvent baths with water additive plus detergent, with solvent extracted and pumped over to the tank 33 for distillation, c: first bath with clean solvent followed by a bath with solvent from tank 25 (containing water and detergent) then a water bath at 110‹F. This bath is fed to the holding tank 37. The final bath is a clean solvent bath with detergent and softeners. At the end of each solvent-water wash cycle the work is subjected to a solvent-reclaiming drying and air freshening-cooling operation by apparatus 76 which includes a lint collector 77, a heater 82, dampers, 80, 83, 89 and a blower 78.