JP3540449B2 - Dry cleaning method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a dry cleaning method and apparatus using an organic solvent such as perchlorethylene, a petroleum-based solvent, and an alternative fluorocarbon solvent.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional dry cleaning process will be described with reference to FIG. First, the door 1 leading to the inside of the processing drum 11 of the processing tank 10 is opened, clothing 2 to be washed is put in, and the door 1 is closed to start operation. Generally, the steps proceed in the following order.
[0003]
▲ 1 ▼. The solvent 4 is pumped from the solvent tank 3 via the valve 5 by the pump 6, and the required amount of the solvent 4 is sent to the processing tank 10 through the path including the valve 7 and the filter 8 or the path including the valve 9.
[0004]
▲ 2 ▼. The processing drum 11 is slowly rotated, and the solvent 4 is circulated in a circuit including the processing tank 10, the button trap 12, the valve 13, the pump 6, the valve 7, the filter 8 or the valve 9 to wash the clothing 2.
[0005]
(3). The liquid is discharged through the processing tank 10, the button trap 12, the valve 13, the pump 6, the valve 14, and the still 15 and then the processing drum 11 is rotated at a high speed to centrifugally separate the solvent 4 in the garment 2. Drain.
[0006]
▲ 4 ▼. Steps (1) and (2) are repeated.
[0007]
▲ 5 ▼. The solvent 4 is centrifuged and drained through the path of the processing tank 10, the button trap 12, the valve 13, and the valve 5.
[0008]
▲ 6 ▼. The processing drum 11 is slowly rotated again, and air is circulated in the direction of the arrow 20 between the processing tank 10 and the recovery air duct 19 including the fan 16, the air cooler 17, and the air heater 18 to dry the clothing 2. The solvent gas evaporated from the clothing 2 is condensed in the air cooler 17, enters the water separator 22 via the recovery path 21, and enters the clean tank 24 through the solvent pipe 23.
[0009]
▲ 7 ▼. When drying is completed, the dampers 25 and 26 open as indicated by broken lines, take in fresh air from the damper 25, exhaust non-condensed solvent gas that cannot be recovered by the air cooler 17 from the damper 26, and deodorize the solvent odor in the clothing 2. .
[0010]
▲ 8 ▼. The solvent 4 that has entered the still 15 in the step (3) evaporates and is condensed and recovered by the condenser 27, enters the clean tank 24 through the water separator 22 and the solvent pipe 23, and enters the clean tank 24 from the overflow-equipped partition plate 28. Return to the solvent tank 3. The water separated by the water separator 22 is discharged out of the system by a water pipe 29.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
According to the above-described conventional filter, the filter paper filter 8a used in the filter circulation cleaning using the filter 8 is a harmful industrial waste. 10, the solvent 4 is centrifuged from the clothing 2 and discharged into the solvent tank 3 through the route of the button trap 12, the valve 13, and the valve 5, so that the dirt from the clothing 2 is accumulated in the solvent 4 in the solvent tank 3. Has occurred, and in some cases, there is a problem that the laundry clothes of the next lot may be soiled.
[0012]
The present invention solves such a problem in the prior art, reduces harmful industrial waste from a dry cleaner using an organic solvent such as perchlorethylene, and always uses a clean washing solvent to wash laundry clothes. An object of the present invention is to provide a dry cleaning method and apparatus which can be washed without worrying about reverse contamination and the like.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and heats and vaporizes a volatile solvent used in a cleaning step, collects vapor of the vaporized solvent above a treatment tank, cools and liquefies, and liquefies. Provided is a dry cleaning method in which the solvent is temporarily stored and then supplied from above to a post-treatment tank to be used in a new cleaning step, and the solvent to be used is purified by distillation and collected upward, where it is collected. It is liquefied, stored, and supplied to the processing tank by gravity.
[0014]
Further, the present invention provides a liquefied solvent storage tank provided above a processing tank accommodating a rotary drum, a distilling device for distilling a solvent provided below the processing tank, an outlet to the liquefied solvent storage tank and the distilling device. A dry cleaning system having a condenser connected to the inlet and a condenser provided above the liquefied solvent storage tank, and a valve means provided to communicate with the treatment tank to the liquefied solvent storage tank and the evaporator and to be provided at each of the communication portions. The apparatus is provided, and the solvent vapor distilled and purified by the distilling device below the treatment tank is cooled and liquefied by the condenser above the liquefied solvent storage tank, and the liquefied solvent vapor is dropped by gravity into the liquefied solvent storage tank. It is designed to be gravity-dropped and supplied to the processing tank downward.
[0015]
Further, the present invention provides a dry cleaning apparatus wherein the liquefied solvent storage tank has a shape in which at least a part of a bottom plate partially surrounds an outer periphery of the processing tank from above, and a liquefied solvent storage tank for the processing tank is provided. The arrangement is devised.
[0016]
Further, in the present invention, the liquefied solvent storage tank may be provided with a partition wall extending upward from a bottom plate between a communication part to the treatment tank and the side wall, and a communication part to a drain pipe provided above the side wall. The present invention provides a dry cleaning device having a structure also serving as a separator, and is devised so as to effectively use a narrow space.
[0017]
Still further, the present invention provides a dry cleaning device in which a drain pipe connected to a water separator of the liquefied solvent storage tank communicates with an evaporator to forcibly vaporize water mixed in the solvent vapor. To eliminate them.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0019]
This embodiment is significantly different from the conventional one shown in FIG. 2 described above. In the present embodiment, a large-sized still 15a is arranged at the position of the solvent tank 3 and the clean tank 24 in the conventional one, and The solvent stored in the solvent tank 24a is cooled from steam, including a solvent tank 24a corresponding to a liquefied solvent storage tank for temporarily storing a clean solvent 4a that has been distilled and regenerated by the distillation device 15a and purified. That is, the condenser 27a to be liquefied and the water separator 22a formed in a part of the solvent tank 24a are arranged above the treatment tank 10.
[0020]
That is, a distilling unit 15a is provided below the processing tank 10 containing the rotating drum 11, and a solvent tank 24a as a liquefied solvent storage tank is provided above the processing tank 10.
[0021]
Since the processing tank 10 has a circular cross section following the shape of the rotary drum 11, a part of the bottom plate of the solvent tank 24a partially surrounds the processing tank 10 along the circular shape.
[0022]
A condenser 27a is provided above the solvent tank 24a. The condenser 27a has an inlet connected to the distillator 15a to receive the solvent vapor vaporized by the distiller 15a, and an outlet connected to the solvent tank. In communication with the solvent 24a, the solvent cooled and liquefied by the condenser 27a is dropped by gravity and stored in the solvent tank 24a.
[0023]
The solvent tank 24a communicates with the processing tank 10 via the valve 30 at the lower bottom, and a partition wall 22c extending upward from the bottom plate at a position closer to the side wall 22b of the solvent tank 24a from the communicating portion is provided. And a water separator 22a partitioned by a partition wall 22c. The water separator 22a is provided with a drain pipe communication part 22d at an upper part thereof, and connects a drain pipe 33 extending downward. The drain pipe 33 communicates with the drain evaporator 34 below, and the water falling through the drain pipe 33 is heated and evaporated by the heater 34 a of the drain evaporator 34.
[0024]
Reference numeral 19a denotes a recovery air duct, which is not shown, but has a built-in fan, air cooler, air heater, and the like. In addition, the same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same parts as in the related art, and a duplicate description will be omitted.
[0025]
The cleaning process in the present embodiment thus configured will be described step by step. First, when the door 1 is opened, the clothing 2 is put in, the door 1 is closed and the operation is started, the washing process proceeds in the following order.
[0026]
▲ 1 ▼. The rotating drum 11 is slowly rotated, and the cleaning solvent 4a is used in a circuit composed of the solvent tank 24a, the valve 30, the processing tank 10, the valve 31, and the valve 32 by using the cleaning solvent 4a. Wash the garment 2 by flowing one way.
[0027]
When the liquid level formed at the bottom of the processing tank 10 is high, the liquid passes through at least one of the valve 31 having a high inlet or the valve 32 having a low inlet, and when the liquid level is low, the processing tank passes through the valve 32. The solvent in 10 flows into the still 15a.
[0028]
▲ 2 ▼. Next, the liquid is naturally drained along the path of the processing tank 10, the valve 31, or the valve 32, and the distilling device 15a. Subsequently, the processing drum 11 rotates at a high speed to centrifugally separate the solvent 4b in the garment 2. Drain naturally.
[0029]
(3). In the case of the two-bath washing method, the steps (1) and (2) are repeated.
[0030]
▲ 4 ▼. The solvent 4b that has entered the still 15a in the step (2) is heated and evaporated by the heating means 15b such as steam or electricity, is condensed and recovered in the condenser 27a, and is integrated with the solvent tank 24a. The solvent enters the solvent tank 24a through the separator 22a and is stored.
[0031]
The water separated by the water separator 22a passes through a drain pipe 33, is evaporated by a dedicated drain evaporator 34, and is discharged out of the system.
[0032]
▲ 5 ▼. The drying step performed by using the path of the drying recovery air duct 19a is the same as that of the conventional one, and thus the description is omitted.
[0033]
In the present embodiment, the washing steps are carried out in the order as described above, but the solvents used for washing the clothes are all distilled and regenerated in the evaporator 15a and the purified one is used in one way. In any case, uniform quality clothing can be washed, and dirt washed off from the clothing after one cycle is quickly discharged from the processing tank 10 to the still 15a. Even without this, dry cleaning can be performed without fear of reverse contamination due to re-adhesion to other clothing.
[0034]
In addition, this clean solvent moves upward due to the phenomenon of evaporation, and after it is liquefied, it is dropped and supplied by gravity, so that there is no need to supply external energy to this circulation system. Since the vessel 15a, the condenser 27a, and the solvent tank 24a as a liquefied solvent storage tank are cleverly arranged with respect to the processing tank 10, equipment such as a pump and a filter is not required, and simplification of a piping system is included. A low-cost dry cleaning device can be obtained.
[0035]
As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and it goes without saying that various changes may be made to the specific structure within the scope of the present invention. Absent.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, all solvents used for washing clothes are distilled, cooled, liquefied and clean solvents, and this distillation, liquefaction, and re-supply are also performed by a path of rising by evaporation and falling by gravity. Since the washing process proceeds in a one-way flow, the cleansing can always be performed without the dirt once dropped from the clothing re-adhering to other clothing.
[0037]
Moreover, a pump for pumping the solvent, a filter for circulating and filtering the dirt solvent, and the like are not required, and the accompanying piping is greatly simplified, so that a significantly lower-priced machine can be provided as compared with the conventional system machine. .
[0038]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the path of the solvent which is the basis for executing the above-mentioned clean washing is such that the distillation apparatus is below the processing tank and the liquefied solvent storage tank is above the processing tank. The condenser is completed only by the positional relationship of being arranged further above the liquefied solvent storage tank. That is, the intended aim can be achieved by such a route.
[0039]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the relative configuration of the liquefied solvent storage tank and the processing tank is determined in consideration of the respective shapes and positional relationships of the processing tank and the processing tank. It was possible to obtain a lean product from above.
[0040]
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the water separator is integrally incorporated in the liquefied solvent storage tank, and the size of the entire apparatus can be further promoted.
[0041]
Furthermore, according to the invention of claim 5, the water collected by the water separator is forcibly removed by the evaporator, and the functional stability of the entire apparatus is further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional dry cleaner.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 10 Processing tank 11 Rotary drum 15, 15a Distiller 24, 24a Solvent tank 22, 22a Water separator 27, 27a Condenser

Claims (5)

The volatile solvent used in the washing process is heated and vaporized, vapor of the vaporized solvent is collected above the processing tank, cooled and liquefied, and the liquefied solvent is temporarily stored and then supplied to the processing tank from above. And a new cleaning process. A liquefied solvent storage tank provided above the processing tank accommodating the rotating drum, a distilling device for distilling the solvent provided below the processing tank, and an outlet and an inlet connected to the liquefied solvent storage tank and the distiller, respectively. A dry cleaning apparatus, comprising: a condenser provided above a liquefied solvent storage tank; and a valve means provided in each of the communication sections so that the treatment tank communicates with the liquefied solvent storage tank and the distiller. . The dry cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquefied solvent storage tank has a shape in which at least a part of a bottom plate partially surrounds an outer periphery of the processing tank from above. The liquefied solvent storage tank has a configuration in which a partition wall extending upward from the bottom plate is provided between the communication section to the processing tank and the side wall, and a communication section to the drain pipe is provided above the side wall to serve also as a water separator. 4. The dry cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The dry cleaning device according to claim 4, wherein a drain pipe connected to the water separator of the liquefied solvent storage tank is connected to an evaporator.

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