Patent US2122906A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0288263A2
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Apparatus and method for removing minute particles from a substrate
Assignee: Messer LLC
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Filing: 1988-04-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-04-20
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for removing small particles from a substrate comprises a source of fluid carbon dioxide, a first orifice (10) for expanding a portion of the fluid carbon dioxide and find droplets of liquid carbon dioxide, a coalescing chamber (14) for converting the first mixture into a second mixture containing gaseous carbon dioxide and larger liquid droplets of carbon dioxide, a second expansion orifice (16) for converting said second mixture into a third mixture containing solid particles of carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide, and a divergent channel 20 having an exit port arranged to direct mixture toward the substrate. In using the apparatus, a source of fluid carbon dioxide having an enthalpy below about 135 BTU per pound (based on an enthalpy of zero at 150 psia for a saturated liquid) is employed.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter H. Whitlock
- 👤 William R. Weltmer, Jr.
- 👤 James D. Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:28
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24C; B24C1/00; B24C1/003; B01; B01F; B01F23/00; B01F23/30; B01F25/00; B01F25/40; B01F25/42; B01F25/43; B01F25/433; B01F25/4335; B08; B08B; B08B3/00; B08B3/02; B24C3/00; B24C3/32; B24C3/322; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
Apparatus for removing small particles from a substrate comprising: (a) a source of fluid carbon dioxide under pressure and having an enthalpy of below about 135 BTU per pound based on an enthalpy of zero of 150 psia for a saturated liquid, so that at solid fraction will form upon expansion of the fluid carbon dioxide to the ambient pressure of said substrate; (b) a first expansion means (10) for expanding a portion of the fluid carbon dioxide obtained from the source into a first mixture containing gaseous carbon dioxide and fine droplets of liquid carbon dioxide; (c) a coalescing means (14) operatively communicating with the first expansion means (10) for converting said first mixture into a second mixture containing gaseous carbon dioxide and larger liquid droplets of carbon dioxide; (d) a second expansion means (16) operatively communicating with the coalescing means (14) for converting said mixture into a third mixture containing solid particles of carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (e) means (20) communicating with said second expansion means for directing said third mixture toward the substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
Apparatus for removing small particles from a substrate comprising: (a) a source of fluid carbon dioxide under pressure and having an enthalpy of below about 135 BTU per pound based on an enthalpy of zero of 150 psia for a saturated liquid, so that at solid fraction will form upon expansion of the fluid carbon dioxide to the ambient pressure of said substrate; (b) a first expansion means (10) for expanding a portion of the fluid carbon dioxide obtained from the source into a first mixture containing gaseous carbon dioxide and fine droplets of liquid carbon dioxide; (c) a coalescing means (14) operatively communicating with the first expansion means (10) for converting said first mixture into a second mixture containing gaseous carbon dioxide and larger liquid droplets of carbon dioxide; (d) a second expansion means (16) operatively communicating with the coalescing means (14) for converting said mixture into a third mixture containing solid particles of carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (e) means (20) communicating with said second expansion means for directing said third mixture toward the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising means (44) for directing a stream of nitrogen gas toward said substrate, said stream surrounding said third mixture as the third mixture contacts the substrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising means for controlling the rate of flow of fluid carbon dioxide into the first expansion means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
118 words
Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the first expansion means (10) comprises a first orifice (10) having a first opening in communication with the source of fluid carbon dioxide and a second opening leading to said coalescing means (14), said coalescing means (14) comprising a coalescing chamber (14) having a rearward section (30) in communication with said second opening, said rearward section (30) having a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the first orifice (10) thereby to enable the fluid carbon dioxide flowing through the first orifice (10) to undergo a reduction of pressure as the fluid carbon dioxide enters the rearward section (30) of the coalescing chamber (14) thereby to form said first mixture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the coalescing chamber (14) further comprises a forward section (34) adjacent said rearward section (30) and having an opening leading to a second orifice (16) wherein the first mixture undergoes coalescing of the fine drops into larger drops of liquid carbon dioxide as it passes from said rearward section (30) to said forward section (34) thereby to form said second mixture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the second expansion means (16) comprises said second orifice (16) having an opening at one end leading to the forward section (34) of the coalescing chamber (14) and another end opening into said third mixture directing means (20), said second orifice (16) having a cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of the forward section (34) of the coalescing chamber (14).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the means (20) for directing said third mixture comprises a divergently tapered channel (20) communicating at one end with the second orifice (10) and having an exit port through which, in use the third mixture exits and contacts the substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein te divergently tapered channel has an angle of divergence of up to 15°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to any one of Claims 4 to 8, wherein the forward section of said coalescing means and said directing means have elongated openings, thereby producing a wide flat spray.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the second expansion means (16) and the means (20) for directing the third mixture toward the substrate are combined in the form of a passage which communicates with a chamber (14) defining said coalescing means (14) and at its other end has an exit port through which in use the third mixture exits and contacts the substrate.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for removing particles from a substrate surface comprising: (a) Converting fluid carbon dioxide into a first mixture of fine droplets of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (b) converting said first mixture into a second mixture containing larger droplets of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (c) converting said secnd mixture into a third mixture containing solid carbon dioxide particles and gaseous carbon dioxide; and (d) directing said third mixture toward the substrate whereby said third mixture removes said particles from the substrate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
87 words
A method for removing particles from a substrate surface comprising: (a) Converting fluid carbon dioxide into a first mixture of fine droplets of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (b) converting said first mixture into a second mixture containing larger droplets of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide; (c) converting said secnd mixture into a third mixture containing solid carbon dioxide particles and gaseous carbon dioxide; and (d) directing said third mixture toward the substrate whereby said third mixture removes said particles from the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to Claim 11, wherein said fluid carbon dioxide is liquid carbon dioxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to Claim 11 or 12, further comprising storing the fluid carbon dioxide at a pressure of about 300 to 1000 psia.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
31 words
A method according to any one of Claims 11 to 13, wherein step (a) comprises expanding the fluid carbon dioxide along a constant enthalpy line to about 80 to 100 psia.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
33 words
A method according to any one of Claims 11 to 14, wherein the first mixture comprises from 11 to 50% of fine liquid droplets and from 89 to 50% of carbon dioxide vapor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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