US2663950A - Solvent saver recovery apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1953 c. F. DxNLEY 2,563,950

SOLVENT SAVER RECOVERY APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 29, 1953 c. F. DINLEY SOLVENT SAVER RECOVERY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1949 FIG. Z-

WITNESSES Q/ MM5@ QQ @a Patented Dec. 29, 1953 Y y SOLVENT SAVER RECOVERY APPARATUS Clarence F. Dinley, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detrex Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application January 15, 1949, Serial No. 71,177

4 Claims. l

This invention relates to apparatus for. the recovery of volatile solvents from clothes or textile materials that have been treated .with such solvents, or from any article or material that absorbs, adsorbs, or retains such solvent.

My invention is particularly useful for recovering dry-cleaning solvents su-ch as `carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethylene or perchlorethylene, whose vapors are generally uninflammable, or any other volatile, grease-removing, solvents.

More specifically my present invention enables the freeing of clothes or fabrics of solvent odor remaining after the solvent in them has been removered as far as practicable. The apparatus is basically similar in construction and operation to that shown in a prior application filed by me on February 2l, 1947, under Serial No. 730,179, now Patent No. 2,539,407 and the instant case may be considered or regarded as a modification thereof, as well as involving a novel process of de-ordorizing the clothes or textile materials.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type above referred to in which the air, whether vapork laden or clean, is defiected into-'more effective operational contact with the material in the rotary'drum.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus in which the operational flow of the air through the work laden drum is deflected into a more intimate and permeativeY upon properly balancing the solvent and water l levels therein.

Still further objects with ancillary advantages will become apparant from the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of my present invention as shown by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view showing more particularly the improved positioning ofthe inlet and outlet conduits.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. 1, and showing details of the connections to the water and solvent separator, and with a pressure relief valve operatively connected thereto.

Fig. 3 is a larger scale horizontal sectional view 2 taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. 1 and showing the relief valve more in detail.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3 and showing further details of the relief valve.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows V-V in Fig. 2 and showing more clearly the construction of the solvent and water separator. Y

In order to facilitate description of the invention shown, the drawings are briefly explained as comprising the following principal parts:

A base I5 supporting a frame I6; a casing I'I enclosing the Iframe I6; a cylindrical treating chamber I8 mounted on the frame I6; a perforate rotary tumbling-drum I9 having longitudinal radial blades 20, within the treating chamber I8; inlet and outlet conduits or ducts 22 and 23 connected to the chamber I8; an air-conditioning conduit 2d containing heating and cooling elements-not indicated; a fan blower 25; a lint trap 26; and a water and solvent separator 23 connected to the bottom of the air-treatment conduit 24. Since the base I5, the supporting frame I6, the casing II, the treating chamber I8 and the perforate rotary tumbling-drum I9 structurally and operationally correspond with the analogousI parts described in the above identified patent, it is deemed unnecessary to burden the present application with further explanation thereof. The parts just referred to are significant primarily as a background setting in explaining the present improvements which mainly center around the positioning of the inlet and outlet conduits or ducts 22 and, 23 and the provision of means to supply an uninterrupted flow of air thereto.

Hitherto in the art, the inlet and outlet conduits 22 and 23 have been positioned diametrically opposite one another, and either vertically or horizontally directed. According to the present invention, the outlet conduit 23 connects into the treating chamber I8 at a point which is considerably more than 180 from the point where the inlet conduit 22 connects into said chamber, computing said angle of more than 180 away from the inlet conduit 22 in the direction of rotation of the perforate rotary tumbling-drum $9. 'The operational effect of this relative positioning of the inlet and outlet conduits 22 and 23 is indicated bythe arrows 34, which designate the flow of the air current discharged from the inlet conduit 22, incident to rotation of the drum i0 in the direction designated by the arrow 35.l

The air current is clearly in operative contact;

with the work content of the drum I9 much longer than would be the case with the known devices of the prior art. It will be obvious that the outlet conduit 23 can be positioned further from the inlet duct 22, in the direction of rotation of the drum I9, by minor structural changes. However, I have found by experimentation that highly advantageous results are obtained if their angular relationship is approximately 276.

The effectiveness of this increased amount of op rational contact between the air current andthe work content of the tumbling drum I9 is further intensified by maintaining a positive and substantial pressure in the air circulating system so that the discharge from the inlety duct 22 is eiectively dispersed into the contents of the drum IS. The initial impact pressure which builds up in the air circulating system is greater than the equilibrium running pressure. sure-relief means 21 is provided in order to utilize a highpressure and at the same time to protect the operation of the water and solvent separator 28; as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The outlet conduit 23, which includes'the blower fan 25, discharges into the lint trap 2 winch isoperationally and structurally similar to the lint trap shown in the above identified patent. The lint trap 2t on its discharge side is connected to a gate valve 36 of conventional type which may be controllably vented to the atmosphere, or

into the air-conditioning conduit 213 to which it is connectedat one end. A similar gate valve 3'! is mounted on the other end oi the airtreatment conduit Manci likewise may be controllably vented to the atmosphere, or into the inlet conduit 22. The air conditioning vconduit 24 is similarto the conditioning duct shown in the aforementioned patent and has mounted therein a cooling element in the area designated by the numeral 38 and a heating member mounted therein in the area marked by the numeral 39. Pipes 42 are connected to the cooling element and conduct the cooling medium in a well known manner. Similarly, pipes i3 are connected to the heating member 39. It will be noted from the drawings that the air-conditioning conduit 24 has'upwardly inclined end portions 4G; and that the water and solvent separator'28 is dependently connected to said conduit atrthe lower medial portion thereof. The Water and solvent separator 2S is of conventional design and Videntical with a similar device shown in the above referred to prior patent; that is'to say, said separator 28 comprisesa body portion 4i having a depending wall or baiiie Q13, an upper or water discharge oriice t on one side thereof, and a lower solvent discharge out-let it on the other side ofsaidbafe t4'. A pipe M from theunderside of the air-conditioning conduit 24 discharges into the lower portion of the separator 28 and a removable drain plug 5S is provided in the bottom portion of said separator 28. As is well understood in the art, this separator 23foperates on the principle that the heavier solvent will sink to the bottom of the separator 28 and pass under the lower edge of the baille M to find its own level in the space between the body portion il and the bafe fill. It will likewise also be clear that excessive pressure in the separator 28 will interfere with, and destroy, the operation of said separator 28. Therefore it is desirable, as pointed out above, to protect the separator and at the same time accommodate high initial pressures which build up inthe system from time to' time.

The pressure-relief means is .preferably in the AY pres-aform of a gravity-innuenced lift-valve 21, shown to best advantage in Fig. 4, and it is conveniently located on the air treatment conduit 24 at the end of the latter occupied by gate valve 31 to automatically take care of any excess pressure developing such as would adversely affect the operation of the separator 28. The valve 21, preferably consists of a substantially annular seat 29 mounted concentrically with an orifice 3l in the top wall of the conduit 24, and a concave-convex gravity-influenced closure element Assuming that a' load of previously cleaned and solvent treated clothes, but which still contain a quantity of residual solvent, has been.

loaded into the perforate tumbling druml I9' in accordance with conventional procedure, the

cylindrical treating chamber I8 is closed andsaid drum is set in rotary motion, in the direction indicated by the arrow 35 in Fig. l. Now it will be readily apparent that the longitudinal radial blades 29, incidental to rotation of the drum I9',A

will cause the clothes contained therein to follow` the direction of such rotation at least to a level` about or above the air inlet duct 22, with subsequent tumbling 0i said clothes tothe bottomievel or" said drum IS.V The incoming air is then-v caused to fiow in the direction indicated by the" arrows Siiand 34' with a distinctive operative advantage, due to the clothes or work in the` rotary drum i9 'following such rotary motion by aid of the left-hand or ascending'radialrblades Eiito, atleast, a height or level vertically abovethe'axis of rotation ll of said drum as viewed in Fig. l,` and then tumbling over,v or droppingr down, to the right-hand of said axis as indicatedby the arrows 3', whereby saidflow is caused to deiiect inwardly and sinuously downward, as indicated by said arrows 34'. Furthermore. it will be readily understood that the air, entering by way of conduit 22 into the treating chamber i8, is drawn in and spread out within said chamber by aid of the mass of work moving away from the air inlet of said chamber I8 and, as

such air passes or is 'drawn over the axis ofv rotation @Bgjit'will be positively deflected in.- wardly yand y'downwardly with a `larger or longer contact with the work than has been heretofore,

attainable with similar apparatus.

It is also to be particularly noted that Whenever the treating chamber I8 is closed aiterfthe insertion of fresh clothes, there will be avolume. of cold or room temperature air sealed in the chamber I8.

air expands on being heatedwhich produces a momentary impact pressure condition. Thisims pact pressure is applied atxthe inlet` openingr22; at separator ZSand at the lift-valve 27;? The lift-valve -2'5 is scconstructed and arranged :and weighted asv to permit the impact pressure tol reach as high a valueias possible'withoutA producing a pressure which wouldadversely` aii'ect:

the operation .ofv ther separator 28;:Y This ssac- Immediately the chamber IS i sclosed and the fan blower 25 turned Yon, this cool' `accanto complished by permitting high pressure air to escape through the valve 21 into the casing I1.

While my invention has been described in detail it is obvious that changes will suggest themselves, in adapting said invention to other than the disclosed usage, but it is to be understood that al1 such changes are contemplated as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for recovering solvents from material treated therewith, a treating chamber with an air inlet port at one side thereof and an air outlet port at the bottom; a perforate tumbling drum for the material rotatively supported within the chamber; a conditioning conduit extending horizontally beneath the chamber with one end thereof connected to the air inlet port of the chamber; an air blower with its pressure side connected to the opposite end f the conduit; a duct leading from the air outlet port of the chamber to the suction side of the blower; cooling means and heating means within the conduit; a gravitational separator connected to the conduit between the heating and cooling means to receive the condensate recovered from the air by the cooling and separate entrained water therefrom; and an automatically operative relief valve disposed in the conduit between the heated zone of the latter and the air inlet side of the chamber, said valve being weighted so as to open only when the pressure within the chamber exceeds a denite value such as would adversely effect the operation of the separator.

2. Apparatus characterized as in claim 1, wherein the relief valve comprises a. closure element which is adapted to engage downwardly into an apertured seat in the top of the conduit and which has a pendent portion with a diametral 8 stop bar to limit by contact with the inside of the conduittop the extent of valve opening.

3. Solvent recovery apparatus according to claim 1, further including normally closed valves in the conduit capable of beingr opened manually for entry and exhaust of outside air into and from the apparatus by means of the pump upon completion of the extraction cycle.

4. Solvent recovery apparatus according to claim 1, further including normally closed valves respectively at opposite ends of the conduit capable of being opened manually for entry and exhaust of outside air into and from the apparatus by means of the pump upon completion of the extracting cycle.

CLARENCE F. DINLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent Y UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 506,901 Bornholdt Oct. 17, 1893 1,564,783 Harris Dec. 8, 1925 1,857,459 Kircher May 10, 1932 2,171,698 Hetzer Sept. 5, 1939 2,172,059 Chilton Sept. 5, 1939 2,310,680 Dinley Feb. 9, 1943 2,360,985 Sherbcndy Oct. 24, 1944 2,386,293 Clements Oct. 9, 1945 2,418,239 Smith Apr. 1, 1947 2,443,443 Chavannes June 15, 1948 2,451,692 Pugh Oct. 19, 1948 2,477,820 Pokxas Aug. 2, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 531,346 Great Britain Jan. 2. 1941

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