Aqueous Cleaning Sytem
A five part system consisting of the following:
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Cleaning Tank - The size of the tank will vary depending on the size and quantity of parts that will require cleaning. Stainless steel (304 or 316) is the preferred metal, but if cost is an issue, mild steel can be used but should be coated.
The tank should be built to include a skimming trough around the inside at approximately 2/3 of the way up the side wall. The trough should be built at a 45° angle and 3-5 inches in height. It should be built to slope gradually toward one corner of the tank. At this point there should be an outlet to lead into the skimming tank.
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Skimming Tank - This tank should be 10-15% the size (volume) of the cleaning tank. This tank will be separated into two equal sections by a weir that will run across the tank and extend from the top to a point approximately 6" from the bottom.
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Filtration and Agitation Loop - This loop should begin in one of the lower corners of the cleaning tank. It should be driven by a pump that has the capacity to turn over the volume of liquid in the cleaning tank once every 15 minutes. Prior to the pump, the material should pass through a filtering device and then back into the tank via a series of eductors situated lengthwise along the bottom of the tank. The eductors should be angled at 45° upwards so as to provide sufficient agitation for the cleaning of parts. The size of the piping and the eductors will vary depending on the flow requirements.
The filters can be of the bag or basket type, with a mesh size of 50-100 micron. This will vary based on the size of the particulate matter that is to be removed.
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Skimming Loop - The skimming loop will begin from the lowest point in the cleaning tank trough and gravity feed into the dirty side of the skimming tank at a point 4-6 inches below the fluid surface. This pipe should include a spigot-valve so that it can be manually turned on and off. A skimming device, such as a disk skimmer or belt skimmer, should be set up on the dirty side. The return line should begin at the bottom of the clean side, travel through a small filter, a pump, and back into the cleaning tank. This pipe should also discharge at a point just below the fluid surface. After the pump, a spray wand can be installed for spray washing of parts. Turnover in this loop should be very slow, allowing for the maximum amount of quiet time in the skimming tank.
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Heat - Heating elements capable of keeping the solution at 160-170°F maximum. An ideal starting temperature is 140°F. This can be varied depending upon cleaning efficiency.