US3173766A - Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner - Google Patents

Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner Download PDF

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Publication number
US3173766A
US3173766A US179640A US17964062A US3173766A US 3173766 A US3173766 A US 3173766A US 179640 A US179640 A US 179640A US 17964062 A US17964062 A US 17964062A US 3173766 A US3173766 A US 3173766A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
solvent
condenser
receptacle
housing
drum
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US179640A
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English (en)
Inventor
Glen R Severance
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whirlpool Corp
Original Assignee
Whirlpool Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whirlpool Corp filed Critical Whirlpool Corp
Priority to US179640A priority Critical patent/US3173766A/en
Priority to FR927670A priority patent/FR1350414A/fr
Priority to GB9963/63A priority patent/GB1018512A/en
Priority to CH326063A priority patent/CH407020A/fr
Priority to DE19631460458 priority patent/DE1460458A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3173766A publication Critical patent/US3173766A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
    • D06F43/00—Dry-cleaning apparatus or methods using volatile solvents
    • D06F43/08—Associated apparatus for handling and recovering the solvents
    • D06F43/086—Recovering the solvent from the drying air current
    • D06F43/088—Condensing arrangements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an improved apparatus for dry cleaning, and more particularly to a self-regeneratating solvent cycling means and process for use with a dry cleaner.
  • solvent is circulated through the drum in a wash cycle of the dry cleaner and during the dry cycle, at least, is circulated through the solvent condenser for the dry cleaner so that the solvent itself acts as the immediate refrigerating medium to condense the solvent vapors.
  • refrigeration means are provided in a solvent reservoir, which desirably include a refrigerating unit positioned on the reservoir and having refrigerant coils directly immersed in the reservoir to refrigerate the solvent so that a solvent pump can move the refrigerated solvent through the condenser.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described wherein the solvent in liquid form is utilized for recapture of solvent in vapor from as produced in the dry cleaning process.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide efl'lcient and effective refrigerant means for use in the refrigerating of the solvent to permit the self-condensation of the solvent vapors.
  • FIGURE 1 is a schematic View of a dry cleaner system according to the present invention.
  • reference numeral 16 indicates generally a casing for receiving articles to be cleaned and is disclosed as containing a rotatable pe forate or foraminous drum 11.
  • the drum 11 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 12 driven by a motor 13.
  • An access door 14 is provided to permit introduction of the articles to be cleaned into the interior of the drum 11 and the casing or housing is provided with a drain sump 16 to collect liquid dry cleaning solvent such as perchlorethylene. This solvent is discharged by gravity, or otherwise, to a solvent receptacle or reservoir 17 through a conduit 18.
  • the dry cleaning solvent is driven through an hydraulic circuit in the form of a stream, thereby recirculating the solvent through the circuit.
  • a pump 21 is submerged in the reservoir 17, below the level of the liquid solvent 22.
  • the pump 21 is driven by a motor 23 so that the solvent is discharged under pressure from the reservoir through a solvent conduit 24.
  • a filter 25 is located in the conduit 24 and is effective to remove the impurities from the solvent before it is directed into the dry cleaner treatment zone. From the filter 25 the fluid passes directly into a line or conduit 19 via a control valve 26.
  • the conduit 19 has a nozzle 1% arranged to direct the stream through an opening 11a formed in one end of the drum 11 thereby to wet the clothes or other materials with solvent before impacting the materials against a substantially solvent free impact area near the bottom of the drum 11.
  • the used solvent which drains from the fabrics is continuously returned to solvent receptacle 17 via conduit 18.
  • solvent vapors in the housing 10 are vented from the housing by means of a conduit 27 which is located in the rear of the housing.
  • the conduit 27 discharges the solvent vapors into a condenser assembly indicated generally by reference numeral 28, the condenser preferably being of the tube and fin type.
  • a blower 29 which is set on the top of the condenser housing 30 is used to drive the solvent-free air drawn from the condenser housing 30 via an opening 31 in the chamber 32 in the form of a stream directed through a conduit 33 which constitutes an air duct leading to the heater duct portion 23a containing a heater coil 20. Thereby, the air is heated and driven through duct 34 for entry to the treatment zone including drum 11.
  • the air entering the condenser means 28 is first filtered by means of a lint filter 35 of any suitable type, which desirably permits the capture of lint from the air stream.
  • the condensed solvent is withdrawn from a sump portion 38 of the condenser to the reservoir 17 by Way of a conduit 39.
  • liquefied solvent itself is utilized to operate the condenser means 28 and to cool the condenser coils 40 thereof.
  • a refrigeration coil 41 is immersed in the solvent 22.
  • the refrigerator coil 41 is supplied with refrigerant from a refrigerator unit 42 which is mounted directly on top of the reservoir 17. The positioning of the refrigerator unit 42 on the receptacle (and on the cover 42a of the receptacle) provides a more serviceable and eflicient system than could be provided with epxosed coils as well as a highly desirable compactness for the combined receptacle and refrigerator unit.
  • a branch line 43 leads from the conduit 19 in advance of the valve 26, and the flow of fiuid to the conduit 43 is in turn controlled by a valve 44 therein.
  • the operation of the valves 26 and 44 is desirably such as to actuate the valve 44 to admit the fluid for condensing action during the drying phase of the operation.
  • the solvent in its refrigerated form is introduced directly into the condenser 40, which as stated, may be of the tube and fin type.
  • the discharge of solvent from the condenser coils 40 thereof is taken through a solvent return conduit 45 for return directly to the solvent reservoir 17.
  • sensing means may be provided to determine the length of the drying cycle.
  • the liquid condensate recovered from the condenser 40 and falling through the line 39 passes through a water separator 46 and then through a drying control mechanism 47.
  • the water separator 46 operates 3 on the principle that Water is lighter than the solvent and will flow to the top of the structure 46 so that the excess water can be continuously withdrawn from an overflow conduit 48.
  • the purified solvent then flows to the said control mechanism 47 which operates a float mechanism (not shown), for example, to actuate a switch so that fiow of condensate, additional to the amount for the refrigerating means has been provided which not only keeps liquid solvent at an optimum operating temperature to avoid excessive dye bleed, but ,alsocools the solvent so it may function as a condenser coolant When pumped to the condenser.
  • the solvent receptacle or reservoir is not only extremely compact because of the immediate superposition of the refrigerator unit thereon, but it suflices as a combined cleaning fluid container and condenser coolant container.
  • a rotatable drum mounted within said drum housing and adapted to tumble solvent laden fabrics during said drying operation
  • conduit means forming a closed circuit interconnecting said drum housing and said condenser housing
  • conduit means interconnecting said drum housing and said solvent receptacle for returning used solvent to said solvent.
  • pump means for pumping solvent from said solvent receptacle through said solvent conduit meansto said drum housing for return therefrom to said receptacle and to said condenser to effect the cooling of said condenser and condensation ofsolvent vapors moved into said condenser housing,
  • the solvent conduit means includes valve means for selectively directing solvent from said solvent receptacle to either of said drum housing or said condenser.
  • the refrigeration means includes a self-contained refrigeration unit having its own compressor and condenser positioned on top of said solvent receptacle in immediate superposed relation thereto and having an evaporation coil extending into said solvent receptacle in heat exchange relationwith the solvent therein.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
  • Vaporization, Distillation, Condensation, Sublimation, And Cold Traps (AREA)
US179640A 1962-03-14 1962-03-14 Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner Expired - Lifetime US3173766A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US179640A US3173766A (en) 1962-03-14 1962-03-14 Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner
FR927670A FR1350414A (fr) 1962-03-14 1963-03-12 Procédé et dispositif pour le nettoyage à sec de tissus ou articles analogues
GB9963/63A GB1018512A (en) 1962-03-14 1963-03-13 Improvements in or relating to dry cleaning
CH326063A CH407020A (fr) 1962-03-14 1963-03-14 Procédé de nettoyage à sec d'une charge d'articles et installation pour sa mise en oeuvre
DE19631460458 DE1460458A1 (de) 1962-03-14 1963-03-14 Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Trockenreinigung

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US179640A US3173766A (en) 1962-03-14 1962-03-14 Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3173766A true US3173766A (en) 1965-03-16

Family

ID=22657382

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US179640A Expired - Lifetime US3173766A (en) 1962-03-14 1962-03-14 Solvent cooled condenser for a dry cleaner

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3173766A (fr)
CH (1) CH407020A (fr)
DE (1) DE1460458A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR1350414A (fr)
GB (1) GB1018512A (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3256613A (en) * 1963-04-05 1966-06-21 Robert J Patch Fabric treatment
US4104814A (en) * 1976-02-02 1978-08-08 Whight Leonard A Clean towel presenting machine
EP0031971A1 (fr) * 1980-01-03 1981-07-15 VE.DA. S.r.l. Purificateur à condensation fonctionnant en circuit fermé pour des courants gazeux contenant des solvants
FR2587739A1 (fr) * 1985-09-20 1987-03-27 Leblanc Michel Procede de conduite d'une machine de nettoyage a sec et dispositif pour sa mise en oeuvre
US5105633A (en) * 1991-01-28 1992-04-21 Venturedyne, Ltd. Solvent recovery system with means for supplemental cooling
US20050183208A1 (en) * 2004-02-20 2005-08-25 The Procter & Gamble Company Dual mode laundry apparatus and method using the same

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2475080A1 (fr) * 1980-02-01 1981-08-07 Centre Tech Teinture Nettoyage Procede et dispositif pour la recuperation du solvant dans les machines de degraissage a sec.

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US986332A (en) * 1908-07-17 1911-03-07 Robert Weiss Process of treating textile materials.
US1381002A (en) * 1919-03-03 1921-06-07 O'neil Arthur Samuel Process for solvent recovery
US1986292A (en) * 1929-04-10 1935-01-01 Cellulose Res Corp Process for spraying materials
US2019011A (en) * 1934-04-16 1935-10-29 American Laundry Mach Co Dry cleaning apparatus
US2115344A (en) * 1932-06-14 1938-04-26 Carrier Corp Method of precooling enclosures
US2289930A (en) * 1940-05-16 1942-07-14 Franco Canadian Dyers Ltd Treating apparatus
US3103112A (en) * 1961-10-04 1963-09-10 Borg Warner Fabric cleaning and drying machine
US3110544A (en) * 1963-04-05 1963-11-12 Robert J Patch Cleaning method
US3116122A (en) * 1959-04-25 1963-12-31 Leybold Anlagen Holding A G Method and means for condensation of vapors

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US986332A (en) * 1908-07-17 1911-03-07 Robert Weiss Process of treating textile materials.
US1381002A (en) * 1919-03-03 1921-06-07 O'neil Arthur Samuel Process for solvent recovery
US1986292A (en) * 1929-04-10 1935-01-01 Cellulose Res Corp Process for spraying materials
US2115344A (en) * 1932-06-14 1938-04-26 Carrier Corp Method of precooling enclosures
US2019011A (en) * 1934-04-16 1935-10-29 American Laundry Mach Co Dry cleaning apparatus
US2289930A (en) * 1940-05-16 1942-07-14 Franco Canadian Dyers Ltd Treating apparatus
US3116122A (en) * 1959-04-25 1963-12-31 Leybold Anlagen Holding A G Method and means for condensation of vapors
US3103112A (en) * 1961-10-04 1963-09-10 Borg Warner Fabric cleaning and drying machine
US3110544A (en) * 1963-04-05 1963-11-12 Robert J Patch Cleaning method

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3256613A (en) * 1963-04-05 1966-06-21 Robert J Patch Fabric treatment
US4104814A (en) * 1976-02-02 1978-08-08 Whight Leonard A Clean towel presenting machine
EP0031971A1 (fr) * 1980-01-03 1981-07-15 VE.DA. S.r.l. Purificateur à condensation fonctionnant en circuit fermé pour des courants gazeux contenant des solvants
FR2587739A1 (fr) * 1985-09-20 1987-03-27 Leblanc Michel Procede de conduite d'une machine de nettoyage a sec et dispositif pour sa mise en oeuvre
US5105633A (en) * 1991-01-28 1992-04-21 Venturedyne, Ltd. Solvent recovery system with means for supplemental cooling
US20050183208A1 (en) * 2004-02-20 2005-08-25 The Procter & Gamble Company Dual mode laundry apparatus and method using the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1018512A (en) 1966-01-26
FR1350414A (fr) 1964-01-24
CH407020A (fr) 1966-02-15
DE1460458A1 (de) 1970-02-12

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