Claims
- 1. A method of reclaiming residual drycleaning fluid from spent filter elements positioned in filter tanks comprising the steps of:
- draining excess drycleaning fluid from the filter elements while the filter elements remain in the filter tanks;
- injecting steam through the filter elements in such tanks so as to vaporize residual drycleaning fluid to form a steam/drycleaning fluid mixture;
- removing said fluid mixture from such tanks to a condenser through a closed system;
- condensing said mixture in a condenser to form liquid water and liquid drycleaning fluid; and
- separating said water from said drycleaning fluid;
- said separating being performed without permitting drycleaning fluid vapors to escape into the environment.
- 2. The method as specified in claim 1 and further characterized by:
- said steam is injected through said filter elements in the direction opposite to the direction of flow of the drycleaning fluid through said filter elements during the normal drycleaning fluid filtering process.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 277,199 filed June 25, 1981 now abandoned, which application is a division of application Ser. No. 170,277 filed July 18, 1980, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,279, issued Aug. 11, 1981.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
136084 |
Jan 1950 |
AUX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
170277 |
Jul 1980 |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
277199 |
Jun 1981 |
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