Claims
- 1. A method of using a composition comprising ozone to remove residues from an internal metallic surface of a container, the method comprising the steps of:
a) exposing the internal metallic surface to a composition comprising ozone, the internal metallic surface having thereon a residue; and b) contacting the composition comprising ozone with the internal metallic surface for a time sufficient to either:
i) remove the residue; or ii) chemically modify the residue to form a modified residue that may be removed by other means.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said residue is selected from the group consisting of organic material and organometallic material.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition comprising ozone is selected from the group consisting of gaseous compositions and liquid compositions.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition comprising ozone comprises a chemical selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, helium, hydrogen, oxygen, a halogen, and mixtures thereof.
- 5. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of generating said composition comprising ozone prior to said exposing step.
- 6. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of generating said composition comprising ozone during said exposing step.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is selected from the group consisting of cylinders, tanks, ton units, tube trailers, spheres, and bullets.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the other means are selected from the group consisting of liquid chemical washing, gas purging, heating, baking, vacuum, scrubbing, abrading, and combinations of same.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition comprising ozone has an ozone concentration ranging from about 1 to about 20 percent.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said internal metallic surface comprises metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, and steel.
- 11. A method of using a composition comprising ozone to deactivate residues on an internal metallic surface of a container, the method comprising the steps of:
a) exposing the internal metallic surface to a composition comprising ozone, the internal metallic surface having thereon a residue; and b) contacting the composition comprising ozone with the internal metallic surface for a time sufficient to deactivate the residue.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said residue is selected from the group consisting of organic material and organometallic material.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein said composition comprising ozone is selected from the group consisting of gaseous compositions and liquid compositions.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein said composition comprising ozone comprises a chemical selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, helium, hydrogen, oxygen, a halogen, and mixtures thereof.
- 15. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of generating said composition comprising ozone prior to said exposing step.
- 16. The method of claim 11 comprising the step of generating said composition comprising ozone during said exposing step.
- 17. The method of claim 1 wherein the container is selected from the group consisting of cylinders, tanks, ton units, tube trailers, spheres, and bullets.
- 18. The method of claim 11 wherein said composition comprising ozone has an ozone concentration ranging from about 1 to about 20 percent.
- 19. The method of claim 11 wherein said internal metallic surface comprises metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, nickel, and steel.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from copending provisional application serial No. 60/306,012, filed Jul. 17, 2001, incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60306012 |
Jul 2001 |
US |