The present invention relates to a method for removing a foreign material from the surface of an article comprising the following steps: i) providing an article having a surface covered at least partly with a foreign material; ii) contacting the article provided in step i) with a cleaning medium being an acid having a pKa in the range from −10 to 7 having a minimum concentration of 1 wt.-% and with a carrier medium having a density different from the density of the cleaning medium to obtain a mixture comprising the foreign material solved and/or dispersed in the cleaning medium, the carrier medium and the article free from the foreign material; iii) allowing the mixture obtained in step ii) to separate to obtain a heterophasic emulsion comprising at least a first phase comprising the carrier medium and the article free from the foreign material and a second phase comprising the cleaning medium and the foreign material solved and/or dispersed therein; iv) separating the phases obtained in step iii); and v) separating the article free from the foreign material from the carrier medium. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an installation for carrying out the inventive process.

Turbines and associated equipment are normally cleaned via water or chemical pressure washing via a mist, spray systems. However, these systems fail to reach deep across the gas path to remove fouling materials. Various embodiments herein pertain to apparatus and methods that utilize the water and exiting chemicals to generate a foam. The foam can be introduced at that gas-path entrance of the equipment, where it contacts the stages and internal surfaces to contact, scrub, carry, and remove fouling away from equipment to restore performance.

Turbines and associated equipment are normally cleaned via water or chemical pressure washing via a mist, spray systems. However, these systems fail to reach deep across the gas path to remove fouling materials. Various embodiments herein pertain to apparatus and methods that utilize the water and exiting chemicals to generate a foam. The foam can be introduced at that gas-path entrance of the equipment, where it contacts the stages and internal surfaces to contact, scrub, carry, and remove fouling away from equipment to restore performance.

A coating removal process includes providing a coating removal vessel having a sealable processing volume therein, providing a coating removal fluid, which reacts with the coating, at an elevated temperature above the ambient temperature surrounding the removal vessel, in the sealable processing volume, locating a component having a coating thereon to be removed in the processing volume, sealing the sealable process volume from the ambient surrounding the processing volume, heating the coating removal fluid to a temperature greater than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, removing the coating from the component using the coating removal fluid at the temperature greater than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, reducing the temperature of the coating removal fluid to a temperature less than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, venting the sealable volume to the surrounding ambient, and removing the component from the processing volume.

A coating removal process includes providing a coating removal vessel having a sealable processing volume therein, providing a coating removal fluid, which reacts with the coating, at an elevated temperature above the ambient temperature surrounding the removal vessel, in the sealable processing volume, locating a component having a coating thereon to be removed in the processing volume, sealing the sealable process volume from the ambient surrounding the processing volume, heating the coating removal fluid to a temperature greater than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, removing the coating from the component using the coating removal fluid at the temperature greater than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, reducing the temperature of the coating removal fluid to a temperature less than the boiling point thereof at the pressure of the surrounding ambient, venting the sealable volume to the surrounding ambient, and removing the component from the processing volume.

A method of removing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based scaffold from a 3D printed part formed by a 3D printing process that renders a finished product for immediate use. The method principally involves preparing an acidic-aqueous cleansing solution comprising a mixture of carboxylic acid and water; immersing the 3D printed part conventionally bonded with PVA-based scaffold into the acidic-aqueous cleansing solution for a select amount of time to break down and remove the PVA-based scaffold from the 3D printed part; and adding to the acidic-aqueous cleansing solution a select quantity of polymeric carbohydrate to crosslink and bond with the PVA-based scaffold to effect dissolution thereof into the acidic-aqueous cleansing solution.

A method of cleaning a complex powder transfer system including providing a powder transfer system having a washing fluid source, a spray device valve in fluid communication with the washing fluid source, a backflush valve in fluid communication with the washing fluid source, a receiving device having an upper chamber, a lower chamber, and a membrane filter disposed between the upper and lower chambers. The method includes opening the backflush valve to initiate a backflush cycle, running the backflush cycle to wash the upper chamber with a fluid, and closing the backflush valve after the backflush cycle completes. The method includes opening the spray device valve to initiate a spray device cycle, running the spray device cycle to wash the lower chamber with fluid, and closing the spray device valve after the spray device cycle completes. The method includes opening a pressure valve to provide PCA to the receiving container.

A method of cleaning a complex powder transfer system including providing a powder transfer system having a washing fluid source, a spray device valve in fluid communication with the washing fluid source, a backflush valve in fluid communication with the washing fluid source, a receiving device having an upper chamber, a lower chamber, and a membrane filter disposed between the upper and lower chambers. The method includes opening the backflush valve to initiate a backflush cycle, running the backflush cycle to wash the upper chamber with a fluid, and closing the backflush valve after the backflush cycle completes. The method includes opening the spray device valve to initiate a spray device cycle, running the spray device cycle to wash the lower chamber with fluid, and closing the spray device valve after the spray device cycle completes. The method includes opening a pressure valve to provide PCA to the receiving container.

A cleaning machine and a cleaning method for a photomask pellicle are provided. The cleaning machine at least includes: an air knife and a cleaning device. The air knife is configured to blow away contamination particles on the surface of the photomask pellicle. The cleaning device is configured to spray cleaning liquid to the surface of the photomask pellicle, to weather the contamination particles failed to be blown away by the air knife through the volatilization of the cleaning liquid. The air knife is also configured to blow away the weathered contamination particles.

A cleaning machine and a cleaning method for a photomask pellicle are provided. The cleaning machine at least includes: an air knife and a cleaning device. The air knife is configured to blow away contamination particles on the surface of the photomask pellicle. The cleaning device is configured to spray cleaning liquid to the surface of the photomask pellicle, to weather the contamination particles failed to be blown away by the air knife through the volatilization of the cleaning liquid. The air knife is also configured to blow away the weathered contamination particles.