Patent ID: 6418942
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B08B,C23G

Abstract:
A method of treating an object in a closed solvent processing system, said system including a vacuum chamber, said object being disposed in said vacuum chamber, said system further comprising a solvent supply system in communication with said vacuum chamber, said method comprising the steps of:isolating said solvent supply system from said vacuum chamber; reducing pressure within said vacuum chamber to create a vacuum condition within said vacuum chamber; introducing solvent from said solvent supply system into said vacuum chamber; alternating pressure and vacuum within said vacuum chamber to cause decompression bubbles to form at a surface of said object, said decompression bubbles treating said object in a desirable manner by generating energy from implosion of said decompression bubbles; recovering the solvent within the vacuum chamber; isolating the vacuum chamber from the solvent supply system; and introducing a gas into the vacuum chamber to sweep solvent from said object and from within the vacuum chamber.