Abstract:
The invention is directed to a mehtod of cleaning an object in a controlled environment processing chamber into which solvents, water and/or gases are introduced. The process includes first applying a negative gauge pressure to the chamber to non-condensable gases and then introducing a solvent, solvent mixture, water or gas in either a liquid or vapor state to remove soluble contaminants from the surface of an object being processed in the chamber. Further steps recover residual solvent or solution from the object and chamber. A secondary cleaning step directs a vapor state fluid at high velocity at a solid surface of the object to remove insoluble material left behind after the pretreatment step. A final series of steps recovers any loose impediments or residual liquid or vapor from the chamber and returns the chamber to atmospheric pressure for removal of the cleaned object.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is divisional application of and claims priority from earlier filed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/164,792, filed Jun. 6, 2002. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new method and system for removing particulate and non-volatile residue (NVR) from the surfaces of manufactured parts. More particularly the present invention relates to a method and system of high velocity fluid jetting for removing residues from the surface of high precision manufactured products such as computer chips and computer disk platters in a reduced pressure environment. The examples used describe methods for internal and external surface treatment and can be used in many industries, which require contaminant and particle free parts as part of their everyday manufacturing process. 
     In the computer chip manufacturing industry, cleaning and particle removal, prior to etching and deposition, is becoming more of a challenge because of the sizes and aspect ratios encountered during the manufacturing of chips for high-speed computers. Particle removal of particle sizes less than 0.2 microns is becoming more the normal requirement to ensure quality chips and the particle removal process is becoming more and more critical to the process success. Fluids are the preferred media used for particle removal from chips, however, hand wiping is now often required to attain the desired particle removal level. The problem with fluid removal methods is the need to produce significant fluid motion near the solid surface where the micron size particles reside. Even during periods of rapid fluid motion across a solid surface, a viscous sub-layer exists in which there is very little fluid motion. This viscous sub-layer actually acts as a dampener to turbulent eddies moving toward the surface which would normally remove the particles submerged in this fluid viscous sub-layer if not inhibited by this fluid barrier. These layers also dampen the fluid motion from energy release mechanisms such as that produced by ultrasonic transducers which generate energy from imploding vapor bubbles in the fluid at relatively remote regions from the solid surface and viscous sub-layer. 
     Generally speaking, as a fluid moves across a surface, a layer of slow moving fluid near the solid surface prevents significant fluid impact forces on the surface, and thus inhibits the natural particle removal mechanism. The slower the fluid motion, the larger the viscous sub-layer and the greater the dampening of eddy fluid impact on a particle residing in this sub-layer. This sub-layer also dampens the eddies produced by ultrasound which if produced at a relatively far distance from the surface, dissipate their energy before reaching the surface when encountering this barrier sub-layer. Indeed, in order to circumvent this dampening problem, increased sound wave frequency is used in order to produce bubbles closer to the sub-layer and the particles. However, this enhancement is often offset by the fact that smaller bubbles release lower energy when imploded. 
     The main problem with the above particle removal mechanisms is that the fluid motion generated from the release of energy from imploding bubbles or from fluid eddies generated in turbulent fluid motion needs to penetrate through a relatively stagnant viscous sub-layer of fluid in order to reach micron sized particles residing within this sub-layer on the surface. The fluid motion is dampened to a level at which the energy imparted to the particle is no longer sufficient to overcome the adhesive or van der Waals forces holding these particles to the surface. It would therefore appear that there is a need for a process that carries out the impacting of fluid motion as a particle removing process in the absence of atmospheric interference or in a highly reduced atmosphere of stagnant fluid. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In this regard, the present invention is directed to a controlled environment processing chamber or chambers into which solvents, water and/or gases used for processing a material can be introduced. The process includes a means of applying a negative gauge pressure to the chamber to remove air or other non-condensable gases. Means are provided for introducing a solvent, solvent mixture, water or gas in either a liquid or vapor state. A first step removes soluble contaminants from the surface of an object being processed in the chamber using solvent(s) or solution(s). Treatment may be in the form of etching, cleaning, stripping, dissolving, penetrating, vapor degreasing, submerging, spraying, ultrasonic treatment or any other process in which material is removed from a solid surface to a liquid or gas phase. A second step further recovers residual solvent or solution from the object and chamber in order to reduce the atmosphere in the chamber. A third step introduces a fluid preferably in gas or vapor form which is jetted into the chamber in a fashion so as to be directed at a solid surface which may require the removal of insoluble material left behind after a pretreatment clean. A fourth step recovers any loose impediments or residual liquid or vapor from the chamber and returns the chamber to atmospheric pressure to remove the cleaned object. 
     In another aspect of the invention, a method of processing an object in an enclosed solvent processing system, including a solvent supply system in sealable communication with a cleaning chamber comprises the steps of: 
     (a) sealing the solvent or solution supply system with respect to the chamber; 
     (b) evacuating the supply system of air and non-condensable gases and maintaining this air free environment; 
     (c) opening the chamber to atmosphere and placing an object to be processed in the chamber; 
     (d) evacuating the chamber to remove air and other non-condensable gases; 
     (e) sealing the chamber with respect to atmosphere; 
     (f) opening the chamber with respect to the solvent supply system and introducing a solvent or solution into the evacuated chamber; 
     (g) processing the object while maintaining an air free environment within the chamber; 
     (h) recovering and processing the solvent or solution introduced into the chamber within the closed circuit processing system; 
     (i) introducing the solvent or non condensable gas as a jet of liquid, gas or vapor to further process the object by mechanically removing residual insoluble material from the surface by impact or drag forces on that material; 
     (j) recovering and processing the 2 nd  solvent or gas introduced into the chamber within the closed circuit processing system; 
     (k) repeating steps (i) and (j) as required; 
     (l) sealing the chamber with respect to the solvent supply system closed circuit solvent processing system; 
     (m) introducing air or other non condensable gases into the chamber for sweeping further solvent on the object and within the chamber; and 
     (n) opening the chamber and removing the treated object. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an environment conducive to the removal of insoluble material from objects requiring surfaces that are free of foreign material before further processing of the object. Once an environment is created which is either free or substantially reduced of fluids normally encountered at ambient conditions, the invention provides for a means of impacting a jet of fluid on a surface for the purpose of mechanically scrubbing the surface of particles and other insoluble foreign residue. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the present invention shown to include a source of jetted fluid; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a an alternate embodiment thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a second alternate embodiment thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a second alternate embodiment thereof; and 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a third alternate embodiment thereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A method for reduced environment treatment of insoluble residue is described herein with examples teaching techniques for accomplishing the task on internal or external surfaces, using chambers or the part being cleaned as the chamber and examples of other mechanisms which are enhanced by operating the residue removal at lower pressures. The following examples of the present invention are being described for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the steps described or solvents used in the descriptions. The scope of the invention is wide and can cover many industries and processes as illustrated in the sample examples below. 
     In the simplest form, the preferred embodiment of the present invention requires a vacuum pump and a processing chamber in fluid communication with each other. A depiction of the process is shown in FIG.  1 . In FIG. 1, the process method  10  includes a processing chamber  12  having an object  18  requiring non volatile residue removal placed upon a support  20  fixedly mounted within the processing chamber  12 . A valve  22 , in fluid communication with the atmosphere and the processing chamber  12 , is provided for selectively introducing air into the processing chamber  12 . 
     The object  18  is placed into the processing chamber  12  on the support  20  through an opening created by removing a lid  28 . After receiving the object  18 , the lid  28  is secured to the processing chamber  12  wherein the processing chamber  12  is sealed. Valve  72  is opened and the air handling vacuum pump  38  is used to remove virtually all the air from the processing chamber  12 . 
     After removal of all the air in the chamber  12 , valve  58  is opened and ambient air is released into the chamber through nozzle  80  to produce a jet  78 , which impinges on the surface of part  18 . Because of the reduced atmosphere in the chamber, the first burst of air impinging on the solid surface spreads over a surface that is free of any fluid. Since no fluid exists near the surface, there is no boundary layer of fluid surrounding any particles or foreign residue on the surface and the leading edge of the spreading air will contact the particle at velocities well above those normally encountered in fully developed atmospheric boundary layers which dampen any fluid motion or eddies attempting to reach micron size particles on the solid surface. Because there is no boundary yet developed, due to the reduced pressure within the chamber  12 , the spreading jet will Impact the particles on the surface as well as produce a higher drag on the particles due to an undeveloped boundary layer. If valve  58  is left open, as the leading edge of air passes, the particles will become submerged within a boundary layer with the smaller particles eventually becoming submerged in a viscous boundary layer as the boundary layer flow develops. It is therefore desirable to cycle valve  58  open and closed in order to alternate between reducing the atmosphere surrounding the particles and jetting a fluid, such as air, past the particles to impinge and remove them from the surface. Valve  72  can be left opened and vacuum pump  38  can be left on thus also removing any particles left suspended in the chamber  12 , which may have been removed from the solid surface. These particles are so small that they generally are suspended in the air stream exiting the chamber  12  through the vacuum pump  38 . 
     The choice of jetting ambient air into the chamber  12  to remove small particles is only effective in clean room environments, since the injected air may deposit particles if the impinging air is not filtered well. It is therefore more practical, as shown in FIG. 2, to inject filtered air using filter  42  and even more effective to use compressed nitrogen from nitrogen source  74  in order to prevent the depositing of particles on the solid surface. It is obvious that other gases such as argon, helium and other noble and non-condensable gases would also be effective for the process. Condensable vapors or liquids can also be used such as halogenated cleaning solvents, deionized water, alcohols, esters, acids or any other liquids, which can be sprayed into a chamber. Subliming solids, such as solid carbon dioxide pellets or snow, would also be effective since the impacting solid would sublime to a gas which would spread over the surface as a gas as described above. As described above, the reduced pressure environment would also enhance the impacting effect of the solid pellets. 
     Generally to attain effective particle removal from a solid surface, a surface cleansing to remove contaminants on the surface, which may physically bond the particles to the surface, is usually performed. A liquid spray or soak or a vapor treatment can perform the cleansing. In a more practical method therefore, it is desirable to first contact the object with fluids which can dissolve or encapsulate residue which may act as adhesives to hold insoluble material on the solid surface. FIG. 3 therefore depicts a preferred embodiment of the reduced environment particle removal process. 
     In FIG. 3, the process method  10  includes a processing chamber  12  having an object  18  requiring cleaning placed upon a support  20  fixedly mounted within the processing chamber  12 . A valve  22 , in fluid communication with the atmosphere and the processing chamber  12 , is provided for selectively introducing air into the processing chamber  12 . The object  18  to be cleaned is placed into the processing chamber  12  on the support  20  through an opening created by removing a lid  28 . After receiving the object  18 , the lid  28  is secured to the processing chamber  12  wherein the processing chamber  12  is sealed. The air handling vacuum pump  38  is used to remove virtually all the air from the processing chamber  12 . 
     An aqueous cleaning solution or solvent is preferably introduced to the processing chamber  12  as a heated liquid soak through pump  82  and valve  76 . Typically, the solution can be circulated by opening the overflow valve  58  or drained and refilled by opening valve  30  and returning the solution to the fluid supply tank  24 . The solution may be agitated as well as with jet pumps or spray nozzles on the inlet line through valve  76 , or with ultrasonic transducers. 
     After the object  18  has been cleaned, any liquid solvent remaining in the processing chamber  12  is drained and/or pumped into the heated solvent vessel  24  by opening valve  30 . The drained liquid will also remove most of the larger chips or lose insoluble material and transfer them to the heated solvent vessel  24 . 
     Solvent vapors are next removed from the processing chamber  12  by means of a solvent handling vacuum pump  32 . Specifically, valve  34  is opened and since there is no air present in this system, solvent vapors can be easily condensed in a heat exchanger  62  and the clean condensed solvent can be sent to the solvent holding tank  26  to be stored for reuse as clean spray for the next cleaning and rinse cycle. During this vapor-scavenging step, any residual solvent liquid remaining on the heated parts boils off the parts at the lower vacuum pressures, thus reducing solvent residual left in the vessel or on the parts. 
     Upon removal of solvent vapor and liquid from the processing chamber  12 , non condensable gases are removed from the fluid supply tank  24  by means of the solvent handling vacuum pump  32 . Specifically valve  60  is opened, vacuum pump  32  is activated, and non-condensable gases will be drawn from the tank  24  with the solvent vapors that are evaporating from the liquid in tank  24 . As above, the solvent vapors can be condensed and gases cooled in a heat exchanger  62  and the clean condensed solvent can be sent to the solvent holding tank  26  to be stored for reuse as clean solvent for the next cleaning or rinse cycle. The cooled gases can be vented from the holding tank  26  and the system  10  through valve  44  preferably to a vapor recovery device such as a carbon drum  48  shown. 
     The solvent or solution is now preferably introduced to the chamber  12  from the fluid supply tank  24  as a heated vapor as through valve  58  in FIG.  3 . Fluid supply tank  24  is heated by steam introduced into jacket  14  from steam source  16  when valve  70  is opened. Tank  24  can be heated by other conventional means such as electric heaters, oil jackets, and other conventional means used to heat and vaporize liquids in vessels. When fluid supply tank  24  has been heated to the desired temperature, valve  58  is opened and a vapor jet  78  of solvent or water will be injected into the chamber because of the pressure differential between the evacuated chamber  12  and the fluid-processing tank  24 . The injected vapor is preferably directed to the solid  18  to be cleaned to produce an impact of vapor on the surface for moving particles along or off the surface of the object  18 . The vapor jet is best directed by the use of a nozzle  80  as depicted in FIG.  3 . The leading edge of the impinging jet should be most effective in imparting energy to any foreign matter on the surface since there is either no fluid present or very little atmosphere present thus allowing the injected vapor the reach the solid surface with little or no impediment. The rate of vapor jetting into the chamber will depend upon the size of the feed line and pressure drop across any fittings in the line, the level of vacuum in the chamber  12 , and the amount of pressure in the fluid supply tank  24 . The jetting process can therefore be controlled by the rate of heating of tank  24 . 
     The impinging jet, after spreading and becoming removed from the surface of the object  18 , should carry away particles or insoluble residue from the object  18 . The vapor and particles will fill the chamber  12  slowing the impinging process. Smaller particles will remain suspended in the chamber while larger particles may fall to the chamber walls and bottom. After the chamber  12  has been filled with vapor and the pressure in the chamber  12  and the fluid tank  24  have equalized, valve  58  can be closed isolating chamber  12 . Vapors can be removed by opening valve  34  and turning on vacuum pump  32 . The vapors leaving the chamber  12  will carry most of the smaller particles with it and remove them from the chamber  12 . The vapor can be passed through the condenser  62  and vacuum pump  32  and sent to holding tank  26  to possibly be reused for future processing. If the solvent is to be reused, it is advantageous to pass the vapors through the filter  42  as shown in FIG.  3 . It is efficient to filter the solvent as a vapor rather than in the liquid phase in order to continuously remove particles from the system  10 . Liquid in tanks  24  and  26  can also be filtered for reuse by circulating liquid with pumps  82  and  46  through filters  54  and  52  respectively. 
     In the case where the solvent is reused, the solvent in the fluid supply tank  24  is distilled to holding tank  26  through valve  60 , through filter  44 , through condenser  62  and through vacuum pump  32 . Distilling is accomplished by heating the vessel  24  with steam entering jacket  14  through valve  70  from steam source  16 . The residue left behind after distilling is discharged through open valve  66  to waste drum  68  removing particles with the waste as well. 
     For a more strenuous, continuous particle removal process, the injection of vapor into the chamber  12  through valve  58  can be in very short bursts, when valve  58  is rapidly cycled open and shut. Simultaneously vapor can be continuously removed through valve  34 , filter  42 , condenser  62  and vacuum pump  32  in order to maintain a very low content of solvent vapor and a low pressure within the chamber  12  and around the surface of the object  18 . Rapidly cycling the opening and closing of valve  58  provides intermittent bursts of vapor striking the object  18  surface. Also, the continuous removal of vapor reduces the concentration of small particles circulating in the chamber and thus reduces the probability and frequency of particles re-depositing on the object  18 . In order to prevent the condensing of vapors on the object  18 , which could provide a liquid film over the surface of object  18 , the jetting vapors may be preheated with an electric heater  56  shown in FIG.  3 . 
     There may be instances where jetting a non-condensable gas is more effective than jetting a vapor. FIG. 4 shows a process  10  in which air, recycled within the process, is used to jet onto the surface of object  18 . After cleaning the object  18  as described above, valve  82  is opened and air from holding tank  26  is passed through filter  42 , open valve  82  and nozzle  80  to form a jet of air  78  impinging on the surface. The impinging air is removed from the chamber  12  through valve  34 , through condenser  62 , through vacuum pump  32  and back to holding tank  26 . As above, the process can be cycled by opening and closing valve  82 . For cleaner gases, after the chamber  12  has been evacuated of any vapors or liquids, pressurized gases such as nitrogen source  74  or solid carbon dioxide can be jetted onto the surface as above, however this gas can be evacuated from the system  10  through open valve  74  to the atmosphere using air handling vacuum pump  38 . The gases can be scrubbed in a filter  48  such as depicted in the FIG.  4 . 
     The above processes are examples of methods that can be used to remove particles from external surfaces. It often becomes a requirement to remove particles from the internals of parts such as often occurs in medical devices. FIG. 5 shows a tube  18 , which will be used here as an example of a part being cleaned internally by the invention. In this method, one end of the part  18  is attached to a hose or tube, which is in fluid communication with a vacuum source such as vacuum pump  32  through open valve  34  and condenser  62 . In the preferred embodiment, the tube is cleaned as above in a vacuum. In the initial step, chamber  12  is evacuated of non-condensable gases by vacuum pump  38  through valve  72 . Fluid introduced using pump  82  through valve  76 , if pumped to submerge tube  18 , will fill the tube  18  because of the vacuum on the inside of the tube and dissolve soluble contaminant from the inside tube walls. Upon closing valve  76  and opening valve  30 , the fluid in chamber  12  will gravity drain to fluid supply tank  24 , removing the bulk of fluid from tube  18 . It can be expected that some insoluble residue can be removed from the tube  18  by the treatment method above, however it would be expected that if particles are present, that a significant quantity of the particles would remain in the tube along with a significant amount of trapped fluid if the tube were bent as depicted in FIG.  5 . 
     It is therefore advantageous to move fluid through the tube at a steady rate to physically move particles through the tube and out of the tube  18  to a side reservoir. The conventional way of accomplishing this is to attach an external line to the tube  18  and pump cleaning fluid through the tube. In this invention, it is desired to pull the fluid through the tube  18  in order to move the fluid through the tube  18  in a simpler and more efficient manner. 
     In FIG. 5, after fluid from the fluid supply tank  24  is pumped to a fluid level  88  which is above the tube opening  78 , fluid can be drawn through the tube  18  by opening valve  34  and turning on vacuum pump  32 . If valve  86  remains closed, knockout pot  84  will be evacuated and if valve  88  is opened, air from clean fluid tank  26  will slightly pressurize chamber  12 , pushing fluid through the tube  18 , through connector  80 , through valve  34 , through condenser  62  and into knockout pot  84 . This process can continue if pump  82  delivers enough fluid from fluid supply tank  24  to keep the fluid level  88  above tube opening  78 . 
     The pulling of fluid through the tube pushes the tube  18  against the coupling  80 , which helps prevent the coupling  80  from separating from the tube  18 , a problem often encountered when using the conventional means of pushing the fluid through the tube as with a pump. Generally the bulk of the larger particles can be removed from the interior of the tube  18 , however, as mentioned above, smaller particles can remain on the surface in the slower moving viscous boundary layer. It can be advantageous, especially for tubes, which can pass sound waves through tube walls such as plastics, to apply ultrasonics to the fluid using ultrasonic transducers  90  as depicted in FIG.  5 . In tubes in which fluid is being pushed, the ultrasonic bubbles cannot grow significantly since the fluid in the tube  18  is under pressure. Smaller ultrasonic bubbles do not produce significant energy generation upon implosion and therefore ultrasonic waves are not effective. Using the invention method of pulling the fluid through the tube  18  produces a low pressure in the tube  18 . Applying ultrasonic waves to this fluid generates a greater number, faster growing, larger vapor bubbles which release greater energy when imploded. The reduced pressure environment in the tube  18  therefore enhances the capability of the ultrasonics. 
     Controlling the temperature of the fluid and the level of the non-condensable gases introduced to the chamber  12  can control the above enhancement of ultrasonic cleaning and NVR removal by allowing an adjustment to the pressure at which the ultrasonics can be applied. Opening the valve  96  in FIG. 5 would draw non-condensable gases from the chamber  12  reducing the operating pressure for ultrasonic processing while opening valve  82  would introduce more non-condensable gases to increase the operating pressure. The operating pressure would be between the vapor pressure of the liquid in the vessel  12  and atmospheric pressure. Higher operating pressures are attainable by adding a gas-pressurizing device such as a compressor between clean fluid tank  26  and valve  82 . Too high a pressure results in less vapor bubble generation and smaller bubbles, while low pressures may result in vapor bubbles escaping to the vapor state without collapsing and releasing energy to the fluid. The most effective pressure to operate at depends upon the frequency and energy level of the ultrasonics as well as the fluid temperature and solvent properties such as boiling point and latent heat of vaporization. The optimum ultrasonic operating pressure of the chamber  12  for particle removal on the inside of the tube  18  should be different than that for cleaning the outside of the object since the fluid on the internals of the object  18  are exposed to a more direct vacuum and are thus moving at a greater velocity, resulting in a fluid at a lower pressure than the fluid in the chamber  12 . Varying the pressure throughout the particle removal cycle, in order to clean both the inside and outside of the object  18  would enhance the overall process. 
     After moving cleaning fluid through tube  18 , the tube and chamber  12  can be drained of all the fluid by opening valve  30  and sending the fluid to the fluid supply tank  24 . The fluid in knockout pot  84  can also be returned to fluid supply tank  24  by opening valve  86  and draining knockout pot  84 . If valves  30 ,  82 , and  86  are closed and valve  34  is opened and vacuum pump  32  is on, vapor and residual air will pass through tube  18 , through valve  34 , through condenser  62  and knockout pot  84 , and through vacuum pump  32  to be sent to clean fluid holding tank  26 . The movement of heated vapor and air through the tube will dry the tube since the hot vapor will enter a lower pressure area in the tube  18  from the higher pressure area in chamber  12  and become superheated and capable of providing heat for drying. Additional heated vapor can be introduced to the chamber  12  by opening valve  58  and can be superheated by heater  56  if additional heat is required. As compared to conventional drying, which either blows air on the outside of the tube or blows pressurized air through the tube, the vacuum drying method in this invention is more effective since the solvent will evaporate from the surface at a much lower temperature due to the lower pressure in this invention. 
     For enhanced particle removal, after drying the tube  18  as done above, valves  82  and  58  can be closed and the vacuum can be pulled to a low pressure. Once the chamber  12  has reached a low pressure, valve  58  can be opened and vapor will rapidly fill the chamber  12  and jet through the tube  18  as vacuum pump  32  continues to pull vacuum through valve  34  and connector  80 . Similar to the process discussed above for exterior surfaces, the initial jet of vapor entering the tube  18  either does not encounter an established fluid boundary layer or encounters a low atmosphere boundary layer which can easily be penetrated to contact any insoluble residue left behind on the surface and remove these particles from the tube  18 . Also as above, opening and closing the valve  58  produces a pulsing action to enhance the removal. Similar to this vapor process, non-condensable gases can be used as described for exterior surfaces above. If valve  82  is opened rather than valve  58 , air from, clean fluid tank  26  can be injected into the chamber  12  and jetted through tube  18 . Any remaining particles after cleaning will be carried from the tube  18 , through valve  34 , through condenser  62  and knockout pot  84  and through vacuum pump  32  to be sent to the holding tank  26 . As with exterior surfaces, if clean gases are preferred, compressed gases such as nitrogen or solid carbon dioxide pellets can be sent to chamber  12  through valve  94 . This gas is best removed using an air pump  38  through valve  72  while keeping valve  34  closed. Also as mentioned, in the preferred embodiment, valve  94  would be cycled opened and closed to enhance the jetting effect on the particles on the surface. 
     For a more controlled residue removal environment, interior surfaces can be connected at the inlet and outlet sides of the object  18  as depicted in FIG.  6 . Under these conditions, the object itself can act as the cleaning chamber minimizing the volume that would need to be kept particle free. The chamber  12  may be required for either exterior treatment of the object  18  or solvent containment for hazardous solvents however in this embodiment, it is not necessary. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the inside surface of the tube  18  can be treated with heated liquid solvent to clean the inside surface by opening valve  76  and valve  84  and turning on pump  82 . After circulating solvent from fluid supply tank  24 , through part  18 , back to tank  24  and cleaning the object, which is connected at the inlet and outlet to exterior piping using connectors  80 , valves  76  and  84  can be closed and the inside surface of the tube  18  can be treated with heated vapor by opening valve  58  and jetting vapor heated in heater  56  into tube  18 . Vapor and liquid exiting the tube passes through open valve  34 , condenser  62 , through pump  32  would be collected in clean fluid holding tank  26 . In a similar manner, air can be jetted into the tube by opening valve  82  and recycling air stored in clean fluid tank  26  through the system as just described for heated vapor. If clean fresh nitrogen or other non-condensable gas is used as would be jetted into tube  18  in FIG. 6 by opening valve  94 , the gas would best be removed using vacuum pump  38  through open valve  72  and scrubbed in carbon drum  56  prior to release to the environment. Multiple treatment can be performed by cycling the inlet valve open and closed or by alternating the treatment fluid by alternating the opening of valve  58 , valve  82  and valve  94  after full evacuation of the previous treatment fluid to treat the tube with vapor, recycled air and clean bottled gas, respectively. 
     The above examples of the present invention have been described for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the steps described or solvents and gasses used in the descriptions. The scope of the invention is wide and can cover many industries and processes as illustrated in the sample examples stated. It will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.