Patent ID: 8685174

Claim:
A process for cleaning a surface of a substrate with a cleaning device comprising: providing an air-water jet device comprising a first nozzle and a second nozzle; wherein the first nozzle is in fluid communication with a feed water source; wherein the second nozzle is connected to a source of compressed air; and wherein both nozzles are positioned relative to a central axis; wherein the first nozzle is at an angle of between 1 and 60Â° relative to the central axis; wherein the second nozzle is at an angle of between 1 and 45Â° relative to the central axis; wherein the central axis is normal to the surface of the substrate; wherein a mouth of the second nozzle is positioned more forward in the direction of the flow along the direction of the central axis than a mouth of the first nozzle, wherein the offset distance between the mouth of the first nozzle and the second nozzle is between 0.5 and 5 mm in said direction; wherein the air-water jet device is configured so as to result in mixing of the air and the feed water external from the jet device; wherein the first nozzle and the second nozzle are positioned so as to result in: (i) mixing of the air and the feed water at the mouth of the second nozzle when the device is in operation and (ii) water from the first nozzle forming a film around the second nozzle when the device is in operation; and wherein the second nozzle does not co-axially surround the first nozzle; wherein the process comprises spraying water from the first nozzle such that a film forms around the second nozzle and wherein the process comprises spraying air from the second nozzle such that a spray of water and air is formed.