SUBSTITUTION OF LIQUID CARBON DIOXIDE FOR CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS IN CLEANING

HIGH SPEED DROPLET SPRAYS OF CARBON DIOXIDE ARE BEING USED TO REMOVE CONTAMINATION FROM SURFACES, SUBSTITUTING AN ECONOMICAL AND BENIGN COMBINATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND SOLVENT MATERIAL FOR CFS WHICH ARE BEING PHASED OUT OF USE. OPTIMUM OPERATING CONDITIONS ARE BEING ASSESSED BY EXPERIMENTATION ON SPECULAR SURFACES, WITH EXAMINATION BY OPTICAL METHODS. SPECIAL ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE CONCEPT OF MOMENTUM TRANSFER TO REMOVE SUBMICRON PARTICULATE CONTAMINATION. REQUIREMENTS ARE BEING EXAMINED TO RETROFIT THE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO EXISTING COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT FOR EARLY USE OF FINDINGS BY INDUSTRY.