Quote:
"The Magazine of Critical Cleaning Technology"
Precision Cleaning
by: Steve Stagliano
Pages: 29-31; April, 1999
With the recent encroachment of aqueous-based processes into many traditional solvent cleaning applications, parts drying has become a challenge for many manufacturers and might now be the rate-determining step. The Montreal Protocol forced many who relied on chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-113-based drying systems to seek alternative chemistries. But the "displacement" method of drying that characterized the old CFC-113 systems did not disappear with the phaseout of the chemical. In fact, displacement drying remains a rapid, high volume, spot-free method of drying parts, even parts with complex geometries.
Getting Things Dry
There are many ways to dry parts after aqueous cleaning. The following are some examples:
Water absorption into isopropyl alcohol (IPA). This can be an excellent drying method; however, IPA is a volatile organic compound and flammability issues must be considered. In addition, IPA and water are fully miscible, and disposal or recycling of the IPA/water effluent can be problematic.