Dry cleaning system and process

Abstract

An improved dry cleaning system and process capable of producing satisfactory fabric cleaning results through multiple fabric laundering cycles without the need to replace or dispose of the solvent and other components in the system. The present system and process employ a novel solvent usage and reclamation regimen.

1 . A dry cleaning process comprising a wash cycle and a rinse cycle, wherein the wash cycle comprises the steps of: 
 a. contacting fabric articles with a wash composition, whereby the wash composition is converted into a wash eluent;    b. removing the wash eluent from the fabric article, whereby the fabric articles become substantially free of the wash eluent; and    c. treating the wash eluent, whereby the wash eluent is converted into the wash composition for re-use in step (a);    the rinse cycle comprises the steps of:    d. contacting fabric articles with a rinse fluid, whereby the rinse fluid is converted into a rinse eluent;    e. removing the rinse eluent from the fabric articles such that the fabric articles are substantially free of the rinse eluent;    f. purifying the rinse eluent, whereby the rinse eluent is converted to the rinse fluid for re-use in step (d).    
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 g. drying the fabric article whereby trace of lipophilic fluid on the fabric article is converted into lipophilic fluid vapor;    h. condensing lipophilic fluid vapor; and    i. adding the condensed lipophilic fluid vapor to the wash composition of step (a).    
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the treating step (c) comprises one or more of the following: replenishing laundry additive, replenishing lipophilic fluid, passing through a particulate filter, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the purifying step (f) comprises contacting the wash eluent with a rinse filter.  
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the rinse filter comprises an adsorbent material, an absorbent material, or mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 4  wherein the filter comprises activated carbon.  
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the activated carbon exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics: 
 i) an average particle size in the range from about 0.1 to about 50 microns;    ii) an adsorption capacity of at least 150 mg per gram of an adsorbent;    iii) an internal surface area at least about 1200 m 2 /gram;    iv) an average pore diameter less than about 50 Angstroms;    v) a cumulative surface area at least about 400 m 2 /gram; and    vi) combinations thereof.    
   
   
       8 . The process of  claim 6  wherein the filter further comprises a binder, a fibrous substrate, or both.  
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the step of replacing the rinse filter when the pressure differential across the filter increased by about ten times or higher.  
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the rinse fluid comprises less than about 0.0001% or less than about 5% laundry additive, or both.  
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipophilic fluid comprises linear or cyclic silicones.  
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the lipophilic fluid comprises decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane (D5).  
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the wash cycle comprises an optional step of passing the wash eluent through a particulate filter.  
   
   
       14 . A dry cleaning apparatus exhibiting sustainable efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of soiled fabric articles, the apparatus comprising: 
 a. a treatment chamber for retaining the fabric;    b. a first lipophilic fluid source for supplying wash composition to the treatment chamber, the wash composition is converted into wash eluent when contacted by the fabric articles;    c. a second lipophilic fluid source for supplying rinse fluid to the treatment chamber, the rinse fluid is converted into rinse eluent when contacted by the fabric articles;    d. a rinse filter for removing residues of laundry additives and/or soils from rinse eluent, whereby the rinse eluent is converted into the rinse fluid; and    e. means for separating fabric articles from wash eluent and/or rinse eluent.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the wash composition and the rinse fluid comprise linear or cyclic siloxanes.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the wash composition and the rinse fluid comprise decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the rinse filter comprises activated carbon, and optionally a binder, a fibrous substrate, or both. .  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising an in-line rinse pre-filter for removing particulates from the rinse fluid during rinse cycle.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  further comprising an in-line wash pre-filter for removing particulates from the wash composition.  
   
   
       20 . A dry cleaning process exhibiting sustainable efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of soiled fabric articles, the process comprises a wash cycle using a wash composition and a rinse cycle using a rinse fluid, the wash composition and the rinse fluid are treated and reused in the process repeatedly, wherein after treating 10 loads of soiled fabric articles, soil concentration in the wash composition is about 75% to about 90% of soil concentration in the wash composition in a control process which has no rinse cycle.  
   
   
       21 . A dry cleaning process exhibiting sustainable efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of soiled fabric articles, the process comprises a wash cycle using a wash composition and a rinse cycle using a rinse fluid, the wash composition and the rinse fluid are treated and reused in the process repeatedly, wherein after treating 10 loads of soiled fabric articles, soil residue on laundered fabric articles is about 5% to about 15% of soil residue on laundered fabric articles in a control process which has no rinse cycle.