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REPLACING SOLVENT CLEANING WITH AQUEOUS CLEANING
Citation:
Monroe, K. REPLACING SOLVENT CLEANING WITH AQUEOUS CLEANING. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-94/131 (NTIS PB95-129128), 1994.
Impact/Purpose:
Information.
Description:
The report documents actions taken by Robert Bosch Corp., Charleston, SC, in replacing the cleaning solvents 1, 1, 2- trichloro-1, 2, 2-trifluoroethane (CFC-113) and trichloroethylene (TCE) with aqueous solutions. Bosch has succeeded in eliminating all their CFC-113 use and so far has eliminated two-thirds of their TCE use. Their goal is to be completely free of chlorinated cleaning solvents by the end of 1995. These cleaning changes have not only responded to the environmental goals of the Montreal Protocol and EPA's 33/50 program but have also resulted in improved cleaning at dramatically reduced costs. In early key decision was to replace their aging, large central degreasing stations with several small cleaning units, each, designed and dedicated for cleaning just one part at one step in the product assembly process. This strategy demanded reassessment of each cleaning step and identification of apparatus and chemistry for optimizing each aqueous replacement. The report summarizes the actions taken to achieve aqueous cleaning of four typical components, previously cleaned with chlorinated solvents. The report provides quantitative comparisons of cleaning performance and costs of the old chlorinated (1988) and the new aqueous (1992) cleaning methods. or each component, the new method matched or exceeded the old method at similar or lower costs.