Dry Cleaning System Delivers Energy Savings

Intermediate cleaning of powertrain parts with more than 50 percent energy savings and high process reliability.

Dürr EcoClean’s EcoCVac offers a dry cleaning system designed to eliminate the need for compressed air. The system can provide energy savings of more than 50 percent and, because maintenance of the working chamber is minimized, it also improves the machine availability, the company says.

The EcoCVac system includes a pressure vessel connected by a pipe to the vacuum chamber in which the part is placed. Once the chamber is closed, a powerful airflow catches the chips sticking to the part and takes them into the vacuum vessel. A chip clean-out device then separates chips and emulsion, enabling both to be discharged separately into a collecting bin and a flume, respectively.

The system affords reduced energy consumption compared with compressed-air type equipment, leading to a cost reduction by more than 50 percent. In addition to the cost benefits, the EcoCVac has improved process reliability. As the chips are removed not only from the part, but also from the work chamber, the risk of recontamination is minimized. The chamber is then cleaned less often at a reduced cost. Unlike conventional compressed-air systems, there are no nozzles to be aligned relative to the part.